HEARTS KNIT TOGETHER

CATCH UP - AND KETCHUP!

2010-08-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is a catch-up post - the following events occurred in the past 3 months -
Enjoy!

We had a very fast trip to Chicago - and crammed as much sight seeing in as we could. The highlight was seeing Aubrey's new baby!

The Sear's Tower - glass platform - cool!

The Chicago skyline - in the Bean!

Beauty and the Beast - MST college performance

Jorin and Jantzen sang and danced their way thru the play - they did a great job!

Our sweet sister missionaries - who spend every prep day at our house...

Dress-up day, again, for our rabbit, "Hershey"

Kiely - having a picture taken of her while she takes pictures of others - going to school full-time, working part-time, doing clinicals and holding 2 church callings aren't enough for her, she needs to take pictures for weddings, families, individuals and events too...

We visited Pres. Abe Lincoln's family this past month - they were doing well...and we highly recommend the AL visitor's center and museum in Springfield, IL to everyone.

Jorin and Jantz getting into the spirit of the beard after seeing Abe's...

We visited Elephant Rock State Park - very cool - huge boulders that look somewhat like a huge herd of elephants - hence, the name... We spent hours climbing and exploring.

The Garden - where we spent hours each morning - early, to beat the heat - weeding and, well, weeding. It's difficult to tell that with this picture. The weeds won.

One of our first major harvests. In one day, we picked 6 varieties of tomatoes, zucchini, butternut squash, straightneck squash, watermelon, potatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, cucumbers, basil and tomatillos. I was so excited...until they just kept coming! We have harvested about 380 lbs. of tomatoes so far - and about that much summer squash, it seems like. BUT WE LOVE IT!!
Canning - canning - canning is the name of the game in August - we have so many tomatoes, we actually made ketchup this year, in addition to salsa, spaghetti sauce, tomatoes & chili sauce.

Girls night out - at "Lamberts Restaurant - the home of throwed rolls" in Ozark (yup - they throw them right at you!) - lots of good food

Jantzen - running in her 5K. She beat her best time! GO GIRL!

Starting the remodel project on the old "kennel" - soon to be "guest rooms". Years of doggy smell makes insulation stinky!

Rance - the primary remodeler guy - making the first cut in the cement.

Jorin's 13th birthday was spent at Splash Zone - and then the river - do you think this guy likes water? He's a teenager - can you believe it!

Jantz - washing her chickens for the fair - complete with shampoo and a blow dryer and everything....it's true!

Jantzen standing by her chicken cage - which she built - and her chickens - which she raised from 1 day old - at the county fair. (She took 3 blue ribbons and 1 red)

Jantzen won the Showmanship trophy for her extensive knowledge about poultry and her confident presentation to the judge. CONGRATS!

Jorin - prepping Old Spice for his big debut at the county fair - this daily shower was a favorite for both the calf and Jorin! It was about 107 degrees every day - so any water felt good!

Jorin - showing Old Spice -who took a blue ribbon! CONGRATS!!

In addition to these documented events, our summer included:

blueberry picking
Visit to Cahokia - Indian Mounds - twice!
Visit from friends in Colorado
Visit to Nauvoo
Johnson Shut-in - great river experience
raised 2 flower baskets for the fair
got a rabbit
did a major clean up day at the fairgrounds
Spent 4 days from 7 am to 10 pm at the fair - in 107 degree weather - remember!
Attended a farm festival in Mansfield
Kids performed in Beauty and the Beast college play
Book group for Jantzen
made Strawberry and Peach jam
Jorin attended Scout Camp & 2 camp outs
4th of July party
Dev's surprise birthday party here with friends from Springfield
St. Louis Zoo - Science Center and History Museum
Ulyssus S. Grant Visitors Center
Sculpture Park
Swim team participation
Mika, our dog, got a venomous snake bite
Chickens started laying eggs!
Assembly of 4 Adirondack rocking chairs -with no injuries (please refer to Dev's blog)
Visit to US Military fort museums (3)- chemical warfare, military police and Corp of Engineers
4H meetings
floating on the river
Gooey Looey's (you'll just have to come here to find out about this!)

...and I am sure other things that I just can't remember right now...

I was too busy living this summer to document, I guess - and I will now consider myself successfully caught up on this blog - YEAH!

A few summer pictures...

2010-06-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Jorin's sweet calf, Ol' Spice

Jorin, working his calf in preparation for the fair. I love our yard.

a field trip to the St. Louis Gateway Arch - right before a thunderstorm

We watched this Amish man carve a wooden spoon at the Spring Festival at Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. in Mansfield.

Look who we found unexpectedly in Nauvoo! Uncle Sam!

Jorin and Jantzen getting into the spirit of Nauvoo!

It was so great going to Nauvoo with our dear friends, the Nelsons!

Jantzen's chicken tractor for moving around the yard...

Jantzen's award winning poultry waterer - hand painted upside down so as not to bend those 3 water drippers on the bottom! State Fair here she comes!

Jantzen made this pillow - the whole thing - by herself in 4H!!!

Jantz's chicks love being free-range!

PLEEEASE, MOM!!!

2010-04-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

Our barn cat, Taffy, caught something. That's what our cat thinks she is for - catching little things that run around on the ground. And usually, we agree. But this time..... Taffy came running up to the barn with something in her mouth - a pretty big something. Mika, the ever-curious puppy, ran to have a look. She quickly snatched the something from Taffy and ran out into the pasture, where she proceeded to dig a hole faster than we have ever seen, stuffed the something into it and buried it.

