More Cars in Phoenix

I always look forward to Conference Weekend. We watched Conference with the door open allowing the warm Phoenix air in, permeated with the smell of citrus blossoms! Gram has two grapefruit trees and we all ate as many grapefruits as we could. 

It was the most summery feeling!

Because Russell M. Nelson was being sustained as a prophet, the beginning of conference was a solemn assembly, where each organization was asked to stand and raise their hand to sustain the prophet. The ceremony of it kind of embarrassed the boys, but I was moved to tears as the spirit testified to me of truth. Also of gratitude for the men who sacrifice so much to dedicate their lives in service to God and the Church.

While I was relishing conference, the boys were more begrudging at having to sit through "church" on a Saturday. Fortunately Marty showed up with his drone. I told the boys with a wink they better go "keep Marty company." They were thrilled that Uncle Marty saved the day and loved flying his drone. They got pretty good at it too.

After conference our family along with Marty and Gram met JD and Curtis at K1 sports track to race small electric cars. (Is there a proper term? I don't know.)

I was a teeny bit hesitant, worried I'd get sick or jostle my neck too much. But since they were electric cars, there wasn't any gasoline smell like the other racetrack. And since Gram was willing to give it a try, I was too!

We all had fun, and then went to a restaurant called Barrio Cafe for amazing Mexican food. 

Marty & Erin find a lot of great restaurants from "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives!"

We got home in time for a short nap and then to get ready for the evening. The boys were meeting Duncan and Adam and the Alldredge clan for Priesthood Session and pizza and ice cream after. 

After that, Dan, Chris and Nick went to a movie (Isle of Dogs--they loved it).

So the girls met up for a picnic at a park near Kristin's home. It was so nice to be able to eat outside. Kristin made a delicious salad and even thought to bring a tablecloth and candle!

We talked until dark and the candle had burned down entirely.

I never have enough time to talk with Kristin!

Phoenix Fun

We were so happy to get to be with Gram in her new home. She's such a fabulous hostess. I asked her if her own mother was, but she said No. She said she learned how to be a great hostess from some of her friends who did special things whenever she visited and she wanted to do the same.

After lunch, we went to the "Martin Auto Museum." I found it on Trip Advisor and figured it would be a fun activity. Everyone in this family enjoys cars. We never expected it to have such a large and beautiful collection as it did! It was really a fun stop!

At least 50 or 60 cars from every decade. All immaculately shined and restored. It was Mr. Martin's personal collection. Several were worth over several million each!

See this little paper with facts about this 1978 Corvette Sting Ray

Indianapolis 500 Pacer Car? Yeah, Dan knew that.

While I was reading it, Dan was telling me all the facts about it from afar. 

Without even reading the paper. That's why I knew everyone would like this museum.

After, Dan and the boys went to Marty's office and raced the slot cars. 

I went home with Gram to help prepare dinner. Marty and Erin were coming over that night.

And then we rounded out the night going to see "Ready Player One" at the movies.

I had started the book but simply could not continue. The 80's references that I thought I'd enjoy were too contrived and it drove me crazy. However, I thought the movie was really fun.

Spring Break! Dodgers Opening Day

I've been so looking forward to a break! (Remember last month when I was so happy to be home for a while?!) A month later and now I'm ready to be warm! Plus we were going on a quick trip--not a long haul and staying with family which feels more like home-away-from-home.

We planned to go to Phoenix for Spring Break because Marty and EC had just moved there (in November) and we wanted to spend time with them in their new home. It's pretty sad how fast things change. We thought we'd be spending the break with both of them and then suddenly Marty passed away. I'm not sure what else to say about that. It's just sad.

But how glad we were we did have a trip planned to Phoenix so we could be with EC in her new home!

We also originally thought we'd go to Spring Training Baseball while there. But when it came time to book some games, we realized spring training would have just ended! So instead...

Day 1 -- Dodgers Opening Day in LA!

We flew to LA Thursday morning and drove straight to where we always go: Korean BBQ in Koreatown. I would tell you the name of the place but it's about 26 letters long and we have no idea what it is. We just know how to get there.

We sent this photo to Marty and he said we have the exact same photo of he and Chris!

I love him.

Then we went to the shoe store (like we always do) and bought tennis shoes for Chris and Nick.

And then onto the game! A beautiful afternoon game. Hot -- almost really hot. Dodgers played the Giants but sadly couldn't get the W. Not a ton of action at 0-1. But we loved it anyway! (Did you know several of the players are Courtney's age?! What?! They are so young!)

