To There and Back - Part 2 Nauvoo

SO...here we are on Part 2 of our trip to Milwaukee and back:

On Monday, after getting our smashed window replaced,
we left Wisconsin for Nauvoo, IL.

YIPPEE!! More driving!

5 hours later, we arrived at these adorable pioneer cabins,
where we had booked 2 nights.

Yep, they LOOK small.
Amazingly, we all fit!

It was a bit cozy, but that's what family together-ness is all about.
That, and "MOM, she's poking me" and "MOM, are we there yet?" and "Rachel! Get your feet off me!".

The next morning, we got up and took turns going to the Nauvoo temple.
The girls went first to do baptisms, while I stayed at the cabin with Mary.
Then, Dan and I got to go do a session.
Let me just say that the Nauvoo temple is just beautiful, and that statement doesn't do it justice. The feeling inside there is incredible.
If we did nothing else, it was worth it just to come to the temple.

After lunch, we headed over to the Joseph Smith store - one of our favorite places to get a cold root beer.
Then we went to Family Living Center for their pioneer demonstrations.

The girls got to make some rope.

After touring around the old city, then getting some dinner,
we went to a play called "Rendezvous", which was lots of fun.
After that, we went down to the Mississippi river to catch the sunset.
Dan is making a "U" for Utah!

Dan and girls plotting something mischievous?

Pioneer barge.

Mary had lots of smiles!

What is it about Nauvoo that makes you never want to leave?
There is something there that makes you want to stay and stay.
We'll be back someday, I can guarantee it!

To There and Back - Part 1 SG to Milwaukee

WARNING!!
This blog post has NO pictures.
ZERO
ZIP
NADA
NONE
ZILCH

Here's the scoop:
On May 19, we packed up the van and took the girls out of school early to journey back to Wisconsin to Daniel's graduation from medical school.
We were all very excited!
We left in good weather, but by the time we were crossing the Rockies, we were surprised to be caught in a real live snow storm.
Everything was WHITE!!
10 hours later, we made it to Denver, where we stayed with my sister.
Second day was the KILLER DAY.
We drove from Denver to Milwaukee -
18 HOURS!!!
that's: EIGHTEEN HOURS!!!
In the rain.
all.
day.
long.
ugh!

But we made it there-
just in time for graduation the next day - Friday.
Graduation was great! We took lots of pictures.
We had a wonderful time with Daniel and his girlfriend, Emily.
They took us to a Wisconsin fish fry.
They made us a great breakfast.
They took us to Sprecher's brewery - cool!
They took us to Lake Michigan.
They treated us to the "Best of Milwaukee" -
which was their favorite foods from the city.
They barbecued for us and we roasted marshmallows.
We took lots of pictures.

THEN...

Someone stole our camera!!


So, this is the first part of our trip.

The next part will have pictures!

One day was not enough!

The Friday before Mother's Day our ward had it's first "ward campout".

Less than 10 families came, but it was still great. Why?
Because of this equation:
1 acre of mountain property
+ our family
+ my good friends family
+ good food
+ a campfire
+ an old mattress swing
+ great weather
= SO MUCH FUN WE DON'T WANNA COME HOME!!!
Here's some more pics.

Old mattress & springs swing!
Jess & Katie
Mary loves swings!
The whole gang and a cool old house.
Jess & Rachel - "framed"!
My favorite - I call this picture:
"Pure and absolute JOY"!

Monday Musings

I'm Baaaccckkk!!!

It has been a crazy 2 weeks. A GOOD crazy.
But if it doesn't let up a little, I may go BAD crazy.
Good stuff is that I am basically doing Home School with Mary now.
It's going awesome and we are seeing little bits of progress already.
I just need to get organized and the craziness will improve.
So, I've been madly gathering materials, and working on educational goals
and then implementing them.
I can't tell you how excited we are - but I will anyways.
WE ARE SO EXCITED!!
Mary has been happy and giggling and very cooperative with all the
things we are doing.
She also gets to go to her friends (Cindy and Kristin) house each day to do activities with them for an hour. They are so cute together.
Other happenings:
We are still following Rachel around to all her track meets and soccer games.
In fact, this past Saturday, they finally won a game! Yay!
Jessica has been madly studying for AP tests and the ACT.
I have to coax her to take a break and come up for air.

