Day #9 - Finally we are in Arizona

It has been a long day. We have driven half way thru New Mexico and then half way on in to Arizona. The plan is to stay in Flagstaff tonight. We stopped in Gallup New Mexico, right on the Arizona boarder and ate at this fun little hotel/restuarant, the "El Rancho". It reminds me of the quaint little place in Kanab that all the Movie Stars have signed their pictures and they hang on the wall there at that restaurant. This little place was the same. Must have filmed several movies here as well. It served very good Mexican food. We are excited to be so close to home.

Doug is getting really excited as he called his dad and had him pick up his new truck at Newby Buick and take it to his house. Then he called Brandee & Kevin and asked them if they wanted to go on a road trip and meet us near Flagstaff and exchange vehicles. They would drive down Doug's new truck and then exchange with us and drive our car back home. Doug is determined to purchase a trailer and take it home with us. He needs his truck to haul back a trailer. As soon as we get home the plan for Labor Day weekend is to go camping with the whole family. Yahoo!!!! We will get to keep a couple of the kids with us. Now that is what I am excited about.

Albuquerque New Mexico

We were grateful to be able to finally participate in a temple session. The last three temples have not been open when we were in their area. This is a beautiful temple. We were again asked to be the witness couple. We have been blessed with that opportunity alot.

This temple is quite unique in the fact that both the front and the back of the temple look like the front. The back where you actually enter is the picture with the fountain in front of it. Right next door thru the parking lot is a distribution center. We went in there to change our clothes and then on to 2 RV dealers to check out what they have to offer. To tell the truth, I am getting so tired of RV dealerships. But it does break up the day and the long stretches of road.

The temple location in Albuquerque reminds me of the Las Vegas temple location. They both are in the north east corner of the city in the foot hills of a mountain.

Day # 8 - spent most of the day driving

Random pictures at Armadillo Texas. They have leaning water tanks and a huge cross out in the middle of no where. Not sure what to think about that. Stopped at a couple of RV dealerships along the I-40 freeway. Most of the day was spent drivingggggggggggg

After dinner and a visit to the bombing memorial we rode 20 miles north east of Oklahoma City to see if we could find the temple. What we found was that it was out in the middle of no-where. But maybe that could be because it was 10:00 at night as we were trying to locate it. We did drive for-eeeeeeeever along dark roads until we came to it all light up. It looks very much like the Nashville and Memphis Tennessee temples. Very small.

Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial

After dinner at Zio's we made our way about a mile away to the site of the Oklahoma city Bombing Memorial. As you walking in along the fence, objects hang there on the fence put there by loved ones. At each end of the memorial time stands still depicting the time that changed lives. At one end it says 9:01, at the other 9:03. There is a beautiful reflecting pool where the road once was. The emply chairs were lit up depicting those who lost their lives. There is a lone surviving tree that stands up above the reflecting pool. A very tragic moment in history, but a beautiful memorial to all those who were affected, living and dead. (you'll have to click on the pictures to be able to see them.)

Day # 7 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

We made it to Oklahoma City today #7. Found a Bass Pro shop and spent an hour in there. A man there suggested we go to "Zio's Italian house" to eat. What a fun place. It overlooks the Canal that runs thru the old "Bricktown" in Oklahoma city. We ate dinner out on the balcony and watched the water taxi venture up and down the canal. A band was playing from a restuarant across the Canal. Just as we got there we witnessed a swarm of birds circling round and round the area. Dinner was yummy and then we strolled down to the end of the Canal and found this mosaic mural. Fun beautiful very clean city.

Ending day #6 - Memphis Temple

We stopped by the Memphis Tennessee temple to find that it didn't open for a session for another couple hours. So we grabbed a picture and went on our way in to Little Rock Arkansas. Just as we were leaving Tennessee we happened onto this beautiful sunset.

Day #6 NASHVILLE TENNESSEE

We were trying to drive by the Grand Ole Opry for a couple of pictures. Couldn't drive to it so we got out and started walking. Decided to go for a back stage tour. Not as big as I thought it would be. It was fun being on stage where a lot of very famous people perform.

Posing with new friend

Thought we would pose for our little grandkids. Wish you were all here with us.

Fun dinning experience

While waiting for a tour to begin at the Grand Ole Opry, we ventured across the street to the "Aquarium" restaurant for a fun dinning experience and a front row seat for the show. The Aquarium is in the center of the place and we enjoyed watching the fish and learning all about them from our waiter who was very passionate and knowledgable. There are over 100 species of fish swimming in the Aquarium. Would have loved to have the grandkids there to enjoy lunch with them. They would have loved it.

Day #5 Nashville Tennessee

On our way to Nashville the traffic on the freeway came to a stop because of a car on fire. Fully engulfed. By the time we got going and passed the car, fire was out and it looked like the picture below.

