Our evacuation experience, thankfully, my sister lives in the same town and she welcomed us over.

The fire started Thursday and by Friday morning this is what it turned into.  This is how it looked when they evacuated us.  They sent out a reverse 911 call telling us to go and where the shelter was, Westlake High School where I work.  Also police men came door to door telling us to go and peering into houses making sure everyone knew.  We had starting packing suitcases so we just took them out to the car along with pillows and blankets.  We had taken our pictures off our walls and put them down in the cold storage room along with our computers and journals. 

This is the elementary school where I used to work right in my neighborhood.  The hill behind it is on fire and the smoke is so black.

This is how close it was.  When we were leaving I could not believe how the neighborhood was helping each other.  One thing I saw was a painter in my ward who paints beautiful paintings was loading his paintings into his car.  That got me!  I cried. I think that is when I realized how serious it was.  

The firefighters fought it and slept when they could.  310 in all were there helping  our homes be safe.

I went to Westlake and I was astounded at the out pouring of people helping.  Home Depot, for instance brought kits for kids to make crafts and this pickup was full of toilet paper and water and other things.  They had gathered up all the missionaries and they made a bucket brigade to get the times off the truck.  

These kids were doing the crafts.  Keeping them busy was a good idea so they did not run helter skelter.  My principal of our school was there just helping out. The Red Cross was there in 2 hours.  It was amazing.

Kim and I slept Donna Reed style.  It was the best I have ever slept.......

This is where Kelsi slept in Faith's quilting room.  They brought up a mattress for her.

This is where Jake slept in Faith's office. She works from home.  They borrowed an air mattress for him.

 Command central.  I set up my laptop right in her kitchen.  My neighborhood has a facebook page and I just kept checking it over and over for info.

 The joy of computers.  Kims.

Jake has his laptop too.  We felt so blessed to have our technology.

My son's dog, Roofus is with us.  My sister put her dogs in the basement and let ours roam.   

Look at the calender.  We had those masks and Kim has to use it.  The smoke was so heavy and thick.  It hurt to take a deep breath.

It was interesting what we packed and took as we rushed out.  You are always asked what would you take if you have to go and flee.  What I have named in the past is not what I took.  Since Logan was at Lake Powell we had to pack for him.  

Thank goodness we got to come back and all was good here. 

Logan's Back from High Adventure

Several boys and 4 men leaders went to Lake Powell Tuesday and they returned home Saturday.

2 boats loaded up with 2 car full of boys

Returning for us to pick them up

He had a great time. He ate well, slept well and did many fun things like tube, hike and jumped off cliffs. They explored cracks in rocks and places only boats could go. He saw Hole in the Rock and Rainbow Bridge. A huge difference when he arrived home was nothing was dirty and everything had that sweet smell of summer....SUNSCREEN. He used a whole bottle of it!

It’s always fun when grandparents come

Logan taking Gpa for a drive in Aunt Faiths' bug.  He has his permit!

When grandparents come, Hooray!

Gma gets a turn!

They always do the kindest things,

We hand washed all my windows both on the inside and the out.
We have only sprayed with outdoor Windex before. 
He WOULD NOT HEAR of doing  it that way much to my displeasure.  

And in the kindest way.

He made it cute for me.  I still have to add labels for the sizes of the cups and spoons.

They always have wrinkly,twinkly smiles;

OHHH, what would you do for a Klondike Bar?  Planted, weeded and washed screens.

 You too, what did you do for a Klondike Bar?.......Feet hurt from climbing on the ladder.

They are busy all the day.

My mom had sent me some seeds. I had no idea what to do with them so I waited until they came and could help me.

Boy was I glad I waited.  We did a great job but we put the sun down that night .
Wow, it was a long day and so hot outside while we were doing it.  

It’s always fun for ev’ryone

When we made the plan for them to come I did not know that it would be the same time as my favorite camp  for Logan to go to.  It was the same week as UVU basketball team camp. Oh how I love this camp!  3 games a day that you go in and out for.  I went, they went and we all went.  They loved being a part of that and seeing Logan's friends.  We used it as a jumping off point to sight see, eat and be together.  We went to several DI's looking for a book and Christmas dishes and to J-Dawgs and Quilted Bear.  We saw the new Provo temple they are rebuilding out of the burned Tabernacle.  

When grandparents come.

So happy you came!

Jake and Melissa Birthday

Since Jake, my son and Melissa, Faith's daughter have birthdays one week apart.  We celebrated them together while my mom and dad were here.  Jake turned 21 and Melissa turned 20.  They are both hard workers and wonderful people with lots of friends and activities and it was fun to share that day with them.

Hotel Roberts vs Michelle's Bed and Breakfast

A few years ago my mom and dad came to Utah, before I lived here, and stayed in Provo in an older hotel named Hotel Roberts. This hotel did not have an air conditioner and was a little run down.

To make a play on this experience I put a sign on the bedroom door where they were staying naming the room Hotel Utah and when they went in I had the fan going full blast.

I had these old towels on the bed with granola bars as their Bed and Breakfast.

These are their sad faces.

Then I had them leave and I posted this sign and turned the fan off and I turned on the lamp.

This was on their bed instead....good stuff like fluffy towels, treats, shower gel and a book.