Thirty days has September.....

....April, June and November. So.... we're done with April folks. I'd like to end this month with a few pictures of some fun times 'cause my book is going to press on this very day. What a wonderful picture to end on and who could deny God's hand in something as beautiful as this?

It's been a while since I'd been to Bryce and it was a beautiful day. Randy had to rent a car when he flew into town on Thursday so he surprised me with this Mustang convertible. We used to drive around town  in

his grandma's Mustang when we were kids and he would visit in the summers....so we took our sentimental journey up to Zion...checked out a few shops and snapped a few pics of some whirligigs....too expensive to buy but we'll make one some day...then headed up to Duck Creek so he could capture a few more memories of his childhood days of camping up there. We grabbed a burger at Aunt Sue's Chalet....rumor is that people come from miles around for her famous burgers and they really were pretty good. I couldn't leave the place without at least trying for one geocache....bingo, got one and it was a really good one. I'm not a fanatic about this sport but if I'm some place with some time....there's usually a cache to be found and it's kinda fun. We gave ourselves just 5 minutes to do this one and got it.

We were going to hit Cedar Breaks and head back down through Cedar but still a little early in the season and it was pretty cold so we back-tracked and took in Bryce Canyon and so glad we did. Like I said, it had been a while and it was just absolutely breathtaking. I just could not believe the color and the beauty. Blue and coral are my favorite colors together and there was plenty of that between our pictures of Zion and Bryce. What a day.

We headed back down 89 and stopped for one more picture before my battery gave out.

 It was a really nice day for a ride in a 'Stang.....

Cute kid...

...and it's his birthday today....and he hit a home run yesterday at the baseball game...and he's just a dang cute little boy with lots of personality.

Happy Birthday, Jack. It was fun taking him out to celebrate with lunch at Frostop and shopping at Target. Maycee's turn was on Tuesday. I love spending my one-on-one time with these sweet grand kids of mine. They are all staying busy doing fun things and it's been a joy to be able to take in some ball games this past week.

Jack and Evan are on the same team with Spencer and Aaron McArthur coaching. Evan hit a home run too but Drew (third base coach) made him stop at third. Miller is on a different team with Mason and Justin coaching.

My boys are making sure their boys have a good experience playing baseball just like their dad did.

This is what it's all about....

Look out world....

....here she comes. Happy Birthday, to my Maycee girl. It's been a pleasure the last couple of trips home to see her perform in her various groups from dancing, to singing, tomorrow I will watch her play soccer; she is a girl of many talents. She is such a sweetheart. Can't wait to see what lies ahead for this sweet grand child of mine.

Then there are my little boys of summer....couldn't help posting these cute pics. 

There will be more to come as I take in a few more games this trip.

Hi there...

...just checking in from one of our favorite spots.....

located just a little past Cool, California.....

hidden down in a little unknown valley with a flowing stream, lots of waterfalls,  some fun bridges and just a peaceful place away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It's owned by one of Randy's clients who gave us permission to invade today and enjoy a quiet Sunday afternoon together in nature. We gathered up some tamales that we got at Denio's yesterday and threw together a little picnic and headed up the road for an adventure. I'm fascinated with all the little, unknown to the world places that Randy knows about up here, mostly due to people he has worked for. I love watching for any wildlife I can capture with my camera and we found a few of those today as well but mostly just enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day.

Maybe this will be us sometime soon.....just rowing down the American River.

This place is truly amazing. I posted some pictures just like this on a previous post but couldn't resist showing you again.

 Randy pointed out these little bugs on the rocks. I didn't even see them but thought I'd try to capture them with my "micro" setting.

Another cool day in Cool, California....

Enjoyed some beautiful scenes coming down into the valley. We went through some little towns and stopped at a couple of cemeteries and tried a little geocaching but with no luck today....but, speaking geocaching....

...we took Myah out for a bike ride on Saturday and found a couple. I went on my bike ride on Friday and found my first one on my own. I'm not very good at it but it was fun to finally be able to find one. Crazy hobby, I know but it makes my bike rides a little more fun....and gets me out in nature. And speaking of nature....

...these are some of my neighbors that show up each morning. Have a great week. Take time to watch the birds, smell the flowers and catch a movie.... "42"...in theaters now. Best movie ever....well, maybe not "ever" but it made me feel really good and made me want to be a better person.

Sometimes it's good to remember...

