Spring Break/39th Wedding Anniversary

Corinne called us a while back and asked if they could come down and see us during their spring break.Yepper Doodle. Then a day or two later. Shannon did the same thing. 

We can't fit more than one family in our home anymore so miraculously, we found a condo in town to rent for Corinne's family.

Corinne's family arrived first on Friday night. Shannon didn't arrive until Saturday night.

Saturday we spent pretty much at our house. 

 Richard was watching Star Wars, but he wanted the volume up while we were talking, so I got out Fred's headphones. It was pretty slick. 

We found some home movies of Corinne's that they hadn't even seen. Here we are watching them. 

 Here's my Dad and Spencer lounging on the couch watching home movies.

 Movies still playing and Garrett working on Legos.

We finally moved the kids outside. It was actually overcast and a little cool over the weekend.

Back inside for an exciting game of Monopoly. 

 Shannon's family arrived about 7:30 pm. 

They joined right in with their cousins. The kids all got along well. 

 So finally let the treats begin. Fred and I had stopped at the grocery store for a few things and walked by the bakery and that flipped the switched and we remembered it was our anniversary. I had already baked brownies, but we decided we needed a cake so we added it to the menu. 

 Let it be known that this is the first time EVER that I did all the cooking.

I only called on Brian to step up to help with rice and beans. 

I also asked Ben and Brian to sing in our ward choir on Sunday. 

Our tenor section was in sad shape. These two saved our bacon big time!

 Here's my girls. Corinne has had the flu and has been SO SICK and she is having a BABY.

It was kind of a tough few days for her. But as always, she is such a trooper.

She did not get that from me. 

 This little granddaughter is so stickin cute. 

 Henry is full of patooties.

 We used lots of paper goods. 

 We have nine dining chairs and then a couple sit at the counter or at a fold out table. 

Works pretty good.

 Scott and Jess had planned on coming, but with their move to Phoenix happening at the same time, it was just bad timing for them to be able to come. A big fat BUMMER!
We have trips on the calendar to see each family this year and hopefully in 2019, we'll have another Park City reunion.....but that is far off and we will just have to see what happens.
Stay tuned for the next couple of days of our reunion. This will be a day by day post.

Last Day at Sea & Everglades National Park

 We finally played shuffleboard.

We aren't very good.

 Before I start with the Everglades - I have to say when we got off the ship in Miami and got on the tour bus and started driving towards the Everglades. I was overwhelmed with so much gratitude to be back in the United States. I thought to myself GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

This was our last excursion for our cruise.

An open airboat tour of the Everglades.

This is the tour boat.

 It held probably 40 people.

The Everglades was nothing like I pictured.

I kept thinking of that airplane flight that crashed years ago.

This is not what I pictured. I think perhaps that part of the Everglades was different than this area. 

 This was another one of those instances where Fred said we should wear a coat.

I wanted to balk and just take a lightweight jacket.

IT WAS FREEZING whipping around on that boat.

Why is it he is always right?

 Luckily I didn't see any crocodiles.

They are disgusting looking creatures.

  I agreed to this excursion only because I love Fred.

After the tour, there was a little show n tell.

The cutest baby crocodile.

 See - DISGUSTING.

 This is the end of our Panama Canal Cruise. 

The best part was being with Fred.

I just marvel at all that he is. All that he has provided for me.

And he is a heck of a lot of fun.

cartagena colombia

This was our last excursion before heading home. 

It was the HOTTEST day.

We look cool and calm now.

 We went to Castillo San Felip de Barajas (an iconic fortress with tunnels)

that's a quote from on line).

 Of course, everywhere are vendors. So many hats. If I thought I would wear one again back home, I would buy one. I just knew I wouldn't. It's too windy back home.

I'll stick to vacations to wear my hat. 

 Such a beautiful view from way up at the fortress.

 Columbia's flag

 Nice picture of Fred here I say.

 Not exactly a great looking place.

The tour guide took us down through a tunnel. 

It was suffocating. I really thought I was going to lose it.

I'm not claustrophobic, but there was no oxygen in there. 

It was hot and there had been probably hundreds of other people down there before us.

Plus it was so dang hot outside. I was sweating and it was disgusting.

Not a highlight that I will recall from our trip.

I was glad when we got out of there and back to the nice cool tour bus.

It's hard to believe soldiers ever had to inhabit that place. 

 Next was a tour of a historical area. Called the Walled City of Cartagena.

 The colors were quite beautiful. 

 Beautiful hanging vines of flowers.

 So many bright colors.

 I figured out this was their movie theatre - you think?

 LOVED THIS BLUE building.

 So I see these three ladies posing with this young mother and I think a few kids.

I didn't get there fast enough to snap a shot.

So I stop them and ask to take a picture, but I don't want to be in it.

They agree happily. I start to walk away and one of them stops me and puts out her hand.

I have to flag Fred down because I don't carry any money.

He gives me a dollar bill. The lady points to her two friends.

What the heck. What a scam. I felt stupid. 

Anyway I guess that's how they make their living. 

They do look spectacular though don't they.

 I don't know the names of the next two places we went so you will just have to enjoy looking.

 This was some type of museum.

These are all gold pieces.

 Made me think of the days of the Book of Mormon.

 Statue of Christopher Columbus in the Plaza de la Aduana 

Goodbye Columbia.