More Fun at Newport Coast

Connor and I made the best hot dogs. We like them slightly
burnt and crusty on the outside.


Here is Keith and Jenna trying out their cooking skills.
We loved this fire pit and enjoyed telling stories while we
made somemores.



Jenna and Haley played pool when it was too
cold to go swimming. While Connor and Keith
worked on a game of life size chess.


Newport Beach was a fun place to stay.

Dance Festival: Turlock Stake

TAH DAH! Here Emma Stone, Haley and Jenna pose for picture after performing in "A Rhythm in Time."

This year our Stake put on a wonderful Dance Festival. Haley and Jenna were both in multiple dances and did a wonderful job. Here is Jenna in her Viennese Waltz ending position. This dance was a favorite with all its spins and lifts.

Here is Jenna and her partner 3rd from the front in doing their dramatic drop.

They already had these dresses from the dance festival they did over 10 years ago. So they had to pick the girls to fit the dresses. Jenna's fit perfectly and the dance was also a perfect fit for her.

Here is one of the many lifts that were done in the dance. Jenna was really worried about the lifts when she first started learning the dance. Jenna had bruises and scratches all over her before the lift was perfected. As you can see, Jenna and her partner in the center front have this one perfect.

Here is another great spin going in to a lift my camera missed. Jenna and her partner are right in the front again.

This is a picture after the show. Grandma and Grandpa Butters made the long trip to see Haley and Jenna dance. Shaun also drove in from the bay area.

Haley and Jenna were just amazing. Here they are taking a breather after the program was over.

Scout Camp 2010

Keith and Connor went to Scout Camp this year together and had a great time sailing, hiking, shooting, eating, sleeping and telling stories. 

The sailing Merit Badge was Connor's Favorite. 

                         Connor felt like a real pirate as he learned to maneuver around the lake.

Riley's New Car: The Grey Widow

Riley never got a mission  car in Hong Kong, so instead he decided to buy the infamous "Grey Widow" as dubbed by the Oakland LDS Missionaries. 

Saturday Project: Shaun's Brithday Stream

Mills Landscaping Service Project for Mom!

 I wish we would have taken a picture of the spot before Connor and I had completed the work below.  It was covered with rocks, infected with spiders and countless numbers of very happy snails and potato bugs. The messiest part was the tremendous forest of 3-4 ft suckers growing from the spider web of superficail roots.  We had cut them back numerious times, but without fail they would quickly grow back.  For the past year, it was live and let let in  that area until I had had enough! Poor Connor was home when I reached my limit and together we conquered the jungle with Connor's favorite music playing loudly while we worked.  Below is the the 1st day's outcome.

It is great to have so many hard workers here at home this summer.  

Connor and I moved out all the rock, cut down all the suckers from underneath these to trees and put down a border of rocks with our vision of a dry creek bed in mind.  When I priced out the rocks we would need,the price was beyond ridiculous! I finally found someone selling rocks on Craig's List for $50 a truck load. We  rounded up the crew and  went rock hauling together.  They look happy now! But after a morning in the heat, moving rocks, their smiles had faded, but the good will was still there.

 We learned a lot about everyone's unique personalities. Riley went to great pains to find the smoothest, most symmetrical and well rounded rocks.  You can see him here surveying this immense pile in search of a worthy rock. 

Shaun followed with the bucket not sure where to begin, the rock pile was so huge.  Within a few minutes Shaun had a bucket full of rocks dumped into the back of the van while Riley had one or two beautiful rock in hand. 

Connor always filled his bucket too full and then grunted and groaned as he lugged his over sized bucket of rocks to the van; sometimes Riley would help.

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Jenna was the first one to call it quits and wait in the Van with the flies until Keith and I blew the whistle for the rest of the crew.

When we made it home everyone worked to unload the Van with it's sinking suspension in great need of relief.  Sadly our van rear suspension is considerallby compromised after all that weight.   As you can see we still have some empty spots, but things are coming together.

TBelieve it or not, today was Shaun's Birthday and we chose this family project just for him.  Shaun loves landscaping and hard work like this. In honor of Shaun's willingness to work we have named this "Shaun's Stream." Happy Birthday Shaun! h

This past week, Keith and I repeated the process on a smaller scale to do the same to our front mound.  We have kept the dry stream bead theme, but again we are out of rocks.  One or two more trips with the entire crew should do it.

Connor's Utah Trip

 July 18th , Connor headed out for his Utah Summer Vacation. Connor set off the alarm when he went through the scanner.  They checked to see if he had a brace on his foot, but he explained that it was a plate with four screws they were picking up. Luckily they let him through.

After Connor got everything back on, he headed to Gate 24 to await his flight to Salt Lake.

We got Connor to the airport really early so that we could head up to the temple to get Riley's car before the bank closed.  Connor is content with his DS while waiting for his plane to board. 

Haley Having Fun at BYU

Medussa?

 No, it's just  Haley getting her hair done by a friend at BYU.  I love how the foils look!  Haley sports them well as she waits for the highlights to set in. Haley's hair is growing fast.  I know that she is looking forward to getting her long hair back, but I really like her present Pixie style.

 Haley is taking Jazz dance this semester and is enjoying being back on the dance floor again!

 Haley has been called as the YSA Branch Pianist  and has   re-acquired her latent pianos skills after not practicing for yeasr!  It has been so much fun listening to her play over the phone.  It is amazing how easily she sight reads the hymns going from the front to the back of the book in sucession.

 Here is Haley doing what she likes to most: SHOPPING. I miss all of our shopping trips together  and wonder if she is shopping at GAP in this photo; it's my favorite store. I doubt it with the $10 dollar sign in the back ground.  Good for your Haley, you are being so thrifty.

 Haley is the ultimate Snap Chatter.  Everyone in the family loves to get her fun snap chats throughout the day that keep us all up on all the fun she is having! Some of them really make us laugh, other jeaslous because me miss that cute girl.

  Keep it up Haley.

 Sometimes Haley's Snap Chats are sent from the oddest places.  But it is always fun to see her where ever she is! An interesting place for a selfie. 

What a gorgeous day to be at BYU and Haley is looking radiant with the sun streaks across her face.   We are so happy that Haley is finally where she wants to be, doing what she wants to do.