Liberty and Freedom~July 4th Weekend!

Taken at Church today!
Happy Liberty and Independence Weekend!

Reflecting back on our whirlwind trip to Utah it was really pretty awesome in every possible way.  The only thing that would have made it better was if Laura's family had been there too.  They were traveling in NY at the exact same time so we got lots of texts and pictures from them so it was almost like being with them too.

The drive, well you know how that is if you have ever been to Nevada.  Nevada has produced some of our most favorite people like Lee and Dave!  But that highway 80 leaves a lot to be desired where scenery is concerned.  But we need those kinds of contrasts to help us appreciate beauty when we see it.

The most interesting thing we saw was the new 80 miles per hours signs in Utah.  The jury is out on whether this is a good idea. Personally it seems it will just give license to driving even faster than 80 so I am not a fan.  We saw this right before getting to SLC.  So the 12 hours drive was only interesting and fun from the inside of the car where we talked and napped and listened to a book on tape and some music and made some plans. The best part...just being together and alone.  It is not what I would necessarily choose for my birthday activity (Nevada desert) but the carrot dangling at the end of it was our family...so it was good.

We are happy that Jen and Lowell have moved to SLC because it cut an hour off the trip. Woohoo. We arrived by design...right before dinner!  Jen had such a nice dinner prepared, balloons and our little tiny Hazie sitting on the stoop waiting for us.  Her beautiful eyes lit up when we pulled in and it was a Happy Birthday gift like no other.  I love how little kids get so excited about birthday parties.  Jen is such a great host.  She just had it all dialed in.  It was a delicious dinner and cherry pie for dessert which she knows is my favorite.

They have this amazingly wide porch so we ate out there and watched the world go by at the park near them.  It was sweet I'm telling ya, you'd love that porch.

Yep, that's me all right! (Looking like I've been in the desert for 12 hours with the "Ugly Bug" that accompanies us on car trips.  Laura and I have discussed the phenomenon for years now.  You get ready for your day like you always do.  Jump in a car and just sit there all day.  By the first stop you look like the other word for heck.)  But it is amazing what you will do for your grandkids.  I am not a hat fan which includes headbands and anything but hair on my head actually.  But the little sisters where quite excited about me wearing this so OK then.  Hazie informed me that I looked like The Statue of Liberty.  Hmm...better than a penguin, right?  But then I wasn't walking either.

Chloe lighting the candle on the pie! 
Noise makers and party toys all around.
Chloe gave me a beautiful angel wings necklace.
It has little rhinestones on the wings.
Gramma likes a little bling.
They know I love angel's wings because 
they are Hazie's transportation. 

Hazie getting ready to watch me open my present from her.  
She was pretty excited about this gift.
Her enthusiasm is always contagious.

The present from Hazie was full of lip gloss, 
peppermint and peppermint chocolate and another flavor.
She wanted to try them out!  
Have you ever played with an angel?  It is heavenly!

Publicity shots!

For "Call Your Girlfriend"

The cups are the boxes.

See the Lennon and Maisy's 

Youtube video of this song.

After dinner we had a whole lot of partying going on.  The middle girls...our very own Lennon and Maisy look alikes and sound alikes, sang me some songs from the Nashville series.  It was so tender because I love Lennon and Maisy's voices and our precious impersonators. We recorded it and it was great.  However we are waiting for our family reunion to do it up right before sharing.  The big sisters sang some songs while I toured their bedroom with all its Beyond 5 and One Direction posters, their incredible art work and other fun teen girls' treasures. 

 Piper and Julia both play the guitar but Piper accompanied Julia some while she sang.  Piper is really good on the guitar and seems so at ease with it.  She has been writing some songs.  She is shy about singing in front of people (I relate) and doesn't like a lot of pictures (ditto on relating...I've only gotten over it since I started doing family history again four years ago.)  So I am adding one picture of her in from last year that I love.  

They are so much fun and I thought to myself how generous Heavenly Father has been to give me two daughters, one daughter-in-law and five granddaughters to fill in for the sisters I never had.  

To top it all off, Julia gave me a lengthy foot massage which has been her specialty since she was 5 and had her own company called "Julia's Happy Feet Day Spa."  She has made my feet happy for years.  She just keeps getting better at it too.  When all the adults went to bed the girls and I stayed up a while longer and just spent time together.  Cherished birthday memories for me that's for sure. I felt wrapped in a hug all day long.  (Facebook friends thank you for overwhelming me all day long with your kindness.)  

Precious girls!

Julia, Chloe Piper and Little Piper~Miss Hazie Jo

The sweetest girls, I love them all to the moon and back.

