the Utah Martinsens visit

Rob, Jami, Livvy and Brookie came down for a visit. We had them over for dinner one night and then to the park across the street to satisfy Eli's insatiable need to play "Pickle." We had a great time until poor Livvy stepped in some cactus! So, we came back to the house to watch some AFV until they had to leave. My boys loooove their little girl cousins!

Piano Recital

Caleb is still doing well in piano and he is still enjoying it!
He's very determined and really sticks with a song until he gets it right.

Grandma Turns 86!

It was a really nice event. All of my dad's siblings were there to celebrate Grandma Martinsen's birthday. We had an awesome dinner and got caught up with everyone's lives. Then, we sat grandma down and asked her lots of questions about her childhood. A few of the tidbits... Grandpa was her first kiss!, she grew up during the depression, ran a diner with grandpa in Death Valley, worked in the Mesa Temple with grandpa... This woman is a worker! I have lots of memories of working outside with her. One summer she, grandpa and I worked all summer in Dad's warehouse at East Valley Disaster Services. Many hours were spent cleaning sooty clothes at the laundry mat. She was there every morning for I don't know how many years while mom was sick. She made our lunches, did my hair and got us off to school. She has always gone about quietly doing good. How lucky I am to have a grandmother that is so admirable.

Rob and Aunt Beth

Annie and Grandma

Lots of cousins and second cousins!

 Uncle Jerry, Pop & Uncle Zay serving up the brisket and looking like cartoon characters!

Annie is working on a degree in genealogical studies. She did a lot of research on the Martinsen family and  compiled this book in time for grandma's birthday gift.

Dad, Uncle Zay, Uncle Jerry, Uncle Jay, Aunt Peggy and Aunt Triva.

A New Temple

Ryan and I are currently the Bear Den Leaders in our ward. Well, Ryan is the Den Leader and I'm the Assistant "to the" Den Leader. Pretty much, I do all the organizing and planning of the activities and Ryan facilitates the activities.
We took our Bears down to the temple construction site. They have a viewing area where you can watch the construction workers and a trailer where a senior missionary couple take you on a little tour. They focused on the importance, history and construction of temples. It should be completed in a year and a half. It will be such a blessing to have a temple only 15 minutes away.

Floating the Salt River

Ryan borrowed a raft from someone at work, we hired a babysitter for Nolan and Cam, and floated down the Salt River with the Scoresby family. I grew up in Mesa and hadn't ever floated the Salt. Guess it was about time. I kept thinking, "Why haven't I ever done this before?"

Captain, Oh Captain

We heard and then saw a Bald Eagle

Easters

We had a nice Easter this year. The Heaps had their annual bbq and egg hunt at 

Uncle Ralph and Aunt Denise's house the day before Easter.

After church the next day, we had lunch and another egg hunt at our neighbors' (Puentes) house.