Sevark Central

Tonight we spent the evening as a family with all of Cindy's family for Lauren's wedding.  How quickly time flies by...  I remember the first time I saw Lauren.  It was the day after returning home from my mission.  I had just seen Cindy for the first time in over two years -- what an awkward moment that was when we first saw each other!  :-)  We just stared at each other not sure what to say...thank goodness for Grandma Porter who rushed out and gave me a big hug and broke the ice!  :-)  That so seems like yesterday to me... Cindy and I spent the entire day together.  One of the very first things we decided to do was go visit Lauri at Williams Air Force Base to see their new baby Lauren who was just a couple months old.  I think that was Cindy's first time seeing her as well since she had been up at BYU.  Never during that visit with Lauri and baby Lauren did it ever cross my mind that 21 years later I would attending her reception with Cindy gone.  Nevertheless, it was a wonderful reception and evening.  We had a very nice time getting to be with family, seeing so many close friends from the past and the kids loved getting to spend time with cousins.  Lauren's wedding & reception was beautiful and she's lived her life right to be married in the temple -- what a great example for our kids who will be doing this before too long themselves!  I hope we still have a little while though...  Wait, did I just say that???  :-)  I hope each and every one of them have similar wedding days...in the right place, at the right time and with the right person.  Thanks Lauren for being such a great example!

Amidst all the activities going on and being at the cabin today, the girls left this morning at 8:30am to return home and make it to church for a mission farewell they planned to attend.  A couple hours after they were gone, I received a phone call asking if Maizey could be at the church at 11:45am for a bishopric interview.  The girls had just returned home, so we gave the a call and Maizey raced down to the church for her appt.  She's been called into the Mia Maids presidency as the secretary.  Maizey has been serving in a presidency calling for much of the past year.  We know she'll do her best and be wonderful in this calling as well.  We're proud of you Maizey!!

Grandma & Grandpa Severtson asked everyone who wanted to come celebrate Grandpa's 67th birthday this weekend at the cabin with them.  So all of us, Ryan & Woody's family, Lee & Tiesha's family, Micah & Danny's family, and Kirk & Keta's family all went us to spend the weekend with them.  It was a nice getaway, especially after getting back into school.  On Saturday we got up and racked pine needles, enjoyed a really nice hard rain, played cards and celebrated Grandpa's birthday. Then on Sunday the forest service showed up and we marked trees to have removed -- a thinning out service they recommend for cabin owners, cut down some trees and let the kids play.

Even though we worked, it was still a very nice time.  I took time to show most of the kids how to use a chain saw, then let them give it a try by themselves.  They all did great, but some got a little carried away as you can see in the pictures below -- Bentley! :-)  Whenever we were bored, we sat and watch the 2012 Olympics in London that started this week or just sat and enjoyed the mountain breezes with periodic rain showers.  We had a wonderful time!  Happy Birthday Dad!

Well, we never thought this day would arrive!  After the crazy busy and fun packed summer we had, it all came to an end today as the kids started their first day back to school.  They were both excited and sad -- excited to wear all their new school clothes, but sad because tall the vacations and fun were coming to an end.  I can't believe we have 4 kids in high school now!  Then Noah in Junior High, and Caleb & Jonah in middle school.  Bentley, Maizey & Garrett all have 0-hour, so they leave first.  Followed by Porter who chose to sleep in and take the bus since he doesn't have a 0-hour.  Then Noah, Caleb and Garrett all leave around 8:15am to catch the bus to their schools.

I think we'll miss having them around home so much...on second though, Nah, not really!  It will be nice to be able to work from home again without all the background noise!  :-)  Have a fun time at school kids!

A few weeks ago, we received a call from the ward executive secretary to have Bentley meet with Bishop Petersen along with her parents (on Sunday, June 24th). We assumed it must be for something big, and that it was.  Bentley was called as the Laurel President and has spent the past few weeks selecting her counselors while we and the Bishop have been out of town.  I've not posted this entry until now since she wasn't sustained by her Laurel's class until today.  When he extended the calling, Bishop Petersen gave her some great advice on leading and being a great example for all the young women, then asked Bentley what she thought she needed to be a good leader -- to which she replied she's happy and optimistic, which has done her well as her seminary class president.  We're very proud of you Bentley and know you'll do wonderfully as the new Laurel president!