We also stopped a few places along the way and stopped to check out the Harley Davidson store and a few Travel Trailer dealers. You can't believe what you can buy that is on wheels. Pretty luxerious homes on wheels.

We enjoyed the evening at the Nashville Tennessee Temple just outside of Nashville. Probably the smallest temple we have been in. Very beautiful. We love the Temple.

Traveled about 440 miles today, almost bought a trailer. The manager was willing to ship it to Utah for free. Hard to pass up.

Day #4 - Mt Vernon, VA

After touring thru Washington DC in the car and taking a few pictures we decided to go see Geroge Washington's home at Mt. Vernon. What a beautiful place. Such insite with the way it was designed. The paint colors in the house is what really caught my attention. The bright green and blue paint that was used in a couple of the rooms was different. A very charming place. After that we drove all the way thru Virginia and stayed at a little place right on the boarder of Virginia and Tennessee. Only after we got stopped for speeding. Doug was bored I guess. Always in a hurry to get to where ever he is going. So.....instead of getting there faster it took longer because of the time the officer took to give us a ticket.

Day # 4 - Because yesterday was the sabbath and we chose not to spend all day touring, we decided to just drive thru Washington DC and take a few pictures of the Capitol Bldg and the Washington Monument this morning before heading down the road. As we compared this place to NYC, we loved the cleanliness of this place. It is less crowded as they are'nt forced to expand by going taller. Actually, there really can't be a comparison. It was a beautiful place that we would like to come back and spend more time. We chose not to spend time touring the area. Another time possibly.

Day #3 - Arlington Cemetery

What a fitting place for us to be as we remember the day our Clint was taken home to heaven 9 years ago today. We pondered about him wondering if he was able to share the gospel with any of these who were burried here. We love and miss you Clint.

The Changing of the Guards

After church on Sunday, of day #3, we rode over the river to Arlington cemetery in Virginia. This is quite a solemn place. I couldn't believe how big it was. Acres and acres of graves. We got there just in time for the last changing of the Guards before the cemetery closed for the day. We had to briskly walk for about 15 minutes to the "tomb of the unknown soldier". Not an easy task in heels. But we made it just in time.

We stayed the night in Washington DC, Crystal City, Arlington, VA.

Day #2 - Washington DC temple

Day #2 found us traveling to Washington DC in a terrific rain shower thanks to Hurricane "Bill". It was pouring so hard all day long. Even as we arrived at the beautiful temple, the rain continued. This picture was taken just before entering the temple.

Here we are as we just finished with the session, 8 in attendance and we were asked to be the witness couple. The rain is just a mist now. We stayed in suburb of Washington DC called Hyattsville where we attended church with Elder Chris Randal

On the Road again - headed HOME

After 2 hours of slow traffic getting out of NYC we found our selves traveling thru New Jersey as the rains desended upon us from Hurricane "Bill". Just about dusk we crossed into Pennsylvania to a darling quaint little town called: "Easton". This picture is for our handsome #2 grandson - Easton. You've got a town bearing your name.

Day No. 3 found us in a suburb of Washington DC called Hyattsville attending the "College Park" ward. Look who we ran into. Could it be Elder Chris Randall, our good friends Tony & Michelle Randall's oldest son. It was a fun surprise for him. We had gone to the Washington DC temple the night before and stopped in at the visitors center to ask the sister missionaries if they knew where Elder Randall went to church. He looks great and enjoying his mission. It was fun visiting his ward.

Friday -last day luncheon

We enjoyed a yummy lunch at "Charlie Brown Steak House" near the mission office. President and Sister Smith stopped by for just a minute to say goodbye. Didn't stay to eat, they had one of their daughters with them. They are doing last minute things before Sister Smith flies home to Rexsburg Idaho for the wedding of thier youngest daughter. Pres. will stay in the mission field. We tried to route everyone to "Outback Steak house", but it wasn't opened until 4:00pm. We brought the Webbs with us after showing them their new apartment, and met the Farnsworths, Sis. G and the APs at "Charlie Browns." Thanks for lunch Farnsworths. We had a group picture that will come later as I forgot my camera and will have to wait until sister Webb emails it to me.

Then off to our direction "home" to "DIXIE". We are sight seeing a bit and don't plan on being home for about 10 more days. Because of Hurricane "Bill" out in the Atlantic ocean we are experiencing a lot of heavy rain as we are heading down to Washington DC.

Busy, Busy, Busy.....Whew

Transfer day, busy, busy day. We drove one of the mission vans and transported luggage to and from several chapels. But we love it because it allows us to mingle with the young missionaries

Check out Dougs pulled pork dinner he ordered at "Mamajauna Cafe". We enjoyed dinner here with Luis & Evelyn Maldanado on Tuesday before we left for home.

