We have had an eventful week to say the least.  Last Monday was a sad day.  We found out that Karleta had hit her head and was not going to make it.  We also learned that Isaac Bundy's daughter Rusti had passed away.  It was sad!  We love Karleta and we love all the Bundy's.  We immediately began praying for the families, especially for my nephews who had lost their Grandma.  She had played a huge role in all of our lives, but particularly theirs.  It was a sad and devastating loss.  We began making preparations to attend both of the funerals.  Unfortunately Rusti's fell on Jasmine's birthday and we had already sent out invites for a birthday party.  We decided to send Ryan up to Salt Lake alone.  I am very glad he was able to attend.
  We found out that Karleta's funeral was going to be on Saturday and that Gary was driving up for the funeral.  That got Ryan and I thinking about Jasmine's baptism.  The Stake baptism was scheduled for August 3rd and unfortunately he and Cliven were going to be in South Dakota that day.  We made a quick decision to go ahead and have the baptism on Sunday in Hatch,because all of my family would be around for the funeral.  We immediately began making phone calls and preparations for that as well.  Jasmine had her interview with the Bishop, and he thought it was a great idea. 
     In the meantime things went on around the house as usual.  Someone dumped tang in the toaster without my knowledge.  Sage went to make a piece of toast, and wow...it smelled like burnt paint if that makes any sense.  I believe that Tang must be made of sugar and paint.  It smelled like the dickens in my kitchen for awhile. 
     On Wednesday we headed for Hatch to enjoy the small town celebration.  After misplacing kids two years in a row at the Cedar festivities I learned that taking them to Hatch is so much funner and easier.  We also wear whatever pioneer garb that we can find and just jump right in to the parade.  Candy is thrown back and forth between people in the parade, and those watching.  The floats, and entries walk a short ways, and turn around and come back.  Hatch people are accepting and awesome.  We love the games at the park too.  Anyhow, I could not find an apron or a bonnet to wear with my dress, and so I wore a Captain America cape.  Chlo chose to be "Merrida" from Brave.  It was fine.  I love Hatch.  Oak enjoyed dunking his sisters in the dunking machine, and the girls won some awesome prizes and t-shirts at the archery shoot.  Ryan took second this year in the Hatch horseshoe tournament.  After the tournament it began to rain and hail extremely hard.  We had a good time laughing at my mom's for awhile while it poured.  Gary and Barry had both come over, and it was great fun.  We had to leave before the fireworks which was a disappointment.  We love watching the cows go crazy as the fireworks are launched over their pasture.  We had to get back, so that Ryan could put in extra hours.  He was leaving the next morning for Rusti's funeral.
     We brought our little cousin Julia back with us, and wow...that was a great idea on my part.  I figured that she could come with us and attend Jazzerz birthday party the next day.  Little Julia is a piece of heaven on earth.  She helped me with Moroni a ton.  He just loves her, and she could make him happy enough, that many of his usual tantrums never happened.  Julia, is just the type of gal, that just brings peace and contentment.  I am glad she stayed with us.  Anyhow, I took everyone to Evan's so that the birthday kids could get their hair and nails done.  Unfortunately, because Ryan was gone, I had to bring Oak, and Moroni.  Oak really felt like he was being tortured for a good hour.  They were booked full, or I would have let him get a haircut.  As it was, he probably asked me a hundred times if the girls were done yet.  The girls had fun, though.  Jamie looked kind of taken aback when she got assigned to a male student.  I wanted her to give him a chance, and so I explained that men are often really good at hair.  He did do a great job too. Jazzerz got plenty spoiled on her special day.  Gary and Barry showed up later and we all went to the park.  She got to play with her cousins, and Brandon chased Moroni around.  Troy also walked across the street and bought Oak a snow cone.  I am so glad that my kids have great cousins on both sides.  They are very blessed.
     On Saturday, we got up and went to attend the funeral.  I left Jams with the little kids at my mom's and Sage, Jazz, and Jerusha went to the funeral with Ryan and I.  It was a really good funeral.  Karleta led a great life, and she will be missed.  I was reminded, once again that life is short, and it does end.  After that, we have nothing but memories of how we handled our mortal tests.  It was a good reminder.  The day was overcast, the scenery was green and fresh.
     We had a hard time getting the kids to settle down and go to bed on Saturday night.  Chlo woke up from a late nap, and was higher than a kite.  They fought vigorously over who got to sleep by Julia.  This argument went on and on, until I felt like shrieking.  I was very tired at this point. It was quite late, probably close to 12am. I finally got up and said that Jamie was sleeping by Julia, because they were already settled in their beds, and everyone else just needed to find a place to settle in and sleep.  It was quite amusing where everyone ended up.  Jerusha ended up under a bed, and Jazzerz slept on the floor, by Julia's bed.  Oak and Chlo finally crashed on the couch.  I woke up abruptly to Jamie yelling at Jerusha at 4am.  She had come and tried to sneak in the bed with she and Julia, and groggily claimed she had slept walked there.   Why we had to keep the bed arrangement fight going is beyond me.  Anyhow, I had just drifted back to sleep, when Jamie started yelling again because the light was on.  Chlo was up and rummaging through her bag.  For whatever reason she wanted a different pair of underwear at 4:30 am, and no, her bed had not been wet in.  Her reasoning is beyond me.  I wasn't very nice with her as I got up to assist her.  Moroni woke up too and he was raring to get the day going.  He was higher than a kite until about 6am.  Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep that night.  We were also slow cooking a roast, and it smelled heavenly, but all of the dreams I did have, were about meat.  It was just one of those nights.
     Shrsh was great, but the kids were rowdy.  I helped my mom with her young women's lesson, and Will and Alicia Riggs spoke inspite of the death in the family.  They did an awesome job.  We immediately went to the cabin and began finishing up the food for the dinner.  My mom fell and bumped her head, and we got more rain, but other than that, we just enjoyed cooking and laughing in the kitchen.  Doug came up, and Chlo and Livia flew around the house with paint rollers, and dolls.
     Jasmine's baptism will forever be etched in my memory.  It was absolutely beautiful.  The sky was gray, and the meadows were green.  Carol gave an awesome speech, and Jerusha sang.  The baptism was beautiful, and I will never forget the wonderful rushing of the river, as she was confirmed. Thankfully, Barry and Mindi kept Mo in their car, as they watched...otherwise I am sure I would have been chasing Mo all over the riverbanks. I was also so happy that some of the Bundy's were able to come too.  We hadn't given people a lot of notice, but Carol and Cliven came, and they always do, along with Arden and Leeroy.  Stetsy and Clance came, and Hanna and Randy.  It was such a great weekend.  I enjoyed my family.  I loved it.
     Now it is back to reality, and cleaning up the mess.  Ryan took Oak, and went to finish a job in Monroe.  Chlo has been on one today.  She took a roll and smashed it into Moroni's forehead and the crumbs went everywhere.  She also found a worm and named it "Raquel."  She has been checking on Raquel in her dirt jar often.  She has also been worming around the carpet under a sheet.  I think she is trying to be like Raquel.  I have been encouraging Jazzerz to "choose the right" all day because she is our newest member.  I know she will never forget her beautiful baptism day.