The Pig

 Well Stuart advertised on his F.B. page that he was now a Polynesian since he has killed a pig for a luau and danced the Haka.  Well this is the story of the pig.  Her name is Jackson, but when they figured out she was a girl, she became Jackie.  Stuart is in a single's branch and the counselor in our Stake is a Tongan.  He and his countrymen have shared many good times with food, and dancing with us and the single's branch was doing a luau.  Stuart's friend Tim was in charge of the pig roast.  So they got busy and got the job done. 

 Pig after being shot.  Quickly and humanely. 

Cleaning the pig!

 Gutting the pig.

President F. blowing  up the lungs, it entertained the guys. 

 Pig ready for roasting in the pit.

After roasting.  This looks pretty delicious to me!

After eating, nothing much left.  It must have been delicious.  While as a mother I am not over the moon about my kids learning to kill another creature, I, as a country girl, understand the facts of life and where our food comes from.  My family needs to learn this too.  All my boys want to learn to hunt but as my husband and father are not big hunters they don't have a big pool of older relatives to learn from.  I am grateful to President F. to at least give Stuart this opportunity to learn.  And not only did he kill it but he had to clean it and eat it too. This knowledge might come in handy some day.   Once this same man, while on a scouting trip to Lake Powell with my kids, caught a big fish in the lake and bit it on the neck to kill it and they had it for supper.  It was Sean's birthday for that trip and he was excited by that experience too.  We love President F.!!!

High Maintenance Women

 It has long been rumored that the Rudd girls are high maintenance women.  My grandmother and her sister would go shopping in Amarillo and walk up and down Polk street for hours window shopping first and then going in the stores.  Grandma Pat would always have her hair and makeup done before going into town.  Once Rebecca and Jean got into her makeup area and played in it and there was not enough left for her to go town to buy more.  My mom had to pick up some for her.

 Isn't Marion cute all ready for the wedding?

 Camille and Emily got all prettied up too!

 Courtney is enjoying her makeover!

Somebody has pretty toes!

 Milly enjoying her first ever professional pedi.  She has been, from day one, a girly girl.  She loves her girl stuff! The more bling the better. We sure know where she gets it.  It comes naturally from being in the family.

 When Jessica got married in June, my sister Elizabeth's friend and hairdresser, Kelly offered the use of her shop and supplies and expertise for the whole female side of the family.  Elizabeth is here taking her up on the offer. She closed the shop for the whole afternoon, wasn't that an awesome gift?

 Emily enjoying the facility.

 The end result for Courtney and Brynna with their dad. Don't they look great?

 Brynna taking advantage of the hair dressing and the cute puppy!

 My sister Rebecca and her daughter Camille, don't they look fab?  Rebecca has always been the ring leader high maintenance girl.  Many hours in front of a mirror and so much time in the fabric shop deciding on material for an easter dress.  Remember the orange linen one with the multi color chiffon sleeves? She had that dress when she was about six.  She is also an experienced shopper, and has shopped many stores around the world!

The star of the day is Jessica and she got the top hair dresser, Kelly to do her up. She was the prettiest bride.

We won't even talk about these beauties! Oh Dear!

Things We've Been Doing This Summer

 The other day I tried to call Owen, it was Friday evening and thought he might be available to talk at the end of his week.  He didn't answer so I thought he might be at a movie or out with friends.  Boy was he out.  He was attending the 3rd Infantry Division Ball in Savanah, GA.  He texted me that he was at the ball and I asked for photos.  This is what he sent.  Isn't he handsome?  The nice girl is his Lieutenant.  Don't know her name.  They worked together in Iraq and she is in leadership over him now.  She is soon to be a Captain. 

 Nolan had 11 yr old Boy Scout camp this month also.  They go up to Elsworth park, which our church owns and is up at the Lookout Mountain area.  It was held on a Friday and Saturday with the Dads staying over the night with them.  He and Jan had a good time.  Nolan got to learn some new stuff, like his Tote-N-Chip, and some orienteering.  Looks like he is having fun!

 Are they starting a fire or looking at bugs?  They do have adult supervision!

 In June we attended Jessica's wedding to Andrew Washer.  They were married in the San Antonio temple.  It was beautiful, the couple are very happy and we had a great time visiting them.  We then went to Del Rio, TX for the reception and had a nice time visiting with the family.  Nolan loved swimming in their pool and the tubing on Lake Amistad. 

 Yesterday our stake had a mini Pioneer trek.  We went out to Byers, CO to a fair ground and they had a 2 1/2 mile trek laid out with stations where each group would stop and have a pioneer story. Nolan is the one in the white t-shirt pulling the handcart.  He told me he pulled the whole way.  I was proud of him.  The weather was hot (over 100 degrees) and at the end of the day they had dinner.  I was in charge of the food for the whole group (over 200 people)  We cooked lots of chili-60 lbs of meat, cut up 15 watermelons, and had bread and pound cake ala Sam's Club.  I still don't have my kitchen cleaned up yet and I didn't even cook it at my house. 

The above photo is of Nolan's group while stopped at a station listening to a pioneer story.  He said he had heard them all already, from the movie 17 Miracles.

 Today we got to attend Aaron and Susanna's ward to see Liam get blessed.  Yes, I am a bad grandma and have no pictures of him in his blessing outfit, but this one will suffice.  Isn't he cute? After church we went to their house for lunch and then later the twins came over to our house for naps. They slept for 2-3 hrs.  Aaron asked if I had conked them on the heads to get them to sleep that long.  They must have been tired.  Levi even fell off the bed and continued to sleep on the floor.  The day was lovely, and we had some good visiting with the whole family on both sides.

Also this weekend Stuart went with his single's brand to Manti, UT to go and see the Manti Pageant.

For lodging they camped out and then attended the free pageant.  You can find out more about it here.http://www.lds.org/church/events/manti-pageant-to-portray-the-resurrected-christ-for-the-first-time?lang=eng.  He said the weekend was kind of a bust, I think the biggest problems were that is was very hot, and his girlfriend, Kelsey, wasn't there too.  The first thing he did when he got home

was get in the car and go see her.  They went to a drive-in movie. Snogging anyone?

 This is Kelsey, she is in his single's branch and is from Arizona.  She is a culinary student at Johnson and Wales.  We like her.

 Stuart and Mitchel at the Manti pageant.  Mitchel is an old friend from church/high school and his dad is the single's branch president. 

  The group camping at the pageant in Manti.  Looks like he is having fun to me!

So anyway you can see we have been busy.  Lots more to come too, swimming, gardening, family reunions, camping etc.  Summer is half over already.