Hello July!

Well we have been in Las Vegas for 1 month. A few things I know is that yes everyone it is HOT, but we don't mind it to much and I love our Saturday adventures. We find something to do every Saturday as a family to discover something new about the area we live in. The first week we were here we went to Red Rock Canyon, 2nd weekend Lake Mead(don't think we will do this one again until we can with a boat), this last Saturday we went to Mount Charleston. We have had so much fun. On our trip to Lake Mead we took the kids to Hoover Dam. They thought it was cool because of the movie Transformers. Ben and I liked it a lot. Sad how low the water is, but the new bridge they are building is amazing! We were looking forward to playing on the beach, but it wasn't what we were used to @ Bear Lake. It was more mud than sand and it was blowing so bad that day. In the process of savings our things I got caught right in the middle of the biggest dirt devil I have ever seen. Yes I intercepted and tiny funnel cloud!! Then in the middle of eating lunch we had a sand storm blow through that got sand everywhere. We lasted a good hour and a half then were ready to head for home.

Yesterday's adventure was probably our favorite. We went up to Mt. Charleston that is about 1/2 hour from our house. The amazing thing about this place is that you are driving a long looking at the desert and then all of the sudden you are in a canyon that resembles Logan Canyon. We went on a hike up "Fletcher Trail" ( we had to with that name). Ben, Jarrett and McGregor made it all the way. Isabelle, Fletcher and I had to turn around because Isabelle was done and Fletcher was hungry. We went up and tried(Tried being the key word) to eat at the Lodge. We sat there for a good 40 min. and never got helped. We decided to go back into town and find some grub. Great atmosphere, just not the best service. Maybe we will try it another time.

We have been down here one month. It has been tough in a lot of ways, but good in others. I always tell the kids when they are having a day they are especially homesick to think of the good things of Vegas. Here are some of them: We love the parks, our favorites are butterfly and dinosaur, we love our new ward, we are making some great friends, we are closer as a family, and we love our family adventures every Saturday!! It has not been easy being away from everyone, but we are doing good some days great!!

Update on my dad: He has been in the hospital 3 weeks today with no release date yet. He started with pancreaitis last Sunday and has had a rough go with it. Thankfully he is out of ICU. He is in pretty good spirits considering everything he has been through. Hopefully we can get him eating solids, get his white blood count down, and get him stronger. He is an amazing and strong person. He has been through so much, but he told me he would do it all again to still be here with us!! My mom is holding up, I don't know how she does it, but she does. She gets up and is to work every morning by 6:30 or 7:00 after work goes and sees my Dad and then home to take care of Cameron. I sometimes worry more about her than my Dad, but she is strong. I am so thankful for my parents and all they have done for me. It has been hard to be away but I hope they know how much they mean to me and how much I love them. I keep telling myself there is a reason and time for everything we just need to have faith that everything will work out in the best way for everyone involved.