Merry Christmas!!  We are enjoying a slow easy day around the tree, working on a puzzle and playing Sudoku and watching Sasha play with her toys.  Heather put some treats in a box and sealed it up and let Sasha tear it up to get the treats.  She loved it and it was fun to watch her.  But then she went under my bed and found another box and tore it up.  Got into trouble.  Just looking for more treats!

This Christmas we got a new garage door opener for when the door stopped working, a new battery for the car for when it stopped working, and I also got a new phone for when it stopped working. Dad got a brown belt and a $500 dental bill for our mission dental exams and one cavity repair for me.  So it was an expensive Christmas, but all important things to have.

And it all seemed to happen at once.  I told last post about the broken garage door and the car battery, and then my phone stopped working.  The man loves my phone because it has GPS which is a wonderful thing for finding our way through the world nowadays.  What in the world did we do without it?!!  Got lost a lot, that's what.  And took forever to get somewhere new.  So we replaced it.

I look at these things like I looked at the flooding of Lexington before we moved in.  Lots of things happened before we moved in that needed to be taken care of so that when we did move in the house would be safe and secure.  I see that it wouldn't be nice to leave Heather with a garage door that wouldn't open or start out our trip with a bad battery or broken phone.  Had to get all those things fixed so that we will be prepared for what comes next.  We are absolutely certain that paying our tithing is a way to protect ourselves from trouble and when we do have trouble, it's to take care of things that need to be done.

We got the dental exam and then the physical.  We took the forms to the doctor and had appointments with the same guy 15 minutes apart.  He looked at the form and said he had never seen such a comprehensive, detailed physical paper.  He looked it all over, asked us how we felt and if we had any complaints or questions, and then when we said no he signed the form and checked all the boxes.  So that was our physical.  But we had just seen our regular doctors recently and then we went to get blood work that was returned to this doctor, so he did really look at our records and get an idea of what kind of state we are in.  We passed.  So that was the physical and also the dental.  And the bishop said yesterday that he has received all those the papers.  Now we will get to have interviews when we get back from Illinois and then send in the papers and see what happens.  I asked what we do if we get called to Kentucky or Borneo?  And the answer is that we tell Sean who will talk to Elder Rasband and see if he wants to talk about it or if it's the real call and we go there.  Elder Rasband told Sean that if we applied we should put on the paper that it is an application to his special Phoenix project which we did.  And he said when he reviews it he will assign us to Phoenix unless he gets powerful inspiration  telling him differently.  So now we wait.

But we will be waiting in Illinois!!  We are going to Urbana leaving tomorrow to help Erin settle in to her new home!  So excited for her.  A fresh new environment.  And close to Evanses who love her lots and lots.  The sad part is that she will be leaving family in Utah who love her lots and lots too.  But I am sure she will be back there often.  We are going out mostly because we want to be there and see her new home and be a part of it, but she also would like some things done to the house that Dad can help with.  She wants to paint some and do some other things.  And I'm good at making beds and putting away kitchen stuff.

We love you all with all our hearts.  Thank you for being ours and sharing your lives with us.  We are also grateful for our Savior who gives life meaning and purpose.  Merry merry Christmas!!

The best thing that happened for Thanksgiving was that we had Erin visit.  She was here only a few days, but it was great to get to see her.  We picked her up at midnight at the airport in a traffic jam we had never seen before there!!  I guess everyone was getting here for a visit.  We finally got her and got her home.  We hung out and talked a long time and then went to bed.  What a treat to have her.  Then next day was Thanksgiving and we went to Barneys for a delicious dinner.  We played Clue with Barneys, came home and played Rummikub.  The next day we watched a television series Erin liked, and then we went to see Thor, Ragnarok with Barneys.  Saturday we just hung out and talked, the best part, and then she had to leave.  Fast and really fun.  We look forward to seeing her again after Christmas when we help her move her stuff into her new house!!  What a life change for Erin!  It will be refreshing for her to be close to Evanses even though she leaves cherished family members behind in Utah.  Just gives us more reason to visit Illinois. 

We did the quilt puzzle for Thanksgiving and have kept the table up since then doing different puzzles in our spare time.  I have been sick the last two weeks and have appreciated staying in my pjs and working the puzzles and reading.  Yesterday was the first I have felt normal and am getting better as time goes on. 