Thank you Jen and Lowell for always welcoming us with open arms and making it special to be with you.  We love you all.  Glad we are coming back for more soon.  You are so generous. Loved my Williams and Sonoma bag and my party.  Grazie and Ciao for a few weeks.

Party, Live and Learn Vacation

Marriott Center~BYU

A few weeks ago we went to Utah for what is known in our Church as Education Week.  I spoke about it briefly in my last Daybook entry a week or so back.  This is held every year between summer and fall semester at BYU in Provo, Utah.  It runs from Monday to Friday for that one week.  When our kids were teens we had a long standing tradition of going back and letting them have a feel for what college might be like at BYU.

There they hold lots of wonderful youth classes on the Savior, dating, music, etc.  All the classes are geared to uplift the kids and helping them make wise decisions in those most crucial years between 14 and 24.  And they also have many classes for adults.  Over 1,000 classes offered in all, with classes running all day from 8:30 am to 9:00 at night.  They also have a variety of plays and concerts in the evening that are delightful if you are not too exhausted from the day.  We did attend the Scarlet Pimpernel production one evening with Robert, Ross, Spencer and Laura.  It was pretty fun.

Most members of our church pay tithing, ten percent of our increase to the church.  This maintains and pays for all of our chapels and temples, and many other programs of the church including a substantial amount to our church universities to help families better afford a top rated, wonderful and more reasonably priced education for their children.  We also fund a perpetual education fund to help young people in struggling nations attend colleges and universities in their nations and to receive vocational training in many aspects of life that they might better support their families later.  The monies also support our humanitarian aid all over the world to people and places when disaster hits.  There is more, much more but you get the idea.

 Education Week is very reasonably priced to attend so I would imagine the price we pay only covers a portion of the cost to the University.  There are usually about 30,000 attendees.  It is one of those deals where a lot of the locals hide out at home until the throng of visitors goes away at the end of the week.  Can't blame them...just the traffic alone is overwhelming.

One night we thought we'd go here!

Mistake, there must have been 100 Ed. Week

Attendees in front of us in line.

Anyway, Education Week this year was special for our family because Spencer got to go all week and Piper accompanied him on Monday and Tuesday.  Her time was cut short as she started high school on Wednesday so it was a pretty exciting week for her all the way around.  It was fun having part of three generations there attending classes.

A class by Randal Wright that Carol and I

 attended on Happy Families.

I have been attending Randal's classes over many years.  He is like an old friend. This is the immense Ballroom at BYU and holds about 800 seats for Ed Week participants.  (Best part~being with Carol!)
And that is saying a lot as the class was excellent!  But there is nothing quite like being with a wonderful friend doing something so uplifting.  I wish you all could know her like I do.

Richard Eyre~another excellent and 
long time friend and teacher at Ed Week. 

 Love this man for his wisdom and faith.
Jim and I and Carol and Laura attended his classes.

The teen kids had so much fun being set free all day to attend classes they chose in a wholesome and safe environment.  Robert was out in Utah at the same time taking a class for his work and so all of them came out.  Kids under 14 are not permitted to attend so Ross spent time with Aunt Jen, Aunt Missy and Robert's parents so we could do this.  We could not have done it without all their help.   Jim and I and Laura and Spencer stayed in the college dorms as I had also previously mentioned.  Spence loved that!

Spencer and Piper having a ball?

At 14 it must be irrevocably decreed that when your mother is taking the photo you are not allowed to smile and act like you are having fun.  But if it is someone else it is OK?   Spencer did have a great time, I promise you because I witnessed it!  And he confessed to it when no cameras or recorders were visible from his vantage point.  Sheesh!

So even though it was not our official year for our family reunion it turned out to be a mini one anyway.  Anytime we are all in one place we call it that anyway.  Some of the family had not seen Robert since August of 2011 before he deployed to the middle east. 

The first Sunday we were there after church in the late afternoon we went up to Mt. Nebo and had a BBQ with Jen and Laura's family at a camp grounds near Payson Lakes.  Talk about gorgeous.  It is about 7000 feet in elevation and the forest is just remarkable the air is fresh and the view spectacular.

Auntie Laura and Hazie reunion!

Chloe Jo and Uncle Robert

 

 Ross getting his Grampa group hug with Julia

Hazie and her Grampa.  The lighting was so weird

 up here with all the shadows and the setting sun in our eyes.

Julia and Piper sharing Girls' Camp songs~ 

While Piper plays the ukelele.

Chloe, Piper and Spencer around the campfire

Uncle Lowell tending the BBQ
while Chloe and Hazie watch at a safe distance.

Cooking and keeping a nice hot fire
 for S'Mores after dinner!

Sadly Chris and family could not be there but we had a great time with them the next weekend at a BBQ they held in their beautiful backyard.

