Newell & Sally 2011

Memories Of The Year 2011
From The Humpherys Family
February 12,2012
Nevada City, California

Thank you to Hilary and Shawn for this year's Humpherys Herald Family Newsletter!

The following are some good memories we had together in 2011. For the February school break, we drove to Disneyland on Tuesday, February 22, and spent the rest of that day at Disneyland. We watched the play Alladin, which was amazing!! The Genie was the best and he was very funny.
Wednesday, we went to Huntington Beach, and to the Block at Orange Mall and then back to the Hotel.
Thursday, we spent all day at Disneyland/California Adventure, then drove home Friday morning. We arrived home about 5:30 P.M., to find that about 3 feet of new snow had fallen the night before on Thursday night. The heavy snow completely collapsed the Tent Canopy over our boat. Fortunately, the boat was not damaged.
On March 10, Thursday morning, Trevor, Damien, and I left home for the Sacramento Airport at about 3:30 in the morning to fly to Las Vegas to watch Jimmer Fredette and the BYU Cougars play in the Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament. They won second place. We were there at Friday’s game where Jimmer Fredette made history by scoring 52 points against New Mexico, on Damien's 12 th Birthday! I wish Sally could have been there!
It was fun to be with Uncle Ray, Uncle Gerald, Shawn, Shane, Jim, our cousin Stanley Thurman, and to also see Kelly, and Uncle Robert. We ate too much at the all you can eat casino's, etc. It was a good memory, I',m sure, especially for Trevor and Damien. We flew home Sunday morning in time for me to make it to two of the three Seminary Sacrament Meetings.
On March 17, Thursday-- St. Patrick Day”Busy Day”On my way home from Seminary, I called C.J. and we received the wonderful news that our 4 th grandchild, who they named Quinn Louise was born about an hour before I called”she must have been born right during my Seminary Class hour!
On April 16, we all four awoke at about 4:00 AM and left at about 5:00 AM and headed for the Sacramento Airport. Our flight left at about 8:00 AM for Tucson, Arizona, where we rented a car and arrived at C.J. and Laurie's home in Sierra Vista in the early afternoon. We were so blessed to be able to see our newest granddaughter, Quinn Louise Humpherys. She is so beautiful and precious.
We stayed five nights and six days Saturday, and Sunday nights with C.J.  Saturday night we had a nice picnic dinner at the park which is right next to C.J.'s home. Laurie's Mom and Dad, and Cousin Shane were there. Shane happened to be there already, working for his company, so we enjoyed being with him, and later seeing Nicole, Nash, and Sloane. Sunday Morning at 8:00 AM, we participated in the baby blessing of Quinn Louise Humpherys. C.J. did a wonderful job, and said, among other things, that Quinn would bless the lives of her family, by her gentle touch. Monday night, and part of Tuesday, we enjoyed with Uncle Kenny and Aunt Myrna in Florence, Arizona, where we (our family and C.J.'s family) we were very sad that Camille could not be there-- were taken on a covered wagon ride through the town of Florence, and out to the Winery where they have weddings for people. We all enjoyed the many animals of Uncle Kenny's petting zoo, ie. baby rabbits, baby goats, ducks, geese, donkeys, chickens, roosters, pigs, etc, etc. The children got to ride the horses. I (Newell) got to milk the goat, and we all enjoyed drinking the delicious goat milk. Ken and Myrna treated us all like Kings. Myrna had several different kinds of homemade cookies, and homemade cheese, and bread, etc. We had a cookout Monday night, with all the trimmings, dutch oven potatoes, dutch oven cobbler, etc. We enjoyed our visit so much, but had to leave Tuesday morning back to Sierra Vista.
Wednesday, Sally made a delicious dinner for C.J. before he left for work, and then we took the children to swim at Nicole and Shane's hotel. Thursday morning, we all ate lunch with Mercy at her school, and then we had to leave for the Tucson Airport to fly to Sacramento.
It was so sad to have to leave. The six days went too fast. It was good to see C.J. and Laurie. They are wonderful parents. Mercy, Porter, Jameson, and Quinn are all such precious grandchildren. I wish we lived closer. I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to attend the baby blessing and to spend time with their family.
We arrived in Sacramento at about 8:00 PM and drove home to Nevada City, and arrived at about 10 PM. That night, Camille, her friends, Julianna, and Gary drove all night from Provo, and arrived here in Nevada City at about 5:00 in the morning on Friday morning. We all enjoyed a wonderful Easter weekend together. Camille's friend, Gary, is a Vegan, so we decided to have a Vegan Easter dinner on Sunday, which was very delicious. Gary brought his expensive mountain bikes with him, but it rained too much to do very much riding. We still had a nice visit and it was good to see Camille.
The 32nd Dean and Neva Humpherys Annual Family Reunion was held On July14, 15, 16, and 17th, here in Nevada City. Ray and Becky and all their children came. Robert and Marisella, Neva, and Cruz, Marisella's Mom came. Also Nadean, and Brooke and Bart, and of course, Camille and C.J., Laurie and the four Grandchildren came. All that came said it was a wonderful family reunion. Of course it would have been nice if more were able to make it, but we understand, because of the distance, etc.
We had a wonderful time at Scotts Flat Lake, at the river, and doing various fun events here at our home. I had just had a kidney stone attack over the fourth of July weekend, and I was not fully recovered, but God blessed me to get through the reunion with not too much Kidney pains.