This week was our final vacation of the summer -- San Diego!!  The kids have really been looking forward to this trip since we were not able to make it to the beach last summer.  They were so excited to go!! We got all packed up Tuesday night because the kids wanted to leave first thing on Wednesday morning -- they even chose the time of leaving by 5am (which I love when they choose the time, so they are up and ready rather than us nagging them to get out of bed).

Wednesday morning we got up at 4am and were out the door shortly after 5am.  I drove to Yuma, then Lexine took over because I have having a hard time staying awake.  Kami drove the entire way following behind me.  On the way we passed by Pine Valley -- which Kami & Bentley were so excited about since that was the filming location of one of their favorite movies "Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour".  We arrived at Charles & Jen's home where we were staying around noon, visited for a short time, then headed to the beach.  The beach was crowded, but the kids managed to boogie board and get some tanning in.  We were only there for a couple hours, but that was long enough for everyone to get sun burned -- all of us white AZ folks.  Pizza for dinner, then retired to bed early.

Thursday we got up at early (7am) so we could get out the door by 8am to drive to Laguna Beach to meet Micah and Danny & family (since they were also in California vacationing).  That was a lot of fun...they kids had a great time swimming, running from waves and digging in the sand.  Lexine and I, along with Kami, Bentley and Maizey huddled under the umbrellas to keep from getting too much more sun burned.  On the way home, we had lunch at Taco Bell then back to Jen's for naps before going to Oceanside beach for a BBQ with Jen & Charles.  We tried hotdogs & sea-water corn -- where you take a garbage pail full of sea water, throw it on a beach campfire and boil it until ready.  Pretty good!!  After dark we walked on the pier, then stopped at McDonald's for ice cream sundae's before returning home.

Friday was a crazy day -- we slept in a little, waking up at 9am so we could be out the door to the Mormon Battalion Church site by 10am.  That was a really cool memorial to see -- the Church did a great job making it both interesting and interactive.  They dressed Jonah up as a Mormon Battalion soldier and the kids got to pan for gold at the end of the tour.  After we visited the San Diego temple to do baptisms for the kids 12 and over (Kami thru Noah).  That morning added a great spiritual aspect to our vacation and was a lot of fun.  The inside fo the San Diego temple is absolutely beautiful!  We then sat in traffic the entire way home, took a quick rest, then headed back to the beach for one last escapade before heading home on Saturday.  That's where the fun began.  We did a lot of swimming and boogie boarding until Porter got stung by a Stingray!  I had taken Caleb to the bathroom, then came back to find Lexine trying to help Porter wash off a his foot.  It was bleeding all over the place.  I went over to the Life Guard station and they told them he was bleeding pretty bad and saying his whole foot was stinging -- that's when we found out it was from a Stringray, I guess they leave a pretty good puncture wound when they insert their poison.  They got him a hot pack and suggested we head straight home to soak his foot in hot water the rest of the evening.  That seamed to work pretty good -- so later in the evening we took the girls shopping while Porter stayed home with the boys.

On Saturday we got up fairly early (7am), packed up, cleaned, said out goodbyes and started our trek home.  We stopped in Pine Valley so the girls could get a picture at Major's Diner -- one of the locations where the movie was filmed...they thought that was the greatest!!  We then went to the Pine Valley park and made sandwiches for lunch.  We finally made it home around 4pm.  Exhausted, sunburned and tired of driving -- we unpacked the car and took it easy the rest of the evening, but didn't get to bed too early since Garrett & Maizey wanted to go to the dance!  They had a great time.  It was a wonderful final family vacation of the summer!  Now back to reality this week -- work and school!

Porter has been getting a few little scraggly hairs under his chin lately, so this morning the girls made him shave them off (since we were going to the San Diego temple to do baptisms).  This was Porter's first time shaving and using an electric shaver!  Guess we know what he'll be getting for his next birthday or future Christmas presents -- I'm sure he's got a lot more shaving to come!!  :-)

The last full week of summer vacation before school starts!  Its flown by fast but has been busy and full of fun -- much better than last year when Lexine was sick and in the hospital.  I hope it has been enjoyable for the kids.  On Wednesday we head to San Diego through Saturday.  Its been a long time since we've had a beach vacation.  We spent a couple hours there before our cruise last spring, but this will be the first family beach vacation we've had together.  We'll be staying with Rod's sister Jenn and her husband Charles (Thank you!!), but do not plan to be around their home much since we only have a couple days, we plan to be out about and doing!  Should be loads of fun...can't wait!!!

