Ezra's Baptism

Friday July 26th
Around 4pm Eliza and Chubbz drove down from Salt Lake City. By 4:15p we were on the road. All 6 of us in our new van.
It is a 5 hours drive from Provo Utah to Logandale NV. We had to stop every two hours for bathroom breaks and to get the kids out.

We stopped for dinner at McDonald's and let the boys play at the playplace. Ty was tired and just wanted to eat but Luke was excited about the play area. In Italy we did not take the kids to McDonald's because it was expensive and not very good. So our kids missed out on the playplace for four years.

We got to Logandale pretty late. Stayed up late.
We saw mom and dad, Autumn, Tereasa, Jacob, Justin, Nephi, Isaiah and David that night.
Autumn in not yet 16 but she's as tall as a model. Long legs. And she does her hair and makeup as if she's 17.
Jacob just turned 13 and he looks 15. Justin is 18, graduated high school and turned in his mission papers! She's a good looking, muscled athlete. These kids are definitely David's kids! Big, built and beautiful. Tereasa is thin and beautiful but the kids definitely look like David, dark skin, eyes and hair.

All three of my little brothers are good looking. Isaiah is old enough he should be on a mission but I don't know if that's going to happen. Moroni is back from his mission and living at my parents' house. Nephi is not old enough yet but I am sure he will serve. He's always been a good boy on the right path.

Saturday morning we all got dressed for the baptism then drove down to Vegas. Eliza and Chubbz came with us. We had to stop at Walmart because I forgot to pack church clothes for the boys for our weekend trip. I did pack their Sunday shoes and socks though. We had to buy the boys new Sunday outfits at Walmart. But they needed extra clothes for church anyway.

We drove to the church on Jones and Alta...not far from the Meadows mall. It was a pretty church on the outside, though old. But the baptism started at 11am and the sun was so high that we wouldn't be able to do portraits outside in front of the building. The sun would be in our faces and everyone would squint.

Nephi and I both brought our cameras because mom wanted a group family portrait. Everyone in the family would be together for Ezra's baptism except Corinna's family. They wanted to be there too but Aaron and Nicole couldn't get the baptism planned for enough in advance for Wang and Corinna to get work off.

The baptism was nice and short. It was cute...I had never seen that before...they had two youth give the baptism talks. They were maybe 11 years old. A boy talked on baptism and a girl talked on the holy ghost. They did a great job.

They had time for anyone to bare their testimonies. Nicole's family was there and our family. 

When Aaron baptized his oldest son, Ezra, it was a very emotional time. That Aaron was on the right path in life and raising his sons righteously. Aaron got chocked up trying to say the baptism prayer. The spirit was very strong in the room. I'm sure there were more than just Aaron and I crying in that room.

After the baptism we went to the gym and took a giant group portrait. Then some of just the Boren clan. Then we followed Aaron to his house for lunch. A potluck feast. It was so delicious! chili cheese dip, mexican bean dip and tons of chips, a giant fruit bowl, whipped cream apple and snicker's dessert Tereasa made, sweet beans, and much more. Nicole's family and Aaron's family ate and ate and visited. Then relaxed and chated for hours. It's Nicole's grandma's house they live at. It's a nice small house but it is in a kind of ghetto area.The houses are small, old and don't look very good on the outside. But the house Aaron lives in is very nice on the inside.

The house was full and we all just hung out all afternoon.

At 3:30p I couldn't be contained any longer. I had to get out and walk. So Ster, Chubbz, Eliza, my nephew Jacob, my little boys and I went to a park nearby. We drove there. Zack Guymon met up with us and we had a nice visit after years of not seeing each other. Well, I am not sure when Eliza saw him last. I saw him two years ago when I went back for Eliza's wedding. And Ster hadn't seen him since we lived in Vegas four years ago.

Zack is working security and now carries a gun. He is thinking about interning for a lawyer's office. He got an offer from a friend who owns one.
He is waiting for his fiance who is serving a mission. I hope that works out!

At 4:20 we went back to the house and Zack got to see everyone. Then we said goodbye. My family loaded up in our cars and went to Applebee's for dinner. We had called ahead of time to let them know a group of 22+ would be coming for dinner at 5. When we arrived we did have to wait maybe 15 minutes. They set up a whole row of tables and got it ready for us. We had an awesome dinner. The food was amazing! I was full from lunch ...so I couldn't eat much of my meal. Luckily we're in America where they do take home/doggy bags. In Italy you eat what you pay for or leave it. They don't supply take home boxes.

Sterling paid for everyone's dinner. It turned out to be less than we thought it would. $230 to feed us all.

What a wonderful day catching up with my family. Visiting, enjoying food, etc.

As we were leaving the restaurant mom suggested the girls go shopping at Ross which was nearby. So Sterling took Chubbz and the boys back to Logandale. I stayed with mom, Tereasa, Autumn and Eliza to shop. Justin and Alissa were staying the night in Vegas at Aaron and Nicole's but decided to go shopping with us.
We were there for a long time but we had fun. Bought some cute clothes.

Mom drove Tereasa, Autumn, Eliza and I back to Logandale. But we all got Frosty shakes from Wendy's first. My first time having one in two years.


Sunday morning my mom's church starts at 9am. Eliza and Chubbz, Ster and I went to that ward.  I was really sleepy but was able to atleast fully enjoy Relief Society. Luke and Ty did great in Primary and Nursery.  And we headed back to mom and dad's house. Lunch was amazing. The typical Boren Sunday roast, potatoes, carrots, salad and punch. MMmmmm.
Alissa and Justin joined us for lunch. Of course David and Tereasa's family was there. Lots of people together for a big meal.  :)

After lunch I put in an old home video to show Sterling my 11th birthday. I was chubby. We watched home movies while mom made brownies. We celebrated July birthdays by eating brownies and ice cream! Justin, Jacob, Ezra and Luke have birthdays in July.

Then we said goodbye, loaded up the car and headed back to Provo. We made good time on that drive. We stopped for two short stops. The boys did awesome! Until we got about an hour away from the Roundy house. That's when Ty started to break down, wanting out of his car seat. We made him wait until we got to grandma's house. He survived.

Now that we've done SO MUCH travelling. We get to relax for a few weeks. Hang out in Provo 2 1/2 weeks before heading down to Logandale again.


We really did miss being with family while in Italy! So happy to be home!