ROAD TRIP

ROAD TRIP
　
On October 6, 2011, as soon as we got off work we started out on our road trip. The weather was nice and traffic was not too bad. We drove to Kingman, Arizona that day. We got up early and headed to Albuquerque. The weather was great until we got to Gallup and then we ran into some light rain which turned to heavy rain by the time we got to Albuquerque. We got there about three in the afternoon and Kathryn was there to let us in. When Terri got home we were going to go to Los Pintos but it was too crowded. The balloon fiesta was going on and I think everyone thought that was a great place to go. We then went to Café Benevidez and it was okay but not as good as Los Pintos. We planned to go to the balloon fiesta but it was still raining a little. They started the fiesta a little late and the way the wind was blowing a lot of the balloons went close to Terri’s. One actually went over her house. It is really fascinating to see them. Then we went shopping and Wayne took off to go to a few places he wanted to go.
We went to the grocery store and Terri and Kathryn cooked dinner. On Sunday we watched the balloon fiesta on TV. Then they decided we need a little atmosphere and we went to the Frontier for breakfast. That was an experience and I was not too sure about it. I have to admit the food was pretty good. We had breakfast burritos.
On Monday we headed to Kae’s. The drive was so beautiful as they had rain and snow and the mountains were covered with snow on the peaks. We drove up through Alamosa and then on to Leadville. There we got on I70 and headed to Carbondale. Kae and Andy were waiting for us. They live right along the Roaring Fork River and it is so nice. We had a great visit with them and then on Tuesday we met Andy’s brother Lee and we all went to lunch. We had a really nice visit with them. It started to rain and spit snow so we decided to head for Denver that afternoon.
We went on to Colorado Springs and stayed at the Embassy Suites. It was really nice and we had a really relaxing evening. We were going to meet my friend from High School, Norine Frandsen. We are really good friends even though we only see each other every few years. We hade a wonderful visit with here and I look forward to visiting with her again. Then we headed to Denver. We took a side trip out to the homeplace where Wayne grew up. It is right across the creek from where his grandparents lived. We stopped there and Wayne got to visit with his cousin Jerry Raines. We also took a picture of the foundation of the one room schoolhouse where he went to school. It brought back a lot of memories and we did a lot of reminiscing.
After we left there we went to Fort Collins. We went by the dairy farm we had. It still has the dairy barn but some of the other buildings are gone. I don’t miss milking cows but we have a lot of special memories of living there. Fort Collins has really grown since we lived there and we were really amazed. We stayed in Fort Collins that evening as we were going to meet his brother Harold the next day.
We met Harold and Sharon the next day and we had a really nice visit with them. He is recovering from brain surgery. He had a blood clot on his brain and they had to stop the bleeding. We went to Panera Bread for lunch with them. It was so nice to visit with them as it has been many years since we have seen them. We need to do it more often.
On the drive to Cheyenne we went by the ranch in Nunn. It brought back a lot of memories and we did more reminiscing. I think that was one of the fun things of this trip. We have had great weather for our travel.
From there we drove to Cheyenne we had some extra time before meeting our granddaughter so I called my friend Debbie Gillette, who works for the Wyoming medical board. We met when I was working for CompHealth in Salt Lake. We have been friends ever since. We had a great visit. Then we went to meet Brian and Michelle and their kids. The kids are so cute. They are very busy but that is normal. We took them to dinner and it was fun. It is too bad we don’t get to see them more often. After dinner we headed to Laramie to spend the night.
On Friday morning we met Wayne’s brother and his wife. Milton and Rhonda met us for breakfast in Laramie. We had a great visit with them. They both look great and it was fun to catch up on what they have been doing. After we left them we headed to Salt Lake.
We got to Becky’s about dinner time. We went to dinner with Becky and Dan, Derek and Jeana and us. We went to Café Rio which is one of my favorite places to eat. We stayed with them that night. After dinner Ashley and Tyler came over for a quick visit and Tyler picked up my laptop to see if he could fix it.
Saturday morning Becky and I ran some errands to our favorite places. Then she dropped me at Dave and Lori’s. I visited with them and they Wayne and I went to Becky’s and picked up our stuff and headed to Provo. When we got to my sister, Carolyn’s house we got there in time to watch the BYU game. Carolyn’s kids, Kirk, Corey and Craig were there ad well as Jessica and Jordan. That was great fun. Then we all went to Brick Oven where Dave and Lori also met us. We then went back to Carolyn’s and Kirk and Marilyn and their girls came over.
This has been such a fun trip and we hated to see it get over. We stayed at Carolyn’s that night and then Sunday morning we sent to visit Jessica and Jordan before we headed towards home.
We drove to Las Vegas that night. We thought about driving all the way home but we were getting tired. We arrived home on Monday about noon after driving 3022 miles.
This was one of those trips you want to take but never get around too. It was a lot of driving but I would do it again. It truly was a memorable trip,.

Time Flies

Time flies when you are having fun. Summer is officially over at the park after Labor Day. That doesn't mean that it is still not busy but it means that we can take some time for fun trips.

