Fathers

With Fathers Day
this weekend
I wanted to honor
the Fathers in my life.

First "My Dad"
Dave Jones
He passed away 31 years ago, I was only 21. I have always wished I was one of the older kids in the family, so that I would have had more adult years, to get to know my dad better. Here are a few of my memories: His short buzzed hair cut, proud to be an American, dressed in his fatigues, jumping with the Utah National Guard on the weekends (yes parachuting was his favorite thing to do), working on cars, working on the house (remodeling something), working with the catering, washing dishes at the weddings, making pastries, hard worker, he could fix anything, dancing around the house, always smiling and gave big hugs.

Second My Father In-Law
Vance Whipple
When I married Garry, I was welcomed with open arms by my Father In-Law (my Mother In-Law also). He also passed away way too early, but I did get the privilege of getting to know him quite well. Some memories: Always complimented me and others, he would stop by the house on his way home from his buying trips to New York for a visit, tapes of fun music he liked to share with us, good business man, he was a great storyteller, loved to go for hikes, took the kids for picnics and hiked the rocks in Heber, and shared his good advice with us.

Third Grandpa
Wallace Stowell
When Garry and I married, one of the big perks for me was to gain an amazing Grandma and Grandpa. I never had the chance to know any of my own Grandparents, they all passed away before I was born. So to have a grandpa was a new and wonderful experience. Garry and I lived in the same ward as Grandma and Grandpa when we first married , they invited us over for Sunday dinners and family nights. Grandpa taught us so much about how to treat each other, serving others, serving in the church, to love chocolate chip cookies and a hand full of chocolate chips out of the freezer. I loved having the influence of a wise and loving Granfather in my life, I really miss him!

Fourth My Favorite Father
Garry Whipple
When you got married you really have no idea what you are getting as far as whether your spouse will make a good father. For me I didn't know Garry's family to be able to judge, I just knew that I really loved him and that he was fun, kind, loving and a gentleman to me (not to mention he gave me butterfly's every time I was around him). I really struck it rich when I found Garry, he has been a great husband and father ( still gives me butterfly's).
What makes him a good dad? Works hard, plays hard, good provider, the rebar genius, full of good advice, good example, dedicated to church service, idea man, problem solver, loves his family, loves his wife, will do anything to protect and defend his family, forgiving, keeps everyone posted on sports and current events, master of useless trivia, great letter writer, amazing smile and a good storyteller (if he could only finish one dang sentence).

Garry as a new father, WOW! Time changes things.

WATCHING THE GARDEN GROW

I have never been much of a gardener! I have tried for years without much success.

this is my garden in 2007

This year I decided to really do it up right 

Niels and Ben built me two 5ft X 17ft long raised garden beds

they put pavers around the whole things  and it is just right for me to set on the edge and take care of it. No more killing my knees and back.

We filled it up with some really great soil!

Then we planted

Here is our first little seedlings

This was about 2 weeks ago, everything is growing and really looking good

Much thanks to the boys, they have really helped keep it watered and weeded. Ben calls it his garden and in truth it really is.

We are trying to go totally organic, no pesticides, so we have released over a thousand lady bugs, planted garlic, onion and marigolds and hatched Praying Mantis.

Here's what we got going on

BEANS & GARLIC 

WATERMELON

SUMMER SQUASH

TOMATOES

CANTALOUPE

ZUCCHINI

CORN

CUCUMBER

SUNFLOWERS

We also have PEPPERS and RADISHES, 

I have loved watching it grow and it is really starting to produce!

Garden 2009

Check out Trevor's new blog, 

he created it so we could keep in contact while he is on his trip to

  Grenada 

 http://trevor.thewhipples.us/

Here's the scoop: Trevor has a friend (Jeff) that has been studying at the Univerisity in Grenada for the last three years, veterinarian school. He is graduating this week. Jeff has been wanting Trevor to come vacation in Grenada with him for the past 3 years, so off he went for 10 days !  

Where is Grenada? 

Grenada is a group of three larger islands (Grenada,Carriacou, and Petit Martinique) and several tiny islands in theCaribbean, or West Indies. It lies just northeast of Trinidad and Tobago, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is famous for spices and is known as the "Spice Isle", being a major source of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and cocoa.

Wedding Bells

Big news at the Whipple's 

TYLER and TIFF are engaged!

They are planning a November Wedding, Fun ,Fun, Fun!

Busy Times

Serving in the Stake Young Women's Presidency keeps me busy from time to time! 

We served a dinner to all the young women in the stake and their mom's after the General Young Women's Broadcast. We made 360 chicken bake sandwiches , 

they turned out really yummy. 

Here we are cooking up a storm!

For dessert we served cute girlie looking cupcakes, we made 400 cupcakes! Ben helped bake them and Tyler and Tiffany helped decorate. 

THANKS GUYS FOR ALL YOUR HELP! 

The broadcast was on Saturday and our Presidency left the following Monday to attend the General Auxiliary Training in Salt Lake City. The training was fantastic, we attended two sessions and had lunch at the Lion House. It was freezing in Utah and us Arizona girls had to really bundle up to survive. We enjoy each other, and it is a good thing we do since we spend so much time together.

That evening we got together with the Stake Relief Presidency for dinner. We talked, laughed, ate fried pickles (that was a first), got to know each other better and solved all the problems in the world.