Regional Singles Conferernce

Holy cow. A few months ago I was asked to teach what I thought was a small class on preparedness. Come to find out, this is a regional singles conference with 900 people already registered. My class won't be 900 people, but still, I'm a bit nervous for how many may be there. The link to the conference is http://www.lvsinglesconf.com/ if you'd like to check it out.

Tanner is an Eagle Scout

On October 25, 2008 Tanner was awarded his Eagle Scout rank. Ron Cannon, Matt Melton, Bill Wells and Bishop Richard Hyte spoke and Area Authority (Mayor) James B. Gibson presented Tanner with his award. It was a pretty spiffy event and we all enjoyed a very nice tribute to Tanner's hard work. He is still invovled with Scouting and has earned several more merit badges since then and is planning on attenting Scout camp again this year.

Canoeing Merit Badge

We took the boys camping at Lake Mead on Friday. Why? I don't know. We are gluttons for punishment. Really though it was to finish the canoeing merit badge. When we left LV it was 103. When we got to Lake Mead it was a balmy 108. Of course when we got there everyone headed for the water and a swim to cool off. We set up camp and pretty much slept out in the open. When the low for the night is 90 degrees you pretty much want any type of breeze you can find to cool off.

Unfortunately about 11:30 p.m. or so, Matt, Pete and I (the scout leaders) had to break up a little domestic brou-ha-ha in the campsite adjacent to us. Of course, the boys thought it was great fun but we were a little nervous about the whole incident. Luckily the folks packed up and headed out without much more of a disturbance (and before the Park Rangers could arrive).

Saturday was great fun. Everyone passed their canoeing merit badge and had a lot of fun in the process. As you can see from the pictures, our campsite was really pretty. We also learned what happens to leaders when they sleep longer than the boys (see Matt's feet). Oh, and the leaders also went to 4-0 in frisbee football against the young men. Just proves that age and wisdom can still triumph over youth and speed.

Paradise Stake Girls Camp

Well, another year of camp has successfully come and gone. This year was a resounding success and Erin, little Erin and I are home and recuperating from 9 days in the Kolob Mountains above Zion National Park.

It was a fun week full of rapelling, canoeing, archery, zip-lines, hikes, service projects, skits and all sorts of great food and fun. We saw all sorts of wildlife including condors, deer, wild turkey, ospreys and all sorts of lizards, chipmunks, squirrels, etc. etc.. It was fun being there with Liz and we all enjoyed a great time. I had a very fun birthday there and got a great photo album with photos of all the kids growing up. Had a great Father's Day too and got to hear a talk by little Erin at Sacrament meeting overlooking Zion's on Sunday.

We talked to Tanner and the kids (up in Idaho with all grandma's and grandpa's and cousins) and were informed that they are all well and good and not ready to come home unless we buy a Wii (ha, fat chance). Erin and little Erin are going up to pick them up soon. Thanks to Jeff for house-sitting and keeping the pool clean. Thanks to him, all was well and good when we returned. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post of camp soon.

NEWS FLASH

(Las Vegas, NV) -- "Big Red," as he was commonly known to his family, was retired yesterday when Erin and Bud traded him in on a bigger, better model with four-wheel drive and a larger towing capacity.

Big Red had been in the family since 2003, but had become too expensive to maintain at the Dodge dealership (aka band of crooks) and needed repairs that would have been more expensive than would have been practical to undertake given the value of the vehicle.

Red was famous for being the only two-wheel drive vehicle to make it into and out of girls camp on the infamous wet, slick roads. Red had performed many great and memorable feats in the Nevada deserts, but was becoming more and more problem prone as the life of his warranty wore down. Braking on steep grades had also become a problem for Red with the addition of a 16 foot tent trailer to the family. Zero percent financing at the Toyota dealership (great service as compared to the dodge crooks) sealed the deal on Red's retirement from service.

Photos and a description of Big Red, Jr., Big Red's new replacement, will be posted soon. Erin was unavailable for comment on the story as she was at the DMV getting Jr. registered in time for his inaugural run to girls's camp. Big Red will always be remembered fondly and parts (non-essential...) of him were incorporated into Red Jr. so there will always be a little part of him with us.

PORTER FAMILY REUNION

I don't have any pictures yet, but I'll get some up. Jimmy got baptized on Saturday, May 31st at the Palora Chapel and when we were planning the baptism, Kim and Kevin expressed interest in coming down and performing Kalvin's baptism at the same time. Well, unrealized by me, that blossomed into the idea for a full-blown Porter family reunion. In fact, it went unrealized until Sunday night after the baptism when I asked Erin when everyone would be heading home. Imagine my surprise to learn that many of the family would be remaining for the entire week!

I know I should have clued in earlier on the whole family reunion idea, but it had been kind of a crazy month, so I was caught totally off guard when I finally clued in. All total for the weekend we had Grandma and Grandpa Cranor, Amber, Jeff and Logan Moon and Todd Cranor (they stayed at Liz and Jeff's), Grandma and Grandpa Porter, Kim, Kevin, Kenzie, Kaleb, Kalvin, Koleman and Kimball Stinger, Melissa, Russ, Jared and Isaac Meyers, Amy, Brady, Brenna, Brooke, Ryan and Emily Johnson, Dallin, Sarah, Nathan, Brandon, Ruby and Daisy Millington, Chris, Darcie and Penelope Porter and Renee and Braiden Porter. That's 36 guests, plus our six for a grand total of 42 parading around the house at various points during the festivities.

The pool got the workout of its life. We got inducted into the world of Wii and had food galore. Skippy was in heaven with so much attention, but unfortunatley a couple of the other pets didn't fare so well. Let's just say we are down a parakeet and a hedgehog from the experience and call it good at that. All in all though it was a ton of fun getting to hang out with all our families playing, eating and enjoying everyone's company. We also got to spend some good quality time just talking and catching up with everyone. There were a few minor hiccups along the way, but I have to think we managed to stay in relative control most of the time.

Tanner, Lauren and Jim went back to Idaho with Grandpa and Grandma Porter to spend a couple weeks with them while Erin, me and Little Erin are at girl's camp. Form what we hear the fun is continuing for them up in Idaho, although it sounds like its pretty cold and rainy right now. We miss them but know they are having fun with all the Idaho family.

End of Year Awards

Tanner and Erin both got big awards at a special ceremony at their school a couple weeks ago. I neglected to put them up but thought I'd get them on before girls camp. Tanner won the Outstanding Science Student (pretty impressive since the school is a math/science magnet school) and Erin won an award as one of about 8 other kids in the entire school who earned all straight A's. Jimmy and Lauren also won big end of year awards taking home honors for their poetry as well as the most AR points in reading. Jimmy got a special award because it was the first time in Tomiyasu history that someone won the monthly trophy every single month of the year. In basketball terms, Jimmy was the Michael Jordan of reading at school. No one else even came close. Maybe we should make an award for listening and see if he does as well?