Just got back from a great trip to Cedar City to see Becky and Dan and Derek and Jeana and Travis and Kristin. It was a really nice visit and we had a great time.

Then on to Carbondale (near Glenwood Springs) to visit with Andy and Kae. They have a really fun house on the Roaring Fork River and you can hear the water running in the river. We got to see lots of fisherman and also some learning Kayakers. It was a great visit with then and we will have to go back again. I would like to go in the spring when all the flowers are in bloom.

We had planned to stay with our friends in Richfield on our way home but that didn't work out as planned. We decided to drive all the way to Las Vegas and stay at Dave's house. It was a long day of driving but we really enjoyed it. We stopped quite often. We took our time leaving and got home mid afternoon. It gave us an extra day to catch up and rest a little. Then it is back to work for both of us.

Two weeks from today we get ready to leave on our next trip to the East. We are really looking forward to it. I have always wanted to go to Niagara Falls. We will also tour the church history sites and also get to visit with Emily in Vermont. It should be a really fun trip.

Lazy

Time has gone by just too fast since I last blogged. I guess I have been a little lazy too. We were very busy at work at the Park and then time just flew by. I also got a little frustrated as I was having a hard time putting pictures on my blog so I just didn't do anything with it.

August we spent a week in Utah and attended Jenny's wedding. Then the next week we had a wedding here at our home with Kae and Andy. What fun. Tami worked very had to get everything ready and Ken provided wonderful food. It is so fun to spend time with family.

In September we went on a camping trip with our trailer. It was an activity we are now doing at the park called FAMCamp. What a great time we had. There were about 46 of us and everyone had a great time kayaking, visiting and eating great food. We can hadly wait until spring when they are going again. They did another one that we did not go on as we were just getting back from Texas.

We had a great time in Texas but it rained every day. It is always fun to spend time with kids and grandkids.

This week is grandpa's birthday so I am going to take him out to dinner somewhere. It will be a little low key but it is always fun.

Til next time-----

At the Beach

Had a great couple of days at the beach. Took the trailer on its first trip in a couple of years and remembered how much fun it is to get away. Two days of doing nothing but whatever I wanted. I read a really good book, "Catch the Storm" by Norman Ollestand. Good enough that I didn't want to put it down. When I did put it down I got out my stitching and spent time trying to make a little progress on a couple of projects.

Was frustrated because I forgot to take my camera. It was on my list but somehow I overlooked taking it. It was fun to watch the tide come in and go out. It was very cool and foggy until the sun would come out later in the morning. I could get used to going to the beach. Must do that more often.

We had to come home a little early as Wayne caught whatever was going around at work. He went to the doctor when we got home and is doing better. Don't want to take any chances on it getting worse.

We have now scoped out several places to go to camp and I am sure we will take every opportunity we can to get away. I loved the beach and listening to the surf. It can get pretty loud when the tide comes in.

Happy Father's Day

Today is Father's Day and I want to let my sweet husband know how much I love and appreciate the example he has been to our son's. Also to let my son's and son-in-laws know how much I love and appreciate them and the example they are to their sons and daughters. They have a great example of kindness and love to follow. I am sure their son's and daughters will follow the examples that have been set before them. They are all very special to us.

I am grateful for the example of my own father. Even though he has been gone for many years I always think of him and his example on Father's Day. He could be gruff at times but we always knew he loved us. He honored his Priesthood at all times. He always saw that his mother was taken care of after his father passed away. He was truly an example of courage in the last few years of his life. I was always a little sad that he didn't get to know all his grandchildren before he passed away. He delighted in his grandchildren.

Thoughts on a holiday weekend

I love the holiday weekends when family gets together. Things have changed the last couple of years since we have been in CA. Since we work at the park the holiday weekends have become a nightmare of work. This weekend has been a lot of fun. We have been very busy at the park but we have our trailer at the park campgrounds and have been spending the nights there. It has been fun to get the trailer out again. Especially since Wayne is feeling so much better and did not mind getting it ready to take to the park.

It has been fun to have Yannette and John and Kensley here to visit. It makes the holiday even more fun. We have had lots of good food and visiting and it has been great. The weather has been perfect. Not too hot and no wind.

Even though I have to work the late shift today it should begin to wind down at the park as everyone will be leaving early to beat the traffic.

Memorial Day brings back a lot of memories to me of growing up in NYC when World War II was going on. I will always be grateful for the country we live in and the freedoms we have. We wish everyone a great holiday weekend.

WE BELONG TO AN AMAZING CHURCH

I got to witness today what an amazing church we belong to. We had 600 volunteers from the church come and help beautify the park where we work. It was amazing to see them jump and work at all kinds of jobs. They painted curbs and buildings, they planted flowers, picked up trash, planted trees, painted barbeques and so many other things. It was very well organized by both the church committee and the park superintendent. She was so amazed at what they did that it almost brought her to tears. I was proud to be a member of the church and see what a great church I belong to. It was a tremendous showing of community pride.

Wayne and I were in charge of the information table and it was so fun to hear such nice comments by people from all over, even those from Los Angeles. It was a fun day.