Yesterday was an interesting mixture of experiences.  I finally felt like going out and visiting some of my visiting teaching ladies and primary kids so I jumped in the car and took off.  Got to Walgreens to pick up some stuff and then the car wouldn't start when I was ready to move on.  I called Dad and he planned to come jump the battery, but then he called back and said the garage door was stuck and wouldn't open.  :o(  So we called Jon and he and Sam came over and helped lift the door so the man could get out.  He came, jumped the car and then he took the car to drive a little and build up the battery and I took the truck to my duties.  But what a combination of things!  We had a repairman come out and we will have it fixed this coming week.  At least the cars are out and the garage is closed and everything in it is safe from pilfering. 

Almost half way through December!  The year seems to have flown by.  We put up the Christmas tree last week and decorated it and I love seeing the lights and sparkles off the shiny balls.  We also put up the nativity and the stockings.  It's fun to have some of the old things out again and remember other Christmases.. 

We had a little excitement the other day!  When we got up in the morning we saw snow!!  What a surprise!  It didn't last all day, but it was really fun to see for the morning.  There are lots of people here who have never seen snow.  I remember going to Utah from California and being so excited to see a little flurry at a gas station where we stopped.  I had lived in it when I was at school, but not for a long time.  It's fun when you don't have to drive in it every day and scrape it off the windshield every morning. 

Did I already tell you I have a twin at church?  She is Harriet Swank and everyone talks to me as if I'm her.  How are the scouts doing?  etc and I have to say, oops, wrong person.  Here is a picture of us to let you decide if we look that much alike.  It's funny to have it happen.  

We are going to the dentist Wednesday and then to the doctor for physicals Thursday.  Getting along with our missionary applications.  Then we will submit the papers and see what happens.  Kristin says Sean is already telling everyone there that we are coming.  I hope we are.  Never can tell till it's real.  I am trying to brush up on my French and trying to think of how I can be useful there.  We will see how it works out.  

Thank you for being you.  We love you with all our hearts and pray for your welfare and happiness many times a day.  

November has started out to be a great month.  We began by going to the San Antonio temple the first Saturday.  We drove four hours and did lots of good work.  Dad and Heather and I left early and had lunch at Kneader's before entering the temple.  Heather has been missing Kneaders greatly and was SO happy to finally have her turkey, bacon, avocado on focaccia bread.  And a piece of carrot cake.  It was great that the restaurant was practically across the street from the temple.  

After lunch we went to the temple and performed four baptisms, ten initiatories, eight endowments and three sealings.  It was a productive day!  We were so happy to get that much done.  

And then we took off to come home.  By way of Black's barbecue!!  Had to stop there for dinner.  We barely made it before they closed, but we DID make it.

Got home about midnight but it was worth the trip.  So happy that we can go there.  

The next Tuesday we got in the car early and took off for Phoenix!!  We were very happy to get to be with Rachael as she went through the temple for the first time.  She came to Phoenix because her parents weren't able to leave the mission to go to the temple with her in Utah.  So all her siblings came to Phoenix!!  What a fun gathering that was!

It was a good drive, uneventful fortunately.  We arrived Wednesday about noon and met Sean and Kristin at their home.  

Stephanie and Vince were already there, Brian and Kinsie and baby Sean and Jared and Jo were arriving later that day.  Jackie and her friend Linda would be coming when she could get there.  She was having car trouble.  They got there late that night.  And of course I forgot to take pictures when it was so much fun to just visit.  

Here is a picture of their kitchen where we spent a lot of time there.  The picture is of a time when they had missionaries over, not when we were there.  

Thursday Dad and I went to the temple to do some baptisms and initiatories and endowments while we had time.  Everyone else was off doing other things.  We also attended a missionary training meeting that was very instructive and enlivening.  What a spirit!  

Friday we went to the temple with all the family, the Rutters, Jerry Pennock, Hendricks and some of their other friends.  It was a lovely experience.  Rachael didn't want anyone but her friends to tell her about what to expect so she went in with no help from her parents. She was humbled and touched.  It was a very sweet experience.

Phoenix is a dry place, but pretty, nonetheless.  We went at a perfect time.  The weather was absolutely heavenly.  Must be the reason people move there and stay.  And then realize they have to be there in the summer too.  

