Christmas 2009

Christmas at the cabin 2009. We had a great time, there wasn't alot of snow but there was enough.

The Baby Boy Sings

Jordan's first date!!

Well, its happened my baby had his first date, that's right I guess I really shouldn't call him my baby but he always will be my baby, my jordie baby, it seems like it was only yesterday that he looked like this. . .



Now he's all growed up and going on dates (he sure is handsome) Anyway he went to the homecoming dance with Brielle Wilke, a girl he has been friends with and grown up. They came to our house for dinner and then went to the Lion King. T
hey didn't even go to the Dance cuz "they're so lame" (why do we say we are going to Homecoming if we don't even go to the dance?!?) I'll say it again he looks so handsome and she looks very pretty.



















The whole group Homecoming 2009, ready for a night on the town, "Seat Belts"

Pictures by Jordan at the cabin

This is the views at my back window at the cabin, it seriously begs the question, why do I even come home??

4th weekend

Visiting graves of ancestors, John Steele and Catherine Campbell Steele, who came across the plains with the Mormon Battalion.

graduation

Five down just one more to go, yeah11

It's summer time

Well I think its officially summer at least for me. Graduations and other end of the year activites are over as well as a few june birthday and it seems like I can finally start to enjoy summer (meaning being lazy and waking up late). Of course every year I make lots of goals and plans to get alot done and wake up early, exercise, lose weight and well most of that doesn't happen but you know the saying "if you shoot for the stars and you don't make it at least you're going in the right direction" (well it's something like that). Anyhoo, we don't have any big trip plans for the summer because of the huge trip in may but just lots of resting and relaxing and puzzle making and games at the cabin. Which is just fine by me. Oh and guy has lots of golfing plans but thats another story. Hope you all have a great summer.

Sites of Paris

Me enjoying the Louvre and the Mona Lisa and Guy enjoying the museum.


Eiffel Tower and love.

Paris

Well it was on the train to Paris and the sites there. I had never been to Paris and I am not as familiar with France history as I am with England but being there made me want to read up on it. It was a big beautiful city looking from the Eiffel Tower but on the ground we only saw a little bit. We took a bus tour so we could see the famous sites and it was informative and I'm glad we did it but seriously it was soooo hot. You would think that we would be use to hot but it was humid as well so I'm so glad I took my capris. The buildings and palaces were gorgeous and so elaborate but we only saw a small glimpse.

London

Well here we are in London town and getting all tired out trying to get everything in. You can just take a look at the pictures and figure out where we've been. Cheri-o.

Graveyard

A graveyard in a churchyard, there were so many I don't remember in what town this was.

Downham

Beautiful town of Downham

Ribble valley

Ribble valley

Walkerford

The house and church/school of Jeanette Richards family

Ribchester

House in Ribchester.

Beautiful English Country

Wow, this was a fun beautiful day and the weather was great except until the end when we got caught in a huge down pour, but thats England. Today, we visited alot of the little country towns the the missionaries visited and baptized many people. Our guide was fantastic and told us many stories, too numerous to mention here. Just a few Ribchester, where Heber C. Kimball had an amazing dream, Walkerfold, where Willard Richards wife, Jennetta was born, Stonyhurst College, where it is told that Tolkein wrote alot of the Lord of the Rings and got inspiration for the books, especially the Shire. Chatburn & Downham where the missionaries had much success and felt a great love and spirit for the people and the Prophet Joseph said to Heber, after Heber told him of this experiences there, "Did you not understand it? That is a place where some of the old prophets travelled and dedicated that land, and their blessings fell upon you." I think the pictures will say the rest.

Chorley

Then on to finally catch up with Angie and Anthony at the Preston Temple in Chorley, where we heard their fantastic concert at the stake center.

River Ribble

Then on to the River Ribble where the first members of the church were baptized. The plaque commemorating this is in the Japanese garden by the river.

Preston

Then we went on the Preston and first went to the square with the obelisk statue where the missions went to preach and its also the square where Pres. Hinkley preached and got discouraged.

Liverpool and Preston

Well today we got up and met with our guide to take us over to visit some church history sites here in England. His name was Peter Fagg and he was fantastic. I had been to some of these sites when I came in 2005 but he took us to some many more and showed us so many more things. If any of you ever come to England he is the man to get for tour guide. First of all we went to Liverpool and he took us and showed us some streets where it looks alot like when the missionaires first came here and the streets where some people lived like John Taylors brother in law and others. Then we went to the docks and he showed us where most of the saints sailed from and alot of other stuff. This picture is of some of the older buildings by the docks although this is not the spot where most of the saints left from but there is a statue that the church erected to commemorate all those that emigrated (not just LDS).

Trinity College Downtown Dublin

Look blue sky, so we took a picture while at Trinity College. This is the location of the "Book of Kells" which a illustrated version of the four gospels of the new testament. Read here for more info
http://en.wikipedia.org wiki/Book_of_Kells.

Anyway a busy day seeing the sites of Dublin, except the brewery known as Guinness.

Golfing fun but Cold

So, we went golfing, well guy did and I drove the cart and took pictures. It was such a beautiful golf course, I guess its where they had the ryder cup in 2006. Guy just wanted to be able to play such a cool course. It was lots of fun, it was cloudy and cold but it didn't rain at all. So I thought I would post some good shots and some funny ones.


A good one!!!!!!



A really funny one!!!!!!

dinner

Enjoying a nice dinner in the
restaurant, of course the best
part was dessert. A yummy
chocolate cake thing with
chocolate sauce in the middle.

Staying at the K Club Hotel

So this is the hotel we stayed at, we were defiantly
out of league, the Bentley crowd. Cathy kept on looking for a Mr. Darcey? A big, spacious place with service staff every where you went, always wanting to do something for you, kind of pesty, so we spent time walking the grounds in the rain to have some quite time.

Dublin, green and wet

So here we have arrived and you can see that the clouds are thick and rain is forecast for each day of our trip. Kind of a bumpy ride over and a scarey landing because it was very windy.

How to Begin

Well, I really enjoy reading other peoples blogs so I guess it was about time for me to start my own, but the question really is how do I begin. You know the song says "start at the very beginning" well I'm not going back that far. Maybe just a little background, I was born and raised in Henderson, Nevada, I have been married to a fantastic "guy" for 30 years, had 6 kids, the oldest 29 and the youngest is 16, 4 boys and 2 girls. So you probably are thinking there should be some grandkids, yeah thats what I am thinking too and I think my kids get tired of my hinting. Of course they have to be married and right now only 1 of them is married. Angela, child #3 got married last December to a absolutely terrific guy who fits right into our family, the only complaint I have about him is, he is taking her away to live in Texas soon. And that pretty much is my life, family and thats pretty much what this blog will be about.






Soooo, this past week-end we went up to provo, utah to attend the graduation of Angela, her hubby Anthony and Dan (child #2). It was really great, as a parent there are lots of times when our kids make us proud, well lets just say this was one of those times. Really proud doesn't describe exactly how I felt, lots of happiness, a little sadness (cuz they are so grown-up) excitement and a little fear for them and their futures. Overall, a good time was had by all.