Jorin and Jantzen, who are also ever-curious, ran to dig up whatever it was and maybe return it to the cat, its rightful owner. I called to them to make sure and use a stick, not their hands, because you just never know what kind of germs are on dead animals, after all. After a few minutes of searching and digging, they unearthed a little rabbit. And it was still alive. And that's when it began........."Please, mom, pleeease! Can we keep it? Pleease!"

While I appreciated that they were asking in such a polite way, I was pretty sure we didn't want to try and raise a wild rabbit. Thankfully, we determined, after calls to the local vet and the Missouri Conservation center, that the rabbit's best chance of survival was back in the woods. After quite a few more "pleases" and "are you sure"'s, the kids took the little critter behind our house into the woods - and deposited it in a sunny spot, where I am sure it joined its rabbit family and is living happily ever after.

CAVING

2010-03-28T12:52:00.002-07:00

Missouri is known for its caves - and we were able to experience the first of many ( I hope)!

Kiely and I spent 3 hours in the Onondaga Cave last Saturday- taking pictures. It was such a cool experience! The typical tour is about 1 1/2 hours - but the photo tour was longer - and minus the commentary on the cave. The guide just let us go at our own pace and take pictures of anything we wanted.

First - I am not a good photographer - but I am learning - and trying to improve.
Second - I would not recommend using an unfamiliar tripod for the first time in the dark of a cave...
...but other than that - I would highly recommend this experience! We had such a fun time trying new things, seeing in a new way and learning from others.

The Onondaga Cave is beautiful! It has so many amazing and varied features! It's like walking through Canyonlands or Arches National Park...in the dark. We were awed by our surroundings the entire time. While I sincerely enjoyed the visual experience, I loved spending time with Kiely, experiencing first hand her talent and passion for photography.

Side note: These caves are only minutes from where we live - and I issue a standing invitation - COME AND SEE! (us and the caves!)

IT'S A BOY....and TWENTY GIRLS!!!!

2010-03-25T08:03:00.001-07:00

Jantzen is a mama...of twenty chickens! We drove to Lebanon and visited the Cackle Hatchery. She picked out 6 Barred Rock, 5 Black Australorps, 5 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Crested Polish (the bad hair day chickens) and 2 Araucanas (which lay colored eggs!). She is so excited about these babies. They are growing like crazy and she is counting the days to when they will be laying eggs (a.k.a. money).

Jorin finally has his bucket calf! It is the cutest little black purebred angus. Bottle feeding is a riot! This little calf follows Jorin around - looking for milk. Jorin has named him Old Spice - because..."he's a man, man". (Well, kind of - we banded him last night).

Mika is getting used to the new additions to the family - she watches the chicks closely - and isn't sure about the calf yet (the only animal bigger than her!) - but we are hoping they will soon all be friends! In three months, Mika has gone from being a 15 pound bundle of puppy - to about a 45 pound bigger bundle of puppy.

COUNTRY NEWS

2010-02-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

Jantzen and Jorin came up with the idea of producing a weekly newsletter for our family. I love that they are doing this -not only will it improve their computer word processing skills, it is fun to read their perspective on family events! They print it out every Sunday and hand it out to Rance, Kiely and me. Here is their first installment...

Just a day in the life....

2010-02-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

I know that you probably think I am canning in the middle of winter - but no - this is actually my cell phone, buried in a jar of rice. My phone was somehow left in my jeans pocket, and then washed - and dried - and then found, banging around the dryer. I immediately stuck it in a jar of rice - with very little hope that it would survive. Three days later - voila! It works!

Last night, Jorin and Jantzen discovered an opossum trying to find a way into our chicken coop! An opossum! Who has those in their yard? I thought they lived in South America or somewhere! While it played....possum, we scooped it into a bucket and drove it down the road to a more remote location and let it out. Two minutes later, Kiely came up our driveway, narrowly avoiding an...opossum!

Jantzen got a balloon kit for Christmas - and LOVES making new things with balloon...(By the way, she is very good at sewing, knitting, crafting, decorating, scrapbooking, and just about anything she tries to make..)

CHRISTMAS TOGETHER

2009-12-29T08:08:00.001-08:00

VISITING CARTHAGE
What a sacred place and a sacred experience.

CHRISTMAS IN NAUVOO
There was such a beautiful spirit there - We spent 3 days in Nauvoo. We enjoyed learning about the families that had lived there, were humbled by their sacrifices and were touched by the
Spirit that resides there still. We attended a bell concert and a play, had a 2 hour carriage ride- bundled up in blankets, learned to make rope and candles, ate gingerbread cookies, toured homes, attended a schoolclass, received a brick, a horseshoe and a nail ring, and heard the gospel preached and testimonies borne. We loved being there in the winter - there were only a handful of other visitors - so we had the place to ourselves! I would HIGHLY recommend this time to visit!

MIKA - THE NEWEST EDITION TO THE FAMILY!
We just weren't the same without a great pyrenees puppy.

CHRISTMAS EVE JAMMIES & SLIPPERS

Our family was together at long last - It was a wonderful & relaxing time . I am sure that no one in the picture will be thrilled to see this "early Christmas morning - no make-up" picture ...but this is my heaven right here...my family snuggled together. (Rance and I were snuggling off camera!)

GANNON - The sweetest!

COUNTRY LIVING

2009-11-23T07:40:00.000-08:00

We moved! We are settling ourselves into a home in the country - together - finally - as a family. It has been a very hectic, busy two weeks - but the trucks have been loaded, unloaded and returned, the boxes have been loaded, unloaded or stored, the clothes have been packed, unpacked and put away, and we are settling in!

We have put in a firepit, raked millions of leaves, walked around the lake, walked the outer 40 fence line, collected firewood - and it is beginning to feel like home!

I took these pictures today - it is overcast and gray - but I am not sure what Missouri winters are like - so I'm going with what I've got!