Here's a conversation I had with Rachel tonight:

Rachel: "Mom, what's that called...you know...that treatment when a big needle is stuck in your eye...."
Me: (gag reflex is starting) "WHAT??? That's HORRIBLE!"
Rachel: "You KNOW what it is Mom. You told me about it."
Me: "Huh? Told you about what?"
Rachel: "It's when someone has a mental illness and they would stick a really long needle right through the middle of their eye and into their brain."
Me: (gag reflex is in full swing) "Oh my gosh, Rachel!! That's the most awful thing I've ever heard!! I never told you that!"
Rachel: "Yeah, you did Mom. You told me that most people die from it, but it cured a few people."
Me: "How terrible! I never heard of such a thing!"
Rachel: "Yes you did! You told me that the people that did the treatment made lots of money doing it!"
Me: (still gagging) "I promise Rachel, I never, ever have heard of something so horrible! I never told you that!"
Rachel: "Well.... Maybe I dreamed it."
Me: "I think I'm gonna be sick...."

Oh, life is never dull with teenagers!
On a more serious note: I feel very grateful and blessed to have such a great family. Everyone has such varied personalities and interests that life always has a surprise for me.
Besides my 3 girls at home,
there's Danny the Doctor - the ultimate goofball who has a heart of gold and is passionate about learning.

There's Amelia - another goofy kid who is the middle child and loves to dance and be the center of attention when she's home.
Plus, we have a great son-in-law, Jon, who is so good to Amelia - plus he's goofy too!

And then, there's Loren, the missionary and a third goofball (come to think of it, there is lots of goofiness in this family) who is intense and artistic.

Wow! I sure love them all!

Monday Musings

When life gets too busy...

you don't get to enjoy moments like these:

Road trips with your best friend (Dan).

Watching all the kids try to balance on a rope at family reunion!

Watching the 4th of July parade on your Dad's lap.

Having a picnic BBQ when your son comes to visit.

Enjoying wearing flip-flops on a summer day.

Trying to get a close-up picture of a baby colt.

Happy family times - those are real smiles - not fake ones!

Walks in the rain.

Campouts with your daughters.


Frisbee Golf with your cousins.

Piggy-back rides.

And a beautiful sunset on the Arizona strip.

Where time stands still....
Courtyard at Marble Canyon Motel at sunset.

There's a little place I like to go to get away from it all.
It's close to Marble Canyon - a little rock hotel set against the Vermillion Cliffs.
There are no phones or TV's in the rooms.
There is no internet or cell phone coverage.
There is an old cafe there where everything is homemade and the owner greets her guests with, "Howdy! What'll you have today?"
The rooms are small, but comfy, each room themed-
and the original structure dates back to the early 1940's.
You go to bed to the sound of the wind whistling up from the deep canyons below, and wake up to the sound of birds and a bright sunrise over the cliffs below Page, AZ.
Travelers are few - an occasional car passes by - but time stands still (almost) there.
You can feel the worries and troubles of everyday busy living just melt away.
If Dan ever wants me to accompany him on a trip,
all he has to do is promise to take me there on the way home.
I love the sound of silence -
of hearing myself exhale and inhale -
of a leaf rustling in the wind -
or just that ear-deafening sound of nothing but nature.
This is one of the places I can hear that.
And I'm ready to go back - for another dose of "let's leave this Rat Race behind for a bit".

(my apologies for a lack of humor today - perhaps next time)

Rachel and the Six Minute Mile

It's always a delightful surprise when your children discover
something that they excel at, both to them and to you.

Several months back, Rachel asked if she could do winter conditioning with the high school track team.
She wanted to stay in shape for soccer during their off-season.
So, she started running.
She'd never done this before with the exception of a few grade school races.
Weeks, then months go by.
Track season is gearing up and the coach wants her to participate.
Hmmm....she already has club soccer going. I am thinking that this might be too much for her.
But, she REALLY likes it.
And, come to find out (from one of the boys that run with her) she's "REALLY fast"!
So, I relent and sign her up.
Her first track meet, she blows everyone away in the 2 mile by doing this amazing sprint in the final lap. "Where did THAT(energy for a sprint) come from?" was eveyone's thought.
Her time was (i think) 13:40.
Coach was VERY happy.
The following Monday, he gave her the 'Most Athletic' award at practice.
Rachel was definitely hooked.
The next few track meets come and Rachel is also doing the mile run. She gets 6:07, then 6:05 or thereabouts. The wind and the weather are against her. She wants to break that 6 minute mile, but it is elusive.
Coach is pushing her - having her run with the fastest girl on the team.
THEN....
this past Friday we had another meet.
Perfect day, perfect weather.
Rachel runs the 1 mile (or 1600 meters) and has a great run!!
Her time??
5 minutes and 58 seconds!!!
SHE DID IT!!
Man, was she pleased!
Her next goal?
To be in the 555 club (5 minutes, 55 seconds).
GO RONI! YOU CAN DO IT!