Dear Family,
Ray said 2010 was so much like 2009 that you should just read our last newsletter! That may be true, but I think we just enjoy the same old stuff in different ways and once in a while do something different. I will try to re-cap the highlights of 2010 for our memory's sake. Good thing I kept our old calendar to help me.
The year started off with the baby blessings of our latest grandchildren: Carly Decker and Jasmine Burnett. It has been fun watching them grow up and start walking by the end of the year. Lisa had her third child, a darling boy, Isaac James on May 26. We love being grandparents!!!
Ryan, our youngest and only unmarried child, turned 21 on March 31, 2010. Where did all the time go? (We sure know time is passing when it once again is time to fill up the old pill box.) He will let you know what he has been up to in Logan.
In 2010 we started the second year of our Stake callings at the Alta Ridge Branch. We are ever so slowly getting better at them. I attempt to play the piano, arrange for musical numbers for Sacrament meetings, pick out the hymns to sing, staple together copies of their large print words and teach Relief Society once a month. As part of the Branch Presidency, Ray rotates planning and conducting meetings. We love being with the seniors and don't feel quite so old then. We sometimes can tell when one is going to pass on soon, but because they've lived full lives it doesn't seem so sad, even though we do miss them. However, those that stick around in bad condition make me ask “why?” I probably just need to trust more in the Almighty's great plan for each of us and hope He's got a good one for me.
The year of 2010 could be called “the great jury duty year.” No, no one had to serve, but Ray, Becky and Michelle got notices on varying levels. The “random” computer must have got stuck on our address. I was on call for 3 months which made some trip planning scary. Ray's didn't last that long but Michelle got right down to possibly being picked out of a room full of other potential jurors. Her's is a funny story, let her tell you. We wouldn't mind serving (unless it was a grizzly murder trial), it is just inconvenient.
Ray looked long and hard to find just the right used tent trailer to go camping with ALL the family, all TWENTY. He found it, we borrowed from Ryan's college fund, (just kidding Ryan) and bought it. In May we had our First Annual Ray and Becky Humpherys Family Reunion at Pineview Reservoir in Ogden Canyon. We had great spring weather though it was cold at night. The first night the battery ran out and the tent's heater turned off and a loud alarm sounded, waking us all up. We had the two new babies with us and Lisa was about ready to hatch. You get the picture, the tent trailer was certainly the women’s domain. Lisa wanted to be active all day but we finally told her it was OK to sit and have us wait on her a little. We played in the sand and in the lake, ate a lot of food, some got naps (you know who you are), had a campfire, and made fun memories playing with the grand-kids. Lisa and Jim lived close by and brought bikes and scooters for the kids to use on the paved campground roads. Ryan did the video-taping. He got Elliot riding a scooter down the boat ramp and flipping into the lake (not recommended) and he made the toy boats look like purple and green Titanics. We are looking forward to the next one (minus all the hard work it takes to do it). Ha!
When June rolled around (yes, this is turning out to be a long newsletter so go get a snack) and Ray was out of school (yes, he is still teaching P.E. at Eaglecrest Elementary in Alpine District in Lehi, Utah) I couldn't make an excuse not to go camping since Ray made sure I had indoor plumbing in the tent trailer. This time we went with Michelle and Ben's family up American Fork Canyon to the Timpanokee Campground. (Ray didn't know how to spell it either so you are on your own.) Ray's friend from school and his family camped close by. Stephanie and her family came up from Provo for part of the time. Brooklyn fell in love with one of the boys and Brayden loved watching the boys catch the abundant supply of squirrels. My dutch oven chicken and veggie dinner turned out yummy. Thanks Drew for making the great fruit salad.
We had a great time seeing everyone at the reunion in July in Wyoming even if it was far and sometimes really hot and muggy.
We went to the Zoo, Lagoon, attended family weddings (Clark Evans and Robbie Jones) and mission homecomings of friends (Richard and Matt) and family (Grant Jones) and did family history with cousins in 2010. We of course had lots of fun family birthday parties throughout the year.
Our garden mass produced tomatoes so I ran out of canning jars doing salsa and chili sauces. Yes, literally. Brooklyn learned to pick zucchini and Italian green beans that I froze for green bean casserole for Thanksgiving. The cherry tree blew down in the fall and the apricot blossoms died in the third spring frost so no nectar was put up. In 2009 the wet spring brought the snails to eat my flowers and in the hot 2010 the grasshoppers ate them. I can't win, maybe this year I will.
Ray still can't get enough ballgame watching in but has altered his past-time activities to include playing cards with Jase and Logan and anyone else they can get to come to their sessions. What fun!
