We had Garrett and Zandra stay over and because it was conference weekend, they were here to listen to General Conference and spend Easter Day with us.
The kids were not real sure about what was going on, but Jorie caught on when it came time to look for the eggs that were hid for her to find. She also loved the treats in her basket and the bike and helmet she got. Luke was content to just take it all in.
We had Beef Brisket, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, spinach salad and empty tomb rolls for our Easter Day meal. After Garrett and Zandra left, Dale and I went and visited his folks. It was a good day. I am thankful for family and for the knowledge I have of the gospel of Jesus Christ in knowing that Christ lives and that we too can live again after death.
The other reason I called April appealing is we went on a Spring Break Vacation and Work Trip the day after Easter.
Spring Break - Day 1: Dale and I packed up our bags and headed to the Salt Lake International Airport to catch a flight to Seattle, WA. We landed in Seattle, picked up our rental car and headed to our hotel where we met up with the Mallory's. They left Saturday, after our festivities, and spent some time with Matt's family, doing Easter activities, and then drove to Baker, ID and stayed the night.
From there, they drove to Seattle, and arrived a bit earlier in the day. We met up with Nate and Kim for a tasty Thai dinner and visited with them. Then we headed back to the hotel and got settled in. Jaxson and Kennlyn stayed in the room with us.
Day 2: After breakfast the Mallory's, Dale and I headed out to Seward Park. It was by Lake Washington, has forest trails that we hiked around on, and a grassy area that we played frisbee on. So pretty and so fun!!
We headed over to Mill Creek, WA where Dr. Nathan D. Hansen's office is, and we got the tour, and met his partner and staff. Mill Creek Foot and Ankle Clinic is in a beautiful area, in a nice building, and has some pretty nice people working there. His partner Dr. Joseph (Joe) Hall seems like a great guy too.
Kim met up with us for lunch at a great build your own pizza place, Mod Pizza, close by his office and then the Mallory's went to a Children's Museum while Dale and I went back to Nate's office where Nate checked out my foot, measured my foot for orthotics, and did a special wrap on my foot to help it hold up with all of the walking I'd be doing. We also got to visit with Kim a bit while we were waiting for Dr. Nate to finish up with his patient. Thanks Dr. Nate, for fitting me in and taking care of me!!
Kim had to leave to go to work, so Dale and I headed over to the Children's Museum where the Mallory's were and caught a glimpse of that before it closed. It was a fun place and the kids loved it. I loved it too, to bad we didn't have more time there to explore before it closed. Bummer!
Then we went to North Creek Park and walked on floating boardwalks among tall grasses and saw a few ducks. We were hoping to see snakes and frogs, but they weren't out. We did see a rabbit at the park though, and we still had fun and got in a good walk.
We headed back to the hotel during rush hour traffic which gave us a feel of what Nate and Kim have to experience at times and went to dinner at a tasty Hawaiian Grill that was close to our hotel. We were all pretty tired, we'd walked a lot today! Thanks to Dr. Nate's great nurse's foot wrapping skills my foot didn't swell up too much. I did put it on ice though, just to follow the doctors orders.
Day 3: After breakfast, we jumped in with the Mallory's and then met up with Nate and Kim at Fauntleroy Ferry Landing and caught the ferry that took us to Vashon. A quaint town with a lighthouse on it at Point Robinson Park. It was raining off and on, but we took our rain gear and didn't let it stop us.
We walked around the lighthouse, checked out the beach, and collected a few shells.
We also had a big cargo ship go by us. Boy, does that put out a big wake!!!
It started raining more, so we drove around the island a bit and then boarded the ferry again for a warm ride back to the other side of the sound. We even saw some seals out in the water.
Nate and Kim knew of a unique place to get some fresh seafood, so Dale and I jumped in with them and the Mallory's followed us to The Crab House. It's a place where you choose what kind of seafood you want and how much and they put it together in a bag and then take it out back and cook it in a big pot and bring it in and pretty much dump it on the table for you to eat with your hands. They just give you a bib, plastic gloves, paper towels, potatoes or French Fries, and your drink. It was pretty tasty though and I even tried oysters and mussels! My favorite was the lobster and shrimp though. It was a fun way to enjoy time together with good food.
From there we headed over to Nate and Kim's place in Burien, on the Puget Sound, and went looking for hermit crabs, starfish, and cool sea creatures.The weather had cleared up so we had a fun time on the beach for a bit. Kim had to go to work, so we just visited and hug out with Nate at their place for a bit. We had some pizza and watched a movie and then headed back to the hotel. It was good to spend the day with Nate and Kim.
