Texas and TOFW

After the big day Oct 1 when Mom went through the Temple, and Conference weekend, we drove home and were here till Wednesday and then I flew home with Danette. I was lucky enough to get a really good price on a flight and the row right in front of Danette and the kids. I wish I could have been more help to her, my seat was the window seat and I had a couple sitting right next to me. They were nice enough people, but have you ever been by those people who just kinda give off that fib of not really wanting to be around people and especially kids? I was stuck in the corner of my row and was really not even comfortable to get out and go potty because I didn't want to disturb them. So I really wasn't much help on the plane. But once we got off the plane it was nice to be there. And thanks to Chad's dad for ordering the fantastic weather for me. It was not humid at all. In fact it was very dry there, the driest I have ever seen it (in the few years I have been going there). But that was ok with me I don't like humidity anyway. Once to Danette's we just kinda kicked back and let the kids be home and enjoy there new place. When Danette put her Halloween things out, Carly decided she would help add her own things so you will notice a slinky on the one pumpkin and then another toy on another pumpkin, she was very helpful. It was fun being there when they brought two new grand puppies into the family. Nellie and Dollie and if you notice the one of Nellie riding in the front seat, yes I had the wonderful opportunity of being in the front seat with her and Chad, she only slobbered on me a few times!! :) I was there for my birthday in which they treated me to dinner (Thanks again it was great food) we ate at Lupe Tortillas (I think that is the right name and spelling) I had a great time in TX and miss them already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been attending Time Out for Women for the past 7 years missing only one year. It is a great spiritual boost for me. This year we had all but Danette with us because of the timing of her being in St. George it didn't quit work out for her to be here. We missed her.

Friday nights session we had Dallyn Vail Bayles who was the musical guest. He is the understudy for Raoul in the Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera. Very good Opera voice. Ardeth Kapp spoke about A principle and a Promise. (I forgot my journal I usually take so I didn't get notes this time) :( Then John Bytheway spoke, and all that know him or about him can testify that he can teach wonderful things but yet you are getting a great ab workout because you are laughing so hard. His topic Everything I need to know I learned at TOFW.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We then went to the Hotel. Which we stayed at the Stratosphere, through Bookit.com I reserved the mystery room and it ended up being at the Stratosphere for $61.00 yup I said $61.00 it was great . (pic below) Saturday morning session we had the women's trio Mercy River that sang, I really like their music. Then a mother daughter team talked. Brad Wilcox subject was "By Grace we are saved" Jill Manning "The Uncensored truth about Pornography" very good, it is sad the facts and statistics about pornography and how many life's it can wreck. Then a wonderful speaker Kris Belcher, what a great lady she is. She is blind, and she talked about even though her surroundings are dark she still has the light with in. The light of Christ helps her through her darkness. Great speaker!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great Conference.

Ok for the pictures of the Hotel. We had two Queen beds int there and I was going to bring the blow up mattress for Sharise and of coarse I forgot it. So Brittany made this wonderful bed for Sharise on top of the TV. Doesn't she look comfy? Well she really didn't spend the night up there, just a nice photo op. You can see the other pictures is how we slept. Sharise and Chantelle in one bed (not pictured) and Brittany and I (because we are short) and Des at the bottom of the bed. Yup that is how we slept for the night. It was a mighty fine night. All in all we had a great time and looking forward to next year TOFW, it will be held in St. George so start planning Danette. In November!!!!!!

Picture overload I know you can make it to the end!!!!!

To start September off we went and stayed at the Smiths Cabin (very looooong time friends) thanks again, we stayed Fri and Sat and then on Mon (labor day) we went up towads Oak Grove and had tin foil dinners. It was a great Labor Day weekend.

This is Desperato, Daniel was on a quest to capture this furry little friend that scurried across the floor when we entered the cabin. He conquered the task at hand.

This was a great way to relax, loved the cabin.

Then the middle of September we went and picked Danette and her kiddos up from the airport. We have had a busy month so there are alot of pictures on here so sit back and enjoy (if you care to) this fun is a place, a cute place to take your kids it has alot of fun things to do for the little ones.

Luke got tangled in this tunnel but he was having alot of fun.

Carly and Raylie loved playing store.

Another day we picked up lunch and went to the Town Square and let the kids play in the water.