Back yard - little fish pond - outbuilding with wood furnace & kennels

FRONT (back) DOOR - right into the laundry room!

Little Barn

Lake - stocked with fish - for you fishermen!

Front Yard

Barn & Greenhouse

Chicken coop

AND SO WE RELY....

2009-09-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

Being in what feels like a distant land in the middle of the midwest for almost a year now has afforded us many moments of self reflection. While I have been able to invest a significant amount of energy in learning a new job, (this has been a blessing of the protracted separation), we have also had many ponderous moments laboring to understand the perplexity of our remote relationship and the wisdom of the Lord in our behalf. We have stepped into the darkness of this chapter of our life and have, as a family, partially moved to Missouri. Though in seeming reverse order, Kiely is here in Missouri now going to school and reshaping her future, rooming with me here in Rolla. Devery is enrolled in a graduate school program at Missouri State University two hours to the south. We, the three Missourian Larsen’s, (sounds like the title of a bad B movie) usually meet here in Rolla every two or three weeks. This time and these mini regional reunions are punctuated by daily and nightly conversations with Denise and the Colorado (Jantzen & Jorin) family (thanks Verizon) and regular connections with those who we lovingly refer to as haleyjon&gannon (pronounced rapidly). Denise and the Colorado kids remain in Grand Junction carrying on with home school and the constant pressure of life while trying to sell a residence. The marvels of today’s communication options have helped to ease the effects of the separation. Our plan is still that we will sell or rent our Grand Junction residence so that we can relocate together in Missouri. This has proven to be a longer process than either of us had anticipated, complicated by uncertain national and regional economic conditions. We have seen the hand of a loving Father in our lives in the past and have been able to retrospectively recount the wisdom of His actions. In this situation, the enlightenment has seemed more distant and the yearning much more acute. The nights on our knees and our own spiritual white knuckles have certainly intensified as we find ourselves in the middle of a test. We question and yearn to reconcile the alignment of our own desires versus the as yet unknown plans of a loving Father. While His remodeling of our lives will ultimately be worth the wait, we desire to satisfy our impatient curiosity and see a copy of the blueprints of what we will become. Short of this, we press forward and have faith. We have faith in the Lord, faith in each other and our children and faith in the outcome of this test. Together in faith, cell phones in hand, we go forward and……..rely.

HOMESCHOOL STARTS WITH A....GASP?!

2009-09-14T14:17:00.001-07:00

We have started - and stopped - and started homeschool this past two weeks. September 1st brought excitement and enthusiasm for the new school year (especially since all their friends had been in school since Aug. 17!) - Sept. 2nd brought a severe cold to Jorin, Jantzen and me. By Sept. 6, I had pneumonia and the kids were coughing like crazy - and school petered to a measly couple of subjects per day. Today, Sept. 14th - we attempted a new beginning - I directed each subject from the couch - but Jantzen started fading - and had to take a nap...I hope she doesn't have pneumonia too! We really are excited and anxious to learn this year. We are starting with Ancient History subjects - and going from there...we did manage to make a canopic jar in art - for our diseased organs, I guess, should we need them...

MISSOURI TRIP

2009-09-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post a few pictures of the trip we took to Missouri in late July...

Jorin turns 12! Rance ordained him and he was able to pass the sacrament
in the Rolla ward with Rance. He did such a good job!

We visited the Meramec Springs - This one spring pumps 96,000,000 gallons per day!
There was a visitors center, a cool old ironworks (1st west of the Mississippi), 2 museums, a fish
hatchery, original cabins, and other very cool and historical things. It was also beautiful! We loved our hikes here.

The kids' first look at the Mississippi River.
We walked along its banks
before going to the St. Louis Gateway Arch.

That little itty bitty door is where we entered and sat in a little "dryer" type unit as we
ascended up the inside of the Arch. Fun!! Breathe, breathe....

The windows at the top were suprisingly small - but we got a
great view of St. Louis down below! The Arch is the nation's tallest
man-made monument.

Missouri, the Cave State, has more than 5,500 caves.
We visited the Onondaga Caves, a National Natural Landmark, that are about
15 minutes from Rolla -
It was amazing to see all of the tall stalagmites, dripping stalactites, active
flowstones and many other different formations inside these caves!

The St. Louis Zoo was fun! It really was one of the best zoos I've seen.
- I took several pictures of different animals...
but one of the most interesting sights was of this woman who danced
for a crowd that was listening to a GREAT blues band - She was older -
and it was very hot - but she put on quite a show!

It really is very beautiful in this area. We enjoyed being surrounded by trees
and water. This river was still cold - in July - but fun to play around in.

The best part of this trip was being with Dad!
The worst part - leaving him!

The Last Camping Hurrah!

2009-09-11T09:39:00.000-07:00

The last weekend of August we spent in the Colorado Rockies with our friends, the Nelsons - primitive camping. We drove on a rock-strewn path-type road straight up a mountain--- until we found a beautiful little lake - and pitched camp. It was perfect ( except for our missing family members!) The kids paddled around for hours on the little lake, Kerri and David fished - and I read, surrounded by wildflowers! It was so peaceful.

Jantzen - enjoying an early morning hot apple cider!

Jorin started our fire - even after a night's rainstorm soaked our wood! Hooray for scouts!

We went to Rifle Falls one day - enjoying the spectacular scenery and hike to the falls, cave exploring and a great swim in the river.

There were many caves to explore in this area - Jorin and Jantz loved it! We love camping and being in the outdoors - and this summer has afforded us many opportunities to get to know the little corner of the world we are currently in.

WHIRLWIND WEEK...

2009-07-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some of the pictures of our most recent crazy week...we had so much fun - had great visits, learned much, and enjoyed ourselves immensely!

