Trip to Utah

We went to Utah to attend Seph's wedding.  We were there for 2 days and wanted to pack as much fun as we could during those 2 days.  I was shocked at how much we did and how much fun we had.

The first day, we went to Temple Square.  Lauren's mom gave us a tour of the Church office building.  We wen to the top and looked around.  Afterwards, we walked around a bit and ended up at the north visitor's center and looked at the Christus.  I love Temple Square and visiting the grounds.  On our way back to Jeff and Laurens, we stopped by Nielsens for lunch.  I really miss those fries and fry sauce.  Later, we played in the snow in a field near Jeff & Lauren's home.  They had a sled that we used to go sledding.  It was so fun to play in the snow, go sledding and make a snowman.  We made a great snowman that we named Lumpy.  We had a hard time assembling him, but Addie figured out a way  to get the middle section of the ground.  Thanks Addy, she is a smart girl.  

Out time at Temple Square

Pics with the Walls

Playing in the Snow

Playing in the snow part 2

The next day, we stopped by to see the Jordan River Temple and the the Provo Center Temple before heading down to the Payson Temple.  We were early to arrive and walked around before the ceremony started.  I'm so glad that Jim and I were able to attend the wedding ceremony together.  It was so incredibly sweet to be there and to be reminded of the covenants that Jim and I made when we were married.  After the ceremony, we had a chance to talk a little more with Mardy and Iralee before the wedding couple came out of the temple.  Seph's wife is beautiful inside and out.  It was so nice to meet her and her family.  We went to the luncheon afterwards and then headed back to Bountiful.

Jordan River Temple

Looking at the Temple

Provo City Temple

Provo city temple atrium

Payson Temple

Pics with the UT Paces

Cousins and Siblings

Mr. and Mrs. Seph Pace

Pace Family

Steve and his family came up to Bountiful and we had dinner together and hung out.  I love being able to see my brothers when I come to Utah.  It was cool to see the all the cousins together too.  I wish that I could have stayed longer in UT to hang with my brothers more, but getting to take a 4 day trip while my parents are struggling at home was hard to do.  A huge thanks to Lisa for sitting with my parents so I could go on this trip.

Cousins

We had a great visit and stopped by the Bountiful Temple before heading home.  This temple is very visible from the front room window, but it was nice to close to it.

Bountiful Temple

Mommy and Me Photo Shoot

Brigham took several pics of Danni and Manny and they turned out great.  I love seeing pics of the two of them.  So cute!!

Wall Siblings

Jeff and Steve flew down to see how dad was doing.  Debbie came up from Benson as well.  While we were there, we had a family meeting to discuss some ideas for the future of my parents.  I felt it was time to get some help, even get them settled in Assisted Living.  Lisa and I had been with mom and dad for 24 hours a day while they were at home.  It becoming too hard and I feel that we need help.  While we were there, the boys fixed the house up a little bit.  I sure love my brothers, they were really hard.

Steve fixing the roof

Being with my brothers and sisters for the weekend gave me the idea to look at pics of when we were younger.  I found these classic ones that have all 5 of us together and we were all living with our parents and they were taking care of us not making decisions on their future.

Mesa High Orchestra Feeder Concert

Emmy was able to perform alongside the Mesa High Symphonic Orchestra for one number. She really enjoyed playing in a full orchestra. Adding the winds and percussion add so much to strings. It was a great concert and lasted less than an hour.  I love short concerts.

Articles of Faith

Jim and I worked really hard with our primary kids to memorize the Articles of Faith.  We attended a recognition night to celebrate that accomplishment.  It was nice to see our primary kids rewarded for working so hard on the Articles of Faith.  Some of the Articles of Faith are hard to learn, but we worked hard on the meaning as well as the memorization. 

Dad Finally Home

Dad has had quite an adventure these past few months.  He spent 18 days at Banner Desert, which was about 15 days too long.  We decided that he needed to go to a rehab center - Desert Blossom is where he went.  He spent a week there and then ended up back at Desert Banner.  They thought he had a stroke, but it was a super minor one if he had one.  There was a sign of a stroke in an x-ray, but not one in the MRI.  He was having a hard time so the doctor felt that he should go home and be with mom and his surroundings.  It was going to be hard work for all involved in his care, but he needed to be home.  When my dad got home, we helped him on the floor and he started looking into my mom's electric chair.  That is totally my dad.

Dad at Banner Desert

Dad at rehab

Dad at Banner Baywood

Fixing the electric chair

Come Follow Me2 hr. Church

Last Conference, church leaders made a change in Sunday worship to 2 hours instead of 3.  Jim and I teach primary and 20 minutes of class time is so much easier for the kids than 1 hour.   We are studying the New Testament with our primary kids and at home.  This home centered church sounds like a great plan.  

"Church leaders have announced changes to the Sunday meeting schedule, beginning in January 2019, in connection with the release of a new home-centered, Church-supported curriculum. These changes and others build upon several prior initiatives the Church has set in motion in recent years, meant to help members focus their lives more fully on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and deepen faith in Them. These initiatives include a focus on more meaningful study of the gospel at home, honoring the Lord by keeping the Sabbath day holy, and caring for one another as the Savior would and as directed by the Spirit."

UT Wall's Visit

 Jeff and his family came down to visit after Christmas.  Dad was still in the hospital, so Jeff would visit him with his family there.  We would hear how Jacob loved the trains downstairs or how Jacob would push buttons.  After Jeff had been here a couple of days, I got the cal that they were going to transfer him to a long term care facility.  I was so happy to hear that he was leaving the hospital.  Jeff was with me when I received the call.  It was good news.  That night, the siblings and the spouses and mom when out to eat at Chilies.  It was nice to get out and spend time with mom.  She was been so worried about my dad and we have been splitting our time with mom and dad.  

My dad with Jacob at the hospital

Seeing the Train

After my dad was transferred, we had some family time at Desert Blossom.  There was not a lot of space, so we didn't met together there often.  Dad was getting some physical therapy and seemed to be improving.  I told him that if he worked hard there that I would get my ham radio license.  When my dad saw his grandchildren, his spirits improved a great deal.  Lauren, Jacob, and the girls would see my dad almost every day, even when they were spending time with Lauren's Grandparents.  The day before Jeff left to go home, he gave my dad a blessing and I felt that everything was going to be OK.  After the blessing, Jeff and his family went home.

Jacob giving Grandpa special attention

Checking out Desert Blossom

Superheroes to help Grandpa

Saying goodbye to Grandpa

We spent a lot of time with my mom too during this time.  Jeff's kids got to meet Manny for the first time.  They each took turns holding the little guy. There was a lot of family time, just not all together.  We were visiting dad, hanging out with mom, and doing projects.  

Holding Manny

Briley, Emmy, and Kenzie

Angela and the twins

Emmy and the twins

Lisa, Debbie, Lauren, and I had an opportunity to go to the temple.  It was really nice to go especially since this past month as been so devoted to my dad while he was in the hospital and rehab.  I really needed to go to the temple and feel the spirit.