Fun With Family and Hot, Dusty, and Dry

We started this week with a fun visit from Bob's Mom, Evelyn, and his sister and brother-in-law Kaye and Sam Clemmons.  They came on Monday, our preparation day, and we had lunch on Mom at one of our favorite dives in Evanston, Rail Road Crossing.  We then took them on a wild ride in the 4x4 on some of the trails and by the ponds.  It was a bit much for Mom and after the ride she was ready to go back to Layton and rest.

Kaye, Debra, Bob, Evelyn

We had a great fireside that night about the second and third rescues.  It was about doing the temple work for those who died in the Willie and Martin Handcart companies. and then how the Saviors atonement saves us.
Our trek this week was with the Roy North Stake on trail 7 with Elder and Sister Ekins from Hinckley, Utah.  We had 140 trekkers and 12 handcarts to keep track of.  They were a great group.  They were so organized and kind.  It is so hot and dry and dusty, that it was a difficult week for most of the missionaries let alone the trekkers.  There was one trek with 625 trekkers and moving that many along in the heat is quite difficult.  It made me all the more grateful to have our "little" trek!  We had a couple of firsts as Bob did the Pony Express for his first time and I called my first Hoe Down.  Bob did a great job and I had a ball with the dancing!  The kids even had a great time and wanted to keep dancing till after dark.  We had the most beautiful sunset I have seen here but was not able to get a picture as I was standing in the back of the flat bed truck.

Bob with his horse "Sliver" for the Pony Express

We have had quite the time with the cows being in our camps and having to move camp.  It has become kind of a running joke with the missionaries, but this time we had no problem with the camps but we did get to watch as the cowboys and their 6 dogs moving the cows from one land to another.

cows are funny and move in single file

cowboys, dust, and dogs

On Saturday Heidi and their two kids Alea and Weston came to visit us for the weekend.  They flew in from Mesa early that morning and then drove from Highland where Grandma and Grandpa Christensen live.  We had fun taking them in the 4x4 through the dusty trails, playing Pickle Ball, pulling handcarts, walking the Bear River, playing games, and just being together.  Weston had just had his tonsils removed 11 days before and was still hurting, but we could see day to day progress.  They just left this morning, and we are already missing them.  There is nothing like the love of family and we certainly love ours!

Bob, Debra, Heidi, Weston, and Alea in the Trek Center

Alea, Weston, and Grandma in our "dust masks" in the 4x4

Weston and Alea Pickleball pros

Who says Grandmas can't jump?

After Family Home Evening Monday night with the missionaries, it began to rain!  It had not rained for over 6 weeks and it is so dry.  I am always especially grateful for it as we have charge of the lawn and trees.  I could not refrain from "dancing in the rain".  Sadly, I think we got about 100 big drops and then it quit!

100 drops of rain

Beautiful Wyoming skies