Scott has adapted well to his new home.  He has friends and he has a perky little lizard in his room that he named Demille.  And while Brian and Kinsie were there he enjoyed having time with baby Sean who is a delight.  Such a good baby.  He got passed around to everyone for days and never complained.  

Jared and Jo visiting with Kristin and Sean.  They will be creating a Costa Vida there in the Phoenix area, buying a house and settling down for a few years.  

We loved the visit. It was so good to be around for a few days and get to see everyone relaxed and not in a hurry to go anywhere.  A fun few days!

We visited a ward on Sunday that needs some support.  We are thinking of applying to serve there on a mission.  Sean thinks we could be useful and he can help overcome some obstacles that can arise with our application.  We will see how it works out.  

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving this year because Erin will be visiting!!  She hasn't any actual vacation so we need to soak up as much of her as we can get in that little time.  We will go over to Lara's and have a delicious dinner and satisfying visit.  It is so wonderful to be with family!

We would love to be with every one of you this holiday.  We think of you and pray for each of you every day.  We wish each of you every happiness and joy.  We love you all with all our hearts!  

This was a great month!  We had the opportunity to visit with Tyler and with the Collinses. 

Tyler came Sunday the 15th and looked wonderful!  It was so good to see him and have time to really visit.  We did some fun things while he was here but the best was just sitting and talking.  We went to NASA and saw the moon rocks and the space shuttle and took the tour that brought us to the original control center for launching the astronauts on their various journeys.  They also had there some experimental robots that they may be using to explore and do dangerous space work in the future.  What made me so disappointed with myself was that I didn't take enough pictures of  Tyler.

                 I enjoyed going inside the shuttle to see how they got it mounted on the plane.

We also went to the natural history museum that had everything.  We saw the Egyptian exhibits and the dinosaurs, but the best was the rock exhibit.  I didn't know there were so many beautiful kinds of rocks.  Some looked like dandelions and some like precious jewels.  They had a geode that had to be at least three feet long and a foot wide filled with amethyst crystals. 

And that wonderful young man helped us buy and plant another azalea bush.  We have managed to kill two now, and are trying one more time.  We wanted to dig a huge hole so it has the best chance of surviving and Tyler was willing to dig and dig and dig and shovel and shovel and shovel so that we had a big enough hole that we think it may be able to survive.  Now every time I look at that bush I will think of Tyler.  That makes me happy. 

Just as Tyler had to leave we got to visit with the Collinses who were in town for a Mission President Conference. 

They got to go on a NASA tour too, and then we got to visit with them at their hotel.  It was great to see them and catch up on their mission experiences.  It would be so satisfying to go on another mission.  They sound like they are having a great, challenging experience.  We look forward to seeing them again when Rachael goes to the temple in Phoenix on November 10. 

Speaking of the temple, we heard this week that our temple should be open again in the spring of 2018.  They will have a small rededication service they say, and then we can get back to business.  It is none too soon.  We will be going November 4th to San Antonio, a four hour drive again, but hopefully we will be able to do a couple of endowments each.  Heather is so looking forward to going to San Antonio because there is a Kneaders there near the temple and she is counting on getting the lunch she loved in Salt Lake.  There is none in all of Houston.  Who would think?  Then on the way home we will go by Black's BBQ that is a super place, they say, for a meal. 

Tonight we had trunk or treat at church.  We dressed up and decorated the back of the car so that the little kids could come get goodies.  It was pretty cold to be standing out so as soon as we ran out of treats we packed up and came home.  In the picture you can see Sasha in her little blue costume in Heather's arms.  She's looking at the bowl of candy. 

I have started making pumpkin pies again.  Last year I ran into a chunk of gravel in a couple pieces of pie and declared my pumpkin pie making days were over.  I guess they didn't wash the pumpkin well before they processed it.  But I relented and am trying again.  I do like pumpkin pie.

We are entering the top of the slide down into all the holidays.  It makes me nervous and it's also exhilarating.  It will be a good time of year for all of us, I hope. 

I love being with each of you whenever I get the chance.  Thank you for being valiant and true to your values, for being honest and hard working and kind.  I love you with all my heart.