When August came around I was given the chance to do nursing computer work on a regular basis at a nearby clinic, besides some shifts replacing the nurse who replaced me at my old job. Not being regularly employed is hard on the old self-esteem. I had to tell myself often: “no you are not a loser” even though I felt like it as I searched the “help wanted” section in the newspaper every morning.
Then Brooklyn let it out of the bag that Drew got a new job in California. Sad face here. We thought they'd stay in Utah. Stephanie and girls ended up living with us for about six weeks before things were settled. We loved the time we had with them. We made one last camping trip to Granite Flats in American Fork Canyon with Stephanie, Brooklyn and Riley as the leaves turned beautiful fall colors the last weekend of September. Brooklyn helped Ray catch a fish. When Steph's family left the first weekend of Oct., Ray drove the Penske moving truck for them all the way to Pasadena.
The house was sadly quiet again when I got home from work, then I got suddenly sick and spent the weekend in the hospital. (Thanks kids for being there for me!) After the doctors figured out what they could do to charge us $13,000 they sent me home. But, thank goodness for modern medicine (and good insurance) I'm supposed to be good until the next tune up.
We did have a fun time a few days before Halloween trick-or-treating at the Alta Ridge retirement center party even if they keep the place really hot! Brayden was sweating in his tigger costume.
By November our 14 year old dog, Buddy, was ailing badly. After all the medicines I gave him, his chronic bronchitis coughing was still there, he was no longer house broken and I was worn out taking care of him and protecting the grand-kids (he had been known to be a biter). We had him put to sleep on the 23rd, the day a big winter storm came blustering in. It was a terribly sad day and once again made me think about our mortality. But, yes, kids, he is happier, in heaven, chasing the cats around or being the chicken he was, maybe they are chasing him!
Our Christmas was held on the afternoon of the 24th when we could all be together, even Stephanie and family in California watched the present opening on the computer using Skype. Ryan was even home for a little while. I had finally given in and bought a fake tree for the front room (Ray thought I'd never do it) but it was a pretty natural looking one. The only thing missing was the pine smell so we may have to buy a real one every other year.
Then the colds and flu bugs went around the family twice but now most are on the mend. We had to do the worse thing, stay away from each other so we didn't start it up again.
2010 was a good year, though, looking back, with only a few trials, but many blessings. We are so glad we didn't miss it. Hope to see you all in California for our 2011 Humpherys' Family Reunion!
Ray said 2010 was so much like 2009 that you should just read our last newsletter! That may be true, but I think we just enjoy the same old stuff in different ways and once in a while do something different. I will try to re-cap the highlights of 2010 for our memory's sake. Good thing I kept our old calendar to help me.
The year started off with the baby blessings of our latest grandchildren: Carly Decker and Jasmine Burnett. It has been fun watching them grow up and start walking by the end of the year. Lisa had her third child, a darling boy, Isaac James on May 26. We love being grandparents!!!
Ryan, our youngest and only unmarried child, turned 21 on March 31, 2010. Where did all the time go? (We sure know time is passing when it once again is time to fill up the old pill box.) He will let you know what he has been up to in Logan.
In 2010 we started the second year of our Stake callings at the Alta Ridge Branch. We are ever so slowly getting better at them. I attempt to play the piano, arrange for musical numbers for Sacrament meetings, pick out the hymns to sing, staple together copies of their large print words and teach Relief Society once a month. As part of the Branch Presidency, Ray rotates planning and conducting meetings. We love being with the seniors and don't feel quite so old then. We sometimes can tell when one is going to pass on soon, but because they've lived full lives it doesn't seem so sad, even though we do miss them. However, those that stick around in bad condition make me ask “why?” I probably just need to trust more in the Almighty's great plan for each of us and hope He's got a good one for me.
The year of 2010 could be called “the great jury duty year.” No, no one had to serve, but Ray, Becky and Michelle got notices on varying levels. The “random” computer must have got stuck on our address. I was on call for 3 months which made some trip planning scary. Ray's didn't last that long but Michelle got right down to possibly being picked out of a room full of other potential jurors. Her's is a funny story, let her tell you. We wouldn't mind serving (unless it was a grizzly murder trial), it is just inconvenient.
