Strawberries

The grandson is a big fan of strawberries. At dinner tonight we had strawberry spinach salad. Yum! The grandson decided he preferred his strawberries straight from the package without all the embellishments.  He started saying straw-ber-ries over and over again as he ate them one by one. It was so funny the way he was saying it, with his tongue wiggling all over his face, so I decided to make a video of him. Of course, then he just started being silly, but I love the surprise ending of this little movie.

Last month when my sisters and I rendezvoused in San Diego for a week, the woman in charge of restocking our breakfast each morning at the motel was very friendly and told us she was going to Carlsbad to pick strawberries for her anniversary.  Since we were planning a trip to Carlsbad too, we decided that sounded like a fun adventure.  The daughter, the son-in-law and the grandson accompanied us to the strawberry fields.  We (read Kathy) paid a premium price for the berries and the experience, but it was fun.

Carlsbad Strawberry Fields - April 20, 2012

and we picked some very, very delicious strawberries that the grandson called pineapple about half the time.

Very Short Vacation

Last Sunday when the counselor in the Bishopric released the hubby and me from nursery he told us they were giving us a short vacation and we should enjoy it while we could. I reminded him that I wouldn't really have a vacation because I was still responsible for the ward bulletin and he said "You're going to get rid of that job soon too." Well, I've been hearing that story for about two years now (since we were put into nursery) so I said "I'll believe that when it happens".
Tuesday night the executive secretary called and said we needed to meet with the bishop on Wednesday. That was a very short vacation, at least for me.
I am now officially the 2nd Counselor in the Primary Presidency. I love the Primary and being with the children in the ward, but I was thinking just maybe I would get to go to Sunday School and Relief Society for just one Sunday. No such luck though, I jumped right into Primary today. Oh, and for the one minute that it took after I was released from being the ward bulletin specialist and then called to be in the Primary Presidency I did have a Very Short, No Official Calling Vacation. Hooray for vacations!

How My Boys Spent Their Fall Break

Last week was my boy's Fall break - one from school, one from work. The new addition to our family kind of put a kink in our plans to go and find some autumn leaves. It wasn't an adventurous week, but they managed to still enjoy themselves -

visiting the baby,




hanging out on the couch watching dvds,


feeding the baby,


sleeping,


baking,


and obviously, not taking out the trash.

The youngest son also went on an overnight camp out with the priests, but I didn't take a picture of that.
Now Fall break is over and it's back to the normal routine. It was fun while it lasted.

Today I am thankful for

the normal routine.
my vacuum cleaner.
a husband and son that cook.

Shh, It's a Secret.

Don't tell anyone, but this morning at daybreak I was in my mom's backyard taking pictures of the sunrise and playing in the sprinklers in my nightgown.

I bet you wish you had known so you could have joined me.

Weekend Getaway

Thursday night as we were falling asleep my hubby asked me what we should do this weekend to celebrate our anniversary. We discussed going to dinner and perhaps to a movie, but decided to sleep on it. When I woke up this morning I had a plan in my head. I wanted to go somewhere cooler, so my plan was that we could go to Snowflake, Arizona and spend the night and go a session at the Snowflake temple. Luckily I have an agreeable husband who thought that sounded like a good idea. Well, the idea kind of evolved and we ended up spending 2 nights in Payson, Arizona. We stayed at the Best Western Payson Inn and I thought it was a really good choice. Our motel room was on the second floor and had a small balcony that we enjoyed sitting on to watch the sunsets and the squirrels playing in the trees while a cool breeze swirled around us. It was wonderful!

This is the view from our balcony of the other group of motel rooms across the way.

The cool hubby.

The sunset.

The squirrel trying to hide on the branch.

The squirrel again.

Our room had a king size bed that I think would have fit us and our boys just fine. We kept losing each other.
On Saturday morning we got up and went to breakfast at a very small, very popular, cafe. The food was yummy, fast and inexpensive. Then we drove around Payson for awhile and then headed to Snowflake, which was a little over an hour away. We were planning on going to the 2:00 session at the temple (which was the one you don't need to have reservations for) so we had a little time to kill when we got to Snowflake. We went to Ed's IGA because this was the one thing the roommate/adopted daughter said we shouldn't miss in Snowflake. It was definitely one of the highlights of the town. Then we drove North, South, East and West checking out the neighborhood. We went to the Senior Citizen's Thrift Store, to the LDS Bookstore, and the Maverick Gas Station. Then we went to the temple and took some pictures.

