CRASH LANDING!

I know it's been a few months since I've updated you, but actually, life had been going pretty smooth for us...until the morning of May 21st! Don was taking a test flight in a 210 Cesna to look at a possible well site with one of the mechanics at the Benson airport . He was in the passenger seat. Don said the airplane ran perfect the whole time...until just as they were getting ready to land at Benson...the engine quits ... they realize they aren't going to make the runway. ...next best thing... road going into the airport...about 10 seconds later they skid to a stop on the ONLY LEVEL SPOT between the two.... and they're alive!!! Waylan was shaken up, with a few bumps and bruises... Don was taken to the ER where X-rays revealed a compression fracture in his back , but will make a full recovery ...he's doing nicely!
The plane, on the other hand, is a total loss. The landing took out the landing gear, part of a wing, the prop, and a door.

Everybody pitched in (including my sweet Gary) to run the pump truck to get the wings off, and load the whole thing onto a trailer, so it could be taken back to the airport for inspection.Just before the accident, Don had just finished some mining exploration drilling on the side of a mountain outside Tombstone, only at about a 40 degree angle...pretty cool!

Today is Father's Day, and I just couldn't publish this post without first expressing my thankfulness to my Father in Heaven for sending His angels to guide that plane to the ground, so that these two loving husbands and fathers were here to spend another father's day with their families.

I don't know a whole lot about this world, but this I DO know...that there IS a God in Heaven...that He lives...and that HE LOVES US!

A WHIRLWIND TRIP TO ALPINE!

Actually, this picture of the cabin was taken a couple of years ago, but the snow was a little too deep for me to trudge down the meadow and take one last Thursday, I thought this one was close enough! For those of you who had given up checking my blog, (becasue I haven't updated since last October) SURPRISE...SURPRISE!

So, to continue my story, after the huge snowstorm that hit northern Arizona last week, we were notified that the propane company couldn't get in to check our tank, so we decided we'd better get up there to check things out. Fearing the worste, we borrowed some snow shoes from a friend in case we had to hike in (UGH!). For those of you who don't know, Don is a pilot, so we had to decide whether to drive (4 + hrs.) or fly (1 hr.). There was a break in the weather, so we flew, leaving Benson airport at noon last Thursday.
This is us flying over the snow-capped Graham Mtns.

This is us flying over Big Lake...lots and LOTS of virgin snow EVERYWHERE!

The west side of the Escondilla coming from Springerville.
(A lot less snow than we expected)

when we got to Alpine, there was a couple feet more, but again, less than we expected. Then, OH HAPPY DAY! , someone had plowed the forest road that leads to our house all the way up to our driveway! I was SO glad we didn't have to hike in!!!

This is our driveway after Don barrelled in with the suburban (and the winch)

The snow drifted in pretty deep on the north side.

Don took care of this chunkof snow and ice with a few firm shovel taps on the roof. I am happy to report that everything was absolutely FINE at the house, and the propane tank was still 25% full! So, in order to save what propane we had left, and since it was only about 4 pm, we decided to lock everything up, arrange for the local excavater to plow the driveway, and head for home!

Flying home and watching the sunset from 12,000 ft. up, I was reminded of our Father's love, and whispered a little prayer of "thanks".

"The Big Island"

One of the highlights of our time in Hawaii was seeing our old and dear friens Kathy & Earl Sanders. Kathy's brother, Jimmie, was there helping them put in a hard wood floor, and so it was a real treat to see them all. Kathy and Earl both work for the Hilton resort on the Big Island, and boy, did they roll out the red carpet! The grounds are absolutely gorgeous there... just like a tropical paradise.

We decided 18 years is just TOO long between visits! We definitely would love to go back again . It's a huge island and we only got to see half of it.

Ya know, if you're a diver, you just can't 'go to Hawaii and NOT go diving, and at Kona, Hawaii is one of the top ten spots in the world to see manta rays. They look like sting rays but are much bigger and all black with white bellies, and no stingers. My diving days are past (mostly due to my eyes), but Don, Tina and John made 2 dives on the big island. John took these picture s of Don & Tina as they were coming up from the 1st dive.

You can't tell by the look on her face, but she loves the ocean, and especially diving, and most of ll, doing it with her dad and her brother!

Don snapped this picture of the kids with his new digital dive camera...all the fish are protected, so he figured if he couldn't shoot them with a spear, he'd shoot them with a camera!

The "Mod Squad" was not disappointed on their night dive with the manta rays...they zoomed in over their heads so close that Tina thought one was going to hit her! It was a real thrill for them, and I'm SO glad we have the pictures!