Bethany, Jantzen, Nick, Jorin & Dennis

We drove to St. George on Thursday - we saw Robin's family and Katie's family and Grandma Reber. It was good to visit with them - that doesn't happen often enough - and it was great to see Trina before she moves to California.

We met the newest member of the family - Quintin Soli - what a sweetie!

I left on Friday afternoon - taking the St. George Shuttle to the Las Vegas airport - and flew to Seattle. After arriving very late - and getting my rental car, I drove to a very tiny town called Gold Bar, about 1 1/2 hours northeast of Seattle. I stayed in a dive of a motel - across the parking lot from the largest bar in town (yes, there was more than one) - where I think most of Gold Bar's 225 adult population were visiting that night. (Must have been payday!)

I took a two day class on how to build log homes - it was fantastic! There were 40 people in the class - from all over the US - and even 3 from Great Britain, 1 from Costa Rica & 1 from the Philippines. There were 3 other women in the class. We met for about 13 hours a day - with only 1 10-minute break and a 30 minute lunch break. It really was non-stop information - and I loved it!

I drove back to Seattle on Sunday night -returned the car - and rode to Longview with Melanie Kitchens. It was such a good visit! It was so nice of her to drive up there to pick me up. Haley and Jon met us there - at midnight - and we drove to Portland from there. We got to their apartment around 2 am - and stayed up until 4, talking...

It was so good to see them! Gannon has grown so much since we saw him in March -

Gannon is now mobile! - look out!

I had a fun - but way too short! - visit with Haley, Jon & Gannon - we walked around downtown Portland, visited Powells (of course!), enjoyed great Thai food and an incredibly rich chocolaty cupcake. I was even able to see Rachelle, Kristen and her kids! That was a bonus surprise. The time went quickly - and I hated to say goodbye.

I flew back to Las Vegas on Tuesday night - and Wednesday we headed back to Grand Junction. It was a fun-filled, educational and all-around good time! THANK YOU to Grandma and Katie for keeping Jorin and Jantzen while I was gone. I know they had such a good time playing with cousins & swimming.

OUR LITTLE SCOUTERS....

2009-07-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here is Jorin after his 50-mile bike ride! He is still smiling - so it must not have been TOO hard! He did such a great job, despite a major flat tire about 20 miles in...I am so proud of him!

This is the boy scout group in our ward - Jorin was awarded the Emergency Preparedness , First Aid, Leatherwork, Cycling, Music, Fingerprinting, Woodworking, Reading, Cinematography and Environmental Science merit badges - along with his Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class rank. GOOD WORK, JORIN!

Jantzen did a great job in Girl Scouts this year too! She was awarded the top seller in her troop for Girl Scout cookies (over 400+ boxes)! She also earned badges for Money Sense, First Aid, Camp Together, Horse Rider, Outdoor Cooking, Drawing and Painting, Theater, Rocks Rock & Camera Shots! GOOD WORK, JANTZEN!

SISTERS ARE THE GREATEST!

2009-06-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

Having Jorin as a big brother is so cool - Jantzen loves him so much....but there are some things he just can't do.... Jantzen depends on her big sisters for so many things, like.....

.....knowing which clothes are SO cute - and which ones are just not OK...
....having very fun sleepovers & late night parties
....showing her how to fix her hair pretty - and what to definitely not do...
....sharing which music is good to listen to
....feeling special and grown up - just like them
....making yummy treats (or buying them, in some cases!)
....providing her with a real live baby to love
....snuggling and talking and talking and talking....(OK, well, Jorin can do that one too...)
....trying on their high heels - the higher the better!

Jantzen loves being around Kiely, Haley and Devery. Every visit is a cherished event for her. They may not know how much of an influence they have in her life - but she looks up to them and watches all they do. I am so grateful to have these 3 excellent "sister" role models for her. Thank you for all the time you spend in helping her feel special!

MY DAD

2009-06-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

My dad is always there for me,
he plays with me - he teaches me,
he loves to help me, and does whenever he can.
I like that he is always joking, he is hardworking and never gives up.
My dad is kind to others and is fair.
He is a good cook and a good eater. He never complains.
My dad always encourages me, even when things are hard for me.
My dad sets a good example for me of trying to do what's right.
Even when I do something wrong, I know that he loves me.
I love my dad so much, and hope I can be just like him.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY, DAD!

DADDY

2009-06-21T18:30:00.001-07:00

My dad snuggles with me - and I love it...
he plays with me all the time - and I love it...
he loves to laugh with me - .and I love it...
he plays card games with me when I ask - and I love it...
he does flips with me - and I love it...
he gives me horsey rides - and I love it...
he provides for our family so we have things we need - and I love it...
I love him - he's the best dad in the world!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY, DADDY!

SMILE!

2009-06-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

It is not that it was especially fun. I can’t really put my finger on it. We have done the same things, and even more before, with less of the effect. Much of our time was spent taking care of challenges and problems with one thing or another. Yes, I am sure that the previous prolonged absence had something to do with it. But, I have been walking around for the last few days in the illumination of that wonderfully peaceful and loving experience. Three days. Not even three full days. Three days of peace and happiness. Three days of just the basics, getting the car fixed, moving furniture, helping Devery get settled. These three days just sort of snuck up on me. Denise decided to come to Missouri to help Devery make the transition to a new university experience. And in the process I was the benefactor of her presence. There was peace, there was togetherness and closeness. We had a little din din, we watched a movie, we snuggled on the couch and we did some very nice and casual things, but nothing significantly out of the ordinary. I dropped her off at the airport this morning very early. We said our goodbyes and both went our separate ways and, yet every time I think about it……………the house still needs to be sold, she is still 16 hours and a time zone away, each of our individual situations still have their own set of challenges……….I don’t know what it is or how to explain it…………..the time we spent together this weekend…………just makes me…………….. smile.