Ray looked long and hard to find just the right used tent trailer to go camping with ALL the family, all TWENTY. He found it, we borrowed from Ryan's college fund, (just kidding Ryan) and bought it. In May we had our First Annual Ray and Becky Humpherys Family Reunion at Pineview Reservoir in Ogden Canyon. We had great spring weather though it was cold at night. The first night the battery ran out and the tent's heater turned off and a loud alarm sounded, waking us all up. We had the two new babies with us and Lisa was about ready to hatch. You get the picture, the tent trailer was certainly the women’s domain. Lisa wanted to be active all day but we finally told her it was OK to sit and have us wait on her a little. We played in the sand and in the lake, ate a lot of food, some got naps (you know who you are), had a campfire, and made fun memories playing with the grand-kids. Lisa and Jim lived close by and brought bikes and scooters for the kids to use on the paved campground roads. Ryan did the video-taping. He got Elliot riding a scooter down the boat ramp and flipping into the lake (not recommended) and he made the toy boats look like purple and green Titanics. We are looking forward to the next one (minus all the hard work it takes to do it). Ha!
When June rolled around (yes, this is turning out to be a long newsletter so go get a snack) and Ray was out of school (yes, he is still teaching P.E. at Eaglecrest Elementary in Alpine District in Lehi, Utah) I couldn't make an excuse not to go camping since Ray made sure I had indoor plumbing in the tent trailer. This time we went with Michelle and Ben's family up American Fork Canyon to the Timpanokee Campground. (Ray didn't know how to spell it either so you are on your own.) Ray's friend from school and his family camped close by. Stephanie and her family came up from Provo for part of the time. Brooklyn fell in love with one of the boys and Brayden loved watching the boys catch the abundant supply of squirrels. My dutch oven chicken and veggie dinner turned out yummy. Thanks Drew for making the great fruit salad.
We had a great time seeing everyone at the reunion in July in Wyoming even if it was far and sometimes really hot and muggy.
We went to the Zoo, Lagoon, attended family weddings (Clark Evans and Robbie Jones) and mission homecomings of friends (Richard and Matt) and family (Grant Jones) and did family history with cousins in 2010. We of course had lots of fun family birthday parties throughout the year.
Our garden mass produced tomatoes so I ran out of canning jars doing salsa and chili sauces. Yes, literally. Brooklyn learned to pick zucchini and Italian green beans that I froze for green bean casserole for Thanksgiving. The cherry tree blew down in the fall and the apricot blossoms died in the third spring frost so no nectar was put up. In 2009 the wet spring brought the snails to eat my flowers and in the hot 2010 the grasshoppers ate them. I can't win, maybe this year I will.
Ray still can't get enough ballgame watching in but has altered his past-time activities to include playing cards with Jase and Logan and anyone else they can get to come to their sessions. What fun!
When August came around I was given the chance to do nursing computer work on a regular basis at a nearby clinic, besides some shifts replacing the nurse who replaced me at my old job. Not being regularly employed is hard on the old self-esteem. I had to tell myself often: “no you are not a loser” even though I felt like it as I searched the “help wanted” section in the newspaper every morning.
Then Brooklyn let it out of the bag that Drew got a new job in California. Sad face here. We thought they'd stay in Utah. Stephanie and girls ended up living with us for about six weeks before things were settled. We loved the time we had with them. We made one last camping trip to Granite Flats in American Fork Canyon with Stephanie, Brooklyn and Riley as the leaves turned beautiful fall colors the last weekend of September. Brooklyn helped Ray catch a fish. When Steph's family left the first weekend of Oct., Ray drove the Penske moving truck for them all the way to Pasadena.
The house was sadly quiet again when I got home from work, then I got suddenly sick and spent the weekend in the hospital. (Thanks kids for being there for me!) After the doctors figured out what they could do to charge us $13,000 they sent me home. But, thank goodness for modern medicine (and good insurance) I'm supposed to be good until the next tune up.
We did have a fun time a few days before Halloween trick-or-treating at the Alta Ridge retirement center party even if they keep the place really hot! Brayden was sweating in his tigger costume.
By November our 14 year old dog, Buddy, was ailing badly. After all the medicines I gave him, his chronic bronchitis coughing was still there, he was no longer house broken and I was worn out taking care of him and protecting the grand-kids (he had been known to be a biter). We had him put to sleep on the 23rd, the day a big winter storm came blustering in. It was a terribly sad day and once again made me think about our mortality. But, yes, kids, he is happier, in heaven, chasing the cats around or being the chicken he was, maybe they are chasing him!
Our Christmas was held on the afternoon of the 24th when we could all be together, even Stephanie and family in California watched the present opening on the computer using Skype. Ryan was even home for a little while. I had finally given in and bought a fake tree for the front room (Ray thought I'd never do it) but it was a pretty natural looking one. The only thing missing was the pine smell so we may have to buy a real one every other year.
Then the colds and flu bugs went around the family twice but now most are on the mend. We had to do the worse thing, stay away from each other so we didn't start it up again.
2010 was a good year, though, looking back, with only a few trials, but many blessings. We are so glad we didn't miss it. Hope to see you all in California for our 2011 Humpherys' Family Reunion!
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