Cool shot by Don of a manta ray

And what did us girls do while the "Mod Squad" was diving?

We pampered ourselves at the spa and dinner at the Macaroni Grill...it was

GLORIOUS!

It was nice to have John along because he had been to the big island a couple times for work and knew the area. Earl had graciously arranged for John (a real golf nut) to play a round of golf on one of the beautiful courses he manages, which just topped off John's trip!

While John was golfing, we set out to find the LDS temple John told us was in the town of Kona...we found it...it was beautiful and serene. Look at these interesting palm trees...never seen these kind before...we were told they grow that way. After a quick sight seeing visit to the rest of the town, we went back to get John, then off to Kathy and Earl's to cool our heels for a bit. We all went out for a lovely dinner and then bid farewell toour dear friends and the beautiful big island of "Hawaii".

A NEW GRANDAUGHTER & ALOHA HAWAII!

Better late than never right?! Sorry it's taken me so long to do this...no excuse, just been busy. SO HERE IT GOES...we landed in Honolulu on a balmy Wednesday afternoon. We took care of the most important thing first (seeing the baby, of course!), and met John & Katie at the car rental lot (okay, the 2nd most important thing) . What a little doll she is! Other than having her days & nights mixed up, she was a perfect angel. Here is an absolutely precious picture of our little "pretty Penny."

Perfectly content in Daddy's hands

....and now they are 4

A true "Island girl" ...how sweet!

The afternoon we spent relaxing and playing in the ocean turned out to be not quite what I expected. I was enjoying playing in the waves with Fae, feeling the warm ocean breeze and the warm soft sand between my toes, and watching the "mod squad", John, Tina, and Dad body surf on the waves with what they call a "boogie board". They all kept after me to try it...

...so the "mod squad" shows me how it's done...

...and so maybe it looks kinda fun...

WHt a clown

...so, I decideto have a go at it...

.

A "shocka" from Tina means "SWEET RIDE!"


Dad looks like he's having fun!

Hey, it IS fun!...



until the WIPEOUT!
Yep, that's me...OUCH!

That's it... party's over...I'm DONE!!!

TO BE CONTINUED...

HAWAII HERE WE COME!

Hooray, hooray the well is done! Don got his 4000 feet drilled and with time to spare. He worked an "all nighter" to finish it. Although they didn't get the 200 degree water they were hoping for, it did get up to 120 and pumnps about 2000 gallons a minute., so the owner is happy! Out other happy news is that we have a new grandaughter! She arrived on August 10 and Don finished the well on the 11th. It was a good couple of days! The derrick stands 80 feet high

Don's home away from home for 4 months

Putting up the shade...VERY IMPORTANT!
It was usually in the 90's by 10am everyday.

I'm so proud of this picture. Not because Don is still doing crazy stuff like climbing up derricks, but becasue of how bad my eyesight isand how I actually got him in the picture! WOO-HOO!!!

INTRODUCING: Penny Elizabeth Weber!

BORN: August 10, 2009 at Honolulu, Hawaii

WEIGHT: 9 pounds and 5 ounces, 21: long

PROUD PARENTS: Joihn & Katie Weber

We leave Wednesday...we an't wait!

A WEEK IN THE MOUNTAINS

Morgan is ready to go sand railing!
It was a fun ride to the top...too bad Morgan missed it!

I love this look out point from the top at Terry flats .

A beautiful sunset to top off a glorious week!

HAPPY JUNE!

It's almost JUly ...about time for an update. don't you think? We are all busy with work, family, and church callings (not enough hours in the day!), but we're all doing fine. In about two weeks, Don, me, Tina, Gary, Casey, and Morgan will be heading up to our cabin in the cool pines of northern AZ . Casey and Tina are helping out with girl's camp ( about 10 min. away), and the rest of us are going to take care of 10-month old Morgan while Mom's gone at camp. It's a tough job, but I think we'll make it!

A peek inside our cabin

An update on the newest member of the family, baby Logan. It's hard to believe that he is already 3 mos. old! He is growing like a weed and his two favorite things are eating and being held (preferrabely by mommy). Grandma will do in a pinch! We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of another grandaughter in about six weeks from now, hopefully! All seems to be going well and we've bought our tickets for Hwaii! We are loving bing grandparents...each one is so precious!


I'll write more after we get back from our week up north. Everyone have a wonderful 4th of JUly, and aren't we SO BLESSED to live in this great land!