Kolob on Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day this year, I felt we had more than fulfilled our Valentine Quota with our Cruise. We also went to dinner to Red Lobster with two other couples on Thursday night.

Valentine's Day - check.

So I was surprised to see this on Friday after work.

Saturday we decided to take a little scenic trip.

It also happened to be National Park admission free day.

I packed some chips, store bought cookies, napkins, waters, cans of pop and we stopped at Port of Subs for sandwiches (because I hate making sandwiches). But then we had a coupon for Buy a Combo and get a sandwich free, so more chips and another soda. They also had yummy looking cookies. More cookies!



We got to the designated Picnic spot to find one picnic table occupied by someone so we ate in the car. 

We did find more picnic tables as we started out on the trail, of course.



This is what the trail looked like. 



I like taking pictures of Fred.

This picture is the rocky and steepest part of the trail. As I was slightly huffing and puffing through this part of the trail, I was actually marveling that I was only slightly huffing and puffing but going full steam ahead. A year ago that would not have been the case. I was so thankful that I had lost weight and could make my way up the trail and not be miserable on this little hike. 

Fred always comes prepared. Binoculars, maps....I can always count on him to take care of me. I think this time though I had the back pack, but carried my own junk.

This is the "baby" mountain. It reminded me way back to high school when I ate lunch with my boyfriend. He always brought an orange and there are those little sections at the top and I called them babies and he would always let me eat them. I know you really don't care about that, but I was reminiscing about all kinds of memories during the grandeur of the day.

It is amazing how the mountain formations change as you move along the pathway and roads. We took tons of pictures, but I selected the ones that I liked the best.

This was an interesting way to make a bridge. It's not a great picture, but it was basically a raised dirt path, with open sections.

The weather was perfect. I would say it was about 70 degrees and no wind. An especially warm week for February.

I'm sure our family is not much different than most others, but we try to read these informative markers. The ones at Kolob were pretty vibrant in color and not too long. I liked that. I did tell Fred that we needed to take lots of pictures. My feeling is if we have been there and seen it, then we don't need to go again. Especially because you can't go here in the winter because of the snow so it's not like it will look different in another season. It's not like in the Northwest where you have another season to see the changes. I 'd like to get a map and mark off the places we see as we go.  



 

For some reason (I think it was the coming down after a big event let down) I have been feeling blue, discouraged, depressed and "previous life" homesick. I have been doing a lot of that comparing my life to others which is a horrible thing to do. It really is the expectations I had that have not been met that I am dwelling on again. Like this outing for example. I was all excited to move to Southern Utah to become that outdoor enthusiast. Go bike riding, "hiking", and do all the things that people who live in Southern Utah do. So we go on this little "hike" and I'm like - "I think I'd rather be home watching a movie or going out to dinner or shopping". Not that I didn't enjoy our day, but it wasn't like Wow that was the best thing I have ever done and I can hardly wait to do it again. I think a lot of that was due to my melancholy state of being. Maybe I'm just not meant to be anything but who I am. Why am I always looking to be something else? What's with that? It's always that Greener somewhere or something else mentality.

 

Anyway - I just need to do some self therapy this morning. It's getting those thoughts out of my head and out in the universe and then I can let them go. Hmmm I feel better already!

Our Cruise

We left our house Monday morning about 6:45 AM and picked up Judy and Shan Hubsmith. They are in our ward. Judy is my VT partner and Shan is our HT. Judy is also a travel agent and is the one who got us hooked up for this trip. Plus we enjoy hanging out with Shan and Judy. They are a good match for us so it was a win win set up. We stopped in Vegas for breakfast.

Our port was in San Pedro California. I've never been there before and it is a beautiful area. Getting aboard was a little hectic as there was an extra cruise ship "berthed" there. Fred and Shan dropped us off and then had to go about a mile away to park and then take a shuttle back to our cruise ship. We didn't take any pictures until our drill. Lovely huh? Just sayin now, we didn't take as many pictures as we should have.

Our cabin was small, but the bed was big and very comfy. Next time we will definitely get a cabin with a balcony. No problem with getting sea sick. Being ferry passengers for 34 years we were perfectly fine for the deep seas......

 Our first morning we got off at Catalina Island. 

 Here is Shan and Judy. They were great hosts and very patient to take us places where they had already been. 

 We rented a golf cart to drive around the island. In the background is our cruise ship.

 A few pictures of the ship.

 Here we are.

 Here they are.

 Fred's idea. Shan cooperates.

 Another view at the same place.

 Another view of the bay at a different place on the island,

 Here is our ride. Shan did the driving. Guys in front, girls in the back.

 This is the Catalina Island Museum. Originally it was a casino and big dance hall.

 We took a self guided tour below and learned about Marilyn Monroe who lived on Catalina before she became Marilyn Monroe while she was married to her first husband. Learned about the Chicago Cubs. Lots of baseball history took place here which who would have known that. Very interesting Hollywood history here too. It was a big deal of a place back in the day, but by today's standards no one would be bothered. Too many other exciting places to go to nowadays. We enjoyed it though.

This is the restaurant in the background where we ate. It was a "pub". Good sandwich and fries.