Flood Cleanup

We had the privilege of getting to help folks clean up some from the flood.  It's easy to understand why they needed help, not only because there was so much to do, but because it's got to be almost impossible to throw out your treasures, even if they are ruined.  A clean up crew comes in with no knowledge of what things cost or how long they have had them or how precious they are to the occupants and so the crew can go ahead and do what needs to be done--go through cupboards and closets and toss beautiful clothes, keepsakes, and mementos that are soaked and ruined--tear down fireplace mantles, trash TVs, drag out expensive sofas and beautiful tables--rip out kitchen cabinets and floors and destroy a piano so it can be dragged out to throw on the pile in front of the house.  I can't say that it was easy for us to do those things, but it was easier than it was for the people to whom all those things belonged.  And then when all those things are out of the house and the wallboard is cut and thrown out, then they can look at the bare studs and the cement floor and decide what they want to do with the house.  No treasures blocking their vision and thinking.  They can move forward.  

Here is that beautiful piano that we had to break up and drag out.  The lid is on the floor.  

We loved helping, but we didn't last long.  We don't have the stamina we used to have.  The man used to be able to work in the yard all day, chopping weeds, cutting trees, digging trenches.  I used to be able to carry babies and car seats and run upstairs with a load of laundry and then cook and clean up after dinner and then go to a meeting.  Not any longer for either of us.  We did decide, though, that we won't be caught that way again.  Next emergency we will be stronger.  We have some free weights that we are using and building up our muscles and hopefully some stamina so we can be more useful next time.  

I sent Kathy a picture of these hats because I know she loves pretty old hats and she said she was happy to see that something was saved.  

There were lots of things saved.  The place that had these hats was where the owner was a widower who collected lots of things.  He had boxes and boxes and boxes of stamps, antique toys, old phonograph records, Christmas decorations.  I can't tell you how many boxes of these he had.  And we were able to save very very many of them.  And still he felt like his whole life was gone.  Some people wrap themselves around their things.  And some people are like the little lady that watched us throw away all her china figurine collection crashing into the wheelbarrow.  She said, Oh well, I can buy them again.  And some are grateful they are alive and still have all their family.  President Eulett of the temple presidency said, We had too many things anyway.  And he went out and started helping all his neighbors.  He said they lost probably 90% of their stuff.  But it was just stuff.  

The last place we went was to a house on the river that had had the river come up over the banks into the house and when it receded it left heaps of trash on the bank behind the house.  The trash was 2 feet deep with huge dock pieces and tree limbs, bottles, chunks of wood and plastic.  It spread across the  whole back of their pool fence.   I wish I had taken a picture of the pile before we cleaned it, but here are Brother and Sister Callens in their cleanup shirts with a piece of the flotsam.  

The emotion of it came home to us, though, when the bank called and said we needed to come clean out our safe deposit box.  The bank had flooded and everything was soaked and ruined.  We went down and retrieved our special papers.  I have to say, I felt a pang.  And that was just papers.  We brought them home and spread them out and Dad saved most of the important ones--our passports and car titles, our will and so forth.  

It was a good thing to have done because you remember that we had a burial policy that we bought when we lived in American Fork 20 years ago.  After Dad dried it out and we read it we realized that it only was good if we remained Utah residents till it was used.  So we have no more policy.  But Dad is philosophical about it all.  He said he has paid for insurance all his life that never has been used.  No big deal.  We still have the plots in Provo and our headstones.  Still we are sorry that you will have to pay for the last funeral from your inheritances.  

We are sort of at loose ends at the moment because the temple was also flooded and we don't have the opportunity to serve there anymore.  Someone took a beautiful picture of it though.  

The bottom floors will have to be totally rebuilt.  There is a basement that housed the furnaces and lots of machinery that was flooded not to mention the whole first floor with the baptistry, workers' dressing rooms, laundry, security offices, and lunch room.  When the temple presidency went into it with President Uchtdorf President Eulett said the whole bottom floor had been gutted and you could see from outside wall to outside wall.  So, like the lady who lost her figurines, we can start anew and rebuild again.  It will be interesting to see if they change anything.  I wonder if they will rededicate it since it will be extensive repair.  The whole upstairs is still perfect, though.  We will just have to wait and see what they decide.  They haven't given any date for opening again.  

Since the temple is closed for now we decided to go to Dallas to do some of the work we have had pending.  It's a four hour trip up there.  Dad and I drove up on a Wednesday and did 10 endowments and then drove home.  It was a very long day, but felt good to have done so much work.  Then Friday we and Heather went back and did more work, spent the night and continued into Saturday till evening.  We came home tired but happy to have completed so much.  

