On the Road again

Here's a short version of our trip.

Thursday: Thanks-giving Day, dinner at IHOP in Grand Junction, the only place open. Great clear skies and roads until we go over the loveland pass right before Denver. Icy spots in the road, temp drops to about 18 degrees. Denver Temple beautiful, chosen witness couple, frozen crystalized grasses, trees, bushes as we left the city.

Friday: long drive thru Nebraska, enjoyed the conference CD's, found Winter Quarter's, very old old part of town, love the GPS, Vistor's center full of Gingerbread parade,Temple beautiful and small, chosen witness couple. Brrrr it's very cold. Have seen deer, racoon, moose, migrating ducks and birds.

Saturday: Council Bluff across the river, visited Tabernacle where Brigham Young was sustained as prophet, more Gingerbread houses on parade, crossing Iowa, Now I know why the saints didn't like Iowa, except that it was flat, flat, flat. enjoyed CD about the restoration and Joseph Smith, gift from JR & Lorri, electrical christmas parade at Fort madison, crossed the Mississippi and stayed at beautiful Nauvoo.

Sunday: A day of rest. Enjoyed Nauvoo 3rd ward, visited the visitor center, watched the new restoration movie, cried, visited with the missionaries, pizza for dinner, studied the scriptures. rested, no driving, yea!!! Brrrr it's cold.

Monday: Dropped down into Peoria, took sister Melissa Mower and companions to lunch, Penora - yummy, Thank heavens for the GPS, almost got hit by a huge delivery truck, unseen angel grabbed the wheel and steered us away from collision, stopped by Aunt Nancy's house in Romeoville, nobody home, dinner at "Friday's", stayed right by the Chicago temple.

Tuesday: Beautiful small temple, exterior of gray and white marble. just three in the session, yes witness couple again, what a blessings, huge city, traveled to St. Joseph Michigan, lunch with Elder Kacen Smith and companion. Doug's favorite - AppleBee's - Kacen's doing great, teaching a golden contact. Michigan's cold, wind chill 16 degrees, spending the night in Toledo, Ohio.

Wednesday: Got a late start, Doug too tired to drive. Beth drives, now that's a first. Beautiful country, got lost in Kirtland, thank heavens for GPS. Didn't have time to revisit sites, drove along lake erie all day long, weather great, crossed into our home state for the next two years; NEW YORK at 5:18 pm. It sure gets dark early, pulled into Olean to spend the night. Doug asleep in bed at 7:00 pm. Beth to study and read.

Thursday: Woke up to rain, the first on our trip. Cold, burrrrr, drove to Palmyra and attended the temple. Small and similar to Winter Quarters temple, full session, beautiful stain glass of the sacred grove, picture window overlooks the sacred grove, visited Joseph Smith home sites, snow and wind swirling around us, sister missionaries sweet testimony, special spirit felt. Sacred grove closed due to terrible winds. Spent the night in Scranton Pennsylvania.

Friday: Drove thru the beautiful countryside of eastern Pennsylvania and south western New York. What a site to behold if only a month earlier. The leaves left on the trees were deep red - brown and falling. 130 miles of country, but not any more. Scarsdale is a pretty place, nice big homes with huge trees. Mission home and office in Scarsdale. Barged in on Zone conference, met about 20 missionaries and Pres. and sister Searle. Yummy lunch, then off to check out new home for next two years. Bronx is noisy, busy, dirty, scary, just like on tv, but we are told the people are wonderful. Went to Manhattan temple, night time drive into the city, magnificent, GPS our new best friend. Staying in Scarsdale for 13 days, then into the "pantry". The Bishop's store house. WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Final Sleepover

Allee, Maesi, Tryston, KC, Easton, McKell sleeping at our house. Can't wait till two years are up so we can do it again.

Tuesday evening we went to dinner with grandkids and their parents to McDonalds and then to the "Bee" Movie. After which we took the six oldest grandkids to our house for a sleep over. We blew up beds for them in the family room and Doug read stories until all were asleep but Allee. She finally went to sleep when she saw everyones else was. They are so precious. We are going to miss each one of them. Grama and Pompa love you so much!!!

MTC EXPERIENCE

The famous picture spot at the MTC in front of the world map. New York here we come!!
This couple is the Davis's. They are the best friends to the couple we are replacing, the Shaffers, from Bountiful. We both drove into the parking lot together and were told to find each other. The Shaffers told each of us about the other. We spent a lot of time with them and learned to love them. They are going to England on their two year mission.This is our district. There was another couple going to San Francisco that were two weeks delayed and didn't show up. Elder and Sister Dale are the ones sitting with me. They are going to Rapid City South Dakota to the Indian reservations. The couple standing with Doug are the Huntingtons, they are going to South Carolina. Doug had the opportunity to give Elder Huntington a blessing of healing along with Elder Dale. The young RM is Brother Dustin Graham one of our teachers. He was awesome.
We took many pictures of Senior missionaries that were in our dorms. The end couple is the Shumways, they are going to Australia to teach literacy. Doug and Elder Shumway hit it off really well, both are avid hunters. The couple in the middle are the Wrights going to Alaska.

