ADVENTURE

Yep Summer time is over... sadly. We had fun this year-- our regular trips to the beach, the malll and just abot anywhere to keep cool. Fun times with the family and memories made. I cant even remember all the fun we had together. Lets see... Mothers day... fun at the Beach... Fathers day... Fun at the beach... 4th of July-- Summer and Joeys place-- very FUN!
Nicky spent her summer in massage school, Summer practiced her creative cooking, Joey looked for a job(and found one!) and me... I gained 10 pounds but had fun doing it!!!!


Now on to the adventure..... BYU Education Week--- Moms Getaway--My 4th Year!!!!
Education Week starts August 17th-21st--its all I can think about in the weeks before.
I JUst LOVE it and NEED it for my spirituality and sanity! While this year I didnt get to see all of my friends that I wanted to see... I saw a few friends and had the lessons God wanted me to have. I flew in on Sunday without any problems... my fight was on time and smooth. I was also able to get on a shuttle immediately with some very nice people. Something about Utah puts me in an instant good mood no matter how tired I am. I got checked into my dorm room, unpacked, and had to take a walk around the beautiful BYU campus. There were about 10-15 hanggliders in the sky, I watched them looking so graceful like giant colorful birds(to me). Back to the dorm room to take a nap--its going to be a busy busy week. Later that night I met my roommate Shelley. I always meet the nicest people when I come to BYU. My only complaint about the dorm this time was that there was ONE bathroom(meaning ONE toilet, ONE bath tub and ONE shower) for 6 women--usually we have a dorm type batroom with about 5 stalls and 5 showers or so. And usually a mini fridge in the room. I guess I got lucky those years?? But overall not too bad...and the location was good--right on campus!

Monday---Got us bright and early for breakfast-- classes start at 8:30am...it was Freezing in the morning for this Florida girl(probably 60 degrees or so...but cold to me) all I brought was a BYU Hawaii sweatshirt for the plane--I wore it every morning and some days all day.
The classes were terrific---Randy Bott--Staying in the light and avoiding panic--The Lords promises of safety for his saints--Very reassuring, Then Linda J and Richard M. Eyre--Empty nest parenting and extended families-- entertaining, next- S. Micheal Wilcox, David A. Chritensen(my new favorite speaker), and K. Douglas Bassett(for 2 sessions..loved him!). The day was over early at 4pm. I walked back to my dorm taking in the scenery--the mountains and cool clear weather and the fragrant flowers etc. My dorm neighbors door was open and they were chatting away... something told me to introduce myself to the 2 ladies--so I did. Then they said they were going to take a ride to Provo canyon and did I want to come--of course I did!
One of the ladies had driven here from Colorado and was a friend of my roommate Shelley--she had her bike...the other was her sister from New York and would like a walking buddy--that would be me!!! Provo Canyon was beautiful(of course) we walked until we came upon Bridal Veil Falls... soooo pretty... water soooo cold! We sat chatted a bit and walked back. By that time it was late... met up with my roommate and we all went out for ice cream(I have to say the ice cream at BYU is by far the BEST)! Such a wonderful beginning to a wonderful week!!

Tuesday
Another bright , early and cold morning! No worries... got up and ready to go... sooo much to learn..
1. Brad Wilcox-- The Atonement
2. Susan Easton Black--The road to Bethlehem
3. Devotional--Boyd K. Packer
4. Lunch--with my friend paula at the Museum of art! Sooo nice to have the 2 of us to chat away!
5. shopping at the bookstore
6. Merrilee Boyack--You are stronger than you think you are
7. dinner with my friend Rosa--Rosa was my roommate my 2nd year at education week and I just think she is terrific!!!
8. I treated Rosa to see "Joseph and the Amazing technicolor Dreamcoat' which was wonderful!
9. ice cream
10 back to dorm.

Wednesday--of course early and cold
1. Paul Warner-- Possibly my favorite speaker... also sat by Sandee Spencer and her beautiful Mother..love them both!!!
2. Barbara Barrington Jones--I really enjoyed her as well
3. Anita canfield--not sure if I was burned out but didnt quite like this one--maybe I needed lunch.
4. Got lunch
5. Diana McGuire--Fighting Fat...this was pretty good...thankful I ate before though--hehe.
6. needed a break... went to bookstore--LOVE the bookstore--hehe!
7. Merrilee Boyack--never miss HER!
8. Stephen D. Ricks--Dead Sea Scrolls-- very good...Something I am interested in.
9. Ted. Gibbons--With God All Things are possible-- Very good!
10.H. Wallace Goddard--Inviting heaven into your marriage-- very good
Now I was exhausted... walked back to my dorm... and stayed up and chatted with my roommate.

