Congratulations Derek!!!!

Hi All,
Major Congratulations are due to Derek Hunter Poppell, he now can officially be a State Farm Agent! An amazing feat at his young age!

My yummy raspberrries are now ripe in the garden. I never have enough to bake with cause I just eat them all fresh off the plant! Bummer. Sweet cherries are also in season, so I'm in fruit heaven:)

Big News: I discovered a new yougart shop while in CA, it's called: Pink Berry! It has a tart lime/cheesecake flavor, AND only 25 calories per ounce! They have lots of different fruits available, that are finely chopped, to add as toppings. I think that it should be called "crack berry", because it is VERY addictive! It's probably a good thing that there are none in ID, cause, you know where I'd be all of the time!


I was in CA last Wednesday - Saturday night late, for the furniture store meetings. Rhonda was my chaparone this time. We didn't get lost too seriously in traffic down there. Every time I'm down there I feel more comfortable with finding things and with my job on the Board of Directors. I love doing this for my dad. Tomorrow they will be here for lunch and I'll go over my notes with him. The store in Bellflower has sold out after 65 years! When I was there the Koopman's Furniture signs were coming down... pretty sad. There was just too much competition with the big box stores that advertise heavily. I still will travel down there every three months to help manage the properties. This last trip was very intense, hopefully things will go smoother after the transition is complete. Easy Life Furniture will open their doors there on the 1st of August. It has been an emtional time for many of the family members. It's the End of an Era...

Willie/Dad was on a rafting trip for 2 days while I was gone. It was a trip sponsored by our vet. He had a great time! He wants to go again soon. It was a 4 hour float down the Salmon River.

Julia was home alone for several days shortly after having all four of her wisdom teeth pulled. She had to take herself back to the oral surgery office because she had dry sockets, poor girl. We were sorry that she was abondoned, however, everything now seems to be going very well for her. She would be a cute chipmunk. Being laid up gave her a opportunity to finish writing all of her thank you notes. Now she is back to work at the church and at Jane Lloyds.

Johanna had a super "Golden" birthday party on June 24th! She lined up two boats so there was lots of skiing, wake boarding, and tubing in Hagerman at Lower Salmon Dam. There was lots of delicious food and bbq burgers. Her cracked rib is healing nicely, she is talking of going skiing again already!
Her yard is looking lovely now, all of the new grass that she planted has filled in and is very lush. She got a porch swing for her b-day, I think that she now needs to get a stand for it before she can use it. It is beautiful, cypress wood in a mission style.
Our corn is coming up on the pivot field here by the house. Double cropping is too stressful, I don't think that dad will do it again.
Last Sunday night dad, Julia and I took a walk at 6pm, in 100 degree heat. (They are training for their trip to Israel). I turned around early, so I walked 2 1/2 miles, they continued on for a 4 mile walk. The heat dosen't seem to bother them at all. Last Sunday they received their large packs, (similar to fanny packs), filled with many of the items that they will need for their trip.

This is what some of their info said:

Participants rise early and stay up late. Each day involves VIGOROUS hiking, climbing and exploring of ancient sites. (Vigorous=treadmill, incline at 10, at a pace of 3.5 mph or better for two miles non stop, minimum). If this is not possible in your current condion this tour is NOT for you If you can not run up six flights of stairs and carry on a "normal conversation", this tour is NOT for you. This tour may contain up to 125 miles of hiking and climbling, and does contain extreme heights and dark confined quarters. The heat is expected to be approx. 112 degrees.
(After reading this, I felt confirmed that this tour was NOT for me)! Willie and Julia will be just fine, they are both soooo looking forward to the experience of a lifetime. There is lots of reading matierial that they have been, and need to read before they leave. There are several hikes planned for the whole group (45 people going on the tour from our church) this summer. Harry and Flora are also signed up to go.

I plan to travel up to Smiley Creek with my friend Linda Butler, (who has a home there) while they are in Israel. I also want to stay a few days at my parents home. Hopefully I won't get too lonesome.

Julia leaves on Saurday for a one week mission trip to San Francisco. This is her 3rd mission trip this summer. She plans on attending Creation in George, WA, at the end of July.

I've been feeling oppressed by all of the "stuff" in my house lately. I am ready to minimilize my life, less is better! That will be one of my projects after Julia leaves for college, to sort and give away lots of that "stuff". I'm tired of all of the closets, cupboards and drawers being too full.

Dad and I are glad to be staying home for awhile now. We are planning a trip to Park City Utah at the end of July, to a Bed a Breakfast Inn, it will be my late birthday gift from him.

We have had some very hot weather here, tomorrow is expected to be over 100! Great weather for grow'in corn in.

Love to you all, and May God Bless each of you in a special way.
love ~mom~