Rest of July activities

I will not give up on my blog no matter how far behind I am. Our computer has been acting up for quite a few months now and blogging was nearly impossible with how long it was taking me. I am so excited we got it fixed, so hopefully this won't be as painful for me to do.

July was full of family activities. We had 2 family reunions along with seeing extended family a lot of the month.
Allyson came down with her 3 children. We had fun playing outside in the water.
Carter & Parker received their Wolf at the first Pack Meeting they were able to attend.

They were also initiated into the pack by being "branded." Here Parker is being so brave.

Carter getting branded with the results below.

We had some early morning fun fishing on the 24th of July. We headed up to Silverlake bright and early to get some good fishing before the sun came out. We all had a great time together. Before the sun came up, it was pretty chilly so some of the youngest stayed in the truck on and off to warm up.

Byron with his catch.

Bradley helping his dad with his homemade fishing pole.

Bradley taking his turn with a real fishing pole.

I even got lucky and got one myself.

Parker & Bradley warming up.

Carter with his fish.

We spent the day with my parents at the zoo. We had a great time going with them. Aunt Sharyl, Sarah, Allyson and kids all joined us. We had fun watching the tigers play in the water showing off their cool skills to us.

Carter & Parker watching the tigers.

Carter in the Asian house.

These bats were amazing! I had never seen any so close up and was a little freaked out at what they looked like. They reminded me of little chiwawa dogs.

Here we are with Grandpa & Grandma. Byron had to work, so he didn't get to spend this fun day with us.

We were privileged to have Uncle Robbie & Aunt Sharyl come over to our house. We always love having them come over as the kids love to play with Sarah & Zac. We were even able to hear a few songs they have been learning. Zac makes my piano sound better than I have ever heard it before - he is quite the pianist!

Dad & Mom came up from California a few days early so they could hear Camille perform at the American Fork Amphitheater. She was asked to perform her song "Gimme Gimme" with her music teacher and some others that were performing. We rented a really cool dress that went along with her song perfectly. Camille was so excited for this awesome opportunity. Due to the rain that whole afternoon into the evening, the performance was cancelled. We were so sad! We didn't know it was cancelled until we got up there one hour before it was to start. So many people came and had to go back home - it was really sad! We ended up going back home and Camille performed the song for those that came over to our house. She did such an amazing job and the outfit was a perfect addition.

Here are some fun pictures I got of Camille.

At a park in American Fork, my Great Grandpa Adamson's cabin - Alexander Adamson- was relocated. I had seen it before many times, but never been inside. I was so impressed with the inside and the many cool pictures and stories on the walls about my relatives. I have to include some of the stories since they were new to me.

Johnathan inside the cabin.

Here is a picture of Alexander's son, David and his wife, Jessie. They are my direct descendant.

The writing below this picture says, "Highland City Hall sets on the former home sight of David Hutchinson and Jessie Diantha Myers Adamson. They were some of the first settlers of Highland. With their 10 children, they farmed 128 acres. They were self-sufficient. They were the first family to have electricity in Highland and one of the first to get a telephone."

Some other information on the wall in the cabin is below:

"Standing on the deck of the ship named Monarch of the Sea, newlyweds Alexander Adamson and Mary Hutchison waved good bye to their beloved Scotland. They were going to America to see their Zion A they were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mary had her parents and her brothers and sisters traveling with them. While on this 34 day voyage, Mary's brother Thomas Hutchison married Alex's cousin Janet Adamson. A family marriage was witnessed and a burial at sea of their ship's captain.

After a train ride to Florence, Nebraska; Alex and Mary along with her family joined the John Murdock wagon train company. Alex and Mary walked all the way carrying Mary's mother's featherbed as she was in poor health and needed a soft bed to relax on at night. THey often laughed at themselves, as they carried the feather mattress and cover on their heads as they walked along the dusty trail.

In September 1861, Alex and Mary arrived in Salt Lake Valley and then they continued on to American Fork (recently renamed from Lake City.) Alex's mother's sister had come to Zion in 1856 with the Willie Handcart Company and the Adamson family was welcomed by family and stayed the winter in American Fork.

Alex had very little schooling. His only work experience had been to work in the coal mines in Scotland. He had done this since childhood. However farming was the prevalent way to provide for a family in this new setting, so Alex learned quickly the how-to of farming. Sanpete County seemed the ideal location, so in the spring of 1862, Mary and Alex relocated to Moroni, Utah for the next 5 years. Existing in a hillside dugout, the couple welcomed their first three children. Mary survived with these children, but longed for a log home of her own. Along with farming, Alex served as a sergeant in the Black Hawk Indian War.

Returning to American Fork in 1867, the motivating force for the young couple was again family and farming. Needing to first build a home for his family, Alex lost no time acquiring wood logs. The largest or "sill" logs were the first to be cut and hauled to the building spot. Each spruce log was cut with hand axes and saws. This was a learning experience for Alex as he did everything left handed. The logs were then shaped to fit together with dovetail corners. Hand-hewn shingles were cut and nailed on the roof to make it weather-tight. Alex and Mary knew underground living space did have some advantages so they planned for and created a rock cellar room beneath the floor joists. A trap door gave access to the area.

For light in the cabin, only one window opening was built. A smaller opening on the back side of the cabin was retained for a "wood window." Alex wanted to be able to hand the chopped firewood through his opening. The "firewood window" was unique to the construction as well as the rock cellar basement.

The log home took time to build. Alex also had to make a living. He secured property on the bench land above American Fork and planted wheat and rye. HE referred to his farmland as the "Highlands" as it reminded him of Scotland. That name continued to fit the area as more farmers cultivated fields and the name Highland would eventually become the name of the city.

The chinked walls of the home were the only insulation against the cold of winter. A cast iron stove provided for cooking and heating. At night, the family would play checkers or cards on a small table. The game was discernible by light from coal oil lamps.

Mary would always welcome visitors in her Scottish brogue and would always ask them to "Tarry awhile." As a child in Scotland, Mary had learned how to wash, cord, spin and weave wool. Now in a new setting, she acquired a spinning wheel and created beautiful clothing for her family and furnishings for the home. This task she had done many times even though she had the use of only one eye. As a child, she had been hit in the eye with a snowball.

Even before the home for his family was complete, Alex cut not only large timber, but a few smaller logs for a fence. Alex and Mary were both excited when one of the fence posts started to grow. Alex loved trees and often stated that "Trees are God's most beautiful gift to the earth." As a child in Scotland he had loved to climb trees. Now he wanted his sons to have their own trees to climb.

Here is a family picture of Alexander and his 10 children.

Camille inside of the cabin.

While my parents were here, we also enjoyed going to the Dinosaur Museum. They had never been, so it was fun to see them seeing it for the first time.

Carter hanging out with his Grandpa.

I really don't know who these people are:).