The MTC was the most awesome experience. We wish we could bottle the time there and sip on it a little every day. We made some wonderful friends, probably gained 4 pounds each, no Doug really enjoyed the ice cream and deserts, he probably gained 6 pounds. We enjoyed the strong spirit with every meeting we had. The young return missionaries are awesome teachers. I hope to be just like them. Elder Russell M. Nelson and his new wife Wendy were our Tuesday devotional speakers. The "Senior" Missionaries are spoiled, we get reserved front row seating at all Devotionals, and firesides. We will always remember our time at the MTC with cherished longing memories.

Fair-well Week-end

We have had a most wonderful week-end of family, friends and love. Many arrived from out of town on friday night. We had a wonderfully precious experience in the temple. I sat there pondering that this is how heaven will be. Surrounded by family, friends, loved ones. My heart was sad as there was some not there that we missed.

After the temple session we had a luncheon for everyone. The food was great and tasty. The girls in the cafeteria at the temple made the meatballs and gravy, the potatoes and vegetable. My girls all brought salads along with Mitzi and Suzanne and our Mothers. We had a yummy Birthday cake celebrating Clint's birthday. Everything was delicious. Thanks everyone.

Then at 5:00 pm we had an open house for ward members. Cookies Cookies Cookies were the hit. Thanks to all who baked and brought cookies for us. They were so yummy. That night we just hung out at the house and visited and enjoyed the moment. There was just this buzz of visiting that was great. It meant that everyone was happy.

Today is Sunday, our actual fair-well. It was a full house looking out over the audience. Many friends and family, what a great gift to us from all of you. Thanks for all of your support, love and prayers. We love you.

That evening after everyone had left but our immediate family, blessings were given and then we all went to the stake center for President Richards to set us apart as missionaries. We now are going forward as MISSIONARIES for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR CLINT !!!!

Clint was born on November 9th 1985, so he would be 22 years old. What I would give to see him now. He was our "short round" number 4 child, third son, as the kids call it. I'll bet he has grown a few inches taller. I would love one of his hugs. He always would like to walk with his arm around me when ever we went any where. I would love to look into his sparkling blue eyes and feel the warm of his love with his smile, or was it his mischievious grin that melted hearts. Clint was the most beautiful baby. Everywhere I went I was told how cute he was, I should have him model in catalogs they would say. He was smart and a born leader, the man with a plan. He had so many friends.

We miss you Clint and love you so much. But we know that you are doing a great work on your mission. Can't wait to see you and hug you and have one of your famous smiles. Take care of our two little ones up there preparing to come down here. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

I love Fall!!!

The leaves turn colors and fall to the ground so we can rake them up and make a mound, then run and jump and hide and play. Thanks Pampa for the fun!!!

Brandee and I were walking with Taylee around the perimeter of the park while KC was at soccer practice. Doug was playing with Allee and Kell and they were walking thru the leaves and decided it would be fun to rake them into a pile and jump in them. They attracted quite a crowd of little ones who wanted in on the fun.

Sunday tradition put on hold

For the last 7 1/2 years our family has gathered at 5:00 pm on Sundays to eat dinner together. Tonight was the last time we will all be together for the next two years. I am very sad. Some changes are hard. This has just become part of our day on Sunday. We will miss the gathering. Hopefully the kids will keep with the tradition as they feel they can. It will be a big burden on Brandon and Malea as they will be living in our home while we are gone. Brax is staying here as well, but he has moved out to the Casita. Our home is the only one that is big enough to feed everyone. Our hope is that they will get together at least twice a month and we will all get on the web-cam and be able to visit together that way. Before too long there will be 20 of us. It does get a little crazy, but I love it.

SOCCER SOCCER SOCCER

Let's hear it for KC, he plays on a team where he is the youngest on the team, Go Lobsters!!

Let's hear it for Easton, he likes to score side ways goals. Go blue team!!!!

We have not been able to watch KC and Easton's soccer games because we have been out of town alot on saturdays. But we caught them in action this past saturday. I remember the days when our kids were all playing soccer. We loved it. The kindergarten age is so fun to watch as they learn what to do and where to do it. We are such proud grandparents. You kids will have to blog all the things we will be missing and keep us in touch.

Trick or Treat - our Halloween treat

The spooks were out tonight! The TRICK was getting them to pose all together, the TREAT was all ours as we had them gather for pizza and treats before the night really began.
Maesi as: JoJo, Easton as "DASH"
Kell as: the witch, Taylee as: the sleeping kitty, Allee as: Cute Cow gal, KC as: fireman
Tryston: where in the world is NEMO?
Breckon as: our "Chunky Monkey"