Kershaw pitched, so that was Awesome.

Because it says "Dodgertown"

Wearing their rally caps. 

We stayed at a hotel near the airport so we were close for our flight to Phoenix the next day.

The Ointment is Magic I Tell You!

I was afraid of getting up on Friday morning because it hurts to put weight on my foot. And I told the kids and Dan I was sleeping in so Dad was in charge of breakfast and lunches (and taking Kershaw out). But when I got up at 8:30, my ankle didn't feel so bad! I could walk! It was still sore and had limited range of movement, but didn't hurt to bear weight like yesterday. Such a relief! I even did some weight lifting (while sitting).

Everyone needs WinterCrest. You use it instead of ice. I didn't have ANY bruising or swelling. Didn't need any ibuprofen. So if you didn't know me, you would think I was faking because there are no signs of a sprain. And it's healed really fast. I credit the ointment.

Way in the distance, Chris and friends enjoying some sun playing Spike Ball.

Nick had a campout this weekend. Dan and I saw Black Panther and ate at a new Indian restaurant. (Good food, good movie plot, but so violent! ugh!) Chris had a house full of friends as always.

Nick facing off. He did awesome!

Saturday Nick got back from his campout just in time for his first lacrosse game! It was so fun to be out watching sports on a Saturday afternoon. He got to do the faceoff most of the game and he did great. He's very aggressive on the field--not afraid to go after the ball or anyone carrying the ball. It's fun to see his competitive side.

We came home and did errands around the house and then Dan took Nick to baseball tryouts in the pouring rain.

At night Dan and I watched Get Out, which I've been dying to see but he hasn't. With the encouragement of Courtney and Chris that it was mostly suspenseful like Shutter Island, he gave in. It was very suspenseful and very thought-provoking. And VERY creepy. I couldn't get it out of my mind all night. Glad I didn't watch it alone!

Kershaw's pot full of toys.

And Then I Sprained My Ankle Tripping Over the Dang Dog

Remember yesterday how it was sunny and happy and I was in an awesome exercise and healthy eating routine? 

Well today I went out on my jog early to beat the rain. But my headphones weren't working right and telling me when to walk or run. And my app kept playing the Christmas playlist instead of the regular one. Then just past the gates at the end of Walker Lane, BAM, I fell flat on the ground.

Kershaw had ran right in front of me and I went down. Both hands caught me push-up style, my nose inches from the ground. Didn't even stumble, just laid out flat. Dang Dog.

My ankle was hurting and my hands and knee were scraped. Fortunately, I was near the river where I could cross over and take the shortcut home. But the water was already running and my ankle wasn't stable so I had to trod across getting my feet soaked. Kershaw used his obedient dog senses to follow me home, because I sure wasn't calling him to follow. 

I hobbled home on the verge of tears and madder than heck and stuck him straight in his crate. Then I limped down to the gym to tell my sad story to Dan. Really, I was most mad that having a sprained ankle meant I couldn't exercise for a couple of weeks. I was so disappointed I wanted got cry. Reminded me of way back in 4th grade when I broke my ankle, and the doctor said I'd be missing several days of school. I started crying -- not because it hurt -- but because it meant I wouldn't get the 100% attendance record I was shooting for.

Nick had been using the magic ointment, "WinterCrest" for his stuffy nose, so I knew right where to find it. I slathered it all over my foot and then I kept off my foot for the rest of the morning. 

I had lunch plans with Jenny and Carol and when I tried to get ready, my foot couldn't bear any weight at all. I considered canceling, but who better to spend time with when you need love and sympathy than your longest best friends ever?

When I put my rainboot on, I could walk, albeit slowly and with a limp. But enough to get to lunch.

And it was a good decision because being with them was just the comfort I needed. 

I was able to stay off my foot for most of the rest of the day (except when the landscape architect came by). I kept my boot on for the rest of the day because it made a big difference having the support. And Kershaw stayed in his crate because I'm mad at him.

Have I Done Any Good...

1st river. If you look closely,
the branches are encapsulated in ice.

I got farther than I expected on my Monday hike. On the way to the first river, it was harder than last week. I had to stop for breathers more often. My muscles felt more sluggish, and I figured it was from my full week of intense exercise and my body getting used to it again. But when I got to the river, I made it within the same amount of time as last week. Soooo... I'm thinking my pace was actually a little bit quicker, but that's why I felt more tired -- I was going faster than usual.

