Oh the places I've been!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

I feel like I've been gone more this year than I've been home. And now that I am an experienced blogger (Alison is sitting right here) I can blog it all!
In January Jerry and I went to Scottsdale Arizona for a conference. Thank you CBIZ. I got to go to the Mesa Temple and to Tuscon to see my niece Kristin and her cute family. In February we flew to Idaho Falls and then to Rexburg to the BYU Idaho Career Fair, and for recruiting interviews, again thank you CBIZ. I went to the new Rexburg Temple while Jerry was busy with the accounting students. We flew from there (5 degrees) to Hawaii (82 degrees) for the BYU Hawaii Career Fair and more interviews. I've decided I like the weather in Hawaii more than I do winter in Idaho...shocking I know. In March I went to Utah for my Spring Vacation. I played with Sara when she got home from school and visited my parents and brothers and sister. This month Jerry and I and another couple rode our motorcycles to Death Valley! Yes I'm a biker chick! But I'm on the back of a Honda Gold Wing - kind of like sitting in a recliner. Jerry and his buddies have gone there several times and he felt like I should see it! It was beautiful in a desert sort of way. I was surprised at how much color there was on the hills and mountains. Clear blue skies and amazing stars.The temperature was in the low 90's but they said by May 15 it would be 115. We stayed at a fun resort. (Open year 'round!) Lots of things to do for families. There's even a golf course at 215 feet below sea level. If you haven't been to Scotty's Castle you should look it up on the internet. It was a fun ride.

This month we went back to Hawaii - Jerry spoke to the Accounting students and taught in two classes. I went to the Laie Temple during that trip...I try and remember how lucky I am to go to this beautiful place so often.
And this past week we went to Disneyland (thank you so much CBIZ!) This is the second year they have payed for the tax people to go after tax season. Cory was ready for time with his family and a day off of work. Alison, Jesus and Patrick came too. Ben and Janae came to our hotel for pizza on Friday night and then had breakfast with us Saturday morning. Jerry had to work like he has the past few years. He says he is jinxed!

This week we go to Provo for Sara's graduation! Yea! I am so excited for her to have achieved such a great goal. I am so thankful she got to go to BYU - It has been a long challenging time, but I think she has loved most of what she has done there. And the fact that she made it to the end- well, I am a proud mother. She will be officially done in December when she finishes her internship at the St. George Hospital.
Sorry for the travel log - and now the pictures:

Rexburg Idaho Temple
in the snow. 2/21/08

Me on BYU Hawaii Campus: 2/25/08
Jerry and I at the Career Fair:

Sara with the cousins in Highland. Stand up comedians are not this funny! 3/16/08

Me and Sara on St. Patricks Day. Her favorite holiday. 'It's all about the outfit. You don't need a boyfriend and if you're poor it doesn't matter - you don't need to buy presents.'

Grandma and Grandpa with Doug's "new car."

Caleb's 2nd birthday party. 3/22/08

Our Death Valley Trip with Fred and Donna Cummings. 3/4/08

Shaved Ice at Motsumoto's on the North Shore. 4/12/08

Our view of Hawaii.

Disneyland. 4/18/08 After the Dumbo Ride. Caleb loved it. Patrick did not.Watching the Disney Parade. Alison said I could use this picture. She is just pulling her shirt down.

Breakfast with everyone after a long day at Disneyland. Caleb and Patrick had more fun with this luggage cart than anything else we did...
This is the end of my blog. Except one last picture of my adorable boys. If you have read the whole thing and looked at all the pictures I will send you $5.

This is a test. This is just a test. To see if I can blog pictures... Yea! Hopefully I can do this after Alison goes home. This is Patrick (18 months), he knows grandpa's moto-choo-choo's are in this garage. Hopefully someone will come and open the door so he can get in.

Yes I have grandkids!

I really think this is too stressful. I still need Alison to help me post pictures. Until that happens go to her blog and you can find out what we have been doing. Or Stephanie's. Will this be like writing in a journal?!!! I'm not too good at that either.
I went to Utah for my Spring break to check on my mom and dad, see Sara and the rest of my family. I have a great family. I do have pictures of that and if you can be patient I'll blog them soon.
Then this weekend Jerry and I went to Orange County to hear Ben perform in a new orchestra called the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization. He is principal Horn and they were unbelievable. Most of the songs were LDS hymns arranged by the young man who has put this group together - orchestra, adult choir, youth choir and primary chorus. They perform in the Orange County Performing Arts Center - new and gorgeous. This is their second performance. The first was a Christmas Concert in December. Next they will be doing a patriotic show in June. Anyway it was fun to hear Ben, who does this for fun in addition to school, work - helping to manage a golf course in Mission Veijo, and be EQP in his ward. He and Janae came and had breakfast with us at the hotel before we left Saturday.
We came back to Caleb's second birthday party and Easter at our house. I also had today off from school so the girls and I went to IHOP for breakfast. Stephanie said 'didn't we decide last time that when we did this again we would leave the boys at home...' We didn't and it was a circus. Thank goodness Stephanie brought the playdough!
I promise when I start posting pictures I won't write so much - just captions.

My first blog!!!!!!

Hang on to your hats folks - I have entered the 21st century. I am officially a blogger - thanks to Alison and Stephanie. Now instead of cleaning my bathroom, folding laundry and doing dishes I can blog!!!!! I'm so excited, except for the pressure I feel to be cute and creative like all of you other bloggers. But maybe I won't - I'm not going to worry about it. One less thing.