Look at the Thompson Lodge to be.

Last Thursday we made a quick trip to Rocky Mount, North Carolina to see a model of the Camp Thompson Lodge we'll be building soon.Here is what it looks like from the outside without the porches and the windows for the bedrooms upstairs.

Here is an inside view looking out the windows of the great room.

We also took a look at samples of chainsaw art.

We now have the preliminary plans and are working on the final layout. Hopefully by January we can start getting the logs ready.

"Then it looked at me!"

Kids say the funniest things. At the Kunz cabin at Bear Lake, Gwen's great grandson Drew excitedly told everyone: "I was looking at a branch in the tree and suddenly the branch looked at me." It was an owl. Can you see the reflection of the flash in his eyes?

It stayed in the tree all day keeping an eye on us.

Uncle Gene's passing

Uncle Gene and Aunt Gwen have served as substitute grandparents for our children and the children of my brothers when they attended BYU. They especially enjoyed spending time at their Bear Lake cabin. Gene recently passed away.

The Thompson brothers made it out to be pall bearers.

Lots of cousins, some of whom we haven't seen in 50 or 60 years, were there: McConkies

Nichols

and Lallatins.

We were surprised to find out that Gene's family raised sheep when he was a boy in Soda Springs, Idaho. Here is the model of a sheep camp wagon that was in one of the bouquets. The prelude for the funeral in Salt Lake was all cowboy songs such as "Home on the Range" and "Red River Valley."

Here is Aunt Gwen with her kids Kris and Rand in front of the hearse with a special Y on the back window to honor ardent BYU football fan Gene.

Here are all the Thompsons who made it to the cemetery in Soda Springs surrounding Gwen..

and here are the Kunzes.

Of course we had to have our traditional Hooper water. Watch out so you don't get splashed with the traditional tossing of the water to get the fresh stuff underneath!

The slag pouring at Monsanto looks like an erupting volcano.

No trip to Soda is complete without a look at the geyser.

New house number

We have been assigned a house number for our 30 acres.

Next on the list is mending the fence, adding cows, and building the house.

Visit to Wendy

Last weekend we headed off to Houston to visit Wendy and Daniel and help them paint some of the rooms in their new house.

But of course, since we are retired, we took the scenic route for two days and enjoyed the beaches of Biloxi Mississippi rather than drive straight through in one day and be stuck in rush hour traffic in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, or Houston.

Eating oysters, shrimp, and catfish in the open air at Biloxi Beach to the sounds of Jimmy Buffett was wonderful.

We were inspired by the chainsaw art along the beach made from the remains of trees damaged by Hurricane Katrina seven years ago. Here are some dolphins...

a pelican...

and some birds. I'll have to try my hand on some of our own trees at our new country place.

Of course, mom had to get a picture of the horse made of pieces of driftwood that was displayed at the Mississippi welcome station. Mom has another art project for me.

We had to cut our stay at Wendy's short because Hurricane Isaac was expected to close off the interstate to Florida on Tuesday for several days. So in one day, our painting crew of six (grandma, grandpa, Wendy, Daniel, Lucy, and Ruben) finished five rooms--the living room, entryway, study, master bedroom and master bath. Everyone had their own special task from taping and trimming to rolling. Sunday we met the wonderful people in their ward and Monday we drove straight through to Florida, just missing the hurricane before it closed off our scenic route.

New well !

We've started the building process at Camp Thompson Ranch--at least we are putting in the well for the cows and horses. How can you call it a ranch without these? Here is grandma opening the gate with her helpers. Note how beautiful the pasture is.

She's doing a great job supervising the workers.

The water is flowing cold and clear! (Well, it's cold for Florida!)

Troy is helping to build a cover and enclosure to protect everything from the elements, the cows, and the evildoers (thieves)!

Looks good, doesn't it?

OK, bring on the cows and the cowpokes!

Or do we need to build the bunkhouse first?

Grandkids and Grandma's Horses

When you visit grandma, you have to ride horses whether it is day ...

or night!!!

Brenna fell asleep on the way out.

Grandpa's cooking

Why is everyone jogging around the pool?

They are getting ready for grandpa's hamburgers and hotdogs, of course!!

"Can I eat more if I don't have a bun?"

"Which diet plan is this?"

"I like hotdogs the best."

"I'll take a hamburger any time."

"How many times do I have to chew before I can have more?"

Spiritual Candy--Book of Mormon Teachings

As the leaders for the Tribe of Mosiah in our Book of Mormon Youth Quest camping activity in July, we used candy to help cement in the minds of our youth the messages of the Book of Mormon stories they were reenacting.

Can you guess what stories and teachings these were used for?

1. Pretzel Twists. 2. Life Saver-Wint O Green. 3. Almond Joy. 4. Snickers. 5. Sour Patch Kids. 6. Pay Day. 7. Kisses.

Bananas coming up!

We're getting to the end of summer and the bananas are forming in the backyard. Banana splits anyone?

Spiritual Candy--some answers

1. Pretzel Twists--Laman and Lemuel. Don't get bent out of shape whenever things don't go your way or you are asked to do things you don't particularly want to do.
2. Life Savers-Wint O Green-- Lehi's Vision of the Tree of Life--the fruit is bright and white and delicious, filling your soul with joy, as happens when you suck on the Wint O Green and then breathe in through your mouth.The same happens when you live the gospel and keep the commandments.
3. Almond Joy--King Lamoni's conversion filled him with joy. You can help others feel the same joy.
4 Snickers--Everyone snickered at Samuel the Lamanite when he told the people that Christ was coming to America. Don't snicker when bishops or other church leaders give advice.
5. Sour Patch Kids--Alma the Younger, King Lamoni, and others. You can't judge people by the way they are before they are converted and repent. Just like when you suck on Sour Patch Kids, they may seem sour in the beginning but they are pure sweetness inside after they have repented.
6. Pay Day--Christ visiting America. Those who were faithful in spite of all the opposition they faced had a great payday when Christ appeared in America.You too will have a great payday from God if you stay faithful no matter what happens to you.
7. Kisses--Christ taught us to love one another.
How did you do? Will candy now have spiritual messages for you?