Thursday--of course bright and early and chilly today.
1. Paul R. Warner... sat with Sandee and Mom-- such sweet spirits to sit next to. LOved the speaker!!!
2. Barbara barrington Jones--agaIN wonderful!!!
3. Lunch with Tracey at Museum of Art
4. Stan Grippen--Calming the storms within and progressing toward happiness. :)
5. Charles Knutson--The darkside of software--viruses, worms etc. Tracey was taking this class so I decided to go with her and learned ALOT!!! Thanks Tracey!!!
6. Merrilee Boyack!!
7. H. Wallace Goddard-- The Lords Program of Gifts.
8. Ted L. Gibbons-- Believe in his Love.
9. back to dorm to pack...more adventure tomorrow... leaving education week!

Friday... early...
1. Sister picks me up...
2. We go to breakfast
3. Hike Mt. Timpanagos--I knew it was 1.5 miles... BUT I didnt know it was uphill the entire way. The scenery was beautiful and we took a few breaks and not enough water. It was fun anyways and I needed the exercise!!!
4. Got to the Timpanagos caves!!! Beautiful... took the tour... great experience.
5. down Mt Timpanagos-- much easier-- downhill the entire way--sooo much better!!!
6. Now on the road through the canyon--sooo nice and NOT hot!!!... YEt.
7. We went to huntsville utah to the "Shooting Star Saloon" one of the oldest Saloons in Utah... cute. quaint, lots of history, food is ok...not great, but not bad either...oh and they have a stuffed St bernard (dog) on the wall--interesting and fun!
8. In huntsville is an Abbey.. so we went to visit but they were closes-- the grounds were beautiful and we decided on the way back we would stop... sooo onward!!!
9. Got to Brigham City a bit late--BUT my dear friend Kathleen and family were up and awake--even her cutie pie grand daughter was up!!! We ate a wonderful salad and dessert with them. laughed, talked and somehow only got a picture of their dog--not sure how that happened--hehe! I guess I was just so into the conversation I didnt think to take pictures!!! Anyhow she was so nice to put us up--I slept so comfortably in her lazy boy chair--now I want one!! My sister was on the sofa and said she slept fine!

Saturday... Leaving Brigham City...
1. Stopped by the Tabernacle-- Beautiful-- no tour guide --BUT there was a family having a little cousins reunion and one cousin was giving the tour(he seemed to know alot about it also).
We(my sis and I ) decided to join them... when someone asked who we were we sai we were "Bobs kids" ya know every family has a uncle bob--hehe!!! Luckily, they all had a great sense of humor and went along with it.. we met our (fake) 2 brothers and sister--they really were Bobs kids--hehe!!! And they said they wouldnt be surprised if their dad had some other kids somewhere! It was fun and we got a really terrific tour!!! The place even had a hidden door(for hiding) in the floor of one of the closets--it was pretty big too...and had running water etc because a stream runs underneath the tabernacle. Pretty cool stuff!

2. We drove on the Logan and got there a bit early. So we decided to go to a movie--" The Time travelers Wife". Oh soooo good...made my sis cry and me tear up--but oh so good!

3. We checked into our bed and breakfast-- Seasons at Riter Mansion-- Very nice place-- had 2 beds--good size room--large bathroom with jaquzzi tub--very relaxing. After unpacking we went out for dinner and a walk. Saw a beautiful large building and decided after dinner to find out what it was. Ok... sooo we found an Indian place to eat...it was actually pretty good-- a bit spicy though. Anyhow, then we walked back since it was such a nice night--i figured it would be nice... it seemed the more we walked the further the nice building we wanted to see got... then we got to the back of it and we were too tired to go any further--so I got some pics of the back of it at night...what was it??? We found out.... "The Logan Temple". I felt so silly... oh well. Back to the bed and breakfast and to bed... Well my sister relaxed in the tub... I read etc and relaxed.