 These three pictures are coming back from Ensenada. We didn't take pictures while in Ensenada. I would not choose to go back to any port like this. After walking about 1/2 block among the street shops, I wanted to leave. The shop and street people hound you and get in your face to buy their stuff. The poor little kids and mom's pretty much beg you to buy. It was so sad. I did want to at least say we had been in Mexico. Now I can say I have been. Never want to go again. I told Judy on any future cruises I only want to go to completely civilized and modern places. I can't handle poor and sad places like this again. I can't take it. I did buy all the grand kids a little something and something for our kids from Catalina and Ensenada, That was the goal. 

 Our last night we ate at one of the speciality restaurants. We ordered the sampler desserts. It was a photo moment.

 We met up with Shan and Judy after dinner. Played some Scrabble (we did poorly) until the show started. It was an Elton John tribute. 

Shame on us for not taking more pictures. I'm not sure why that was hard to do, The first night we went to see a comedian. He was good. The second night we were too late to see the Princess Singers/Dancers. Third night was a magician comedian - really good. This picture was to see an entertainer who sang Elton John music who thought he was "all that". You know the type. Flirting it up with the cute girls on the front row.  After this show, Fred and I went to the Princess Singers/Dancers that did a Disco Tribute. I LOVED IT and Fred enjoyed it too. It was the perfect last night on the cruise. Bling, music, costumes, dancing.
 

It was a long drive home - mostly for Fred. We stopped like four times. I guess we are getting old. 

We learned from this cruise the things we will do the next time.

Guess what? It's NOT ABOUT THE FOOD!

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Stay tuned - giving my blog a facelift.

Stepping it up

Last week in Relief Society the lesson was about Putting the Lord first.

Every topic mentioned, Fred and I suck at.

We don't have FHE.

We don't study the scriptures together.

We only pray at dinner time together.

We have gone to the temple here I think four times since we moved here.

How terrible is that?

Our friends in Bremerton would beat us.

We are LAZY when it comes to spiritual habits.

So now you can see why it totally depressed me.

For this lesson, the teacher passed out a handout with three questions.

 

1. What two things did you do this last week to put the Lord first?

I had to dig deep because at first I thought "I got nothing."

a. Made my VT appointments.

b. Read the introduction to the Ezra Taft Benson book as suggested.

(Yeah me)

 

2. What two things will you do this week to put the Lord first?

a. Read next weeks Sunday lessons.

b. Go to the Temple.

 

3. What will you give up or what will change when you put the Lord first?

a. I will watch less TV.

 

So this last week I was pretty depressed having basically been called to repentance AGAIN for the same sins of omission that I struggle with all the time. I find that I live more fully and faithfully when I serve in callings because they inspire me to live better. Since we have lived here I feel like a nobody so I am acting like a nobody. Feeling pretty much sorry for myself that for the rest of my life I will be insignificant and unused in our ward. It is about my pride. Having been needed and utilized all my days in our ward it is really hard to be invisible here. I find great comfort and reassurance in all the callings I have served in over the years. It's like I know that God is aware of me and it is His way of saying I am of value. "Here I need you in this calling."

 

So this last week was a bad one for me in every way. The first week since March that I felt I was eating out of control which was especially scary because I don't want to go back there. I wasn't sleeping well after I felt like I was getting back to sleeping better. Beginning to really feel depressed about Shannon & Brian and Scott & Jess moving so far away. Big amount of emptiness and what is my purpose now in life. I have nothing to do with my time. Back to that whole what to do with my life now with no kids. The house is empty and what do couples do when there are no children anymore.

 

So getting to the point of this post. This handout was very timely because Question number two actually challenged me. It was easy to read the Sunday lessons because I have so much time at work to read. Getting to the temple was the bigger challenge because we talk ourselves out of it so easily because I am just too tired ALL OF THE TIME. Fred and I talked about it and we said no matter what we would go on Saturday.

 

WE WENT TO THE TEMPLE!

I was sleepy during the session, but I did make it.

Fred and I set some basic goals because of this lesson. Thank you Hilary Ferguson for your lesson. You did good.



Family Pictures

When we knew everyone would be home for Christmas, I decided family pictures would be my first priority. Being in a new city and not knowing ward members who do photography well enough to ask, I went to google. I connected with Thumbtack. It's a site that you can type in your information. How much you want to pay, the dates, where you live, how far you will travel, what medium you want the photos to be made available and then Thumbtack sends it out to their "providers" and then you wait for someone to bid on your request. I received one response. I was fine with that. I looked at her website and liked what I saw and Haley was quick to respond to all my questions.

 

She asked if I wanted red rock or more green. I decided on red rock since we have a lifetime of green.

She mentioned a few of her favorite spots. Fred and I visited Dixie Rock on a Sunday afternoon and it was freezing. I began to be concerned about taking pictures outside overall. I decided to come off the mountainsides and into our Washington Fields and she said she would check on some spots.

 

The day of we connect to confirm our meeting place. Dixie Rock....hmmmm what happened to a closer place in the Washington Fields? I didn't say anything. I just went with it. Now I wish I would have said no I don't want to go up on the mountain where it will be cold. It wasn't really too cold, but it just means once she got my money, she quit making effort to follow through on my request for a new location.

