THE EAST COAST PART OF OUR TRIP

 This is what greeted us Saturday night when we arrived in Newark!  Most handsome boys ever!

 And this is how they look when we spoil them with "Lollipops" (I was corrected if I ever tried to call them "suckers!")
We had a wonderful 6 days with the Jensen family in New Jersey!

The weather cooperated beautifully so we were out and about a lot!  Carter had school 3 days, but we made trips to parks and went on walks every day we were there.

 We brought some activities for the boys including this chalk set which was a hit both outside on the cement, and then later inside on colored paper when it was rainy!  They loved that!

 One of our days when Carter was in school, we stopped to run/walk at a park and Bennett had an accident and no dry pants to change into...so with just unders on, we got out the bubbles and he chased them all over the parking lot!  It was really pretty to watch!


















We spent a day at LONGWOOD GARDENS in Pennsylvania.  We had always wanted to go there and this fall seemed just right!



It was a lovely day, just perfect temperature, and we spent much of the day there.

 This is Bennett on the "Whispering Bench."

If you go to one of the corners ( it is a curved half circle) you can whisper into the corner and be heard at the other corner by your friend.  We tried it.

 We found some Canadian geese who were not afraid of us...(this is important to know as we had just terrified a whole gaggle of them the day before at a park!  If I can find the video I will post it.)

We also learned that they rest on one foot, much like a flamingo!

 There are several cool "Treehouses" in the park where you can climb through and see interesting features.  This one had some neat horns to talk into...or yell as in Bennetts case.


Yes, and Grandpa had trained him well for this...the first day we went grocery shopping and left him alone with Scott, we could hear him throughout the store shouting loudly "HELLO LADIES!!!"   Over and over and over...


Yup.

 One of the boys favorite stops was the train exhibit in the garden.  Here comes THOMAS the tank engine!!!

 And on another track is JAMES from the same series!

 The other favorite stop for the boys was the WATER SECTION of the indoor conservatory.  There were very fun stations for them to play in water.

 This spot had a series of flanges that could be turned to divert the water.

 The outdoor lily pad ponds were amazing!

These were just freakishly cool!

They look like serving trays and the outside are covered in spikes!!

 There was even a PUMPKINLAND section of the park where the kids could pick up and play with pumpkins.

Or sit on them as in the case of the enormous one!

We climbed the big bell tower and rang a bell...then came back down and got some cute photos of the boys.

 And the monsters.

 And the Mommy and daughter.












And more of the boys.
Great day at Longwood Gardens!


And pizza for dinner that night, so it was all in all great.

 Here are our little Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles having a bedtime bowl of cereal.  They have neat accessories to make these PJs into costumes for Halloween!

We made some "Torn Paper Pumpkins" like I do with my preschoolers.   They are good at art projects!

and another day we stopped at a local garden center to get some small pumpkins to paint.  Those turned out really cute as well.



We had a wonderful trip to Jensens!  We watched Ty play city basketball...Carter at his YMCA basketball class, lots of walks and runs and playing at parks...some shopping and lots of reading books.

Carter even sat through me reading him the entire first book in the MAGIC TREE HOUSE SERIES.  He is learning to read already!


We love all our family!  They are just good, down to earth, Christian people devoted to family and to following Christ and his example.  THANK YOU ALL FOR WHO YOU ARE!

This last shot is what the Draper Frontrunner station looked like the morning we took the train home (after missing the last train at the airport due to a delayed flight and having to be rescued by Aaron and put up by Lori...
If you say deserted, you are right.  We missed this train connection by 2 minutes as well and waited an hour for the next. 

But, it was a BEAUTIFUL MORNING and we got in a walk and run...I got all my preschooler letters written and Scott was able to work with his laptop. 

We came home refreshed and renewed and in love even more with our family!

THE PHOENIX PART OF OUR LATEST TRIP

 

 We just got back from our second trip since we got home in July.

This one was like going home.

We got to go back for the TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE of the temple that was being constructed the entire 3 years of our service...about 5 miles from our Mission Home.

 We flew from the Provo airport (not our favorite experience) to the Mesa airport, a much nicer facility.
We were met by our dear friends, the Janulis!

We had spent about 9 days with Dana in August, but we had not seen Ed since we left so it was really a treat to see them both together.  They took good care of us, driving us to their home for dinner with the Kings, and then to Breanna's apartment.  It was the perfect reunion for us!

 It was DELIGHTFUL to meet up with the Griffins who now serve as Mission President and Wife.  They are doing a wonderful job and we talked for about 1 1/2 hours after our tour...no one can truly understand what a Mission President experience is really like except for another Mission President and wife...so it was just great to listen to them.
We were also delighted to meet up with Michael Pickerd, who used to be our Area Seventy, but who is currently head of all the temple Open House, Cultural Celebration and Dedication plans.  HUGE JOB!  He is one of the kindest people.

 We got to go on some special tours of the temple.  It is stunning!  I wish I could show you photos of the inside!

We were also encouraged by the Griffins to greet our Sister missionaries who were working the Open House.  We were able to meet about 41 of them over the couple days we were there.  They are doing great!  It was pretty emotional at first, but we just hugged them all and told them how great they are!  Met some of the new additions to the mission and told them the same thing!

