Orchard Days

Orchard Days 

The first of August is our annual community Orchard Days celebration. I am reminded that we have lived here for 9.5 years. I find that the more involved we are in the activities the more we enjoy it all. We have roots here and enjoy the community we call home.

Hidden Picture Contest

For the past few years I have taken pictures for the Orchard Days Hidden Picture challenge.  Back in June (I think) I went around town and took pictures of business signs and cropped them down to single letters that eventually spelled out the city name. It was in the book that comes out every year. The object is to figure out what the original sign was for from the clue. Its not a huge event, but fun to do anyway with some really great prizes.

Family Night at the Park

Monday night is always fun for our family.  This year Dennis submitted a couple pieces in the art show and got a red ribbon. For the first time I put a couple in as well.  One piece won 1st place.  (Kind of exciting!) There were some beautiful pieces on display there. The boys and I walked around the quilt show and voted on our favorites.  There were some really cute ones all representing a lot of time and work. 

Dennis' pieces on top my pieces on bottom

Jacob participated in the sidewalk art contest.  The girls enjoyed cotton candy and Khora got her face painted.  There were some fun bounce houses and similar things to play on. The boys went through the water-gun maze and raced each other in the giant hamster wheels.  It was fun to walk around together with the girls for the little carnival games too.  I had an assignment due the next day so the boys went home with me, but Dennis and the girls stayed and watched the movie in the park, The Never Ending Story. Park night is getting to be a big event with over 1000 people there this year.  I think it grows every year. 

Chalk Art

Girls on  the Zip line

Boys in the hamster wheels racing Jacob's winning

Who doesn't love cotton candy

Face art

Music Festival

Jacob played Fur Elise in the music festival Thursday night.  He had it all memorized and did a fabulous job!  It was great to see how well he is doing and that he keeps improving the talent that he has. I really enjoy listening to him play.

Craig Evans Jacob's piano teacher for the past couple years

Rodeo

Friday night we went to the rodeo. We have found that the first night isn't quite as busy as it is Saturday, but enough for our family to enjoy.  We had a good time together! The fireworks show was quite impressive.  We watched from the grass just behind the bleacher seats.

Saturday at the Park

Saturday is the big day that is full of activities. Ammon and Jamie joined us for the parade in the morning. Lots of Frizbees, candy and even some flowers. The local greenhouse hands out 4 trailers full of flowers along the parade route.  Jacob and Afton ended up with Gerber daisies for me.  (They are one of my favorites!) The girls went to the petting zoo sponsored by the local 4H club.  They had day old baby goats, a miniature pony, ducklings, a donkey, cows, bunnies as well as an alpaca, a ferret, and a fox. Do you know there are pet fox breeders?  I had no idea.  Huh.

1st Annual Horseshoe Tournament

Dennis has been working all week to get the horse shoe tournament started.  This is the first year for it and there were a lot of people excited to participate, 12 teams. It turned out to be a lot of fun!  Dennis did a great job with it even making some good looking trophies!  I didn't realized how much sun I got until that night, but I was out in it all day. It was tiring and we were glad to get in a good nap at the end. 

Dennis made these amazing trophies

Best looking Event Staff right there!

No Seer of Faces

Earlier this year I become fascinated with Venetian masks. They are used in the annual carnival in Venice Italy. They are an important feature in the fall time carnival. 

      

They are beautiful and elaborately decorated in so many different colors and themes. I just fell in love with them. I used them as inspiration for a couple drawing projects last spring. 

   

Self Portrait

Final Project: assemblage from a violin, mandolin

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Right now I have the song Masquerade from the soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera going through my head. 

Masquerade!

Paper faces on parade . . .
Masquerade!
Hide your face,
so the world will
never find you!
Masquerade!
Every face a different shade . . .
Masquerade!
Look around -
there's another
mask behind you!

Masquerade!
Burning glances,
turning heads . . .
Masquerade!
Stop and stare
at the sea of smiles
around you!
Masquerade!
Grinning yellows,
spinning reds . . .
Masquerade!
Take your fill -
let the spectacle
astound you.

In Acts 10 Peter says that "God is no respecter of persons". In Greek this verse translates to 'no seer of faces' referring to the masks that are used in the dramas of that time, or like these Venetian masks that I enjoy.  Peters statement means that God looks beyond the masks that we wear and sees us for who we are. He is an impartial God and asks that we look beyond the masks as well. He asks that we do not judge on appearances on culture, on race, or social status.  It has taught me more about looking for the good in others and trying to see a person the way God sees them.  What a great super power that would be.  To see another person as they are. More and more I see how much God loves His children.  He wants us to succeed!  We can still enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the masks as a work of art, but we don't need to wear them. Its his opinion that matters and he sees through them anyway.