Downtown Dallas.  We drove past downtown and got to the temple fairly easily on the other side.  

They will be closing now for six weeks so we will get to go to San Antonio.  They only open at 3 though, so that won't give us much time to do what we need to do.  Maybe we could go to Phoenix and mix work with the pleasure of a visit with Collinses.  That would be really fun.  

Well, so much for the flood.  You are all probably tired of hearing about it.  Better news is that Heather has finally got her job as she wanted it.  The girl she was replacing has finally left and Heather has her own desk and full time hours for the moment.  The doctor said he would try it and see how the finances work out.  He is happy to have her full time if he can afford it.  Apparently he is working on a tight budget.  We all hope he will be very successful and make lots of money.  He isn't in it for the money, but to help people, but he still has to support his family and pay the bills.  

When Amber finally left and Heather really got her own place, we went out to dinner at PF Changs, Heather's favorite restaurant.    

Well today was General Conference and it was wonderful.  I thought most all the talks were about being good Christians, loving and not judging--keeping the commandments and being true and faithful.  It will be good to get the Ensign and read it all again.  I am so very very grateful to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.  What a miracle it is upon the earth.  It makes me so very happy and gives me peace and a sweet joy.  I know that there is life after death and look forward to seeing my parents and brother again.  I hope they have accepted the gospel and that they are filled with joy and peace too.  

I love you all so very much and am grateful that you are all in my life.  You are who make living fun and meaningful.  

Update on Hurricane Harvey

We have had some power outages, the longest one for eight hours but manageable because Dad had his generator and started it up.

He and Heather are reading the instructions to get it started and running.  He had plenty of extension cords and it worked fine.  By the time we got it started the lights came on.  But that was a good thing to get the practice because a couple days later we needed it again and already knew what to do and how to get things going quickly.  And the second time he also hooked up the TV and the computer as well as the fridge and the freezer.  We are pretty uncomfortable deprived of those toys.

The first time the power went out and we had the freezer and fridge but no TV or internet we just sort of sat and looked at each other, reading a little and looking out the window.  Finally I begged Heather to play a game with me.  She chose Monopoly and when I lost all my money she said she would play Rummikub with me because she knows I like it.  We played by lantern light because the clouds made the house dark.

And an important side benefit of the second firing up was that we went next door to the "unfriendly" neighbor (we haven't ever met them, but the teenage daughter's bedroom window looks out on our driveway) and asked him if he would like to plug into our generator.  He was totally friendly, accepted the offer with gratitude, and we got to finally meet the daughter who was very friendly as well.  She even came over later and said she was going to the store and did we need anything.  So nice!  There is a much more pleasant feeling toward them now.  She probably still doesn't like us making noise outside her window at times, but she at least knows we don't mean to bother her.

Speaking of stores, we went to pick up a few things and this was the line to get in.  They were letting in just a few at a time so that they weren't overrun and overwhelmed, I guess.

The front of the store is around the corner and down.  We didn't really need anything but just thought some things would be nice, like fresh fruit and vegetables.  And we wanted to pick up Dad's blood pressure meds.  But when Dad asked the monitor at the door he said the pharmacy wasn't even open so we went on home.  Today we went back and the drive up window was open to the pharmacy so he was able to get his pills.  There was a shorter line, but standing there in line while Dad was getting his pills I couldn't think of anything that we really needed that was worth standing in that line.  The door monitor said they may open for real tomorrow or Saturday and that will be soon enough for us.

I took a walk around the neighborhood the first day that was clear and there were some trees down and some damage done.  This tree came down and fell across the road and had to be cut up so that traffic could pass.  There were a couple like that.

This tree came out of the ground, roots and all and fell on the fence and pulled down a big branch of another tree.

And this is just in the block behind our house.  One of the big trees was very close to the person's house and could have destroyed their bedroom but it fortunately fell the other way and crashed into the street.  That one seemed to be weak about a foot off the ground and just broke off.