And when I got to the first river, I had energy to keep going. I'd brought my crampons just in case and was excited to see how well they helped. Also, with my new watch, I was curious about how far it was to the 2nd river and grove. (My own made-up names for milestones on the hike!)

2 miles to the 1st river. (When I'm in good shape, I make it in 45 min. Right now I'm at 60 min.) 

Right as you cross the 1st river, the trail gets snowy. A couple of older men were putting their crampons on too. I let them go first, but caught up pretty quick and passed them because Kershaw was annoyingly running in front of them and then in back of them back to me. 

Headed home.

I could tell where the shale slide started, and it's .5 miles past the river. Took me 30 min. to get there with all the snow and ice. The front part of my crampons didn't stay on so well, but the back part still gave me good grip. Another .25 to the 2nd stream and grove. 47 min. from the 1st stream.

Took 70 min. to get down. But I was slipping all around on the snow on the way down--holding onto the bush branches saved me a couple of times and didn't save me a couple more times -- went down flat on my bum twice. But I didn't get hurt. And it was pretty fun. It's helpful to know how far that grove is for my future hiking.

I did initiatories at the temple with a friend on Tuesday and had to wait over an hour for our turn! Kind of crazy. But peaceful.

This morning I woke up and helped get Nick off to school.  (Chris had left much earlier to finish an assignment). I love being with my kids in the morning before they head out the door. I love the harmony of being together while I make their lunches and Dan makes breakfast and the kids eat at the bar and the time we have all together before they leave. It's really important to me and such a nice way to start the morning. (Dan was out of town today. When he's out of town, they get cereal and yogurt.)

I read my scriptures and then... I went back to bed until 10:00 a.m. IT. WAS. AWESOME.

I delivered tulips to my friends I visit teach and a few others who needed something happy. Tulips make me happy and I assume they make everyone happy!

And then I took a long bike ride (15 miles but mostly flat). I'm figuring out the route from our new house and what traffic areas I want to avoid. Feels so good to get out and exercise doing the things I love on a regular basis. 

LOVE!

Injured Hawk in the Yard!

Nick was outside practicing lacrosse with the bounce-back net (glad to have the neighbor's yard with grass but no neighbors living there). I looked outside to watch him and saw him slowly...slowly moving through the forest. It looked like he had his camera. I looked around for deer but couldn't see any from my window.

For the next 5 minutes he kept moving slowly. I didn't want to go out and disturb whatever he was watching. Marge and I watched from the kitchen and family room windows. I ran upstairs to see if I could see what he saw, but I couldn't.

Then, I saw a large bird flap on a branch close to the ground. Nick had found a hawk! It was clearly injured because it wasn't flying away. It did spread its wings and flap up to a low branch and move about from branch to branch!

I went out to get a better look. Nick was only about 15 feet away. Nick had me run back in the house and get Dan's phone for a better camera. Dan came out and let him take photos and I ran back in to research hawk rescue.

I checked the Tracy Aviary and Hogle Zoo with no luck. Then I remembered Hawk Watch International. Their website said to contact the local US Fish and Game Wildlife Dept. So I found our local department and they had a number to call for hawk rescue. When I called the number a lady answered and immediately told me to send a photo and she'd call back.

She called back a minute later to tell us it was a juvenile red-tail hawk. Then she said we should "go ahead and catch it and she'd send someone to pick it up the next day." Dan said, "You want US to catch it?!" And she replied, "You're able to catch it as easy as I can."

That didn't feel quite right to us because I imagine she has long leather gloves and EXPERIENCE dealing with predatory birds!

Dan said it really didn't sit still long enough for us to get close to it. She said, "As it gets weaker, it will. But make sure to wear leather gloves and a sweatshirt."

Yeah. Because a cotton sweatshirt will keep us safe from those talons and beak.

However, we agreed because Nick needs 3 hours of a conservation project for Scouts, and this seemed like a good way to get it.

But by the next afternoon it was gone. Dan and I searched around the yard but didn't see any sign of it. So hopefully it recovered from whatever was ailing it the night before and flew away.

And with all this wildlife lurking about our new yard, it's a good thing we didn't get a really small dog.

Birthday MORP

Special things about Christopher:

He is kind. He cares about other people and their feelings. 

He also has a tender heart and wants to do what's right.

He wants to make everyone feel good and important -- including his own family. He easily gives compliments and keeps complaints to himself.

Sometimes we say he's a "sweet talker" because he knows how to make people feel good and let's them know.  But he's pretty genuine too. It's a talent he has!

