A Family Picnic at Alameda Park

The food was about average, which means pretty darned good. There were some rarely seen members of the clan there, hovering uncomfortably around the edges, grubbily or less than morally dressed and smoking cigarettes, but still very pleasant when spoken to. There are lots of very good people in this clan into which I married seven years ago. This small reunion was held last Sunday.

We stopped at a car lot to look around as we drove home. Sales personnel don't hassle you on Sundays.

Sheryl's brother Dennis married into this beauty of a step-daughter, a Junior this year where her mom, Vickie, teaches at Highland High.

Noreen Wilde, wife of Darrell and grandmother to Philip.

Uncle "Babe's" lovely grandchild.

Mellissa Bosen, eldest of Teresa's children. She teaches grade school in Utah and may actually have broken more hearts than Autumn!

Sheryl's brother Darrell's first grandchild, Philip Barela.

Natalie Bybee, daughter of Sheryl's brother Darrell.

Sheryl's sister, Teresa, right, and cousin Donna, daughter of Uncle "Babe."

An extra large family member who brought some cousins along.

Blessings, Great and Small.

Much to our joy, the Armell family went to Sacrament meeting with us today. Sheryl's dad, LeRoy, was speaking in a ward on the other side of town. Our favorite Lamanites seemed to take it all very seriously and were quite respectful of the whole experience. Aric dressed up in some very sharp looking new threads. He bought a tie just for the occasion. Former Marines really know how to dress.

They took us to the casino restaurant afterwards, where we had "Indian Tacos." I'd always heard them called "Navajo Tacos" before, but I suppose the Shoshone have their own ways. Zannita, one of only 200 surviving Bannocks in the world, and Aric, a member of the Winnebago nation, often express their impatience with the campy ways of the Shoshone people.

I'm off again tomorrow to drive for Brother Wilkins. This time we're going to Laramie. Our intention is to be home by Thursday night.

We can barely manage a household with two tiny dogs, so, naturally, we have accepted two more for a week. Sheryl's sister Teresa is married to a semi-pro golfer. They'll be in St. George. Oh, well, they watched Mico for us once last year when we went to Jacquie's wedding.

I think I'll decorate the top part of this post with new pictures of the grandchildren we can occasionally reach. Some, we hardly ever get to see. I'll also include a photo or two of Sheryl's latest assault on Miss Sadie's dignity.