The girls and I had a great week long trip to Utah to visit family and attend a session of General Conference. Our first stop was Chay and April's home, where the girls played with their cousins (Julia, Kenzie, and Xander) until it got too cold! Then we were treated to pizza and pumpkin pie!
Saturday morning came early as we got up and ready to meet everyone at Uncle Larry and Aunt LaDawn's home. They had an extra parking ticket for me! Hallelujah! I didn't have to brave a parking fiasco, instead I was able to park in the special underground parking across the street from the conference center.
We LOVED our experience Saturday morning as we were able to sit up close during the first session of conference. It was an extra special session because the prophet, Thomas S. Monson made a big announcement about the lowering of missionary ages for young men from 19 to 18 and for young ladies 21 to 19. An audible "ahhh" was heard in the conference center as this was announced. Wow!
After the first session we met with the other family members in attendance ( Keith, Mom, Aunt Sheryl, Uncle Larry, Aunt LaDawn, Aunt Marilyn,Uncle Wade, Aunt Jerilyn, & Uncle Reese - as pictured above) for a boxed lunch with Uncle Larry and Aunt LaDawn on the third floor of the church office building in the Temple Department conference room.
In this room, there is a world map with all the temples dotting the globe. On the other side of the room, there are pictures of the temple presidents and when they were called.
The girls and I stayed for the second session of conference, which we watched in the Legacy Theatre of the Joseph Smith Building. It was awesome to watch it on a giant screen - that is when I saw that the prophet had a cupful of chocolates by his side!
We walked through temple square. I always like to stop by the North Visitors Center to see the Christus statue. What a wonderful spirit dwells there.
I love this photo!
Tara and Niels were kind enough to let us stay with them four nights! We loved up the babies and played with Gage. Dad and Luanne stopped by Monday (after their trip with their Corvette gang) and took us out for lunch. The kids had a great time playing together. By the end, Jenna was my friend, which is a rare treat. Carter was my buddy from the beginning.
Then we were off to Logan to visit Tami and Jeff's family. Tami had a full day of activities planned for us because the kids were out of school for parent teacher conferences. We picked apples at Mike and Kris's house (Jeff's bro.), we had a Wendy's lunch on the grassy hill by the Logan Temple, we then ate ice-cream cones at the Aggie's Creamery, oohed and aahed at the quilt store, My Girl Friend's Quilt Shoppe (owned by Mike and Kris), and went to their little zoo (this has a special place in my heart).
We actually went to the quilt store twice! The next visit I bought fabric to make the quilt of the Ghastly family, shown above. I thought it was so unique that I am going to give it a try some day. Don't ask me when, though! I also like the chevron quilt and the cool fabric wrapped tree in the children's play area.
Ice-cream, please!
I was also able to attend the temple, which is a rare treat (because our temple has been closed for a year).
The kids had fun eating push up orange pops, making caramel apples, jumping on the trampoline, playing in the sand, and playing the Wii. Cousin time is great! We don't want to go home.....plus not to mention all the good meals we were served. Thank you to my sisters who took such great care of us.
Casen and Clayton are anxious to be the first ones in the bus line. Here they are off to school!
Our trip ended with a night at grandma's house. We stopped by to visit my Clark grandparents and then we had a nice dinner out with grandma. The girls also squeezed in time to play with the neighborhood dogs that just roam around loose (they can in the country). Mogi is still loves attention, even though he is very old and hard of hearing.
We ended the night with the VP debate of Biden vs. Ryan, that was frustrating.
All in all our trip was wonderful, we were able to make more memories with family members and experience General Conference. I was anxious to get home and reunite with Paul and the boys. They "survived" their week while we were away. It ended up that the girls had a fall break, but the boys were still in school. Maybe next time they can join us.
.JPG)