SCOUTING IS COOL!

2009-05-29T17:24:00.001-07:00

CAMP #1 - Amazing Girl Scouts...

Jantzen's girl scout troop recently spent 3 days camping together. As one of her leaders, I was able to accompany them. None of the girls but Jantzen had any camping experience, and I was a bit apprehensive when the girls asked if we could order pizza during our meal planning session...but it turned out great! We enjoyed hiking, ranger led activities teaching us about the Ute Indian culture, great camp food and a swim. The rangers warned us to keep all food and SMELLS out of our camp - as the bears were just coming out of hibernation and would be really hungry! GREAT! 8 young girls & 2 women in camp with no scented lotion! But we had no mishaps. We finished up our year with the camp-out and a horse ride across the mesas. It really was a blast!

CAMP #2 - MESA VERDE...
Jorin needed to have a couple of camping trips for his scouting activities, and his troop has been unable to go, so Devery, Jantzen and I became his temporary patrol and we took a 3 day camping trip to Mesa Verde. What a great experience! We learned so much about the ancient ancestral puebloans (anasazi), took incredible hikes into cliff dwelling and pit dwellings, ate large quantities of yummy food and enjoyed out time in the outdoors. It really is an amazing national park! And, once again, we were strongly warned about bears!

"About 1,400 years ago, long before Europeans explored North America, a group of people living in the 4 corners region chose Mesa Verde for their home. For more than 700 years they lived and flourished here, eventually building elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of canyon walls. They built their dwellings beneath the overhanging cliffs, hundreds of feet up from the canyon floor, using brick and mortar Then, in the late 1200's, in the span of 1 generation, they left their homes and all moved away."

You might wonder how we got into these cliff dwellings...well, to reach the Cliff Palace, the largest of the cliff dwellings, you climbed 5 10' ladders for a total of 100 foot vertical ascent The Balcony house was even more adventurous - It involved climbing a 32 foot ladder, a 12-foot long x 18" (inch - no kidding) wide tunnel crawled thru on hands and knees, and a 60 foot vertical climb along an open rock face using ladders. It was so cool!

This is a kiva - a spiritual center, and probably a family dwelling during the winter - a bit more protected from the wind and elements.

This is NEWSPAPER ROCK - near Moab, Utah. Pretty cool! We stopped here on our way home. We spent quite a bit of time trying to interpret the symbols... the one at the top could be either a stretched out skin, a turtle or a flying squirrel, depending on which one of us you asked...

CAMP #3....

Well, Jorin needed another camp out- so he and I went to Ridgway for a couple of days - and Dev and Jantzen did the sister thing at home. We had so much fun!

I'll go camping with Jorin anytime! He cooked some great meals - we had 7 layer dip & chips for lunch, dutch oven potato casserole & corn on the cob for dinner - and pancakes (with strawberry syrup) and hashbrowns for breakfast! We ate good!

Jorin made kindling, built the fires, cooked the meals and supervised the tent set up and general camping. We hiked, did service, went swimming, read, identified native plants and animals, and really enjoyed our time camping together!

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We've seen some spectacular scenery in Colorado & Utah in the past 10 days, - we've enjoyed the great outdoors & learned so much. I would do it all again in a minute, but I AM excited to shower tonight with hot water and sleep in my own bed - without worrying about bears!

BEGINNER FELTERS...

2009-05-16T20:29:00.001-07:00

A FUN LITTLE HAT...

MY FIRST HOT PAD AND OVEN MITT...

SLIPPERS FOR JANTZEN...

DEV'S 1ST FELTING PROJECT...A SCRIPTURE COVER = COOL!

MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT A PICTURE -

NEEDLE FELTING - JANTZEN FELTED THE FLOWER - JORIN FELTED THE DRAGON - I DID THE BUTTERFLY

P.S. The colors here are not accurate

On this Mother's Day

2009-05-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Flowers (Well?)?
A nice card (Not really very original.)?
A phone call (Of course, but that doesn’t count.)?
Yes but……well….how about a Mother’s Day……………………
…POST!

This is the first time I have given a post to anyone, and especially on Mother’s Day. I may be considered “dumb as a post” for attempting such an activity. Good thing we are talking about a virtual post, or blog on a website, for you, on Mother’s Day.
The activity the enables someone to be called a mother is in the giving birth. But it is what goes on after the birth that should be celebrated the most. It is a job that is never finished. Once you sign up for the job of motherhood you generally cannot stop. It is like the gift that, by design, just keeps on giving, because others just keep on asking. We have great kids and they are by no means demanding or burdensome. This element of the job of motherhood is what is so great to others. Mothers are always there, they are dependable, they are wise, and they know lots of things.

They are beautiful on the inside and on the outside. They are able to support others. They bake cookies, they fix things, they are plumbers, they have a little auto mechanic in them, they know a lot about taxes, they listen well, they know where to get the greatest bargains, they hear things that many don’t and they certainly feel things that others totally miss. They are physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight, and because of this they are able to help little boy and girl scouts.

They get degrees, they love learning, and they just seem to be able to keep on going. They have been found in the woods, up on roofs, taking tests, giving tests, giving blood (even if only theoretically), stopping blood, giving hope, giving comfort, giving love, never giving up, giving life, giving others a lift, giving great care, giving a hand to others and frequently to their children. They give violin lessons, piano lessons, they give advice, they endure advice from time to time, they know when to listen and not speak and they know when to speak up. They are able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (or at least it seems like it).