Luckily this week was our own only down week of summer and we just happened to be home when an old friend called.  Mike Day was a great friend of the missionaries when I was on my mission.  Not only did missionaries live in his home, but on P-days he would take us around to places and occasionally out to dinner.  He helped me out as a Zone Leader and Assistant with posters, mission videos, etc.  Over the years we've kept in touch periodically -- usually when I've had to visit DC for work or last when Cindy and I took the kids on our big East Coast trip before moving back from Chicago -- she was still going thru her first chemo at that time.

On Wednesday, Mike called me and let me know he was in the area, so we planned to get together for dinner tonight.  Lexine and I met Mike at Tia Rosa's. It was a nice visit to reminisce of old times over dinner. Its odd how people pop-up periodically throughout your life -- the momentary pause as you all the memories come rushing back, but you both have aged and look older.  Who knows what life will be like or where we'll be the next time we meet...  Anyway, it was a very nice time and great seeing you again Mike!!

Jonah sure knows how to keep our family laughing!  Whether it be eating moldy bread or he & Caleb dancing with their shirts off...tonight he did it again!  We were at Ross doing some school shopping when Joe comes walking up with his hands in his pockets, however his pockets were all the way in the front of him, so it looked kinda funny -- almost like his hands were down his shorts.  Then I realized he actually had his shorts on backwards!  He was so embarrassed and kept trying to pull his shirt down over his shorts.  Finally he gave up on that and took off running to the restroom to turn them around (as I snapped this picture of him).  Silly Joe...we love how you keep us all laughing -- laughing with you (not at you)!!  :-)

Finally, our first down week of the summer...nobody going anywhere this week (except me with an all day Scout training that I have to be at on Saturday from 7am - 8:30pm).  This week we'll finish up school shopping, school work that Bentley and Porter have to complete and prepare for our final vacation of the summer to San Diego next week.  Lots to do...guess we better to going at it!

While most of us were up at the cabin, the girls all went home and lucky for Bentley, she received a call on Saturday afternoon with the assignment to speak in Church today!  Yikes...talk about short notice!  We are all still up at Grandma's cabin enjoying the beautiful weather here.  Kami and Maizey said Bentley did amazing -- as we knew she would, we just wish we could have been there to see her give it. But there will be other opportunities in the future I'm sure! :-)  Good job Bentley!!

Week 6 already?  Only 3 more weeks to go until school starts!!  This week we originally had nothing scheduled, but then Grandma & Grandpa Severtson had to go out and buy a cabin in Forest Lakes, AZ!  So, now we're spending the week up in the mountains with much nicer weather than in the valley.  Lexine and I came up with the boy Sunday evening, the girls will come up late on Tuesday night after Kami gets off work...unfortunately Kami has to go back Thursday morning early for work again. :-(  The boys have already starting working on several of the little jobs Grandma left for them.  Then later in the week, many of the cousins will be coming up to celebrate the 4th of July -- should be an exciting and crazy time here at Grandma's cabin!!  :-)

When we arrived home from Havasupai, we found out that Noah had a Bishopric interview this morning.  Since the Bishop was out of town and we were not requested to accompany him (as we were with Garrett & Maizey when they were each called as presidents) we figured it was to serve as a Deacon's quorum counselor, so Lexine took Noah to the Church and I came with the rest of the kids later.  When I arrived at the church, Bro. Cluff (2nd counselor in the Bishopric) pulled me aside and asked if I would support Noah being called as the President of the Deacon's quorum.  I gave him a strange look and said "Oh, we thought he was being called as a counselor...if we had known he was being called as the president, then we both would have come to the interview with him -- but of course I will support him!" :-)  That must have sparked something in Bro. Cluff's mind because a few minutes later he pulled us each back aside and said "I just did some checking and made a mistake -- Noah is being called as the 2nd counselor, not the president".  So, congratulations to Noah for serving the shortest term ever as the Deacon's quorum president!  And an even bigger congratulations for his longer term calling as 2nd counselor!!  :-)  Good job Noah -- we're proud of you and know you'll do great in this calling!