It was just a great week with the family and with our friends the Holladays.  It completely wore both Jim and me out but we loved it.  All the walking and the altitude takes its toll on this old lady as you know. I'll be fully recovered about the time I go back next Saturday.

Jim took a day and spent it with Ross (because all the other kids had started school) and they rode their bikes for 20 miles.  He is one amazingly physical person.  All that and needing a hip replacement in a couple of months.  He claims though that riding does not hurt his hip at all.  So good deal.  Ross says his Grampa wore him out.  I could only smile and nod and think I get it one hundred percent!  Been there, done that with Grampa!  He was also able to squeeze another trip in with Spencer on the Saturday before we left.

Good job Rossie!

A rest along the way~20 miles is not easy!

Alpine Coaster at Park City

 They went to Park City for this particular ride which was extremely fast and fun.  3 hours in the car for a 180 second thrill.  But Jim's says the driving conversations were robust though.   One topic...How Life is Like a Chess Game!  That is Ross in a nutshell.

Spencer ventures back onto a bike.

He did great but his leg was sore 

for a few days, particularly his ankle.

It was Spencer's first time riding a bike since he broke his leg last spring.  That was one nasty break he is still wearing a brace on his leg.  That brace, by the way, is most intriguing to Hazel!  If she ever saw him without it she would admonish him to get it on!  So cute.

They stopped along the river at the big swing so

 Spencer could rest and put on his brace for awhile. 

 Hazie would be so proud! 

We have learned one thing for sure...we need to travel less between May and September in the future.  Since that is basically the only time we usually travel...it means traveling less in any given year.  This whole year has been a big blur, if it wasn't for my occasionally blogging about what we do I would be hard pressed to recall it all.  Far too many days living out of a suitcase.  They were good days though, nonetheless.

The new North Heritage dorm 
where we stayed ~ #25 on campus!

The Invention Prototype

The dorms are very new and very modern and extremely industrial to maintain their niceness as long as possible.  One things about Spencer is he is a born engineer.  He is always thinking of things that people need to improve their living environment or life style. He and Grampa had a little project going on the entire time we were there and this was what they invented for the showers in the dorm.  There is no place within the shower stall for a bar of soup.  So they got some PVC pipe and created this.  Actually it was quite awesome.  Now Spencer and Connor are thinking of marketing it at BYU for the students.  It will be very inexpensive and quite serviceable.  And the best part...a new crop of students every semester!  Sweet entrepreneurial opportunity for two young teens.   I am sure they won't have too much trouble finding a willing backer/investor.

We had to be out of the dorm by Saturday so Laura and her kids and Jim and I moved over to a Comfort Inn for a few nights which was barely a hiccup in our fun with family. That same day Jen had planned a surprise party for Julia, our granddaughter, who turned 13.  Funny she was surprised out of her mind considering she had been asking for a surprise party for three years.  Isn't that so cute?  It was special to have all her cousins from our side of the family and many friends too.  It was a bit crowded in the condo as it was threatening a big thunder storm that night.

Julia's Birthday table display.

This is kind of what I use to do for
 our kids when they were growing up.

  It is fun to see Jen has kept that 
tradition from her youth.

 

The sky after it rained cats and dogs!

 

Finally we got a chance to go outside and have

 cake and ice cream which helped keep 

some semblance of order in the condo.

Jewels in the goofy glasses her

 Mom bought her for the party!

  It was "condo cozy" but very fun and everyone

 was dancing and it was just perfect for her.
They are actively looking for a new house now.  Yay! 
Space is the ultimate luxury Jim and I have discovered.

The Whole Bunch

For some odd reason when we all get together we usually do end up dancing at some point.  I am forbidden to publish those videos on punishment of death from Jennifer.  I believe her threats are real, but oh how I do want to!    The dancing is usually brought on by our hilarious daughter, Jennifer.  She can make our grandkids laugh like no body else.  She is usually doing some funny antics when we take their group pictures and it is the only way we can guarantee all of them laughing (not necessary in a synchronized way...note above) not just smiling to the clicking shutters.

We had fun with every one of our grandkids and you know what?  It had only been a few weeks since I had seen some of them and they still all seemed older and more mature for some reason.  Maybe a new school year??  Even Hazie seemed more grown up but then she did start kindergarten after all.  Can you believe she will be SIX on September 24th?  Me neither. Sigh...

My next post will be about some of our time with Chris' family and his new book and his award from President Samuelson at BYU the day before we left.

Making Spirits Bright

The lights at Christmas time always remind me of the light of the World, our Savior Jesus Christ.  A few years ago we visited Temple Square in Salt Lake City during the Christmas Season.  It was such a lovely evening with many of our little Grandkids in tow.  They were all bundled up in their little jackets, scarves, hats and gloves and clinging to a parent or grandparents' hand in the crowd.  It was crispy cold and we could see their breathe in the air and the sparkle in their little eyes. The magic in the beautiful, festive and bright lights was contagious.