They give direction, they give counsel, they give comfort, they give a darn, they felt, they cook, and yes they sometimes sew, and clean and do dishes and sweep the floor, they clean the house over and over and over, they pack and unpack, they pack and unpack, (did I mention they pack and unpack?) they help others pack and unpack, they are really movers and shakers in every sense of the word.

They make things beautiful. They make children beautiful, yards beautiful, homes beautiful, themselves beautiful, front rooms beautiful, tv rooms beautiful. They make their friends feel beautiful, husbands feel handsome around them, children feel loved around them, and husbands feel loved around them. They are sometimes frustrated but seldom show it, they are sometimes hurt but are good at swallowing it back and showing selflessness. They teach, they cry, they talk on the phone to friends and family, they remember things, they work and work and keep going until they are really tired and then they go a lot longer. They think of others constantly and do for others and help others.

The family rallies around them, they are the spark that ignites a flame of love in a family and keeps it burning bright and constantly. They seem to have an endless source of energy and wisdom and caring and this world would be a pretty boring and dull place without them. They give prayers, they hear prayers, they read scriptures, they give family home evening lessons, they give and give and give and give and give and then someone comes along and asks them to give some more. They give caring, they give kindness, they give tenderness, they give sweetness, they ride bikes, they drive go carts, they drive the car everywhere and then drive some more. They go for walks, they sometimes go crazy but this is usually never seen.

They have it together, they have it with a cherry on top, they have it with several types of toppings, they have it with gravy and mashed potatoes and without meat and with rice. They make salads, they make beds, and they do laundry………once, twice and three times a day sometimes, most times. They fold clothes, they have their husbands (when they are there) clean toilets, they work on computers, they work on marriages, they work on family relationships, family reunions, family pictures, family web sites, family home evenings, family scripture study, family prayer, family councils and family group sheets. They work in gardens, they preserve, they store, they shop, and they go without so that their children can have what they need. But mostly I think they are great. This is all about you and what you do Denise as a mother, and there is so much more that you do that goes unnoticed and unrecognized. And for that, thank you. Denise, have a wonderful Mother’s Day……….you deserve it.

With all my love (from a distance). Rance

I have said over and over again that If I could be at least a quarter the woman my mother is I would be doing really well in life! She's pretty much Super-mom. She is alway reading and learning, taking classes... she has learned to knit, garden, taken photography classes, scrapbook, she bikes, she's a landscaper, and she's and INCREDIBLE cook and has studied health and nutrition and put them into practice to benefit not only herself but her family, and the list goes on and on. Not to mention her gospel knowledge. She is an inspiration as I watch her study the scriptures and other books to further her understanding of the gospel truths- and then put them into practice. She is not content to settle for less then excellence, always looking to improve and move forward. I have watched her go through trial after trial with incredible strength, grace and humility. Always putting the Lord first in her decisions no matter what the situation, she looks to the scriptures as she decides how to handle whatever life has given her. Lets also remember her six kids that she has put first in her life, sacrificing every bit of time that she has for herself to better our lives. Her life seems to revolve around us and I don't know how she can give so much day after day. She has created not just a house but a home where the spirit resides, learning is prevalent and we feel loved and accepted. It is a haven. As if all that isn't enough, she is my best friend. I talk to her multiple times a week... sometimes multiple times a day. I turn to her when something exciting happens, or when something devastating happens. I can't tell you the number of times I have cried on the phone and in person. I turn to her when I have an important decision to make and when I just want to talk. I wish I knew how to fully express how much I love an appreciate you Mom. I appreciate your friendship and your example, your prayers in my behalf. So on this day that is for honoring mothers I have a lot to honor... Happy Mothers Day Mom!!

Kiely

On this mothers day, I wish that I could describe how much my mom means to me, in this post. How do you sum up 20+ years of ceaseless love, service, kindness, and friendship? I won't make a list of everything my mom has done and does; one, because the list is too long, and two, because its already been done a few times. I will say, however, how much my life has been greatly benefited by my mother. There hasn't been a single thing (problem, celebration, pain, joy) in my life that I have not been able to share with her. No matter what the situation or occasion, I can always go to her, and she always knows what the best thing to do is.
Over the years, and especially since I was the oldest child living at home, our relationship has grown from simply mother-daughter to friends. This has been very special to me; its a relationship that I cherish and without it, I would not be who I am today.
If I could make this post as long as it should be to truly demonstrate a fraction of how much I appreciate and love my mom, it would go on for pages. I just want her to know on this special day, I love you mom! Thank you so much for all you do! I hope you know that I try every day to be more like you; and, as I have heard many women say, (but I said it first!) "When I grow up, I want to be just like Denise!"

Dev

To read Haley's go to her blog, http://haleyandjon.blogspot.com/

We love you Mom!!

Discipline

2009-05-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

So where does it come from, discipline? Are we born with it? Does it ebb and flow? How do we obtain it? Discipline! I can’t buy it. But if I could I would go right out and purchase some because it because it has such a great value. With it I can accomplish almost anything. I can go to the moon. I can bake a loaf of bread. I can persist and chip away at tasks that are so large and intimidating that most would never even try. With it, tasks are whittled away to something manageable and doable. It is the coming back, the patience, the persistence, the belief in the process and the organization of mental capacity in the attainment of a worthwhile goal. Not all at once. Not in one night, not in three days, but over years. This is true discipline.

Devery has just graduated from college. With perfect grades. As the valedictorian of her college. She did it all herself. She saw the task and believed in the process and set out to accomplish it and accomplish it well, and she showed true discipline in the process. By the time it was all over, she had patiently and persistently worked her way through a bachelor’s degree and in so doing had done it nearly perfectly. You did a great job, Devery. We are very proud of you. Thanks for teaching us in the process how having a little discipline (well probably a lot of discipline) can make the significant task manageable. The daunting, attainable; the practically out of reach, reachable-- all by coming back every day and giving it your very best, and sticking to it all the way to the rugged end. CONGRATULATIONS!

