Part 3: The final Philmont post!

Here is a final view of the end of week one, and the whole of week two at Philmont.  

Thanks for reading.  I hope you can feel some of the spirit and miracles which occurred there.

Wednesday was a day of celebration, with flags around the green, and a Primary parade and Bar-B-Que in the evening.  We had requested two cakes to celebrate the centennial of LDS Scouting.

Brother Ridd brought a big bubble maker to entertain the children.

Brother and Sister Beck cut the centennial cake after we sang and blew bubbles.

Sister Wixom also cut a cake.

It was fun to be at the Bar-B-Que with just ourselves.  We were able to visit with a lot of people.

Brother and Sister Ridd.  He is the new Young Men general presidency second counselor.  We just love them!

                                              

With President and Sister Beck.

With Lynn DeBry (Young Men secretary) and Paula and Larry Call, Church Service Missionaries.

On Thursday, we took the 4:30am hike up to Lover's Leap to watch the sun rise.  Beautiful!

We try to do this hike each year we are at Philmont.

Sharing some fun news.

 

Thursday afternoon was the Spouse Recognition.  I suggested some changes this year, including making it nicer for the sisters.  Look what Philmont did!  Cheesecake, fruit, flowers, tablecloths!

On our way to the graduation services.

With our new friends from Canada.

Mark conducted the graduation services.  He did a great job!

Starting the ceremony...

Afterwards...Larry Gibson, Rosemary Wixom, David Beck, Randall Ridd, Mark Francis.

At the faculty banquet that afternoon with Elder and Sister Hillier.  Such fun people!

I was presented with a leatherbound copy of "Century of Honor."  There are 200 leatherbound copies.  President Monson receives number one, I received number two!  Isn't that cool?  Presidents Eyring and Uchtdorf receive 3 and 4.

A fun end to a wonderful week. Mark received leatherbound copy number 20.

All of the faculty and family for week one.  No children with us!

Later, Sister Wixom asked me to sign her copy of "Century of Honor."

We love Jack and Rosemary.  Such great people!

The kiddles arrived with Becca and Kevin just in time for the closing program!  We took them all up to meet Sister Wixom afterwards.  She loves primary children!

Brigitta and Sister Wixom!

The next morning, Steve and Heidi Hall visited with us at breakfast.  I think they love any Hunsakers.

The kiddles gathered around Gary Dollar to watch his woodcarving.

All of the cousins had fun playing on the playground.

We took a tour of the Villa Philmonte.

Then we went to the trading post at base camp.

Philmont ice cream!

The Tooth of Time.  We had to have one photo in here!

 

The Hammers arrived late Friday night.  So fun to be with both the Powells and the Hammers.  Becca and Kevin left early Saturday morning, and we spent all day Saturday with our Hammer cousins.

    

 Ben and Sam arrived!

 Faculty, Week Two.

 The Beck's greet the boys.  Ben was at Philmont the day he turned 11, too!

 Our whole family together again!

 Carving soap with our cousins!

 Packing to leave on their backpacking trek.

 

Ben's 16th Birthday party.  Imagine celebrating at a Scout camp!  (Most of his birthdays are at camp!)

  

Ready for an adventure!

 Another opening campfire...

 Ready for church at Philmont.

 Sister Esplin helps the kiddles find their classes.

 With the Esplins.

 We went up into the mountains to join Ben and Sam for their Sacrament meeting.

 Afterwards, Ben was set apart as a Priest.  His friend assisted along with Brothers Beck and Pendleton.

 Going to dinner.

 The girls shared a room.  Sariah on the top, Hannah on the bottom bunk.

 Naomi and Emma shared, too.

 

 Ready for classes to start!

 The girls woke up early to sing with the Philmont choir.

 It's always fun to eat in a cafeteria!

 Mark standing in line at the flag ceremony.

 Sariah, Naomi, and Hannah were "Ropers."  They went on lots of fun field trips and hikes!

 Baden loved being a "Cowpoke" this year!

 Our three Small Fry!

 The girls were a "bird" for the Primary parade.

 Sisters Esplin and Stevens started the parade.

 Cutting more cakes the second week!

 With Brother and Sister Stevens.

 Fun Bar-B-Que!

 With Karalee (Kerr) and John Reese.

Eli and Avi dancing at the Western dance.

 

We love seeing memories of past staffers in the handicraft area!

 The trekkers arrived home on Thursday.

 So good to see Ben and Sam!

 They had a great experience.

  

Ben did the exact same trek at last year, but this time he had a much more positive experience.  Great leaders, a wonderful group.

 

 Brother Heyn came to say hello.  He brought them down from Utah.

 With the Becks.

 The girls perform at the closing campfire.

 Mark conducting.

 We left our little Philmont home at 4am to travel home.

 Stopping at Aunt Autumn's house to drop off Hannah and eat breakfast.

 Tacos on the road in Wyoming.

 Ice cream at Little America.

 And, we're home!

 Baden immediately started weeding his corn patch!

 Ben and Sam stayed up all night with Mark, packing to leave for the jamboree.

 At 3:30am they left for the airport.  Goodbye for another two weeks!!!