My Besties

Are you a person who has a "Bestie" in this life. A person that has had one best friend forever and always? I read a quote once that I have been trying to find but couldn't. The jist of it is if a person has a best friend in this life he is very fortunate. If he meet more than one or has a handful of best friends in his life he is extremely blessed. I feel I have been extremely blessed in my life to consider several people the best of my very best friends. I think one thing that has lent to this blessing is that we have lived in the same place for many years and we have become very close to many people in our church family.

To me a bestie is someone that I am as close to as my family, someone that I admire, respect and enjoy very much and that I trust. Without trust there is no friendship. My good good friends, inspire me and lift me up and allow me to contribute to their lives as well. I love a relationship of give and take where we are equally yoked and help each other just by being like-minded in many areas. And yet we have enough differences to be interesting to each other. I love a relationship where we are relaxed with each other and can simply be ourselves without always wondering where we stand with each other. I think high trust relationships bring that sense of security that I need and love. There are several people in my life that fit that description very well. What a huge blessing you are to me. I know you have my back and my heart and I love you for this. And I have yours!

One such friend that is very high on my list is Barbara.

Last week we took that five day trip to Utah together that I have mentioned a few times. It was pure heaven to have this time with her. Not surprisingly we talked non-stop for five days just catching up on the lost time of the past five years. One nice thing about real friendship is when you see each other it is like no time has passed. Since her husband, Bill, died in 2006 we have been like two ships passing in the night as she has been working so much, Hazie was born and all that required in the first few years, Barb's mom moved in with her, Jim retired, etc., etc. So those five days were truly pure gold.

Our purpose in this trip was to attend the wedding of our very good friends' son, Jacob. We took two days to go to Utah and shopped and played and saw a movie and ate out and just enjoyed it all. We arrived at Jen's late Friday night. We got to stop at one of my favorite places, Taipan Trading Company as we made our way to Jen's. We both bought some fun new things for our houses.

We each bought one of these great candle holders. I got this one for dinner parties because it is low enough to see over and talk with our guests. In the meantime it has landed here on the mantel. It is so hard to take photos in this dining room, so much light comes in from the big windows. But you get the idea.


This banner is something I have been wanting to show you all summer. Another of my besties, Maureen, made it for me and I love it. This picture does not begin to do it justice. It is really neat! The colors are much more lovely and of course it has been bedazzled with a fine glittered look in some areas. Love it and her! Sorry for that little diversion~back to the trip!

That night we went to dinner at the Spaghetti Factory after Barb bought a new dress for the wedding. We got to visit with Jen a little before we dropped into our beds completely exhausted after a long and hot, but fun day!

The next morning we set out to find the Oquirrh Mountain Temple where Jacob and Britney were to be married. Our GPS did not fail us this time and we got there with a little time to spare. We have known Jacob since he was a young boy and this was our first time to meet Britney. What an absolutely beautiful woman she is!

Both of these photos of the bride and groom came from Jacob's Facebook page. I took some but they were not too great with too many people in the way and too far away. I think the one above may have been some they had taken for their engagement picture, the second one was taken by Laura A. Capasso a friend of the bride. I am not sure if she was their official photographer but if not she should have been! Her photos are fantastic!

This is one sweet and darling couple.
Their sealing in the temple was beautiful.
Her bouquet was bright red!

While we waited for them to come out for pictures etc., we chatted with our good friends from our ward that were there and of course with Jacob's parents, Alan and Michelle and their kids who now live in Canada, CA and Nebraska. We also saw several people that use to live here in our ward that have since moved to Utah. There was around 20 great friends there, it was like a big reunion!

I only got photos of a few of them but here they are.

Caroline, Barb, Michelle March and Michelle, mother of the groom.
Talk about Besties!
It was so warm and windy out there on the bluff.
(They don't spike their bangs really!)

But very beautiful!!

Some of us trying to find shade while
the wedding photos were being taken.
Kent, Caroline, Me, Norma, Marilyn, and Michelle.

Their reception was to be held in Wyoming, the bride's home state and so we were all invited to a lovely luncheon in their honor in Utah. It was so nice, we thought maybe we should have that be the new tradition and just skip the expensive and stress of the receptions. It was just so nice and intimate and the bride and groom spoke to all of us and she sang Jacob a beautiful song. It was great and the food was wonderful too.

Kent and Caroline sat at our table with us.

We do love these two and miss them since they left 8 years ago for Utah! Caroline is coming out for a visit in February we are already planning fun things to do!

Alan (father of the groom) and David
Two of my favorite guys in the whole world.

Good friends the Mc Queens

They moved to Utah a few years ago. Jim misses Dick, they use to bike together a lot. He is one of Jim's heroes! He is enough older than Jim to inspire him to keep going and never give up! It was so wonderful to see everyone. We had a ball! Missed having James with me though!

Afterwards we stopped at Gardner's Village for a little while.

Barbara had never been to Taipan or Gardner's Village so that was quite fun for her and it is always a treat for me too. They have lots of little shops and it was quite nice at that time of day.

The Sweet Shop!

A little baby carriage full of flowers.

Our next stop, dinner at Cracker Barrel!
Another first for Barb!
We did cram ever so much into that 5 days.

Love their porch!

Another late night for us. They left the light on for us! Jen did call her Dad and tell him we were a couple of party animals. He was not surprised!

The next morning was Julia's birthday and they were all still at the family reunion so we spent a couple of minutes in the morning with Jen and Hazie before embarking on the looong trek home. Hazie was not feeling well but she is still such a little doll in spite of all that. She is very social and loved Auntie Barbara from the minute she met her. Barb has of course met Hazie before but it has been too long ago for Hazie to remember. They played on the floor and Barb even got kisses!

By Wednesday Hazel was heading to the hospital! Just could not kick that staph infection and then complications with a medication. If ever there was an angel on earth it is Hazie!

Good-bye kisses!

We headed out for Reno about 9:30 am. Finally arrived after a lovely day of chatting, reminiscing over many memories, laughter, tears, it was the best. That night we went to see a movie and had popcorn for dinner. Saw Midnight in Paris ~ a really enjoyable movie. I want to see it again already. In the morning we got up when we woke up instead of by an alarm. Got dressed leisurely and planned to have waffles at the Comfort Inn where we stayed, but we were just a little late for that! Whoops. Pure heaven not to be rushing.

We got to our neck of the woods quickly by avoiding commute hours in Sacramento. Stopped for our last yummy lunch together in Benicia at a new place called the Capitol Cafe. Excellent choice and a nice way to wrap it up for our girls' holiday! Sad to see it end for sure, but nice to get home and back into the routine and especially to see James again!

Epilogue:


Hazie in the Hospital getting a crown from the nurses and some Play Doh. They know how to bring a smile to her little face! She just stayed 1 1/2 days so that was good. Just had to get some meds regulated and get rid of the fever.

They brought this ginormous Newfie in to see her,
he is a therapy dog. Therapy worked well!

So that is it, we are up to the minute over here on the blog except that James was out on his tractor today digging a road through the ivy for his soon to be new workshop and he turned up a hornets nest. Five stings later he is planning his counter attack. Never a dull moment...and the beat goes on! He is going to be fine, but not anticipating a restful night tonight. He had one sting last week that kept him up for two nights. And now I better get dinner ready for my very best "bestie" of all. Have a great Sunday tomorrow everyone! And a relaxing bonus day off on Monday! No laboring allowed unless you are pregnant!