I am very grateful for my most wonderful wife, Sally. I love her with all my heart. I am so grateful for all she does for our family. She is such a wonderful Mom to our children. I hope all four of our children realize this, or someday realize just how fortunate they are/were to have such a special and wonderful mother like Sally. I am grateful that the Lord blessed us with four wonderful children- C.J., Camille, Trevor, and Damien. They are each so talented in their own unique ways. I love them all so much, and I feel very blessed that they were sent to be in our home. Again, I feel I am so blessed to have a family--my wife, Sally, four children, four grandchildren--Like a famous football coach says--"Who has it better than we do? NO ONE"!!!
Having another reunion this year, made me think of Mom and Dad and Johnny, and how much I miss them. I have a lot of good memories of all three, but I wanted to share a couple of memories of Johnny.
The first is when I was a senior in High School. I was the Senior Class Vice President, and Wade Izatt was the President. We were in charge of finding good assemblies, so, one day, we drove to Jackson, where Big Country was playing. Wade and I sat down with Johnny and Frank Carter, and I asked John if The Big Country Band would please come over to Star Valley High School and perform for a one hour assembly for the entire High School, since it would be during the day, and they could still make it back to Jackson to perform at night.
John's response was that he thought it was a bit too much to ask all four band members to transport all their band equipment over to Afton for just a one hour performance. Right then, Frank Carter must have noticed the look of crushing disappointment that came over my face, because he turned to John and said, "John if that is what the boy wants us to do, then, that is what we are going to do." John turned to Frank with a look of surprise, and said, "OK, let's do it!"
After having tried ---during my under-age high school years--un-successfully-- so many times-- to sneak in the bars to listen to John sing, I can tell you how excited and thrilled I was that day in Jackson! I, and all my friends that I had
bragged about Johnny to, would finally get to see and hear my brother perform live!
I will never forget how proud I was to have Big Country perform for the whole High School. (They did a separate assembly for Afton Elementary School, also). The second memory is when Sally and I got to sing with Johnny at Frank Carter's Recording Studio in Downieville, California, and make a CD. Even though, I didn't know the songs like he did, I remember being so grateful that he would even let his little brother sing with him. The thing that I will always remember is how much love I felt from Johnny, and how important Johnny made me feel that day.
C.J. still works for the Border Patrol in Naco, Arizona. He loves his job, and he is very good at his job. C.J. and Laurie are wonderful parents and we are so thankful that they are such a good Dad and Mom and have four sweet children.
Camille was so blessed-- in December she found out she was hired to be the Program Director over Personal Training and Fitness at Ameritech College in Provo, Utah!! She will be teaching at the college! She has been looking for a job in her field and this job was available, so with all the applicants that interviewed for the job, she felt so blessed to be hired for the position. We can see that the hand of God is definitely blessing and guiding her life!!
Trevor played on the Freshman High School Football team. He was the field goal and extra point kicker, as well as the kicker to start the game. He also was the punter, and started on defense as Safety. He also started most games as a Freshman on the basketball team. His best game scoring was 25 points. He is known around campus as "Jimmer" because of his long distance shooting. Trevor also participated in a local talent show competition, where he sang and played the piano at the same time. The song was "Elton John's Tiny Dancer". He also sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man Of Grief" at the same competition.
Damien is getting better in basketball. He played on his 7th grade team, and also on a Rec League. His best game was 14 points, including 3 treys. Damien is still really good at repairing bikes. Damien is really getting good at Math. He is one of the top Math Students in his class, and he usually gets A'S on all his tests.
Both Trevor and Damien are still taking personal training classes from a Basketball Trainer in the area, Dave Garcia, which has really helped improve their basketball skills.
Damien is really getting good at playing the guitar. Trevor is still the Piano Player for Priesthood Meeting.
Newell still enjoys being the Public Address Announcer for the Nevada Union Boys Varsity Basketball games. This is his 18 th year. He is still teaching early morning Seminary. This is his 15 th or 16 th (something like that) year teaching Seminary. This year, the subject is The Old Testament.
Sally still teaches part time for the High School District. She personally helps students on an individual basis. She helps each student get his/her diploma through a combination of home study, online classes, college classes and high school classes. She is an awesome teacher, and goes the extra mile with each student. She also spend hours each week helping Trevor and Damien with their homework. Sally blesses all our lives in so many ways, for which we are so grateful.
Sally enjoys her calling as Ward Choir Director. Sally, Trevor, and Damien usually ski, and snowboard each winter, but this winter we had hardly any snow, so we did not even go to the ski resorts.
Each year continues to go by too fast. We are grateful for all our blessings, especially in these hard economic times.
We are very thankful for our extended family and we are looking forward to this year's reunion! We are so thankful for family reunions, which gives us a chance to keep in touch with each other. We are also thankful to have an annual family newsletter to read about what everyone is doing in their lives.
I'm sure Grandpa Dean and Grandma Neva are proud of all their posterity!

WITH LOVE FROM NEWELL,SALLY, TREVOR, AND DAMIEN HUMPHERYS