Today we went to help a family in our ward that had flooding.  Some of our ward is in expensive homes near the river and they got three feet of water in their houses.  This poor lady said they had saved for 20 years and just 10 months ago completely refurbed their house.  Now it's all a muddy mess.  I felt so bad for her.  Her kitchen drawers had been filled with water, the expensive cars in their garage were unstartable--they had to be pushed out of the garage.  They had beautiful hardwood floors. Their pool was full of muddy water. Imagine the Collinses house being all on one level and flooding up to the kitchen counters.  I wanted to take pictures, but felt it would be invasive of their privacy.  Dad helped take the carpet out of their dressing room and huge closet, and then he got light headed so we came home.  It took us a while to get out of their subdivision because my gps didn't work and the street had a lot of water.  Driving out we saw a couple cars that had apparently been bashed by trees with broken windshields and collapsed tops.  And most of that neighborhood had those brick enclosures around their mailboxes and they had toppled over.  I wondered if it was vandalism, but others said they are hollow and probably just floated off their bases.

The temple flooded about six inches they say, and it was perfect timing because it had just shut down for two weeks for regularly scheduled cleaning.  Now no one's wedding or sealing will be cancelled because of the flood because none were scheduled for these two weeks.  Probably will take longer to clean out the flood damage, but it will be fine.

Last Sunday church was cancelled because the rain was still heavy, and this Sunday we are going to have a joint Sacrament meeting and then go help again.  There are lots of people in the stake that still need lots of help.  Heather's boss is bishop of one of the Kingwood wards and he has been so busy every day doing mop up work all over for his people.

Heather is finally able to go to work.  She hasn't worked for several days because of the weather.  Today was her first opportunity to go.  The girl who was giving her so much grief is finally gone for good and Heather has her desk and computer.  Heather was hired to replace Amber because Amber was going to go to another job she wanted more, but that didn't work out so she stayed and stayed and made life pretty miserable for Heather, hoping to convince the Dr that Heather was incompetent and needed to go, but the Dr said he had hired Heather in good faith and it was Amber's responsibility to move on and find a good place for herself.  So now that has happened and hopefully work will be more pleasant.  Heather realizes what a jewel this boss is, but the other ones there don't like his perky attitude and his willingness to accomodate patients.  I hope they will eventually peel off and he can get some good employees that appreciate his personality and kindness.

Anyway, we are all fine now and hope to be able to help out anyone that needs some help.  At that house that we went to today there were so many people that we were getting into each other's way.  So it didn't matter that we left.  I think everyone wants to help where they can.

We are grateful for all that is in our lives, and especially for you all.  We love you with all our hearts!

Life has rolled along mostly the same as time has passed since the reunion.  I love that we could mostly all get together!  It was great to be with you all who could come.

At this moment we are in the midst of Hurricane Harvey.  If you could see outside at this moment it would look just like this picture.  We have a nice steady rain and water in the gutters, but we have warmth and light and peace inside.  We have meatloaf and cheesy potatoes in the oven and look forward to a nice dinner.  No terrible wind or raging tornadoes, no floods or fear.  The man went out and got another extension cord to use with our generator, and we went and got some extra water to prepare.  But we are truly in a wonderful spot, unlike so many others in the area.  We live northeast of the center of Houston and the storm is to the southwest.  The stake leaders decided to cancel church today since some members of the stake live in outlying areas, but I don't think any are in any real danger, just inconvenience and concern about driving through high water in the streets.

We did have a little excitement this morning, though.  Heather sat down to eat breakfast and looked around and said, where's Sasha?  She went looking for her and found her in a closet eating her second Snickers bar.  Of course it's Sunday and the vet is closed, and it's pouring outside and streets nearer to town are flooding.  We found an emergency vet and drove quickly there through a little bit of water and rain, but we were fine.  The river is overflowing and there is lots of flooding along the freeway in the lower parts.  It was fun to have to get out a little and see how things are going.  We got her to the vet within a half hour of her eating the stuff and she got emptied and fed some charcoal.  Her mama was pretty anxious, but both are fine now.

This past month we have been busy with our callings and temple service.  Since it's summer lots of people are taking vacations and we are subbing a lot.  It's nice since we have so many family members to do work for and we attend a session before or after our shift.  This week the presidency decided to close the temple over Saturday so we didn't go then.   

We have been bowling every Tuesday on $2 day but we haven't seemed to get any better.  My bowling league starts again this Thursday.  I hope I get better quickly.  :o(

Dad mowed the lawn, he is reading some interesting books.  Not a very exciting life, but we like it.  