SOME SMALL AGGRAVATIONS...

2009-04-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

There are many aggravations in life For one thing, there is batteries . Say you're listening to a good audio book and your CD player dies. You go to get batteries - and there are none left. Man, that bugs! Or for another thing, when you sweep a patio, and then the wind blows. Everything you swept is blown right back in! That bugs!

,,,Well, after thinking awhile...I couldn't think of any other aggravations. So, I guess life doesn't really have that many. Life is actually pretty darn good. So, let those small aggravations go, and think about sunny days, flowers and really cool heavy equipment right out side your door!

Road Biking vs. Mountain Biking

2009-04-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Me,mom,and Jorin went on a bike ride on the old Spanish trail. It was unbelievable rocky!! I had trouble keeping up to mom because it was so rocky.We went up a big hill and when looking down you can see grazing cows in a field. It was picture perfect and looked so much like a painting. We also saw pretty purple flowers along the side of the road. The downhills were right beside deathly!! The old Spanish trail's dirt was thick and if one tire wheel went into that stuff it would stop you. It was a hard but good bike ride. The 7 1/2 miles mountain biking was like 15 miles road biking. I liked the short downhills - but I think I like road biking better! ~Jantzen

OUR LIFE, BY THE NUMBERS....

2009-04-19T17:21:00.000-07:00

Since working for a Technological Research University I have learned to collect numbers on a variety of things. Why not some data about our time apart as a couple?!

So then, our separation………. by the numbers.

Thousands- Missed moments, and thoughts of you

12,000- Miles traveling to see each other

600- Phone calls

500- Gallons of gas expended trying to be near

400- Meals alone

190- Days since leaving

175- Nights going to sleep without you

165- Cellular family prayers

27- Sabbaths

14- Laundry days

6- Beautiful children

2-Blessed additions - Jon and Gannon

1- Wonderful companion

Reason #497

2009-04-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

I think of myself as independent. Maybe too independent sometimes. But I have had an epiphany this week. This picture is reason #497 why I need Rance. It's not that I expect him to take care of all the irrigation repairs. It's just that I miss working on it together with him. It seems as if there is always something to repair on the sprinkler system - and this is a job we did together. I am having to do it alone right now and I don't really like that. It's been a repair week - the irrigation pump needed to be repaired, the wire to the pump needed to be replaced, the irrigation pump needed to be re-hooked up - twice - because the first time it was hooked up wrong, 2 sprinkler heads needed to be replaced, the front door knob finally gave up the ghost and needed to be replaced, the phones stopped working for 2 days & needed a new wire, my cell phone stopped working, needed to be replaced and the new phone's back wouldn't stay on, needing to be replaced, a bike tire went flat on our 15 mile bike ride - 5 miles from home, had to be replaced, I had to have an unexpected root canal because the crown they put on my tooth didn't do the job, and now, there is a break in the water pipe that was made when the fence was re-positioned. That I am not handling this well is putting it mildly. I need you, Rance!

THE DAY'S CATCH

2009-04-10T10:13:00.001-07:00

It's what I'm saying!!! AAAaaargh!

FARM FUN!

2009-04-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Conference week-end was spent at the Bunnell farm in Provo. We left late (after a grueling two hours at the dentist) and ran into a snow storm on Soldier's Summit. We were stuck on the mountain top for about 1 1/2 hours - finally pulling into Helen's around 11 pm.

Despite the rocky beginning, the rest of the weekend was great. Jorin and Jantzen got up early and went to the Conference Center on Saturday morning with Grandpa, Devery, Britt and Aunt Katie to watch the first session of conference. They loved it! They said it was so amazing to be in there and that they could really feel the spirit there. Everybody went quiet when the prophet came in, and that was a neat experience too! I stayed in Provo with Grandma, Helen and Katie's kids, watching on TV. About noon, I ran into Draper and picked up Simpson from his 3 day training camp for ROTC. It was fun hearing his stories about camp life!

We were able to visit with Melanie, Kara and Meagan Kitchens later that night. They were down visiting from Washington, so we couldn't pass up the chance to see them! We met at Rumbi's and had a great visit.

Wayne gave milking lessons at the dairy barn - even showing Jantzen the "star" on a cow's teats. Jantzen was wiping milk off her face afterwards! We love his sense of humor! Jorin, Jantz and the cousins loved playing with the little calves and climbing the haystack. It made us all want to be in the country!

We enjoyed visiting, not only with our immediate family and Katie's family, but also Helen and Wayne's kids. It was such a pleasant time and a beautiful Provo weekend.
I just want to say how much I love Helen. She is an amazing person. She maintained such a welcoming and relaxed attitude as hordes of self-inviting guests descended upon her house. We had grandma and grandpa Reber, Katie & Simpson's family of 5, me, jorin, jantzen, Devery, Kiely and Brittany all staying there. I want to be able to provide a home that FEELS like home to not only my family, but any that come into our home. That is what Helen does. I always feel completely accepted and loved by her. She is amazing!

GRANDPARENTS ARE GREAT!

2009-04-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

We had a great week! Grandma and Grandpa Reber came and visited us for the week. They helped out with maintenance projects around the house - and whipping the backyard into shape. The blackberries and raspberries look great now! Grandma caught us up on all the mending projects that I just don't ever seem to get to. Jantzen really loved learning the basics of sewing on a machine with Grandma. I am so grateful that grandma could teach her. Jantzen has been asking me to help her learn to sew - but just the thought of that makes me shudder - I am so not a sewer! They had a fun time together trying out different stitches. Jantzen even made a nightgown for her doll! Jorin and Jantzen both enjoyed spending time with grandpa at the park and telling stories. They also liked that we watched a movie & munched on popcorn almost every night of the week! We're so glad they were able to come see us!

