question

does anyone know if ruthie is going to nathen's baptism? i would love love love haircut as a bday present! ruthie, if you read this and are going could you bring your stuff? i would love you forever! ( i know that's a lame promise because i already do!) thank you! i will see you all in idaho! its mine and nate's birthday weekend! yay!
amberly

hurst kids first day of school

hey! so last monday was our first day of school. all of us kids were not so happy to start school again except for janna--she will grow out of that i'm sure. here are a few pictures that my mom snapped in the chaos of getting out the door.

i drove the carpool to school and mom made me pose by the car when i was already running late! i'm starting 11th grade this year. yup, junior baby!

cammie is in 9th grade so she is the oldest in the Jr high. next year she will be in high school with me! isn't she cute? what a little stud! jeffrey started 7th grade. his first day was the friday before the rest of us because of 7th grade day. of course he is wearing a BYU shirt.

beautiful janna is starting 5th grade. like i said, she was very excited for school to start. she likes school.

and of course, mom started kindergarten again. tee hee. this past week she has been evaluating her kids and she starts really teaching tomorrow.

so that is us! i hope that this school year is a good one!

--amberly

Yellowstone Trip

Jack and Susan enjoyed a week at yellowstone national park last week. We left on Monday, August 18 and returned Thursday. The weather was perfect, in the high 70's. We took Rusty and he love barking at the Bisons. We saw bison, deer outside our cabin, a squirrel, some elk and jack saw three bear walking along the road while returning from fishing. Jack did not catch any fish but saw lots of them feeding and jumping out of the river. We stopped by to visit John and Sherri and the way home. Took videos of the trip for you to view. Enjoy!

I think we are the last of everyone, but my kids finally started school yesterday (21st). Sam started 7th grade and felt grown up because she is now the oldest group at her school. She also has every single class with her best friend Amanda as well as lockers right next to each other. Amanda also lives next door. They will see each other all the time. I sure hope they don't get sick of each other.

Steven was a little nervous to start 6th grade because he entered middle school and gets to do the multiple classes and locker. But it all turned out great and I think he had a great day.

Braden started 4th grade. He too was a little nervous because he didn't know many kids in his class. Braden's a fun kid so I think he will make friends soon.

Logan is finally starting kindergarten. He could have gone last year, but I waited a year because he has a summer birthday. He met with his teacher yesterday, but won't start class until the 28th. I am so excited for him.

That leaves Kylee. She is going to begin potty training school. I get to spend all day with her for another 3 years. I am so glad. It will be fun to have some one on one time with her.

15 Great Years

Brian and I are celebrating our 15 year wedding anniversary today. Unfortuneately he is out of town this week so we don't get to be together today. We did get to celebrate by going to to Cozumel this April and Saturday we went to Bear Lake and watched a play at Pickleville Playhouse. It was so funny. We haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Anyone who goes to Bear Lake I would strongly suggest going to Pickleville. The show we saw was called Chuckwagon. I would skip the dinner next time, but the show was definately worth the money.

We have had a great 15 years. There have been some ups and downs, but I am married to the most amazing man. He is so good to me and is my most favorite person to be with. I look forward to the next 15 years. I know they will be as good if not better than the last.

The kids start school tomorrow so I hope to post pictures soon.

Jenn

Family Reunion

Just a reminder about the family reunion. It will be September 26-27, 2008 at Heber Valley Camp. If you have questions let me know. Also is anyone interested in getting shirts done. Let me know they will be around $3.00 a shirt. They will look better than last year cause I will have a professional do it. If you have and ideas for food let me know and activities. Do we want to do the ropes course again. It would be the same one as last year email me your thoughts and suggestions and we will get going on the plans. love ya all Frances frannyjo13@yahoo.com

You are related to Joseph Smith

One of my goals in doing research lately is to try to learn the parents of my 2nd great grandmother, Jerusha Towne. I found the marriage record of Jonah Johnson and Jerusha Towne in New Salem, Massachusetts. New FamilySearch has an Eliphalet Town with a daughter, Jerusha so I decided to research records in the FHL in New Salem, Massachusetts. I found the marriage record of Eliphalet Town and Jerusha Rogers in Greenwich, Mass. I then found an index to the probate records in the area. The index listed the docket no. of the Wills of both Eliphalet and Jerusha Town. The library had not filmed the actual Wills so I wrote to the Probate Court in Greenwich, Mass. I was hoping that their Wills would mention the daughter, Jerusha Johnson so I could connect them as her parents. The copy of the Wills arrived on Thursday, July 10. The father mentioned Jerusha as his daughter along with five other siblings but did not refer to her as Jerusha Johnson. However, the Will of Jerusha Rogers Town did mention her as Jerusha Johnson along with five other siblings. I was so excited when I was able to connect Jerusha (Town) Johnson to her parents, I immediately went in to tell Susan. She could tell how excited I was. I was able to extend the Towne pedigree back 10 generations to 1501. In the process I learned that my 6th ggf, Jacob Towne married a Phebe Smith. She is the daughter of Robert Smith, my 7th ggf who is the 3rd ggf of Joseph Smith, Jr, the founder of the LDS Church. Robert Smith is a common ancestor of myself and Joseph Smith, Jr., which makes Joseph Smith my 4th cousin 4 times removed. How interesting is that for someone who is the only member in his family line that joined the church. I have prepared a chart showing the Horsley line related to Joseph Smith. I will include it in the next letter to the grandkids and to Ruth so all can have a copy.