Are we crazy or what?!?  Havasupai again??  I'm not sure what I was thinking, but all the kids wanted to go this summer, so I caved in and made it happen.  The last couple weeks, most of my group backed out, so it ended up only being Lee with Wyatt, Danny with Trevor & Rex, and Kirk with Jet -- then me with all eight of our kids plus 5 friends (3 Cluff's -- Cal, Kayla & Colton, 2 Derrick's -- Bryndee & Porter).  It turned out to be so much fun -- I'm really glad we did it again...just hope its a few years before the next time!  :-)  

We drove up in the afternoon on Thursday, June 28 -- ironically this was the same exact date we hiked Havasupai a few years ago on Cindy's and my 15th year anniversary which she made me promise that we would never do that for any more of our anniversaries :-) (but I never imagined at that time that 6 years later she wouldn't be with me -- at least in body).  Other than a couple quick stops to eat at Taco Bell and gas up in Seligman, we headed straight there arriving at about 8:30pm.  The kids all wanted to hike at night, so we unloaded the cars, threw on our packs and off we went!  Everyone seemed to do really good -- not too much complaining or asking when we were going to get there.  We reached the river at around 11:30pm and threw down tarps to sleep on for a few hours until we could check in the next morning.  Not the best night of sleep...  :-)

On Friday morning, we woke up at the first sign of dawn, loaded up our gear and hiked another mile (half-hour hike) to the village.  There we waited another 30 min for the reservation office to open up.  The guy who checked us in was very slow at math -- so it took even another 30 min just to pay and get our tags.  But we finally managed thru all that and hiked the remaining two miles to the campgrounds -- arriving there at about 7am. We found a really great camping spot next to the canyon wall, so we were shaded every morning until about 10:30am -- there we crashed and slept a couple hours to recuperate from the night before.  Then the rest of the day we played in the river along side of our camp, had a blast at Mooney Falls, then spent a couple hours at Havasupai falls as well...until our campsite was shady once again for cooking dinner and getting ready for night.  Pictures below...

Saturday morning I woke up early.  It was so nice and quiet as the sun rised and everyone was a sleep.  The kids were all still fast asleep...they didn't even know I took a bunch of pictures of them!  :-)  But eventually we all got up and loaded up the packs that would go on the mules -- they had to be at the camp entrance by 7am.  Then we came back and finished packing up our campsite, ate breakfast, talked and swam in the rivier until there was no more shade.  Then we hiked up the trail to Havasupai falls again as our first stop on our way out.  We spent a couple hours there swimming and relaxing -- the kids discovered the caves and played in them for quite a while.  Around 2:30pm, we headed up to Lil' Navajo falls where we spent an hour and the kids swam and cliff dived until the Police showed up and told them they were not allowed to, but they had a blast there anyway.  Around 4pm we hiked another mile and a half to the village where we stopped at the store for Gatorade and the restaurant for some dinner before starting the long 8-mile hike out.  The restaurant was also terrible slow, taking almost an hour to get our food.  So as soon as some of the kids (Porter, Garrett, Maizey, Noah, Caleb & Jonah) ate, we sent them up the trail thinking the rest of us would catch up with them.  The rest of us finished dinner 15-20 minutes later and set-off to catch up with them -- which we never did.  The hike out in the later evening made it much better than previous years.  We went fast, that is until we hit the switchbacks, but even they were not too bad.  We were all completely out of the canyon by 11:30pm (some as early as 8:30pm).

It would have been nice if the trip ended there, but we still needed to drive home!  After getting out of the canyon so late and burning so much energy hiking, after driving the 90 minutes back to Seligman we were exhausted and couldn't go any further having another 3.5 hours to go to get home!  We ended up parking in the Shell gas station and slept until 3:30...then woke up and drove the rest of the way, arriving home at 6:30am.

It was an awesome trip once again!  The kids are already asking about going next year -- I'm not so sure about going next year yet....  :-)

Here's a link to all the pictures:  http://sdrv.ms/LZXz7w