St. Patricks Day Scholar at The Missouri University Of Science and Technology

2009-04-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

Married to a Super Hero………………

2009-04-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

Whose idea was this anyway? Is this some kind of weird joke? Is it like child birth? You know, that you forget how painful and exhausting it was? Here I am, 16 hours away from Denise and the kids. Yes, it is true I am working a full time job. Yes, I am putting in a ton of hours trying to learn the new job…it seems very apparent however, that I have it way too easy doing what I am doing.
Let’s think about it…she has a nearly full time job doing home school, then she takes extra care of the house, not only does it need to be picked up, but it seems like it has to be spotless to be shown to potential buyers. It’s like being required to keep it clean “times two” just to make a perfect impression. As if the initial level of cleaning isn’t difficult enough...
Then there are two very active children. Girl Scouts, boy scouts, Girls on the Run, church, friends, state educational testing, home schooling (how do you ever feel you have taught and worked with them enough there?) activities, did I mention friends? Let’s see, bicycles, the doctor, the dentist, blades, walks and swimming. Read books to them, read the scriptures, knit things for them, she felts, she quilts, she cooks, and she is learning to be a vegetarian. This is only a partial list.
She is a construction foreman, accountant, she keeps the cars running, laundry, legal issues, neighbors, fixing appliances, yard work, tumble weeds, gardening to make the place look more saleable. Oh, yes, and things do break around the house. Don’t forget about visiting teaching, church service. The door knob came off, the computer doesn’t always work, and the bills need to be paid, more doctor, taxes, the flu, allergies, and foot surgery. How does she ever do it?
I have only scratched the surface. There is a lot more that I haven’t noted and on top of it, she takes care of things for me. I am frequently a dork when it comes to being a supportive and understanding companion. The amazing thing is that she figures it all out by herself and just moves forward with a great attitude. We have three other children who have a bunch of needs that they still need a parents counseling to help them with (and this is normal), but it still needs to be done, and Denise does the bulk of it.
It is amazing to me the organization, the persistence, the focus, the intelligence, the physical strength and sheer will that Denise has. She is able to do all that she does, with a good attitude and shows nothing but love to the children. To say that my life is in a constant state of blessing is the understatement of the decade. I love you Wonder Woman, I mean, Denise.

REMOVED

2009-03-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

One small vehicle over a windy mid-western prairie,

two long naps,

three tanks of gas, bathroom breaks and three very wide states,

5-10 phone calls,

many ponderous moments and silent prayers,

lots of road food,

16 hours,

countless small towns,

tons of billboards

…….I can almost touch it……………….

I am currently in the “middle of everywhere” and yet, without those I love the most, Denise and the children

- - - I feel removed.

We have been blessed as a family. We are able to talk multiple times a day, we have a very good job working for quality people, we enjoy comforts and guidance from on high.

Our children move forward and our goals are intact, and yet at times we hesitate to walk into the darkness of life, even with recent memory of oft illuminations.

Though apart we depend on each other, yearn for each other, help each other (as circumstance permits), rejoice in each other and we are very anxious to live with each other.

We are grateful for family and for a “FATHER'S” wisdom, and while not always immediately understood…………we persist in faith and in the growth that comes while we walk, listening for whisperings of what it means to be - -

removed.

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN...

2009-03-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

THIS IS ONE FLEXIBLE KID!

YOU CAN SEE WHERE GANNON GETS HIS FLEXIBILITY! HALEY WAS A GREAT GOLFER, EVEN WITH HER CENTER OF GRAVITY ADJUSTED!

Haley and Gannon came and spent a few days with us last week. Devery and Kiely were able to come for the weekend too! It was so fun to have all the kids here at the same time! It just doesn't happen often enough. We really missed having Rance & Jon here though! The weather was great and we were able to play miniature golf outside - we had marathons of Settlers of Catan, watched funny movies and just had fun being together. Gannon was the highlight for everyone. We just couldn't get enough of his smiles and giggles. Jorin, Jantzen and I hated to see everyone go!

Tales of Gannon

2009-03-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Jorin - Gannon is a very interesting baby. He is the kind of baby bards sing songs about, songs of pants upon heads, almost gumming someones shoulder off, and even going crazy at the mere sight of a camera. Gannon did all of these things and more, and we love him very much for it. so keep doing
what you are doing, and bards, keep your harps at the ready!

Blogging

2009-03-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

Rance - Blog. Its a funny word. Born of a new generation of communicators. Lightning speed. Almost as it were at the speed of thought. Unbelievable access to thoughts and feelings that used to be deeply personal. To blog. To post. To follow. To publish. To express. To reveal in a public way a persons thoughts. Like writing on a cyber billboard. Like putting out a sign post on the main street of our small town that reads "Larsen Thoughts" simply inquire within. Do we, will we, reveal who we are or who we want to be or who we want to be perceived as being? That is then the secret.......what does it really mean to blog. I suspect it means different things to everyone who does it...........everyone who blogs. Welcome to our blog. Welcome to insight into our lives as a family. Welcome to a look and sample of who we as a family profess to be and who we are trying to be. It will be for us a place to keep in touch with some of our comings and goings and postings and feelings and thoughts about those things that make us who we are. Welcome.

New at this

2009-03-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Haley has been bugging me to start a blog so that our family can keep in touch easier. I keep telling her I don't know what I would write on it , but she set it up for me anyway.... SO, here we are with a blog. Hopefully it will become a family affair - and will accomplish the purpose for which it was set up - because I really do want to stay connected with family and friends!