 

Don't get me wrong. I am actually pleased with how our photos turned out...

EXCEPT they are washed out and many were out of focus.

 

After she would get us posed, she would click the camera and you could hear the camera clicking away automatically. We figure she must have gotten over 100 pictures of us.

She sent 30. Were we that terrible of subjects? I suppose with the number of people, it is hard to get everyone looking good at the same time. But the singles of Scott and Jess and Fred and I. Well, there were more than the single pose you see here. Part of me is kind of mad, but mostly I'm disappointed because this is it. I won't have my family back together for I don't know how long.

 Complain, complain, complain.

Kind of goes with the bumpy road we had over the holiday anyway.

Nothing is perfect. 

But doesn't everyone look so happy!

 Yes I think in this moment of time, we all were.

Our Family's Christmas 2014

This year we were able to have all of our children and their families come home during the Christmas Holiday season in waves. There would be about a 36 hour overlap where everyone would be home. The main events were to include opening presents, going to Sacrament meeting together, Sunday dinner and having family pictures taken up at Dixie Rock. Supporting activities generally are eating, watching movies after the grand kids are in bed, taking the kids to the neighborhood park to play with remote control cars, video games, transformers, legos, and generally hanging out at home. Our main day to spend together was Sunday so that certainly narrowed down our options for entertainment.

Shannon and Brian arrived first on Christmas Eve. Shannon and Mima were on the tailend recovery from rotovirus. Never heard of it, but googling it was not exactly reassuring. Fred and I were pretty much freaking out how we were going to keep everyone from being exposed during our time together? After they arrived, Shannon put our mind at ease about the whole thing. We took some precautions and felt that all would be well.

Shannon and Brian had left their home in Las Vegas all packed up in moving boxes so they could return on Monday to pack up the moving van. We had baby duty while they left the babies here until they returned on Tuesday night. This was their big move to Colorado to start a new chapter in their lives. Getting out of Vegas for better employment growth for Brian and better environment for their children. Otherwise, NOT HAPPY!

Next Scott and Jess arrived Saturday afternoon, Jess was not feeling well so instead of the two young couples going to the temple as they had wanted, we sent Shannon and Brian out on a date and made dinner at home for the rest of us.

Corinne's family arrived about 9 PM. House was full now! Let the event begin!!!! Unfortunately Jess was feeling worse by now and they decided it was time to go to the ER. Fred and Scott gave her a blessing and then they left. The bad news was she had a kidney infection, but the good news was she was able to come home with meds and rest here at home. This certainly was not what they had in mind for spending their Daly half of their Christmas Holiday.

On Sunday while Jess rested, we were able to leave Henry home with Scott and Jess for his nap while the rest of us went to Sacrament meeting. That was handy, but certainly we would have preferred everyone being there together. After church, we all ate some lunch and got ready to go for our photo shoot at Dixie Rock. Luckily by now, Jess was feeling good enough so she could join us for the rest of the day. There would have been no point to having family pictures taken without her in them.

Sunday was the best day for me. It was the only day that we all spent together. The weather for our photo shoot outside was a little nippy, but the sun was shining and beautiful. Opening presents is always a fun time. Our one and only family meal together turned out good with help from Corinne and Ben. The rest is kind of a blur......after the kids and babies were in bed we watched a movie.

I find that all of us take less pictures when we are together. I'm not sure why that is. I feel bad about that. The family pictures that the photographer took will be the best record of our time together.

So please enjoy the pictures that we did take.

 

I love that Brian loves to cook. I was happy to turn over turkey prep and gravy making.

Mima and Buddy sharing her new magnetic Hello Kitty toy.

 Buddy received a Craftsman tool set. Grandpa just happened to have a 2x4 with holes that fit just right.

 Baby high chair and booster seat row. 

Mima and Henry sharing his new toy.

Fred bought me jewelry from a store here in town that I told him he could go in with his eyes closed and pick anything and I would like it. In each of the five wrapped boxes along with the jewelry was a baggie containing York patties and dark chocolate kisses. 

 Mima's first "Barbie". She has no dolls and look how she instinctively knows she wants this.

 A great picture of the action.

I've been working on a book library for Mima. Looks like Brian is into it too!

 See the grass. See Buddy play. See Grandpa play.

See the fun toys that Grandpa keeps on hand.

 

The usual set up in our bedroom for the big boys to play the Wii and with the toys that Buddy is not quite big enough yet to play with.

Grandpa Fred introducing Buddy & Mima to Connect Four.

Here is Buddy buckled up in the Big Moving Van with his Daddy ready for the journey to Colorado. They arrived safely with absolutely no snow along the way on the roads or snowfall until they pulled in the valley according to Shannon, I don't know anything about Colorado, but I will soon.

So this Family Christmas did not go as smoothly as we expected and had hoped for. We are just glad that everyone made it here safely and returned home safely. 

A quick post

This is the only way I'm going to survive Shannon's family moving to Denver.

PICTURES!

 

I will be posting some pics from Christmas very soon.