Our oldest son likes to take pictures of temples and whenever we travel anywhere, if there is a temple in the area, we make a point of locating it so that he can get some pictures. It was after he started this practice, and after he had pictures from 5 or 6 different temples, that I learned something new. I always thought that all the Angel Moroni statues on the temples were the same, made from the same mold, but that is not true. There are a lot of different Angel Moroni poses. Someday I'm going to make a collection of pictures of all the different Angel Moroni statues and perhaps I'll post it right here on my blog. This is what the Snowflake Temple Angel Moroni looks like.

We had a wonderful temple session and felt very welcomed and needed. It was a very small session (just like the very small temple), but the spirit was there in abundance. It is always interesting to visit other temples and discover what is different in the layout, the decor, and the way things get done, but so very similar in the presentations and feelings that are there. I'll say it again - I love the temple!
After the temple we drove back to Payson and took a quick trip out to visit some nearby Indian ruins and get a little exercise after all the sitting we had done. Then we opted for some fast food for dinner which we took back to the motel and ate on the balcony and then we watched some cable TV.
This morning I enjoyed sitting on the balcony while I read my scriptures. Then we checked out the continental breakfast and headed home so we could get back in time for our church.
This was a great weekend. I loved spending time with my sweetheart, as well as getting away from the heat and the routine of daily life. It was a good celebration!

Today I am grateful for

a daughter that decided what was for dinner and contributions from everyone.
Sunday dinner with my family.
the chance to get away for awhile and children who are old enough to take care of themselves.

One year ago today - The Curse of Party Food.

Fall Break with the Boys

My boys are kind of boring.
They both have Fall Break this week
and I tried to talk them into
going somewhere fun with me
and they said no.
For some reason they don't think
anywhere would be fun with me.
Apparently they think I am boring.
The boys are content
to play football on the computer,
watch movies,
and go out to eat.
The oldest son is going to
Weight Watchers with his sisters
so he feels a little guilty about eating out
but not guilty enough to not do it.

Perhaps he thought no one would recognize him
hidden behind that Oregano's menu.
I decided to go with them to Oreganos.
Their lunch menu is a great deal.
3 heck of a slice pizzas with toppings,
Pepperoni for one boy,
Pepperoni and pineapple for the other,
and Basil and Roma Tomatoes for me.
Drinks - Diet Coke for the oldest son,
water with lemon for the youngest,
and plain old water for me.
plus a pizzookie, to share, for dessert -
half white chocolate chip macadamia nut
and half chocolate chip
(except it tasted alot like peanut butter
with chocolate chips in it)
topped with vanilla bean ice cream.
All for $20 bucks.
It was an especially good deal
because the incognito son paid.

Today I am thankful for

clean laundry.
a washing machine.
Fall break, so I can sleep in.

Canyon Colors

My mom kept telling me that I needed to do something fun before I went home. She seems to think that all I have done while I was here is work. I don't feel like I have worked very hard. I have done my fair share of laundry and I have cooked a few meals, but I'm not sure that constitutes hard work. The washing machine basically does the work for me and cooking isn't bad at all when the recipients are appreciative.

Since today'was my last day in Utah I had to decide what fun thing I wanted to do. I chose to go on an Autumn leave hunt up the canyon. My mom and my sister decided they could handle that much fun so they accompanied me. My hunt was sucessful and I had lots of fun!

These leaves were just as we entered Payson canyon, pretty close to home. More evidence that Fall is quickly approaching.

This picture was taken from the trailhead to the Grotto, where our family went hiking when we were in Utah this summer. I didn't do any hiking, but I did get out to take a few pictures. We were all surprised that the quaking Aspens, at the top of the mountain, were all still green. There were a lot more colored leaves down lower than there were up high.

My mom has a Fall screen saver on her computer with beautiful yellow trees lining both sides of the road and piles of yellow leaves on the ground. I told her that that was what I was looking for before we left home. These leaves weren't quite as abundant as the ones on her computer, but it was still a very pretty scene. I took this picture in Santaquin Canyon on the way down.

It's a good thing I wasn't trying to do any real hunting on this drive. The deer kept disappearing before I could get my camera situated to "shoot" them. I could have picked off a lot of grazing cows, but I don't think their owners would have appreciated that too much.

