Hosting My Sister Joella's Family

A couple weeks ago, my sister Joella and husband Craig and family stopped through for the weekend after a trip to Yellowstone from Pennsylvania.

While their family went up Pikes Peak, Rose and I had to doctor our goat that had bloat. Thankfully the goat improved and is fine again.

I made a crockpot of baked beans for a picnic lunch with Joella's crew. I like to add onion, peppers, and maybe celery. It really dresses up baked beans.

We met up at a park on Friday afternoon to eat a picnic lunch together, where a bunch of uninvited yellow jackets swarmed around us so badly that we all had to go off in different directions to try to find a peaceful place to eat. The yellow jackets were especially interested in the chicken!

Then when Carrie went back to her car, she found it had a flat tire!

Upon Timmy helping her change it, they discovered the tire was totally worn out, and it was a mercy it went flat while parked at the park instead of going 60 mph down the road!

Carrie and Timmy headed home ahead of the rest of us where Timmy experimented with a new recipe from his Taste of Cowboy cookbook and made upside down pizza.

It made a hit! That recipe is a keeper!

Saturday afternoon our two families decided to visit Cave of the Winds together. Here it is back in Williams Canyon.

What a fun tour inside the cave!

We did not believe the parts the tour guide told about how old the cave was, but otherwise, it was a fun and informative tour.

Some interesting formations.

Outdoors there were some really fun and exciting things to do, at a special discount that day. Craig decided to pay for all the younger boys to get to do the climbs and rides, and because Sam was along, the ticket man gave an extra 10% off because he is a fireman. 

Then Craig and Sam decided to ride the Terror Dactyl.

Craig saying his last goodbyes and "I love you," as he prepares to die.

Sam and Craig being pulled back up to the platform after free-falling and swinging hundreds of feet out over the canyon while the rest of us stand and watch. There was a video camera on the seat they were strapped in taking video of all their scared expressions and then showing it inside. It was hilarious!

I got a kick out of this sign.

Now it was the younger boys' turn to ride the zipline. Danny went with young Jonathan, Timmy with Ethan.

There they go!

Danny looking out over the canyon.

We rarely eat out as a family, but also do we rarely have family in for the weekend, and for a treat, the fathers treated the wives and children to a meal at La Casita. Hannah and Laura were little buddies.

Sunday morning the girls busily baked sweet rolls and served peaches, eggs, and sausage.

It was a delightful breakfast. But what I loved most was singing afterward together.

Timmy and Danny were going to be baptized that afternoon, so we asked them to pick favorite hymns to sing together.

Then there was discussion about the Scripture, which happened to talk about the baptism of John!

Then most of the young people walked ahead down the road on our way to church.

Since Joella's family had traveled so much, they preferred to go to a closer church than Denver, so we went to Bible Missionary Church in Elizabeth where the young pastor, whose parents are missionaries in Africa, likes to come in this cute old pickup.

Attending church in a log church with an old fashioned pickup in front and wonderful people inside made the day for Joella's family!

Sis. Tammy Hallam asked if their family would sing for us after service was over. The pastor, song leader and the Hallam's son had already sung a beautiful hymn during service, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way." It was very special.

That afternoon, the Bradford family helped with music at our boys' baptism, which I posted about a week and a half ago. 

Here again Hannah and Laura are sweet pals, hand in hand!

It was a blessing having Craig and Joella and their family here!