BYS Rocks

Peter and Libby attended BYS this week, and Becca was a counselor there too.  They had a wonderful time!  For Libby, this was her first time, and she came home put her bag on the floor, laid down on our bed and slept for four hours!  Peter was more seasoned - this was his 3rd year going.  They both had a great time and made a ton of friends.  The last part of the week they have been pouring over Facebook and Instagram, connecting with all the new friends.  I marvel at how different it is for this generation: to meet a friend - and then be able to stay in touch.  Say what you want about social media, but this is a benefit!  Libby won a contest between her and a fellow participant by getting the phone numbers of TEN boys.  Oh, snap!  Bruce is going to have to start shaping a big stick...
Libby with her group:

And Peter with some of his friends:

Josh, Joseph and Mary are done with this semester of school!  They finished their Spring Semester at BYU-I this past week.

The week before that, we got to attend a Studio Recital in which Mary sang a solo with an accompanist.  She sang beautifully!  She also was very poised and confident in her presence on the stage, as only Mary can be.  Grandma got to go with us!  In the last seven years while she has taken care of Dad, she hasn't left him more than a handful of times, and not at all to go to a concert.  She enjoyed it so much!  She started to cry the minute Mary walked onto the stage.  She was proud to have a granddaughter who sings so beautifully and looked so beautiful on the stage.  I kept quoting Mrs. Bennett in my head, "I knew she could not be so beautiful for nothing."

The next day Grandma and I drove down to Macy's Baptism.  We were so glad we got to go!

I love this picture of Macy and I.

 Monique (Macy's mom), Grandma, and Macy

 Conal (Macy's dad, who performed the baptism) and Macy.

Congratulations to Macy!

After the baptism, Mom and I stayed with our dear friend and cousin Jeanne and her daughter Becky.  Jeanne's other daughter Karen was my best friend from the 4th grade on.

It was lovely to stay at their house!  They lived half a block away from our old house that we lived in for 8 years, so we enjoyed driving by that house and seeing how much it has changed.  I couldn't believe how small everything looked!


Peter and Bruce went on High Adventure last week at Anderson Ranch.  They spent time hiking in the mountains, and Peter even went on what we called an "Ephraim's Rescue" for some boys that had hiked ahead and ran out of water.  They also spent a lot of time on the lake with boats and had a great time wake boarding.  Peter almost got to where he could jump the wake.  They also went fishing and had a big rope swing.

Libby and I had a fun time those four days they were gone.  We discovered VidAngel and watched AntMan, Zootopia and Miracle from Heaven.  I haven't watched that many movies in ages.

It also rocks to be in a clean, uncluttered house!  I was nervous about keeping it clean, but we have been doing just fine so far.  Yeah!!

Stadium of Fire and Lagoon

After Dad's Burial in Charleston on Saturday, we went over to the Tarahumara restaurant in Midway and had a wonderful dinner.  We sat outside on the balcony and had the whole thing to ourselves most of the time. Mom, Jeana, Julie and family, Angie, Alyssa and Caleb, and Conal, Chris, and Craig and their families all came.  

After the lunch, we took off in two vehicles - our truck and Cara's car, and went to Dear Creek Reservoir.

Everyone changed into swimming suits and went swimming - except for me - I was still in my dress!  Then we headed on down the canyon and went to Lindsey and Adam's apartment in Provo.  Stadium of Fire was that night, and they live less than a block from Lavell Edwards Stadium, so it was packed.  They had to reserve a parking spot just for us.  We went and got sandwiches and ice cream at the Creamery, and then went to a spot right outside the stadium where you could see the big screen and hear the music.  And then you could also see the fireworks!  We were dancing and singing along to the Tim McGraw Concert, and then the music for the fireworks.  The last song they played was the Battle Hymn if the Republic.  When the Tabernacle Choir sang "As He died to make men holy, Let us live to make men free!", the fireworks were going crazy.  It was an awesome moment.  Afterwards, we went back to Lindsey's apartment to let the crowd die down, and then left at 1 am to drive back up to my Mom's house.  Cara stayed in Salt Lake with an old companion.  We arrived back at my Mom's at 5:30 am.  We called Chris and he came and opened the door for us because all was locked.  We went to Church the next day with Mom.  She bore a beautiful testimony, and then she turned the flower arrangement around on the stand next to the podium and said, "It looks better this way."  Of course she brought the flowers so she had a right to say that, but it was so classic, everyone in the chapel had a good chuckle over that.  You can do stuff like that when you're DeeAnne and you're  79.  Hahaha!

Monday morning we got up early and decided to join Chris and Conal and their families at Lagoon!

Here are some pics!

We spent most of the day riding with Lane and JD, and then the last ride - on Cannibal, we went with Garrison, Hailey, Alexia and Jackson.  We yelled "Shred the Gnar!" And "Gnar shredded!"  You have to be around Peter to know what that's all about.  We also played Big Boody in the line when the ride broke down for ten minutes.  The Lagoon worker was glad to see us get on our way, but he was entertained at the same time, I'm sure!  Haha

We drove home through the night - half of us to college and the other half to home.  We got home at six am!  To say that we were blessed to make it home would be an understatement.  We had a wonderful time!

