Violets Custom Cakes

I just have to give a shout out to a friend of mine and her custom cake business.

For those of you in the Rexburg / Idaho Falls area ~ if you are looking for a

great cake decorator you need to check this out.

For my Montana friends this is Justin Moss' wife Annette's business.

She is amazing and I just had to show you how talented she is.

Way to go Annette!!

Check it out HERE!

(and if you are interested in checking out their family blog it is HERE)

Golfing buddies

About 4 yrs ago I told Joe that I wanted to learn to golf. I thought that it would be something fun that we could do together. So he started teaching me. I was really pretty bad at first. He felt sorry for me so he would always spot me several strokes so our scores would be closer and I wouldn't feel so bad when he beat me by alot. What a nice guy, right?

Well I kept working hard and improving and by the end of the summer I could give him a pretty good game all on my own without any extra help.

.......uh oh....... Not good for a man's ego!!!!!!

Well he started getting quite competitive and he would get frustrated when I would do good and almost beat him. (Wives just aren't suppossed to beat their husband in sports....right?

I can't help it that I seem to be a natural at golf.......and at bowling.....

............but that's a whole different post for later. hahahaha)

So we both decided that it would be much more fun if we didn't compete against each other and only compete against ourselves. So each week we only keep score so that we can see if we improved our own game. (Yeah right!!!!)

So after each game we total up our scores and see if we beat ourselves from the week before. Who ever looses (to themselves) has to buy the other one a milkshake. Sounds fair, right? .............hmmmmm

Today we went golfing!!!!

This is the first time for me this summer do to a bad back and shoulder. It felt so good to be back out on the golf coarse. I love it!!!

I only got a few pictures taken but here they are. (Just so you know.......don't tell anyone......Joe made me stop taking pictures after he started getting frustrated!!!!! I wonder why?!?! LOL!!!!!)


This is a funny picture. Where is Joe's golf club? It's there....somewhere....I promise!!

Taking a break for a drink. This is a beautiful coarse! We love to golf here. If you look really hard you can see a river in the background.

Oh......oh......oh.......is it going in?

Darn......so close!!!!

I know - I know....I have terrible form. But whose looking?

Well ~ I'm not saying who had the best score.........

But look who is drinking water.........

........and who got the huckleberry milkshake!!!!!!!!

Let's just say.........not only did I beat my score from my last game back in the fall.......

.........but I beat Joe by TWO STROKES!!!!!

Victory is SWEET in more ways than one!!!!!!

(In Joe's defense....he claims he was going easy on me since it was my

first time back golfing in 9 months.

Ohhh..........what a great guy I'm married to.

Wait till next saturday dear!!!!!!! I think I'll get a chocolate milkshake!!

Mindy's missionary blog

I have created a blog to journal Mindy's mission experience. I will upload her emails and pictures so if you are interested in following her journey for the next 18 months in Russia

check it out HERE

The MTC - Land of the Missionaries

We left on Tuesday to head to Salt Lake City to take Mindy to the MTC. It was just Joe and I because no one else could get away. I really wasn't looking forward to dropping her off, especially at the curb, it just sounded so harsh. Plus I hate to cry and I knew that I would be a blubbering idiot and that I wouldn't even be able to talk.

She didn't have to go in until noon on Wed. So we woke up at our motel and spent a nice relaxing morning just talking and going over everything to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything important. We gave our last pieces of advice to her. Then Joe gave her a father's blessing and we had our last family prayer with her, well at least for 18 months. It was a calm, relaxing atmosphere. There were tears shed but not uncontrollably. The spirit bore witness to me that she is ready, prepared, and heading to where the Lord wants her to be at this time in her life. I know that He needs her and she is going to do great things.

I am so grateful for that peace and comfort.

Then we loaded up and headed for the MTC. As we left our motel Joe pulled into a Carl's Jr. restaurant and pulled up next to a car that had Rhiana and Amy in it. They had gotten up early and drove down to see her off.

It was a nice surprise.

We got to the MTC early so we could park and walk around and take some pictures before she had to go in. Then when it was time we all piled into the car and drove into the MTC. They directed us to the curb in front of the main building. They checked her arrival on a list and two nice Elders unloaded her luggage. They took pictures of us and then after some quick hugs and good lucks, and good byes they whisked her off quite quickly. She was gone and out of sight before we even got back in our car.