Day 4: The Mallory's loaded up their van and then we followed them and went to the Woodland Park Zoo. Again, it was off and on rain again, but not bad enough to stop us. What a fun zoo this was! We saw everything from Hippos, to cows!! It was a fun day seeing all the different types of animals, wildlife, and reptiles.
After we had seen all we could see at the zoo we went for a late lunch at Grinders and had the best sandwiches we've had in a long time! The sauce they used on them was so tasty!! The Mallory's loaded up and headed towards home. We headed back to the hotel, relaxed and watched a movie in the room. My foot held up really well. I iced it at night, but it never swelled up too bad. That wrap job that I got at Nate's office really helped tons!!
Day 5: Dale and I grabbed a late breakfast and then headed to the airport, returned our rental car, and loaded the plane to head to San Antonio, TX for the National School Board Officials (NASBO) conference. We had a delay in Houston, but we made it to San Antonio and had UBER pick us up and take us to the hotel where the rest of the board were staying for the conference. Our UBER driver was like a tour guide and gave us the history of the city and shared where the main attractions were in the area. Great guy. We got in late, so we just watched a little TV and then hit the sack.
San Antonio, TX - Day 6: Dale went to meetings for the conference and I chilled in the room for a bit, and then went and walked around the Riverwalk area and checked out The Alamo. It was pretty interesting to hear the story. They even had a reenactment going one in one area. Did you know that originally The Alamo served as home to Spanish missionaries and Indian converts for more than 70 years?
I caught up with the board members spouses and visited with them for awhile and then Dale and I joined the whole group and went to dinner. After dinner, Dale and I strolled along the boardwalk. It's a pretty area that goes along a man-made river. Very pretty.
Day 7: Dale went to his meetings for the conference, and I went and walked around the area with the gals. We checked out a new area of the Riverwalk and went and saw some more sights.
We met up with the guys for lunch and then again for dinner at the Tower of America, a Seattle Space Needle look-a-like, but bigger.
Day 8: Dale went to the closing session of the conference and because our flight out was later we went on a Riverwalk boat ride with Supt. Steve Norton and his wife, Kathy, who were leaving later as well. The boat ride gave us even more new sights along the Riverwalk.
After our boat tour, Dale and I took off and saw some more sights so that he could get a feel for the area as well. He's been to San Antonio before, but it was awhile ago so a refresher of the area was good.
We went back to the hotel and got our bags, and had UBER take us to the airport and headed home. It was good to get away, but it's always great to come home too.
I served in the Temple Clothing area, and the Youth Center in the same week. The gal at the Youth Center was 20 years old and had quite the story. She was a cute gal, that had been in and out of foster care most of her life. She'd seen both sides of the line and got baptized when she was 17 years old. She also had a mission call waiting for her at home. Not very often do I get to serve older kids, but they are so great to be with because they have a better understanding of what's happening and are fun to visit with and get to know.
Dad and I went to Providence and went to church with the Mallory's and then Dale stood in the circle for Jaxson's Aaronic Priesthood ordination. It's hard to believe that Jaxsons old enough to hold the Priesthood, but he is, and he'll be a great Deacon in the Priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After dinner with the Mallory's and some visiting, Dale and I headed south and went to Provo where he had a conference with all of the Business Administrators from Utah. I spent the next two days relaxing. I even pampered myself and gave myself a facial. I got Dale to get one as well. Looking pretty aren't we?
I also went to the Provo City Center temple and did a session. It was a great way to unwind and just take it easy. We all need a few days like that don't we?
We got home and I started doing DIBELS testing the next day. Wow, how fast time flies!
I sure work with a great group of ladies though so it makes the job fun.
I received a letter in the mail congratulating me for serving 600 hours at the Eccles. It also had a gift certificate for a meal to the Beehive Grill. It's hard to believe that I've been ushering that long! I ushered for a Dance Group that called their show "The Whisperer" at the Eccles as well.
Dale and I both celebrated our birthdays this month. We combined them together and had the kids over for a nice meal, to hang out, visit, and play games in the yard, the week after Dale's and the week before mine. We love having family over and seeing the kids visit and the little ones playing with their cousins.
On my true birthday, Dale and I went and watched Jaxson play in a soccer game and then went to dinner with the Mallory’s. Then Jaxson and Kennlyn slept over with us. Kennlyn wrote up a poem for me for my birthday. She’s such a cutie and so thoughtful.
She had a soccer game and we went to that. After, they went home with Matt and Amie. I am blessed with some pretty special grandkids.