Elder Shakespear & Fonicello joined us at this restaurant we passed every time we parked our car at the church parking lot and walked to our apartment in Inwood. It was crowded, for good reason. It was Yummy!Elder Shakespear served with us in Monticello for 6 months.

The new missionaries right from the MTC are writing a note home to mom and dad to let them know they arrived okay in NYC.

We each took a few minutes to train the new missionaries with the areas we helped with. Here Doug is talking to them about the cars.

We had a busy long last day at the mission office. Lots of last minute things to tie up before we head down the road. We have enjoyed our time here learning a bit more about the running of a mission. There is always so much going on. The Farnsworths are amazing and will be able to take care of everything. They have no choice, they will have to with the help of the APs until the new"highly trained" office couple arrives the end of September. We have been so blessed to be friends with the Farnsworths. We have grown to love them dearly. They have become our "canasta" buddies. We are excited for the fact that they have a condo in St. George and we will be able to have a rematch at Canasta. They are from Seattle Washington. Love you and miss you all ready.

Our last day in the office was Tuesday the 19th. Wednesday was spent helping with transfers. We arrived bright and early at the mission home to help with instructions to the 9 new missionaries who arrived the day before. Then we drove one of the mission vans filled with their luggage to the Kingsbridge chapel in the Bronx where the transfer meeting began. We then loaded the luggage for the missionaries who were being transfered up state and off to the Ossinging chapel upstate about 45 minutes. Then we had to re-load the van with the luggage of the missionaries who were being transfered to the city and back to the Kingsbridge chapel to drop them off. From there they ride the subway to their new apartment. Because of Doug's soft spot for our Zone leaders when we were in Inwood, Manhattan, he gave them a ride across the river to their apartment so they didn't have to take a bus. A 3 mile trip that took about an hour because of rush hour. We met Luis and Evelyn Maldanado at the church in Inwood along with Elder Shakespear & Fonicello and went to dinner. It's hard to say goodbye. We have been so blessed to know so many people who have become dear friends.

Thursday we spent much of the morning packing, cleaning the apartment, and last minute laundry. We drove to Monticello to drop off our exercise bike to Luis Maldanado and then up to Livingston Manor for a promised last goodbye to mama Burgos and her family. and of course one last game of Canasta. We stopped off at Middletown to drop some mail to the elders and Doug got his hair cut. We love you Mama, Emil, Roxann, Silvia & Erik. Next time we see you I hope it is in St. George. We got home at 11:00 PM. What a long day.

Friday morning after one last trip to UPS to send a couple more boxes home. We couldn't fit everything in the car. We then went to the mission home to pick up the Webbs who just arrived yesterday to begin their mission. We drove them to the mission office to meet the Farnsworths and Sister G and pick up their boxes they had shipped from home-Utah, before they entered the MTC. Then off to the apartment in Yonkers that we had been living in. They were pleasantly surprised and really liked the apartment. They had prepared for the worst. They will be a great asset to the CES (church education system) here in NYC.

Forgot to mention a couple things that have kept us really busy this last week. We had to find 2 new apartments, one down in Washington Heights in Manhattan and the other near the office in Scarsdale for the office couple coming the end of September. We took the APs with us last Saturday to a few scheduled appointments looking at apartments. Pretty scary places. Nothing that any of us wanted to rent. Tried to see one last apartment but the landlord wouldn't show it until a scheduled open house the next day. We were unable to attend because of a previous commitment, a baptism in Harlem, so we sent the APs. Miracle of Miracles, it just so happened to be in the building where the elders live who are having to move because their lease is out and it is a baaaaaaaaad apartment. The one we are replacing with the apartment we are trying to find. The APs gave us the thumbs up. The apartment has just been refurbished and is on the 1st floor, 2 bedrooms and it is $200 cheaper than the other ones we had looked at. A huge plus. On Thursday when we were in Monticello, we sent the APs to go sign the lease. This is a great learning experience for them as they will have to find another apartment before the end of Sept to replace a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad one in the Bronx. We love the APs. Elder Bishoff has been a true blessing to our new mission president, and to us. We have a soft spot for him too. He's a hunter from Moab. Elder Skidmore has been great for the past six weeks, but just headed home with the last transfers. Elder Soulier is getting his eyes wide open as he begins his new calling as AP this cycle.

Doug has been busy trying to sell 3 of the mission cars. One went to the Webbs and the other two he had to follow up with a sale that Elder Evans had started. One turned into a nightmare for a bit. After making 4 attempts to retrieve the license plates off the car he sold to a gentlemen. He lied to Doug about not driving the car with the churches license plates still on . Doug had to threaten to call the cops if he didn't get the plates to the missionaries who were there to get them off the car. This guy lives in Connecticut. Never a dull moment.