Othello Jean Whetten

On Monday, June 27th, 2016, my father, Othello Jean Whetten, passed on to the other side of the veil. He was 85 years old.

Mom, Clark, Angie, Craig and I were there, along with five grandkids - Matt, Ehtan Alyssa, Caleb and Carson.  Brenda and Rachelle, the hospice nurses were also there.  It was a sacred experience to be there.  Mary, Josh and Joseph came over later that night, and we sat around talking.  It was a wonderful family time.

In the meantime, on Monday morning, we signed the final papers (via email) for the Realtor, and put our house on the market!

We made it!  It took us 8 weeks of intense work to get it ready, and we are excited about it!

Bruce, Peter and Liiby also went on a Campout.  I was supposed to go too, but I went to be with my Dad instead.  I'm glad I did.

We went with 7 families.  I say "we" because on Tuesday morning, I got up and thought, "If I just get in the car and drive, I can be there in six hours."  So Indid.  I went up through Challis and Dtanley, and that was a super fun drive.  Right when I arrived, the adults were sitting around talking, and they had just taken off their shoes and socks and out their feet in the grass "in memory of me" - haha - and then here I came driving up. I got a lot of warm hugs!

We camped in a beautiful spot, and it was so peaceful there.

She's

Did

Here's Peter climbing up in a tree to fasten a log for the sky chairs.

On Wednesday we went on a hike.  Peter saved the day by helping with children - Evelyn on his shoulders, Max in his arms and Kaden was his "Buddy".  He saved the day!

High

We had pads on the ground and slept really well.  Our friends used a stove in their tent but we didn't have to.

(These next two pictures were taken after I left.)

On Thursday morning my nose was running so much from an allergy flare-up that I couldn't sleep, so I just got up and gathered my things and headed back over to my Mom's.

I stopped and this spit and took a picture at 6:49 am.

I love the view from this spot!  I thought to myself, "I wonder how many women have stood alone in this spot at 6:49 am and looked at this view?"  In the grand scheme of things, probably not very many.

I made it back by noon, having had to pull over several times and sleep on the side of the road.

Almost everyone was here, of my siblings and their families, when I arrived.  I again was greeted warmly with hugs all around.  Is it any wonder that my heart is so full of joy all the time when I am enveloped and surrounded by such dear and loving people?  We enjoyed wonderful food prepared by my Mother's Ward members, and sat around talking and reminiscing.  Each one of the siblings was preparing a four minute talk.  I saw Jeana and Clark with a timer out, rehearsing their talk.  Thursday evening, Apollo came and gave us a private living room concert!  It was so good!  They sang Be Still My Soul, Trashin' the Camp, Stitches, Falling for You, Lullaby and Smiles.  We loved it.

Friday morning Bruce, Peter, Libby and Becca arrived.  The Viewing was a very tender time.  All 10 siblings lined up with Mom and talked to people that came through.  Clark said the Family Prayer and everyone that wanted to approached the casket and said goodbye.

 My eyes were full of tears and my heart felt very tender, but truly I did not suffer.  My suffering was swallowed up in the joy of Christ and Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation.

The Funeral was wonderful.  All ten siblings spoke with some musical numbers in between.  I loved hearing my siblings speak!  I'll have to write more about that later.

Here is a picture of all my family at the luncheon after the funeral, put on by the kind sisters in my mother's ward.  Uncle Lorell is with us in this picture, next to Mom.  This was the whole family, except Cheryl, Christopher A., Carl, Corbin, Josh H., Sammy J, Lucas, Stetson, Penny, Weston, the only missionary in the family, Jesse, and Holly and Heidi's husbands, and Heidi's two children.

Everyone else was there!

The next day he was buried in the cemetery at Charleston.  Bruce and I were responsible for taking the casket  from the mortuary to the Cemetery, which we did in the back of the truck.  About 50 people came to the Graveside Service.  The musical number there was the Whetten Song and Josh, Joseph, Peter, Bruce, Matt and Adam Broud singing I Need Thee Every Hour, which they sang beautifully!  I feel so happy for my Dad!  He is shining brightly on the other side of the veil, and he is so joyful and peaceful!  I praise our Great God for the stunning plan that gives us the opportunity for mortality and the subsequent progression it provides, and all through our Savior Jesus Christ.

Mother with her brother Lorell.  She was so glad to have him with her!

Clark & Cori

Clarissa holding Felicity, Matt, Curtis, Michelle, Darcy, Lucas

 Adam, Lindsey, Bruce, Julianne, Whitney

Our family - Josh, Libby, Peter, Mary, Bruce, Lorena, Joseph

Alyssa, Angelina, Caleb

Conal, Garrison, Monique, Alexia, Haley, Sienna, Jacskon, Macy

Chris holding Risa, Lane, Elena holding Bryant, JD

Jane, Jenette holding Grant, Craig holding Hannah

My siblings with mycousins on my Dad's side, including

Lita, ?, Cynthiann, Judd, Elaine, Sylvia and Renae

My siblings with my cousins on my Mom's side, including Trevor and his two daughters, Uncle Lorell, Clayton and his daughter, Debbie, Lisa and Celeste

And one more close up of our family, including Becca and Cara.

What precious memories we have.  It was wonderful to see all who attended.  I could feel my Dad's happiness!