He works hard. He doesn't shy away from a hard job or heavy lifting. He's happy to lend a hand when needed. When we think about Chris and his future, Dan and I often say, "He knows how to work hard. He's going to be just fine." 

Not only can he work hard, he's willing to work hard too.

He makes us laugh. He always has. He is funny and fun. He loves being on the go and doing. He loves taking a nap each day, but when not napping, he's busy doing.

He and his friends think of fun things to do. They are silly together and sometimes crazy.

I am so glad he has such a great group of friends. 

They are good kids and good examples for each other. I love when they come over because they're having fun and being creative and are also fun to talk to and polite!

He works hard to accomplish his goals. When he was little he had a goal to be able to do a back flip on the ground. He asked me to sign him up for tumbling classes so he could learn the technique. 

They didn't move quite as fast as he wanted though, and pretty soon he taught himself at home.

He's VERY strong. He's always been skinny but he's always been strong. I call it "scrappy."

From a young age he started doing pull-ups. Then push-ups. Then clapping push-ups and then one-handed push-ups. And at the same time doing more and more pull-ups. 

He's so strong! He wanted a six-pack and he's got it!

He's always loved to rock-climb and is really good at it.

Chris and his cute date, Alyssa. Going as greasers from the '50's for MORP.

Dinner at Chuck-a-Rama (the point is somewhere cheap!), Dance, then Karaoke.

See what I mean? Always doing fun things! 

Art Stroll and Jazz Weekend

The third Friday of each month the Salt Lake Art Galleries are open late for evening art strolls. 

We visited A Gallery, 15th and 15th and David Ericsson. 

Had dinner on 15th at Mazza. So fun. So much to love.

We are dying to find a place for this guy. It's so amazing!

Saturday night we went to the Jazz/Sacramento game with the Goldsberrys. 

We haven't been out with them in ages.

Dan went racing on Friday in his new Mustang. (I should have him send me a photo.)

He cancelled Saturday because it was rainy so we had an errand day together.

Look what Kershaw did to his bed. While we were sitting at the table right next to him!

(I gave him a chunk of frozen hamburger last week--not in the Kong, just straight up. I wonder if it left a smell so strong on his bed it was impossible not to scratch at. 

Maybe he thought it was buried inside. Oops!)

Tore a hole in the bed then started to unstuff!

Bonsai Birthday Tradition Rediscovered

We used to go to Bonsai for everyone's birthdays or any special occasion. It was right in the neighborhood and a family favorite. It's a traditional Japanese-style Teppanyaki (grilling your meal in front of you). Then they closed their location near us. 

But Chris remembered Bonsai and chose it for his birthday dinner. We celebrated Thursday night because he wanted to have a party with his friends Friday night and MORP was on his birthday -- Saturday night. So he's basically had a 3-day birthday celebration!

One of our favorite parts is getting pictures taken to hang on the wall. 

They bang a gong and sing Happy Birthday and get the other people on your table to join in.

It's embarrassing and fun all at the same time.

Note to Marty: We paid attention and ooh'd and aah'd at the chef as he did his tricks with the eggs, flaming onion and shrimp.

Remember when you said we were going so often we were ignoring the chef?

:-)

Taylor's Visit

Taylor and Hadyn came to Utah for a visit and made time to go to brunch with me. How I love Taylor! She was such a special friend to Courtney in Jr. High. They were so similar -- smart, motivated, hard-working, obedient and selfless. Whenever they were at our house, Taylor never hesitated to clean up and often left it cleaner than she found it. She was very active in her Lutheran church and an example of Christ-like love. One of those good examples a parent is always hoping their kids will be influenced by. Courtney was a true friend in return and cared about Taylor through ups and downs.

When Taylor moved to Dallas after 9th grade, it was heartbreaking for all of us! But her dad still lives in Utah and she has lots of family here, so she visits about once a year.

She's still positive, hard-working, motivated, kind and loving. Her boyfriend Haydn seems just as wonderful.

I love that she makes time to say Hi. Now we just need to get Courtney home at the same time so they can actually see each other!

The Temple Feeds My Spirit

I was feeling a little blue at the end of February. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. 

When I start feeling down, I have a little checklist I run through to see if I can pinpoint why I'm feeling how I am (hormones? stress? more sleep? alone time?)

 but none of those things seemed to be the problem.

When I said my morning prayers I prayed for peace. 

I prayed to have the clouds part (because that's what it felt like... 

covered in clouds and not seeing the sun). That day I didn't feel worse. But I didn't feel better. 