Sunday--Onward...

1. Woke up to a cloudy day...ut that wasnt gonna ruin our adventure.
2. Started out with a wonderful breakfast--yummmm!
3. On our way...rained when we got to bear lake..oh well.... But I saw it..
4. Ate lunch at Butch cassidy and the Sundance Kid... Saloon and resturant--VERY cool and country.
5. oh on the way we stopped for fresh berries to much on...yummy!!!
6. great scenery despite the rain.
7. into Lava Hot Springs Idaho with time to spare...
8. got a terrific room in the INN we were staying in....had a very large bed... Red velvet curtains, large bathroom with an antique soaker tub AND a shower etc and 2 seperate sinks etc. Very comfy!!! Plus the INN had 2 private natural hot springs tubs etc. We decided to go to the public hot springs area, then have dinner, then soak in the private tubs and get massages together--what could be better than that??? It was all terrific... well except running in the rain to dinner--but with my sister it was fun. I had sooo much fun!!! I love Lava Hot Springs!! I slept sooo good that night!!!

Monday
1. woke up... got ready to go..
2. sat out on the Inns back porch with a cup of warm herbal tea and listened to the river run peacefully. soo nice and relaxing.
3. went out for breakfast-- very good too!!!
4. on the road again
5. Paris Idaho-- Stopped and had lunch at the "Paris cafe" then a tour of the "Paris Tabernacle" all beautiful.
6. Stopped for a rasberry shake along the way and raspberry preserves--yumm yum!
7. Went through beautiful canyons and back to the monestary-- bought some stuff from the monks--even got a picture with one...then went to listen to the chants... nice , peaceful, spiritual.
8. drove on... more beautiful scenery...
9. we were going to stay at my dear friend Cindi s' house BUT her daughter came down with strep, her little one was sick and Cindi felt she might have strep also. I had to go back to work when I got home and my sister has had many illnesses over the past few years so I didnt want to take a chance... nope..it was Ok... got a hotel.
10. First before the hotel--had to get gifts to take back home. Then crash out at the hotel.


The adventure isnt over yet.....

The airport...
1. After saying goodbye at 5am to my sister...I went to the front to get my shuttle for the airport and was able to stop and get a bagle and some juice. Ok..
2. the shuttle takes me to the airport--drops me off... everything is fine. I am happy.
3. My ticket etc all is good--happy happy.
4. go through security--this is where things get interesting--
5. get stopped with security. Patted down and carry on gone through--oh its a "snow globe"!!!
6. Was told the said "snow globe" might have over 2 oz of water they are not sure but take it to the front where you checked in and have them find your luggage and put this in the luggage and come back. Ok... slightly irritated--but still smiling.
7. Do as told and come back... go through.. this time I forgot and held onto my cell phone--was patted down again. Ok THen... I had put my boarding pass through and now it wasnt there--put bags on chair by security and turned to tell the guy behind the xray machine that I lost my boarding pass. He looks and tries to help--then I turn and my stuff is GONE!!! Ok...no more smilling for me--not I am TICKED off!!! and I say loudly "NO WAY" No my STUFF is GONE" Ughhh!!!! Another security guard comes up with my stuff and says in a robotic fake friendly way " You are not to leave your items unattended--arent you glad I took your things?" "Umm Yeah sure" "whatever". Now I think I am going to miss my plane...so I run like an old OJ simpson commercial--before he met Nicole. I get to my ticket counter--they print out a new boarding pass for me--tell me its been delayed--then 5 min later announced its been cancelled. Ok now we are told to all go to baggage claim and get our luggage and stand in a long line, call an 800 number to get ANOTHER flight and then go through all the stuff again. Ok... so I do all the above instructions and get my flight. Go through security and AGAIN they stop me--this time for a necklace in my carryon--I dont even wear jewelry to airports. Yep I was patted down also and my bag was emptied etc by security and then I was free to go--after I was free to repack everything myself--nice. Ok... finally I was free and on my way home--yippe!!! I got my flight to Dallas , Texas...Then promptly went to the restroom and lost my glasses...Then after trying to find them and asking 2 cleaning ladies that dont speak english I got a chocolate frozen yogurt and called my husband and got on my flight and came home--whew...There really is No place like HOme...