 We are so thankful for our assignment to serve in Phoenix!  It was one of the hardest things we have ever done, but still rewards us with fruits from our labors.
Not a week goes by that we do not interact in some way with a returned missionary whether it is just celebrating a success, giving advice or listening to them or even a visit to our home.  Provo is a good place to be as a returned MP.

We were SO EXCITED to get out and HIKE in our favorite places while we were there!  We made two trips to THUNDERBIRD CONSERVATION AREA and hiked both hills.
If you look close, you can see the Phoenix Temple in the very back of this photo, the little white splotch in the bottom of the curve of the mountain.

This area got so much rain this fall that the hills do not look even remotely like they usually do!  WAY TOO GREEN!
You can see the temple better from this trail, it is on the closer hill.

The next night we arranged to meet for frozen yogurt at one of our favorite spots.  We met with the Brodericks, Thurbers, Hancocks and  Carla Hansen from our ward there.  Dana joined us after her BYU Idaho Pathways class.
So good to see these dear people.  All but Carla have also visited us here in Utah and we hope they come again!

The next day after our tour at the temple, we had arranged to go see our dear friends, the Gutierrez family.  Argelia was our housekeeper and friend as we served.  I could not have done it without her.  They fed us an amazing lunch of the best Mexican food ever!  We love to go and speak Spanish and just be in their sweet home!  We found out that their son was featured in the trailer for the Temple Cultural Celebration, so that was a fun fact.

We stayed at Breanna's apartment, I should have taken pictures, it is really a very cute place!  She has done a nice job making it into a home.  And as one of my girls, it is decked out in Halloween decor as well!



Now, this is Gus.  He is a big purry cat.  He loves shoes.  This is him loving on my red shoes that I wore there the second day.  Maybe he would have eaten them!  Bre just posted that he has chewed up a couple of her flip flops.








He does love just to be with people...I caught this shot of him napping with Scott on Breanna's bed.  Pretty cute!  Not so cute to Scott whose asthma flared up with her cats.

Friday night we had arranged with all our very busy former Office staff and Mission presidency members to meet for dinner at a restaurant.  It was just so good to see them again...I know it has only been 3 1/2  months,but it seems like forever!

These dear people are all busy helping with the Phoenix Temple Open House.  They are there daily to serve in various responsibilities.


We had a wonderful time on this visit!  Packed 2 1/2 days for us!
We look forward to our next trip for the Temple Dedication in mid November!

Now ON TO JERSEY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BREANNA!

 We were so glad that Breanna was able to be up here in Utah for her own birthday celebration...it would have been a pity to celebrate without her!

We met her up at Lori's house during Conference, and had a nice birthday lunch with the Taylor relatives up there.  Carole and John came down and Aaron and his family came over.  Lori's new home is just a few blocks from theirs so it is really nice!

We had a lovely potato bar lunch...I always forget how much I like that meal...and then after the afternoon session, we broke out the brownies and ice cream!

Matthew, Ella, Collin in this picture...Lillie is somewhere.

 Then it was down to Provo to our place for party number two!  We had the James relatives over for cookies and ice cream at the birthday girl's request!  Warm cookies and ice cream...Mmmmm!

 We love being home to be closer to family.  We do not see them super often, we are still about as busy as in Phoenix, but we do love those times when we make the time!!!

 Dad invited Lisa Omans son, Mark? over to join us...my memory is terrible.  I think that was his name.  He was really a nice kid, and loved the "Glurch" that I brought out for the kids to play with. 

 We had our friend Keri over earlier to make a Halloween craft with Breanna and I, and we were working on that as well.

Our little banners turned out pretty cute!

We love this time of year.  We love family and that Breanna is close enough to make some trips here this year while she is in Phoenix and we are not!  THE TABLES HAVE TURNED BREANNA! 

Thank you all!  WE LOVE YOU!

SPARE CHANGE

 I don't remember having a flat tire before when I have been on my own...so when I pulled away from the Spanish Fork home of one of my preschool students after a visit, it was with some trepidation that I immediately heard that awful sound of a flat.

And it was REALLY FLAT!

 So, I busied myself trying to get out the jack, no small task...


and then unwinching the spare, also a time consuming thing, then trying to figure out how to work the jack.  I was willing to give it a go, but when I tried to loosen the lug nuts, there was no way they were budging!


I called my friend and also got the number for my insurance road service, but before I called she wanted to see if she could find someone home to help me quicker.

Recently returned home from the LAOS MISSION was Earl Jorgensen...who came to my rescue!  With no small effort, he was able to loosen the lug nuts and jack up the van and make a change.

If you look at the photo, you can see that somewhere, I picked up a bolt-like nail that went in and then came out about 2 inches away below!  Crazy!

Anyways, we had the best discussion about the changes in Laos since Dad was there with Mom in 2000.  There is a branch with a building and a font!

He was delighted to find out that I had been to the Mekong hotel and knew their driver who is now a member of the Church.  I think maybe this was meant to happen so I could hook him up with Dad.

I am thankful for kind people and the connections we have through our common care for people all over the world!

Oh, and blessing number 2...I did not need a new tire, our repair shop was able to repair it very reasonably!  Whew!