Max's Birthday

Happy Birthday Maxwell! You celebrated in fine form today at our camping trip with the Hainsworths and Hughes. You were the star of the show with your big bright smile when we pulled out the cake that turned all of our lips blue and put us in a sugar coma. You were thrilled with the shaving cream fight that left you looking like a frosted chocolate cupcake. This is the big year when you are baptized and start the road to independence that nearly kills your mother. Plus, you get a pocketknife and a cub scout shirt, so it really is the best year yet. I love you my handsome black boy.

it started on a canoe

Once upon a time a girl took a canoeing class at BYU.  She liked it.  

She invited a boy on her class canoe trip.  

The boy liked the girl.  

The boy fell in love with the girl and eventually they got married.

20 years later they took their five kids canoeing and told them their love story.  The kids laughed and laughed and got grossed out when their Mom and Dad kissed on the lips.

And they all lived happily ever after.

The Great Bee Emergencee

We had a trauma this week worth noting. After a lovely ski on Rock Lake with the Kolb girls, Tony was backing the boat into the garage and missed. He backed right into the beehive! The poor bees were so upset. Tony bravely donned the bee suit and went out to right the hive, which made the bees even more mad. They crawled under his pant legs and stung him through his socks and the more upset he got the more they stung him. I was trying to help but was laughing so hard at the vision the neighbors had of a ghostly figure all in a white suit running wildly around the yard beating at his head and legs. Lucky for Tony, he had no reaction to the stings except for the itching and the next morning when it was cool the bees had settled down he put the lid back on. I just want a little shout out for Tony staring one of his greatest fears in the face--even if it was behind a mesh beekeepers suit.

Wilson and Cooper returned from the Aaronic Priesthood Encampment yesterday. They seem more excited about shooting black powder rifles than living the gospel, but I still think their time was well spent. Wilson set a record for the bull riding barrel and Cooper set a record for the Ninja course. Also as I expected, the fallout from Wilson not taking his medication, little sleep and high anxiety made for a very tense evening. He also chose not to go to church today so it will be a lovely media free week. Cooper was asked to share his testimony and did so with a confidence I admire. I feel a little crazy that Coop failed to earn even one merit badge, but hopefully he can catch up next year.

Max and Eliza ended their swim team experience yesterday. They both swam better than they had at the beginning and I was proud of their efforts. Eliza is especially proud of her bronze medal, made even more delicious by the summer Olympics we've been following.


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Lundberg reunion

40 Lundbergs hit St John this weekend and it may never be the same! We hosted the annual family reunion this year and (if I don't say so myself) it was a raging success. The official start was Thursday evening when we donned our family reunion tshirts and enjoyed a big turkey dinner with twice baked potatoes, watermelon, salad and fresh garden green beans. After dinner I gave everyone their assignment including things like "toilet paper manager" and pool towel coordinator. I was surprised how much it helped my stress level to give everyone had a job and I think people felt needed as well. Grandma and Grandpa led family home evening by telling several of the classic family stories that have become legends. Most of these stories involve farting. After dinner we gorged on homemade pies by St John famous pie maker Pat Pierce. The pie feast was more successful than I ever imagined. Friday morning we got up bright and early and climbed Steptoe Butte. Everyone was a great sport and the views were spectacular. After "bustin the butte" we had lunch and sent the guys down to the museum to put up drywall. They got quite a bit of the ceiling done and I think it was a much appreciated project. The girls, meanwhile, had fancy "gel nails" done by Cynthia and got ready for a bridal shower for Maddie. Maddie is getting married in a month and is as twitter patted as anyone I've ever seen. Her fiancé Dan seems like her perfect match and was so comfortable to be around. It was fun to hang up the "flipflop" chandelier and eat pink lemonade cupcakes. The kids swam at the pool and used their ice cream coupons at the pharmacy and I even took some of the ladies "shopping" downtown. The guys even squeezed in a golf tournament before dinner. Sadly, Wilson was put in charge of Zach's nice camera(big mistake) and it fell from the golf cart and was run over while Wilson was driving erratically on the course. Wilson's bad choice caused some disruption in our otherwise peaceful reunion. That night several people went to the swim team's fundraising "night swim." Those poor Las Vegas folks nearly froze, but were very good sports. Saturday we had a big pancake and egg breakfast, packed lunches and headed to the lake. The canoes were a big hit, but the most fun of all was Uncle Rusty's fun island. I think one of the highlights of my whole trip was watching Aunt Debbie ski. No one has enjoyed waterskiing more than that girl and everyone one the lake heard her shrieks of pure joy! Kimberly also wanted to try skiing, but was very nervous. I was so proud of her when she got right up the first time, but wish we had been more clear on the instructions to stand up. She earned a gold metal in butt skiing that day! Cousin Chris was a hit when he wake-skated with the little kids between his legs and everyone enjoyed the wake-skate wars. One rather unfortunate "accident" occurred while Lori, Debbie Marcos and I were in the canoe trying to find the boat. We had paddled out to the middle of the lake and as soon as I saw the boat coming near I knew we were in trouble. Sure enough Tony drove right up to us and flipped our canoe dumping us all in the lake. Later that night in Marcos' prayers he thanked Heavenly Father that we were all wearing life jackets and that none of us drowned! Saturday night despite parenting (read Wilson), Bishop and Dr emergencies, we finally managed to get all the adults into Russ and Pam's RV and drive to Klink's at Williams Lake. This might have been my favorite night. The dinner was exceptional and it was so lovely to relax with Tony's parents and siblings in such a nice environment. Our waiter made the evening lovely and we ended with fantastic desserts that will entice me back in no time. The most memorable part of the evening however might have been the ride home when the smells from the RV bathroom began overpowering us. No one wanted to say anything thinking it was the other person until finally Betty couldn't take it anymore. I'll never forget that ride as long as I live! Sunday we went to church where it was nice for Tony to have the support of his family as he gave a powerful 5th Sunday lesson on pornography. The most important part of the lesson was that it opened dialogue and the dangers are being discussed openly. The sacrament meeting was so powerful and the speakers seemed to address all the concerns Tony has ever shared with me. We spent the rest of Sunday relaxing and playing games-especially the jump-rope game. We ended the evening with a wonderful slide show of all the reunion pictures. We awarded Zach the prize for best photographs and I foresee a great photography future for that kid, especially if he keeps his camera far from Wilson. It was tender to have Grandpa offer our closing family prayer and brought tears to all of our eyes. As always, I was very sad to see everyone go on Monday morning and grateful to Debbie and Rand for staying an extra day. Rand fixed every broken thing in our house and Debbie helped me clean all day long. I've never hosted 40 people before and I am grateful for a big house, a second fridge and Andrea's recipes to have made it possible. It was a wonderful weekend.