The next morning I prayed with gratitude that I didn't feel worse. And gave thanks for a Heavenly Father who loves me, knows me and answers my prayers. I asked again that I could "see" clearly and feel better. That the clouds would part and I would feel like myself. 

I prayed for guidance to know what to do that would help.

That day I realized I hadn't been to the temple since December. 

I'm not sure what happened and how time got away from me, but it did. 

Once I realized I hadn't been in a couple of months, I started feeling better already. 

It was definitely the answer I was looking for.

I have recognized in life that my spirit needs the nourishment it gets at the temple. 

That somehow the communion there between me and God goes beyond what my intellect comprehends. My spirit is fed and nourished just by being in the House of the Lord. 

And that spiritual nourishment has a very real physical impact on me.

I know the work we do in the temple has eternal blessings not only for us and our deceased ancestors, but also eternal blessings for our posterity. I don't understand how it works, but my spirit does. 

My spirit sings when I do an endowment session at the temple and move from the Endowment Room into the Celestial Room.

So this morning I attended the Salt Lake Temple and was overcome once again with gratitude that I have a temple so close and can attend really any time I want. 

****

I came across this photo on the art gallery we use Instagram feed. It's a self-portrait Marty made in 1st grade and we had framed along with the rest of the kid art.

Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?!

Monday Hike and Nick Grills

I have got to get back on track exercising and eating clean. I've been derailed for over a year now with little spurts and starts but never anything significant. Of course I always exercise, but after my hip hurt and Kershaw refused to run, I started walking most of the time instead of running and that doesn't get my heart pumping too hard. I always do weights with Michelle once a week, but have fallen behind on getting a second weight workout in.

Today I hiked to the first river on Mt. Olympus. In the Spring, it's actually running which is good for Kershaw so he can get a drink. I made it in one hour with a little bit of snow on a short part of the trail. Usually I make it in 45 minutes. But I'm documenting in a calendar because I'm looking forward to the good feeling of having something be hard, and seeing that it took longer, but getting easier as you go more often and watching your time improve. (Saturday I rode my bike for the first time this season. It was a fight up the hill at 3000 East so I'm looking forward to seeing improvement there as well.)

Kershaw is so much like a toddler. Half the hike home he was going crazy running back and forth at full speed on the trail. The second half he carried a large stick but was walking right behind me beating my legs with the stick the whole time. I kept trying to get him to go in front of me, but he kept coming back to his spot where the stick hit me in the legs. Crazy dog.

See that big stick?!

Nick and Chris are going to trade off making dinner one night a week to earn $20. We did this with Marty and he made some great meals. When I talked to Chris about it, Nick overheard me and said he wanted to do it too. Nick's first meal was tonight. Sunday night he went through the cookbook and found a meal he wanted to make -- grilled shrimp and steak shish kabobs. He made me a grocery list so I could buy them on Monday.

He followed the recipe to make a marinade for the steak right when we got home from saxophone lessons. Then he hung out with friends. It was a warm day, perfect for grilling and being outside. Felt like signs of spring/summer. And with daylight savings begun, there was still plenty of light when he started cooking at 6:15.

I taught him how to cut up the veggies (zucchini, peppers and onion) while the grill was heating up. Fortunately Dad got home in time to help him learn how to grill (setting the correct temperature and setting and setting an alarm to know when to turn the shishkabobs over). Nick's already helped Dan grill steaks and salmon, so he knew how to turn it on and clean it before he began.

He put together the shishkabobs on his own and made a Caesar's salad. We warmed up some rice and enjoyed a delicious feast! He did a great job and it was a treat to have someone else make a home-cooked meal!

I love the Better Homes and Garden cookbook. It has every recipe you could want and they're easy-to-follow and turn out delicious. Now of course I have other cookbooks that have been recommended, but often it seems some of my favorite recipes from other places are found in the Better Homes and Garden one. In fact, I make a creamy potato cauliflower soup that I've been making for years from a xerox copied sheet my friend gave me from a different cookbook. Just a few weeks ago, Courtney found the recipe in the Better Homes and Garden cookbook with fresh vegetables (which is what I use, but the recipe I follow uses frozen, so I just improvise). It's actually closer to the actual recipe I make.

I also search on Pinterest or Allrecipes often because I can search for "clean" or "Paleo" or search for specific ingredients. So I use those sources more often now. But for just starting out, I think Better Homes & Garden cookbook is the best resource.