We do look forward to seeing Tyler in October!  And Collinses are also coming to Houston for a mission conference later and we look forward to seeing them too some time in the middle of their responsibilities.  

Love to see anyone who wants to come see us.We love you all so much and pray for you all always!!

Family Reunion

What a wonderful few days!!  It was much better than we had even hoped.  So good to see everyone and spend time together.  I was worried we wouldn't get to see everyone enough, but it all worked out well.  My feet and legs will take some time to recover, but my heart is full.


The dinner at Mimi's the day we all arrived.  What a great thing that Kathy and Lisa and Lisa's family could make it from the airport in time to be with everyone there!

                           

 

After dinner we all went back to the hotel and the family presented Jer with his birthday gift that had been months in the making:  a book of memories from all the kids and some grandkids about what they remember about him.  Heidi put it together with applicable pictures from the family "archives" in her possession.  Such a wonderful gift for him!  Unique and irreplaceable.  After everyone left he read every word and looked at every photograph.  A real treasure.

The next day we all hit California Adventure!  Jer and I planned to follow children around and help out babysitting while parents went on rides, but when we got there everyone scattered and we were left standing alone looking around.  And up came the boys!!  What a treat!

We got to hang out with them for several hours, going on some of their favorite rides with them.  Cars was fun.  We did it twice.

 And also Soarin'.  Now that was an awesome adventure!  I almost cried the first time we did it, flying over so many beautiful places on earth.

We eventually hooked up with Evanses and got to sit in the shade with Matthew while everyone else went on the ferris wheel.  Got to sit with Erin for a while too and rest and cool off.  The weather was good, but still warm in the sun.

He was refreshed after a little nap and then we all went to Ariel's adventure.  That was a cool and relaxing ride.  I already can't remember all that we did.  But it was fun to hang out with the fam.

Next day we got a family photo done and will add Adam and Thadeus to it as soon as we can get it.  Then we took off to get fast passes to Star Tours.  That was an exciting ride!  We enjoyed it a lot.  And the space villain happened to be James Bennett!!  That was a fun surprise!  I guess they take a picture of someone in the line as everyone enters.

Dad and I wandered a little and then went on the log ride.  It was fun too, but not as much fun as it used to be.  I guess we are getting too old for Disneyland.

It wasn't long before my feet just gave out and we sat down in New Orleans Square to rest and watch people go by.  As we were sitting a pirate came along and started singing to the different children that walked up.  He would put their name in the song and sing a story about them.  He was very kind and gentle with them and I admired how he interacted with each one.  And he made cute jokes.  I enjoyed him very much.  So after my feet recovered and he had wandered down the sidewalk, we looked for him and found him at the ship and got a picture with him.  I hope he is happy and has a good life.

We went to the Tiki room and had a Dole pineapple whip and watched the show, then we went next door to lunch.  After lunch with the Barneys, Evanses, and Bennetts we went to Autopia with the Evans little boys and Erin and Bennetts.  They couldn't wait to drive the cars!!  We finally got a car each and I got to ride with Matthew.  He loved it all.  Every minute.  He started out driving, but he made the car swerve quickly and banged his head so I took over and he was happy to talk and look at everything.  Then we came back to the hotel and swam.  What a relaxing afternoon!  It was just what I needed.  Evanses came back in a while and they ordered dinner from a Mediterranean place for us and them and Barneys.  It was really delicious, but we had way too much food.  We had it again for lunch the next day, hoping that everyone else would join too.  And some did.

Next day was Friday and we stayed around the hotel all day, watching Mike's family swim and resting.  Heather and Kathy went off to shop at the Disneyland downtown place and had a good day looking at things and talking.  Heather had been worried she wouldn't have anyone to do things with but she had a great time going around with Kathy and Thadam most of the time.  Her feet wore out too, finally.  She hobbled back to the hotel and appreciated a little rest.

In the evening some of us headed to Medieval Times.  Kathy and her group had gone the night before and Mike's family didn't want to go so they went out to dinner together and had a nice evening.  We had a fun evening watching knights and being lords and ladies.

We ate and drank and cheered and booed and watched a great show.  What magnificent horses!!

And then we came home to the hotel tired.  But we needed to finish up with a birthday song to Adam and a final goodby for everyone.  Most were leaving the next day.  What a great time.  It was so wonderful to spend a few days in the presence of those we love the very most in the world.