Weber Family Reunion: Around the Fire

When you are camping you have those relaxing times of just starring at the embers and enjoying good conversation with family. 

Jared and Heath, married to my sister, Shaina, bonding.

 Kenzie, Eli and Jordyn waiting for s'mores.

 Lexie and Kenzie eating their burnt offerings.

 Jordyn getting tired in mommy's lap.

 Peace out Nan!

 Nan must really love her goldfish!

 Kolby, my sister, Shaina's, son, had to give me a kiss on the cheek every time he got a marshmallow. 

Weber Family Reunion Activities

With two parents, 10 kids, 9 spouses, and 32 grand kids, we make sure to have lots of activities to participate in. Now all growing up, my dad would make rocket ships with us and we would go out into the field behind Newport High School and shoot them up into the sky. We absolutely loved doing this. The rockets would fly high and then we would chase after them and brig them back to my dad to set them up again. I especially remember one time when I got to put a rocket together and then I painted it a bright neon pink. Good times!

So here is my dad's rocket, the Big Kahuna, with my brother's Jamie and Ian helping to get it set up.

Unfortunately the Big Kahuna had a failure to launch complex going on. 

The mudhole has a great swimming area. The kids made this little pool area and then my sister, Kim, hung out in it with the little ones. 

We had a family talent show and Jared was helping the girls to stay on beat.

Everyone who made a rocket. The girls and I made three rockets and painted them and then completely forgot them and left them on the counter at home. Bummer!! 

Dad setting up the launch pad.

Just a funny picture of Jared.

Mackenzie and Alexis sang two songs for the talent show. They sound so sweet together.

Do you know the cups song? Well my sister, Rebekah sang that song with her two girls, Baili and Krysten. Except she changed the words to be a song about eternal families. This talent was by far the best talent done that night. I really enjoyed it!

Kenzie, Baili, Lexie and Eli sang a song they made up about cleaning.

Here's the words...

Let's do the clean up, 

let's do pick up. 

Let's do the everybody, everywhere, with a smile on your face.

And some cleaning every day. 

Without complaining. 

Jared played a song on the guitar for me. 

The Weber 10 sang, "We've all got daddy's nose."

Ian totally photo bombed my dad.

I totally photo bombed my nephews, Parker and Conner.

 Eli and Jayne were buddies the whole time.

 Well when you live close by it's easy to be great friends.

The Book of Mormon

Lately I have been reading a book about the Prophet Joseph Smith called Brother Joseph, Seer of a New Dispensation by Richard N. Skousen and W. Cleon Skousen. I've really been enjoying it because I have wanted to know more about the life of Joseph Smith Jr.

One of the things that I was reading about was when Oliver Cowdry became a scribe for Joseph. Together the work of translating the Book of Mormon increased and sped up immensely. I was very interested in how translating worked through revelation. It's not like they held the urim and thumin over the plates and the reformed Egyptian characters appeared as English words (which is kind of what I thought) but that the words would come into their minds as they looked at the characters and through the spirit, they would know and understand the true translation.

Well when Oliver was given the opportunity to try and translate we are not sure if he wasn't able to translate the characters or if he could but through fear lost the gift, kind of like when Peter could initially walk on water towards the Savior but through fear began to sink into the water. Faith and fear cannot co-exist.  Later Oliver was told that he would have a chance to help in the translation of the Book of Joseph and the Record of the Brother of Jared, in the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, but due to the wickedness of members of the church, they were never translated. The Lord said that when we as members of the church use the scriptures more and appreciate all that we have been given then this condemnation will be lifted from us and we'll receive those scriptures. I've never thought about the fact that we might be missing some valuable scripture and so I started to think how could I help to get those scriptures. The obvious answer and one that takes a lot of work is keeping the inner vessel clean. If I want others to more properly use the scriptures, I should make sure that I am using them. That I teach my children to value them. It takes the whole church, not just the faith of one.

So, I am challenging myself to do a little better, to do a little more, to try a little harder.