However, after a youth speaker talk in church, it made me wonder if cookbooks will still be in use when Nick is on his own. You know how often people start their talks with "I was asked to speak on Charity. In the dictionary, Charity is defined as..." Well, yesterday, the youth speaker said, "I was asked to speak on Charity. So I asked Alexa what Charity meant." !!! It was hilarious! And I'm sure she didn't even know she was being funny. Alexa will be the new encyclopedia/dictionary/cookbook/weather channel of the future!

Weekend

 I've been really looking forward to this weekend and seeing a Hales Center Theater production, "Cash on Delivery!" For Christmas, we gave Marge 4 shows at Hale Theater that Marge, Dan and I could all go to together. We haven't been to a Hale show except to see "A Christmas Carol" in quite a while. Mainly because they're shows are so well done, when you don't plan ahead, they sell out--and we haven't planned ahead. So Marge's gift was actually a gift for all of us to enjoy! 

We ate dinner at Trio and then went to the show at the new theater which is huge and actually holds 2 theaters. So they've got quite a few shows to choose from.

I'd never heard of the play before, but "Cash on Delivery" was laugh-out-loud funny. The actors had to be quick on their feet to keep up with all that was going on. It was fast-paced and fun and the acting was fantastic. (As always.)

While we were at the show, Nick had a couple of friends over and in charge of finding all of them dinner. I had some Costco favorites in the freezer that I suggested they could eat, but when we came home, Nick's waffle maker was on the counter. Not only had he whipped up waffles for dinner, he'd cleaned up as well! Very impressive!

I love that he thinks nothing of making meals from scratch. And he doesn't just throw the ingredients in the bowl, he actually separates the egg whites and beats them separately as stated on the recipe! He's a natural in the kitchen -- my little chef.  He said on Monday at school, quite a few people said to him, "Nick, I hear you make a mean waffle!"  

(He actually had to share a talent in English last week. As we considered different talents (Saxophone, Clarinet, Rubik's Cube, Lacrosse) none of those jumped out as something he wanted to share. Then he suddenly said, "Can I make waffles? I can make them tonight and take photos of the process for the report." So that's what he did. He also wanted to take the photos with Dad's iPhone X because they're such good quality. They turned out awesome.

After we got home, we ended up taking Nick to his friend's house for a sleepover. He's been making a bunch of new friends in Jr. High. So fun. On Saturday the group went up skiing at Snowbird. One of the dad's drove them up there, but they took the bus home. I was super excited for him to learn how to ride the bus home from skiing. It's easier to take it home your first time because you're not so worried about losing time on the way up or figuring out where you need to get off, etc.

On Saturday, Dan happily agreed to go with me to IKEA to buy more bookshelves for my office. This is a huge sacrifice for him because he HATES IKEA. It's not the quality of the furniture or the style or even having to put it together. It's the store itself with the maze you have to enter where you can't walk straight to your section but instead wander back and forth throughout the entire 2nd level past every display for every room in the house. He feels trapped. 

But today we just went directly to the pick-up location since I already knew what I wanted. We took the new truck (yes, the company now owns a truck that is stored at our house or Chad's). And surprisingly, the same boxes that fit in my car, would not fit in the truck bed. It's about 2 - 3 inches shorter than the Lexus back. The Lexus has always fit every piece of Downeast furniture I've ever purchased and wanted to take home with my right then. It's amazing really.

But of course they fit diagonally so it worked out just fine. We also made a stop at Costco. Which is a nightmare on a Saturday. But it was so nice to do these nightmarish errands with Dan. Made them a lot more fun.

One of the reasons for stopping at Costco was to pick up ribs that Dan was going to make for Sunday dinner and pizzas for Saturday night. Morgan and 10 of her friends from BYU were coming up to sleep over! As Freshmen in the dorms, it's nice to get a place bigger than the lobby of the building to hang out, and not have to shut down the party at midnight, like you have to in the dorms. It was a fun group of kids and I always like sitting down to dinner getting to know everyone. 

They chatted with us at dinner then did their own thing -- played games in the game room, went out for dessert, and watched a movie at night. The good ol' days!

Dan and I built IKEA furniture.

Sunday morning we got up to make the kids pancakes. Most had to go home back to church responsibilities. But Morgan and a couple of friends came with us to church and stayed for dinner. Dan's ribs always turn out delicious! After dinner I worked with Marge on her computer because it wasn't looking or acting like it was supposed to. We tried a few different things and checked many different settings and tried again and again to figure things out. Then finally, we figured out that certain settings had been turned off. When we turned them back on, it auto-filled like she was used to! Yay! It was a victory for both of us!