....and stop and pay tribute to some of the events that define us. My mission did just that and it was today's conference that helped me remember how much this time of my life really meant to me and how it changed me forever. For eighteen months (May '05-Nov.'06) I was in Salt Lake City serving at Church Headquarters in the Translation Department. After Scott died, I immursed myself in Lauri and Traci's lives and we enjoyed living like "roomies" for a couple of years then Lauri went on her mission and Traci went off to BYU and then Traci got married and moved.....and I was left all alone and got restless so considered a mission but felt like I would just be running away from reality but Gawain reassured me I wouldn't be running "from" something but "to" something and I told Bishop Robison when he approached me about it that I couldn't afford it and he said that was not an excuse and before I knew it my papers were in and the call came and Traci and Russ drove me to the post office to pick it up 'cause I was too impatient to wait any longer (it got delayed in processing)  and I ripped my envelope open with none of the usual fanfare like the young'uns do and was called to Salt Lake City to the Translation Department of the church and it might as well have been a foreign mission 'cause I'd never heard of such a place before.

I went up and secured a tiny little apartment on Capitol Hill just a bit north of Temple Square and my sweet sis helped me make the move. Kyle and JoEllen were living in Salt Lake and they helped me a lot to get settled in and adjusted to my new surroundings. There were some pretty tough times getting adjusted. I'm not going to sugar coat it but I finally adjusted and I must say that these were very defining times for me as I learned how to be alone and independent...(but, like I said, it wasn't easy). Probably the hardest thing I've ever done, but I learned that...."I can do hard things". My first day on the job I remember leaving in tears and going down to the JSM Building and sitting alone and crying, praying and begging for help...it was so hard. I didn't think I could ever learn all they were asking me to do but then pulling myself together, going back to the 21st floor and announcing to my co-workers...."If this were a paying job, I'd be outta here tomorrow....but it's not so I'll give it one more day". And I did give it another day and many more and amazing things happened. I got to be around amazing people all day, people who knew many languages and people who were so spiritual and so smart. I got to see how the business part of the church is organized and run...a well oiled machine to say the least. Today reminded me of the time during conference that I would get to go behind the scenes and help the translators.

The "Tunnel" is located up behind the Tabernacle Choir and we would all gather and make sure the translators had everything they needed. I loved the devotionals we had in the mornings before conference.

I loved the celebrations we would have whenever a translation of the Book of Mormon was completed. Margaret always did a great job of organizing. Exciting times.....I loved it when visitors would come. Spencer even spent a month with me while he was in town for a mini-rotation.

I loved having my mom and Joyce come. It was Neal's wedding and Traci gave birth to Scotty....

I loved living in downtown Salt Lake, a short walk to Temple Square, Abravanel Hall, Capitol Theatre, Gateway Mall...I went to Music and the Spoken Word every Sunday morning. I didn't really even mind the snow.......

But I really liked the Spring and I'm missing being there this Conference Weekend. Such good memories.

So each April and October, Conference takes on a deeper meaning for me and I will forever cherish the time
I spent serving there. Now, as I take a couple of more volumes of my blog to print, my mission will be recorded for posterity. I'm loving the messages and was particularly touched by Elaine Dalton's talk today. This is right up there with my favorite week-ends of the year. Click HERE for more info on the Translation Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Good stuff....

On the road again...

...and as the song goes...."it's great to be on the road again"....and I do like it especially when it's a beautiful day, great scenery, good company and no traffic. We had all that yesterday as we motored back to Folsom.

The clouds filled the view in my windshield like a big screen t.v. all the way and I read to Randy when he drove and just enjoyed peaceful music and the view ahead as I drove. The 11 hours it takes went by pretty quickly...then when we got to Tahoe, oh, my....it is so beautiful.

Back in Folsom now with wonderful memories of a great week-end with my family. Joyce and Jay were gracious hosts as we had a combination birthday party/Easter picnic to celebrate Mom's birthday.

Four-wheeling, jumpy castle, Easter egg hunt, great food and a beautiful day....

Later in the day we gathered at Town Square to enjoy the splash pad and the Arts Festival and watch Maycee perform....

The week-end isn't complete without cake at Grandma's with a little Andy-I-Over, holding the babies and enjoying the beautiful afternoon.

Randy and I headed out Monday to take 89 where we visited Spencer at his Mesquite office, had the worst meal ever (no kidding) at Peggy Sue's Diner and did a little hiking and exploring around Gunlock Res....

I'm basking in the memories of a great week-end with my family. It's becoming a rare occasion to get them all together but it was so much fun. Loved every minute of it. A shout out to HURRICANE DENTAL and Dr. Mason for providing the dental work. Family vacations always include dental appointments.

Sure was fun getting these last two little babies together...Harry and Molly. So cute.