President Benson gives an amazing talk about Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon,  October General Conference 1988. He talks about lifting the condemnation on the church. He challenges us to spread the joy that we have with others, putting our testimonies in the scriptures and giving them to our friends. Memorizing scriptures and having our youth know scriptures so that when missions are served the spirit can bring to the front of their minds the right things to say then will touch the hearts of those they teach. I can teach my children the scriptures, I can memorize scriptures. I can share the gospel. 

Weber Family Reunion Special Surprise

A few years ago my mom noticed that her diamond in her wedding ring fell out. She felt so bad that she had lost it and even more bad that she no longer wore a wedding ring. But feeling like it was a selfish thing to get a new one she went without. However, after a year of not wearing a ring, she gave in and bought a simple CTR ring to wear on her wedding finger. She was content with that but us kids were not. 

Originally, Sharon, my sister, was just going to get her a new one for mothers day but all of us kids wanted to pitch in and help. We decided on secret operation "fix the ring" and started the process. To begin with, we had to find mom's old ring. Sharon started talking with her about her hands that carried over to talking about grandma's hands, then rings, then mom's ring, and where it was stashed. The only clue we had was that it was stored with grandma's ring. Well, Rebekah, my sister and Jamie, my brother, each took turns at different visits to try and find the ring while my mom was out of the house, but to no avail. 

Finally, Rebekah looked in mom's drawers in a salt and pepper shaker and found mom's ring. (I don't know why mom hid it there, but we found it!) So we all sent my brother, Ian, some money and with the discount that Karissa, Ian's wife, gets at the jewelry store cause she works there, we were able to get a new diamond for mom along with it being sized to the proper size. It took so long to find mom's old ring that we weren't sure we would get it done in time but luckily we got it the day before Ian was leaving for our reunion and so he brought it with him for my Dad to present to my mom. 

 My mom said it looks bigger than she remembers, well, everyone deserves an upgrade!

 My parents are so kind and giving, always sacrificing that they deserve the best! I'm so grateful for them!

 I saw this all growing up, there was never a doubt that my parents loved each other. Always kiss your spouse in front of your kids, it lets them know that you love each other!

Cheers to Eternity You Two!!

Weber Family Reunion Cliff Jumping

For our family reunion we went to the "Mud Hole" which is a great camping area near Priest River, ID. This place is where my family went on vacation every summer. Yep, 15 minutes from our house. Hey, don't judge, by doing this it meant that we could all go even when we were working summer jobs. We might have to leave for work during the day but we would all be reunited for family dinner, swimming, and crafts. I love this place and am glad that I finally got the opportunity to introduce this place to Jared and the kids!

One of the things nearby are these rock cut outs where you can go cliff jumping. I was excited to try these out but also very anxious. I started out really good....I'm even posing....

Then I looked at how far it was and my nerves got the better of me, yes, that is me crying....

So Ian tried to pump me up...

And it worked, we were going to jump on 3....2....1....

Oh just kidding.....I freaked out.....

Everyone was cheering me on and after my brother-in-law, Jason, guided me down to the little kid cliff to jump off of that a sense of pride took over and I ran back up the hill to the top high cliff and just ran off the cliff....I look like I am falling off of a building....

 But at least I did it....

After going for the first time, I realized that it wasn't all that bad and so I jumped again and posed in a spread eagle this time. I know it seems dumb but I am proud of myself for trying it! 

Jared just dove right in, even though I told him that I didn't want him to dive....I'm still peaved about it!

 So far so good.

 I think he's an idiot for diving but he was fine the whole time....but still!

 My very brave Kenzie.

 Uum....my bro-in-law caught in his "I'm sexy and I know it," pose. 

(The cliff that he's standing on was the little kid cliff.)

 Rebekah was awesomely brave from the start!

 Shaina was scared at first but she overcame her nerves real quick with the help of her hubby, Heath.

 Ian strutting his stuff.

 Ian and Warren jumping