Reading and Reading and Reading

The best part of going to Bahamas was time to read. I haven't had too many books on my shelf lately. While I was doing my writing class, I didn't have time to read for fun because I was spending all my free time writing. I've missed having a book to look forward to.

Because Book Club is next week, I got online to buy the next months' books, and then found some others I was interested in. Took "The Rent Collector" and "Little Fires Everywhere" with me on the plane.

Susan from Dan's office lent me a book we had talked about in Hawaii. "The Wife Between Us." Read that before we left.

In the airport I saw a book a friend was telling me about, "Educated," so I bought that too. I read "The Rent Collector" on Friday on the plane out to Bahamas and finished it that day. I read "Educated" while we were in the Bahamas each evening after everyone went to bed and finished it the day we left. Then read "Little Fires Everywhere" Tuesday on the plane home and finished it that night when we got back.

I don't think I read especially fast, but I don't read slow. Courtney asked if I read every word or skim. Every word, of course. Otherwise it would be cheating and I couldn't really say I'd "read it," could I? And I don't like to skim because I enjoy them to much. The point isn't to read a lot. The point is to fall into the author's world and enjoy it for a while. I'd prefer to read over watch a movie on a plane. To me, the minute the plane takes off, I'm on vacation because I can read for as long as I want with no interruptions.

I keep up with what books I've read on Goodreads. I love keeping track, reading reviews and checking ratings of new books I'm interested in. I find Goodreads rating system is pretty reliable for most books I like. I generally only read over 4 stars and am always satisfied. If it's an author I love or comes recommended by someone I trust, I'll read something over 3 stars. There are a few authors who are rated highly that I don't like. But I know who they are so I steer clear.

I'm a horrible reviewer. I try to write a review mainly to remind myself what I liked or didn't like about a book. But even though it's just me and my computer... And even though I like to write... When it comes to summarizing or describing what I liked about a book, I get tongue-tied. I feel like I'm in show-and-tell with the EY kids at Crestwood Hills Co-op Preschool. I raise my hand and say, "I liked it." But can't get much more than that out with clarity!

Atlantis: Nassau, Bahamas

Dan had to speak at a conference in the Bahamas, and we tagged along because Atlantis is so much fun! The only problem is we're on the water the whole time so our phones (and therefore cameras) are locked away in a locker and we have no pictures of the entire trip.

We went three years ago and we couldn't remember much about that trip because our phones were put away the whole time then too. But it was a fun surprise to go on the different slides and say, "Ohhhh... Now I remember!"

Courtney joined us for the weekend which was awesome! Only a 2 1/2 hour direct flight from NYC. She had an afternoon to lay out and enjoy the sun before we got there.

Christopher wanted to stay home and watch Olympus basketball play in the playoffs. Good thing he did because Olympus took State! That night he took the red-eye from SLC to Atlanta and then on to Bahamas. We sent him with a notarized letter that he could travel alone (recommended for kids under 18, but no one asked for it). I think it's generally insurance if there are questions about children being taken from their parents (kidnapping). We was only a little bit nervous about him switching planes in the Atlanta airport -- finding the trains to switch terminals and having enough time. But I knew he could do it and thought the worst that would happen is he'd have to spend some time in the Atlanta airport. So that felt like a pretty safe bet. But he got around with no trouble at all. So proud of these milestones!

The best is that Monet was on his flight! She was probably on the SLC to ATL one as well but he didn't see her there. He went to the Bahamas flight and saw her but was confused to see her out of context so it took him a minute to process! "Monet?!" Ha, ha! She was going with friends on a Dive Trip around the Bahamas!

The same type of Manta Rays
we dove with in Hawaii!

Some of our favorite slides were Leap of Faith (steep free fall then slide through a shark tank!) and The Abyss (free fall through the black tunnel and ending up in the cave surrounded by fish tanks.) The only problem with those slides is you go without tubes and your butt gets bruised real quick!

There are two slide towers... Power Tower you access from the Current River: Two levels with a tube ride on each level. These tube rides are like being on a water roller coaster. So fun! Unfortunately the conveyor belt that can take you from the Current River up to the tubes was broken. Dang...it was such a cool feature we remembered from last time.

The other Mayan-style building has Leap of Faith, The Serpent (on a tube one through the shark tank) and Challenger--with two slides where you can race another person. And down lower, the Jungle Slide--a milder slide.

We went to the hot tub a lot because it was windy and just a bit too breezy to be really warm! Not sure if it was because of the wind, but even with several cruise ships in port, there were no lines! It wasn't crowded at all! It's a big place so there were lots of people, but we rarely had to wait long for a slide.