They were very friendly, efficient and fast. It was much better to do it this way rather than going inside and feeling the strong spirit that is there, and crying and crying

and just dragging on the agony of saying good bye. It is one time that feeling the spirit feels like torture! LOL

Even though saying goodbye is never easy - this definately was a better way of doing it.

We are so proud of Mindy and I know that the people of Novosibirsk Russia are going to love her as much as we do. We have heard that they are a sad people with no hope. I am so greatful that Mindy can serve the Lord and the people of Russia by bringing them hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of the Savior.

If any of you would like to write to her she would love to hear from you.

For the next 3 months her MTC address is:

Sister Mindy LeAnn Gneiting

MTC Mailbox # 189-0928

Russia Novosibirsk Mission

2005 N. 900 E.

Provo, UT 84604-1793

Here are some of the pictures we took.

Heading to the MTC.

Rhiana and Amy following behind.

Being the great photographer that I am.........The only picture I got of her standing alone in front of the sign...........and her eyes are closed. Ughhhh!!!!

Daddys baby girl is all grown up!!!

Sisters......sisters!!!!!

Trying not to cry!!!!!

Do you think we have spent enough time at the sign?

Just posponing the inevitable of taking her inside!!!

More pictures ....... more delaying!!!!!

Having fun helps keep the tears away!!

More fun........

.........and more!!!!!!!

Even the dogs came to send her off!!

Only moments away from drop-off time!!

One last picture in front of the MTC.

Getting instructions before being whisked off into the Land of Missionaries!!

Bye Bye!!!! See you in 18 months!!!!!

We love you Sister Gneiting!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Gneiting

We had a wonderful day yesterday!

It was Mindy's farewell. All of my kids, except my son Scott and his wife, were here and it was fantastic!!

We had so much fun together.

Mindy gave a beautiful talk and testimony. She was pretty much the only speaker and had to take 25 minutes. I was worried for her but I didn't need to because she was filled with the spirit and she taught us and touched our hearts and spirits. I know that the Lord needs her to serve this mission and I know that she will do great. I have no problem with letting her go. I will miss her terribly but I am looking so forward to her letters and every other great thing that comes from having a child out serving the Lord. But I'm really not looking forward to taking her to the MTC on Wed though and dropping her off at the curb. That just sounds so harsh. But I think it will be better than the old way of going inside to the "Mothers Torture Chamber" (as my friend calls it - LOL!!!) just to stretch out the agony of saying goodbye. I'm glad that they have changed that policy.

She is so anxious to just get going that I am more happy for her than sad for me.

After church we went over to the park and had a nice luncheon with many friends and family. It was perfect weather and we all had a very enjoyable time. Then we visited with relatives at our house for most of the afternoon. Then at 6:00 Sunday evening she was set apart as a full time missionary with all of our kids there (minus Scott & Amy Joy ~ we missed you guys!) to witness it. The counseler in our stake presidency did it and his counsel to her was very inspiring. He gave her a beautiful blessing when he set her apart. He told her that she would have angels surrounding her and guarding her every minute. As he said that I had a picture come into my mind of my parents and Joes dad, who have all passed away, standing there with her.

It was so absolutely comforting for me and it gave me great peace. Just one of the Lord's tender mercies given to mothers of missionaries.

Then we came home and topped off the night with root beer floats and watched the DVD of Pres Monson.

It was such a super great day.

As usual, I took my camera but forgot to take any pictures until everyone was gone and we were just cleaning up from the luncheon. Here are a few of the family:

Mindy with Cameron and Hollie

Sisters.......sisters!!!!

A couple of weeks ago Mindy and I were in Utah and we went to a place called the Sister Missionary Mall to shop for mission clothes. We were there about 3 hours and we had a great time picking outfits for her. The gals that work there and other women and future missionaries shopping all enjoyed watching her come out of the dressing room with each outfit on. She got alot of things that she can mix and match, layer and un-layer.....which makes it more fun.

Tonight she did a fashion show for us of some of the clothes that she got. See if you can count all of the different outfits she can put together. I personally think that she is going to be one of the best dressed sister missionaries out there. Enjoy the fashion show!

How do I tie this scarf??

Ready to hit the streets of Russia!!

Waa laaa!!!!! 3 outfits with just a little layering!!!

What can I say? I Love purple!!

Another 3 outfits in 1!!!!!!

#1

#2

#3

We are so excited for Mindy and know that she is going to have an amazing experience for the next 18 months. I know that the people of Russia are going to love her as much as we do, especially as she brings to them the joy of the gospel and the love of the Savior.

We love you Sister Gneiting!!!!