This picture is out of sink but it was at the Hidden Valley Park.

Town Square

We also went to Red Cliffs for some more tin foil dinners. This picture is of Luke after dinner and eating his smore, I think he had a little to much to eat, what do you think :)

Before dinner they went hiking up on the rocks. Sam coming from TX was amazed at the mountains.

Another time was spent at the St. George Temple, the kids like being there and running on the grass.

This was taken in front of the Visitor Center.

What cute little faces

We spent a week in SLC. We went to the zoo picture below and then that night we had a baby shower for Chantelle and little Haiven, she will be entering our family the first part of January.

Kelcey and Chantelle comparing tummies.

Zoo time again, it was fun having Danette, Carly and Sam with us this time. We had another fun day with the whole group of grandkids.

And the most special experience happen Oct 1, my mom went to the Temple

for the first time. It was such a special day, I was her escort, I was also able to get six other family memebers ready to have their work done. (3 male and 3 female) I took my Aunts name through, my dads sister. After the endowment session we went to the sealing room and we were able to have 3 generations sealed. My dad and aunt to their parents, my mom and dad and then I was sealed to mom and dad. It was an awesome day one that I will remember forever.

This is part of the group of mom's High School friends that attended the Temple with her. They still go to lunch once a month.

The crazy threesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My mom and I walking out of the Temple after mom taking out her endowments and me being sealed to my parents, what a great day this was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love ya mom and dad

A Raylieism

I just have to post this Raylieism.

Sunday Raylie road over to our house with Dan and Chantelle. This is a conversation between the two of them.
Dan : Raylie your hair is crazy
Raylie : No its not :/
Dan : No your hair is cute
Raylie : No it agorgeous
Dan : No its just cute
Raylie : Go ahead and think what you want, but I'm not changing my mind. ( with attitude )

This is our cute little Raylie she is very spunky and whitty.

Family Time

Again I put the pictures in wrong so the first is the last and the last is the first. We started out the day headed for Enterprise to go to the Corn Fest. We met up with Grandma and Grandpa Great and their friends. We arrived just in time for lunch. So we had some yummy corn and some of other food that was ok and then to top it off we had some yummy sweet rolls. Then we walked around the car show they had there, didn't really go to the booths that were there didn't see much that we wanted to see. Headed back to the car and bought 4 doz. ears of corn. We decided that we could freeze the corn for family home evening on Monday. Then after blanching and taking the corn off the cobs and vacuum packing the corn (which my vacuum packer decided it didn't want to work properly) I then came to the conclusion that from now on I will by the corn already frozen in the store it really didn't save us that much money and it was alot of work. Lesson Learned. Anyway back to Saturday, on the way home we stopped by Mountain Meadow Monument, it had been along time since we had been there. The day was pretty windy thus the nice hair. Sharise, Craig and Dan taking a break

Ron and I in front of the Monument that the Church put up in honor of the people killed there.

Sharise and Craig walking to the monument

The view from the parking lot.

These two pictures, a couple was walking their dogs and the kids loved them. The white dog was so fluffy and soft I wanted to take him/her home.

I asked Logan to take a picture of Brittany and I (the next one after this one) and since he really only got part of our faces in the picture Josh took this one for us. Sharise joined us.

Gotta love the close up.

The boys loved the car show. I liked it to pretty cool lookin cars.

This was after lunch, Josh and Grandpa had two little hitch hikers. Not pictured Logan was riding in the stroller.

This was lunch

Luke is a goof ball I love his facial expressions, he has so many.

All in all I love spending time with my wonderful family. Can't wait till Danette comes to spend time with her and we will be heading up to SLC for part of her stay so we can be with family up there as well.

Zoo time!!!!

Quick trip to SLC this weekend and had a great time with 7 of our cuties at the zoo. We will be making another trip to the Zoo the end of Sept. when Danette gets here with her two cuties. We all had a good time, we went in the morning so that it wasn't to hot. The animals where out and about which is always fun to see them doing something other than just laying there. If you notice the last two pictures Raylie talked Grandpa into carrying her and he talked her into seeing where she had been rather than where she was going. The first one I snapped, and then she notice that I was taking pictures of her so she forced out a little smile, she was getting a little tired. But we had fun and look forward to having Danette here so we can continue the fun.