Monroe Mountain Scout Camp

Dennis went with the boys to a scout camp in Monroe mountain the end of June.  They left on Wednesday night around 5pm. They had a good time and were able to work on some fun merit badges. They did some fishing, Isaac was was the king there with his 14 total fish. They went canoeing, built a monkey bridge, did fabulous with shotgun and rifle shooting in which Dennis apparently "schooled everyone".  They also saw some large elk and ate good food. It was a beautiful area!

Embark in a Journey to Forever

Last week was girls camp.  I was gone from June 15- June 19 up at the Heber Valley Camp. It was AMAZING! I admit that was a little unmotivated to go because it was a long time to be away from my family, but I'm so glad I went. It was so good to be with the girls and such a refill. The camp was beautiful and so green and pretty. 

Our theme for camp was Embarking on a journey to forever. D&C 4:2 says "Oh ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might mind and strength that ye  may stand blameless before God at the last day." The activities for our week came from this scripture. 

The Challenge Course

Checking all the gear and harnesses

Up the pole

across the cable past the "temptation" ropes

and down the zipline 

I was asked to help the girls put a FHE together on Monday.  They did a great job teaching and we had a lot of fun playing cherades.  We also had cookies for out treat.

Wednesday I was able to participate in talking to the girls about the Holy Ghost on the faith walk.
I was asked to talk about the Temple day we had at camp. 

Girl Week

Since the boys were gone the girls and I went to Fayette.  We drove up the mountain with mom and dad on Thursday and had fun playing with the some extended Sorensen cousins. Uncle Rolland's family was camping for

the week and they brought up some fun toys to play with.  We rode around on 4-wheelers and a side-by-side all afternoon. Afton loved that there were some Sorensen girls her age to play with!  She made some new friends and had a good time.  Bonnie was trying to find out how these people were her "cousin"s since they looked more like aunts and uncles.It was a good way to get out of the triple digit temperatures back home.

Rolland and Louise with mom and dad.

Girl like to play with toys also.

Khora watching the deer feed on the other side of the mountain.

Afton taking grandma and Khora for a little ride

Bonnie looking good in goggles.

Reds and the Braves

Boys are involved in baseball season this summer.  Jacob is in a Payson City league this year and Isaac is in the Santaquin Pony league.  I love watching my boys play baseball. They are both wonderful athletes! It makes me happy!

Isaac is on the Santaquin Braves.  He usually plays shortstop and pitch. He's had some great hits this season.  Some to really get excited about. Its fun to watch him play.  Full of action.

Playing 3rd Base

Jacob is on the Payson Reds. He usually plays shortstop and right field. He is usually a pretty consistent hitter and usually gets on base. He is really a great athlete. He enjoys playing and is a great part of the team.  He's had a good year.

Turns into a tag out on third

The girls like to come and hand out at the ball park.  They find something to keep them busy.

Dedicated to the Lord

 It has finally arrived. . . a dedicated temple 10 minutes away!  I can hardly believe it. The waiting and anticipation has come to an end and we are ready to work and enjoy serving in the House of the Lord.

President Eyring presided at all three dedication services. The boys attended the 1pm session at our stake center.  Jacob and Isaac stayed home with Bonnie as Dennis, Afton, Khora and I attended a session inside the temple in one of the sealing rooms. What a privileged it was to be there!

At the dedication a message of the temple as an individual experience, as a Holy Place, as a House of the Lord stuck with me. President Eyring spoke about his first experience in the temple. He said was like 'coming home'. He felt like he had been there before, that is was familiar.  Everyone has a different experience in the temple and the Lord speaks to us in different ways there. His point was that we can all know that this is the House of the Lord, personally.  

not my pic used from Payson Temple Facebook page

I know that the temple is Gods house!  A place where He can be here on earth. It is a source of comfort and strength to me. A light house in a sometimes dark world.
As we were watching it Afton leaned over and asked me if the people on the screen were somewhere like Salt Lake.  I told her they were in the same building we were in just in a different room. They were in the Celestial room.  When we were done we walked out to the front and watched President Eyring say goodbye as he was leaving the temple.  Proof that they were indeed in the temple with us.

not my pic used from Payson Temple Facebook page

I was once again reminded that the dedication of a temple is in part a dedication of the people.  In participating we dedicate ourselves to the Lord. House of the Lord. Holiness to the Lord.

What a wonderful day of joy and gladness!!