It was one of those " ♥ print moments" for me.  I looked at them and all the other happy families there and I realized anew how very important families are to the Savior of the world.  Everything he did and sacrificed and gave us pertains to his love for families...yours and ours and everyone else's. The reason is simple, he is our brother and we are truly all one big family in Christ.  

There are several shots of the Temple that I

just thought were so pretty so have

included some here.

The image of the Temple in the reflecting pond.
The bubble lights in the pond are solar,
They slowly blinked and were so pretty.

There was something special in that.
 Their light came from the sun, 
ours comes from The Son.

The Assembly Hall

The red trees around The Assembly Hall!

The Salt Lake Temple is a sacred place for Latter-day Saints.  It took forty years to build it and it has brought much joy from the day it was dedicated.  Christmas is all about Christ and Christ is all about family...his family, you and me and everyone we love.  And more importantly everyone he loves which is all of mankind who have ever lived, who live now and who are coming in the future. 

The lights that night touched my heart and made me grateful for him and his light for all of us.  It is bright and beautiful light that he shares with us.  For as cold as it was that night I felt a burning in my heart from the warmth of The Light.

Merry Christmas!

Warning, Warning, Warning...

Eight more weeks until Thanksgiving and then... 

you know what will be here.  Christmas!

Hazie will be pretty happy at that thought. 

{{Psssst, she will be 5 on September 24th!}} 

I bought some Christmas presents this week

 for some special friends.  

Yay!  You?

A Simple Woman's Daybook~June 20/21, 2012

Just for today~Wednesday June 20, 2012

Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  

That is what this Daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One week at a time.

Outside my window...it is 9:40 pm and the sun has not set yet.  It is the longest day of the year.  There is a beautiful pink and blue sunset going on and it is relaxing and quiet right now.


I am thankful for...the people I love and care for very much.   People that are thoughtful and kind and good.  People that serve others, that aren't selfish or self-involved but seem to be always giving of their time and talents.

 

From the learning room...So much today. I went to a family history and genealogy seminar today that took pretty much all of my brain power for all those hours.  I need to go to bed but am feeling that if I do I will be wide awake at 1:00 am.  It was one of the best seminars I have attended.  Loved it.

I am reading...the papers from today many presenters with fantastic hand-outs.  And lots of kid books for the grandies.

From the kitchen...zippo.  Just haven't even thought much about that these days away from home.  Mostly because Jen was very prepared for us when we came and because many friends have brought dinners to us as she has been recovering.  So lots of gratitude and kitchen abandonment.  Oh yeah!

I am missing...home.  I am not good at being gone so much.  But of course we are happy to be here and help out but there truly is no place like home when all is said and done.

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...if families were not forever just what would be the point of any of this?

I am hearing...nothing but the sounds of a summer night.  3 of the four girls are not here tonight and Lowell is gone so it is 1/2 as many in the house as usual. Wow, it is hard to fathom the difference.

One of my guilty pleasures...potato salad and watermelon both in season now so I think I'll make some potato salad when we get home which should be fairly soon.

Pet Peeves...wrinkles in my clothes and skin! 

I am going...to go out to lunch with our son today.  Just the two of us, what a treat. 

One of my favorite things...my new iPad.  Wonderful invention!  Paying Utah sales taxes on big ticket items. I think theirs is 6.25 and ours is 8.75.

I am quoting..."Do not regret getting older, it is a privilege denied to many."  Unknown

An enjoyable movie we have watched lately...I finished the Forsyte Saga series, I really enjoyed it.


I am curious about...when enough greed is enough for the Middle East and the oil companies and gas will get reasonable again.  Haha.  Is that a pipe dream or what?

If I could change one thing it would be...my weight and fitness level. I am on it when we get back.  Enough is enough.  Never, Never, Never give up!

Plans for the rest of the week...Lunch with Chris today and then Ikea with Jen to get a new bed for Julia, tomorrow, Penny Lane and jewelry repair with Kim and Jen,  Saturday bonfire in the evening with family and friends, Sunday head home.  Monday get reacquainted with home.


Some photos I am sharing this week...

The trees give off the much needed oxygen in this place!

 The mini-waterfalls are so loud and and fabulous!

I know I posted this the other day but I love it that much!

The wildness of the river up here in the mountains!

Jewelzy just playing in the river!

Our family is just in love with Sundance.  It is so beautiful and peaceful and we can hardly wait to get up here to stay for four days in July.  We drove by the house we rent and it was even prettier than last year.  Such a treat!