Dale got called to serve as the Bishop of the Logan Married 2nd Stake 17th Ward. Where he had served as a Bishop in a Young Single Adult Ward awhile back we figured he was safe, but I guess that wasn't in the plan. It will be a good experience for both of us, and I'm thrilled that I don't have to talk every month in Sacrament Meeting with Dale anymore.
Nate and Kim were great hosts and hostesses while we were in
Washington over Spring Break. Nate even took a day off so he could hang out
with us!! Kim fit us into her busy schedule working as a trainer at Ian Fitness
as well. They bought them a Mercedes Sprinter van, and Nate’s been using his
mechanical engineering skills to turn it into a trailer with two beds and
storage areas for gear. It’s tall enough to stand in and quite roomy. Pretty
nifty on their part. I’m sure it will get used a lot.
Nate and Rue went with some of his buddies to Smith Rock
State Park in Oregon to do some climbing and enjoy the outdoors. They also
tested out the new van. It worked like a dream. All had a great time.
Kim and Rue also got in the great outdoors with
some of her friends. They did some bouldering and rock climbing as well.
After the Mallory’s left us in Seattle, they headed to
Burley, and stayed with Matt’s dad and Step-mom for a night and then made it
home. Jaxson and Kennlyn are both busy with soccer games and doing well on
their teams. Dale and I tried to catch a few of their games as well.
Andrew headed to work in Arkansas and Lindsay felt like she
and the kids needed to take a vacation, so she loaded up the Armada by
herself, and took two days to drive the kids to be with Andrew for the last couple
of days of his tour. She was brave in my
eyes and watched over. She said the kids were great travelers and it went quite
well. Way to go Lindsay! They hooked up with Andrew and checked out where he
was working and got to see the helicopter and meet his crew.
When Andrews tour was over, they all went to Mrytle Beach, NC and spent some time on the beach where they had some fun in the sun.
They also went to an Alligator World while in Myrtle Beach, FL and saw
a lot of alligators! Those alligator eyes are pretty creepy to me, because they
just stare you down. The kids didn’t seem bothered though.
They went to Nauvoo, IL and saw the temple as well
as some of the other sights. It opened their eyes to what the saints of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints had to endure, and the trust and
faith they had in their prophet, Joseph Smith.
They also stayed at a cool hotel with a water park and had
some down time on their way to see Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota. What a fun
trip for them!
While they were on the road they celebrated Arwyn’s first
birthday. When they got home they had family over to celebrate it as well. What
a little cutie she is, and her personality is coming out more too. Happy
Birthday Arwyn!!
Garrett wanted to step up his game for work and went to some
classes in Salt Lake so he could get his Accredited Mortgage Professional
Designation. Way to go Garrett! I have a feeling you’re going to go far in your
profession.
He’s also trying to get his game on by doing some golfing.
He joined up with some of his co-workers and got in a few rounds at the Ben
Lomond golf course in Ogden. Watch out Jason and Matt, he may surprise you with
his new found skills in golf.
Garrett, Zandra, Jorie, and Luke went on the trip of my
dreams by going to London where they met up with one of Garrett’s mission
companions and friend, Jordan Puri, and his brother for some sight-seeing in
London, England.
Luke ended up getting croup really bad the first night they
were there. It got bad enough that they took him to the hospital and he ended
up having to stay there overnight. Zandra was still nursing him, so she had to
stay at the hospital with him. She also stayed at the hotel with him when he
got out so they could both get some much needed rest.
While Zandra was taking care of Luke, Garrett and Jorie
headed out to see some of the sights around London with Jordan Puri. Zandra and
Luke got to spent a day sight-seeing instead of the two days they had hoped, but
Luke got better and that’s what mattered.
They were grateful that they had Jordon with them to help
them with all of the hospital stuff and to show them the sights.
They said that the thing they loved best about Ireland was
the beauty of the countryside, and how green it was. My dream is to go to
Scotland and Ireland for this very reason, the beauty of the area.
They got outdoors and went on a fun hike kind of by where
they live, in Ogden Canyon, to a waterfall.
They also cashed in on the Christmas gift that Jason’s dad
gave them for Christmas by going to a Super Cross event at the Rice-Eccles
Stadium in Salt Lake City.
With the amazing weather we’ve had lately, Jason got his
motorcycle all polished up and they went on a few rides to take in the beauty
of the great area they live in.
April has been packed with fun and adventure, with some ups
and downs as well, but definitely worth the ride. It’s been an amazing April
for sure.
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