The resort closed at 5:00, but we were pretty done by 4:30. Each night we came back to our hotel, showered, rested and then went to dinner. After dinner we watched several episodes of Psych. Because that's what we do.


Have I mentioned that Rachel and Jeremy were there too? We met them and Eric & Cari's family for dinner our first night. Eric always has a good story to tell and todays was "an annoying flight and missing luggage." Nick's comment after was, "Eric was exactly as I pictured him!" (Eric has worked with Dan for years so he's heard his name a lot.

I had fun hanging out with Rachel the next two days. Although we were going different directions -- she had to go to the work dinners with Jeremy. Dan skipped them. Our last day there we rented a cabana next to Eric so any time we were relaxing, we were actually chatting with different people who have investors in Dan's company. Rachel knew them. I didn't. Fun people though, made better by the fact that I was with Rachel!

Funny moments:
A resort photographer was in the water snapping photos and got us all together on our tubes (why didn't I remember to view that photo?!) As we floated away, her eyes got big and I thought she was trying to tell me something.
Me: "What?"
Her: "something something something" (I can't hear).
Me: "What?"
Her: "WATCH YOUR HEAD!"
And right then my head smacked hard into the rocks. (It's still bruised in that spot!) But it was super funny at the time. It hurt. But it was worth it because it was so comical.

Chris showing off how strong he is.
Then, Nick: (in high mocking voice) "Gee, Mister, you're so strong!"
(Apparently from Hercules, the movie.)

****
The first night we ate at a casual restaurant (no reservations) at the Marina "Frankie Gone Bananas." It was perfect for a big group and kids.

We got ice cream at Ben & Jerry's after and looked at the yachts as we walked down the marina while Dan googled Yacht Pricing. (For Fun!)

The next night our family ate at Olive's. Upscale restaurant in the Casino. It was excellent. I had the sea bass which was "remember it later" good. Flatbread pizzas were also great. Needs reservations. Another friend said they didn't have a good experience there. But we loved it. I would definitely go back for that sea bass. Dan had grouper and loved it too.

Huge portions. We each shared a plate!

Our last night we went into town and ate at The Fish Fry -- a whole bunch of shack-restaurants all serving different food. Lots of fish and fried conch. We went to "Oh Andros" which was good food, but a little slow and cold inside because of the air conditioning. (Cash Only)

We were going to go on Sunday, but our driver said that was just for locals night. We read a recommendation that tourists shouldn't go there for safety reasons, but it was totally fine. Lots of taxis waiting for a ride. I suppose just avoid Sundays.



Some helpful tips (if there's a next time):
*We scheduled our airport pick-ups/drop-offs through "Sandra."
*Ordered our groceries online ahead of time and they were delivered to the room. (The car service will stop on the way in, but the store closes at 8:00 p.m, before we arrived, so we had the groceries delivered.)
*We ordered mostly breakfast items -- eggs, apples, bagels and cream cheese -- so we could eat breakfast in the room. Groceries are EXPENSIVE! ($13 for a box of cereal.)
*We packed treats and snacks in our luggage -- granola bars, Pringles, fruit gushers, licorice, Hi Chews and Nila wafers. We tried to pack peanut butter but it got confiscated at the airport! We were glad we had snacks for the evenings when we watched TV and after the pools but before dinner. So much cheaper to bring them rather than buy them there.
*Each day housekeeping provided 6 bottles of water. But we were glad we'd ordered a case from the store. About $28 for 35 so expensive, but we were glad to have it. We heard mixed reviews of whether to drink the water or not. (The hotel said it was ok, but everyone else said no. So we didn't.)
*We ate lunch at the resort -- plenty of places to eat and the food was pretty good. Wraps, Burgers, Salads, fries, fruit and veggies. The fruit and veggies were very fresh and excellent. On the other side of the resort is "Dive In" attached to the Royal hotel. They had the most selection and great food.
*Church was only 20 minutes away. The airport was about 25 min. No traffic on Sundays. We had a driver from Sandra take us.
*We stayed in the Reef which has kitchens in the units and fold-out couches. Plenty of space for all of us.
*The Cove is the adults-only hotel next door. The Royal is the large hotel in the middle with the Casino and aquarium. The other two hotels are old and run-down. Nor do they offer any convenience services such as a bellman or room service.
*It's a short walk over to the Royal or Marina for dinner. But we took the free shuttle too because we couldn't remember how to get around.