I loved being able to actually see Autumn leaves for a change. It was a beautiful and fun trip, much better than cooking or doing laundry.

Today I am thankful for

the time I have been able to spend with my mom and other family members for the past 10 days.
my mom's recovery - even though it is progressing slower than she would like.
people that appreciate my cooking.

The Arrival of Fall

I have to say that I was a little disappointed when I arrived in Utah last week and it wasn't nearly as Fall like as I had been expecting. In Arizona we have been dreaming of the days when the high temperature will finally fall below 90 degrees and praying that it is just around the corner. Autumn decorations keep popping up on the blogs of friends and acquaintances in Maricopa county wishfully encouraging some hope for relief.

Not so in Utah. Although the temperatures are already below ninety here these Utahns seem to be holding on to Summer with all they've got. I have seen a lot more 4th of July decorations still gracing the doors of neighborhood homes than the traditional pumpkin and scarecrow adornments of Autumn and there was nary a colored leaf on the mountains last Sunday as I was driven south from the airport. I guess these residents realize that after Fall quickly comes Winter and they are not quite ready to welcome that with open arms.

However, I was ecstatic this morning, the official first day of Fall, to wake up to overcast skies and a decidedly crisp feel to the air. If I look really hard at the mountain behind my mom's house I can even pick out scatterings of red leafs finally appearing.

Fall is Here!

On my morning walk (which required a jacket for the first time since I've been here) I was excited to see more evidence of the changing seasons.

Raindrops falling gently on my head,

a few leaves beginning to change color and a brave soul acknowledging that Autumn is upon us by decorating a grave with a harvest flair.

Welcome Autumn.

I wish I could stick around to enjoy all you have to offer.

Today I am thankful for

the opportunity to get to see the changing seasons first hand.

A sister to come and spend time with my mom and me.

the need for a jacket.

Breaking Dawn

Well, I can now say I read it.
I can't say I loved it
but I won't say I hated it.
I guess I feel o.k. about how things ended up
for Jacob as well as Bella and Edward.
My advice to you though
is don't read this book
when you are emptying lymph node fluid
from your mother's lymph node drains.
It is way too unsettling.

My Mom's Flowers

My mom has always worked hard
to have a garden or 2 or 3 of beautiful flowers.
At our house on the hill in Heber
my mom had rock gardens
full of pretty flowers
tucked in beds
surrounded by rocks
hauled from the hot pots
in nearby Midway.
Every evening she would go outside
and water her flowers.
I think this was her quiet time.
Her time to think and
to appreciate the fruits of her labors.
At the time I didn't really understand
what she found so enjoyable about
standing over the garden
with a hose every night
but now I think I am
beginning to figure it out.
It's nice to look at something
you have created
from almost nothing
and see it flourish.
It's rewarding to be a part of
making Heavenly Father's world
a more beautiful place.

My mom is a good example to me
of being creative and
making her little corner of the world
a nicer place.
Even though she doesn't feel good
most of the time
she keeps busy sewing
or quilting
or crocheting
or knitting
or doing geneology.
After her surgery
the nurse's instructions
from the doctor were
"Don't just lay in bed
all the time"
so she is adamate that she
needs to be up and doing something.
Although I think it is o.k.
to act sick for a little while
following cancer surgery
I do admire her for her detemination
to not let this bump in the road
keep her from accoplishing
the things she desires.


I could learn a lot from her.
Perhaps I'll go home and
plant a Fall garden.

Today I am thankful for

a mom who is a good example to me.
happy childhood memories.
A new baby boy in the family born to my niece yesterday.

Airplane Rides

I went on my first airplane trip when I was about 6 or 7.
My parents, my brother and I flew to Detroit to pick up a new car from the factory there and then we traveled around and drove it home.
My dad believed that this was the best way to buy a car.
The money he saved on shipping the car and paying a car dealer paid for the vacation.
But this blog is about airplanes, not cars.

I was very impressed with my first plane ride.
I can remember gazing out of the window of the airplane at all the tiny roads and tiny houses and tiny cars and tiny people. It reminded me of the Game of Life game board.
The stewardesses (which they were called at the time) treated me nice and I thought I was pretty special.
The only thing I didn't like was the cigarette smoke floating through the air. Back then you could smoke in certain rows toward the back of the plane but the smoke circulated everywhere.

Today I took another plane ride.
One of many I have taken since that first one.

I am still impressed with the view from the window.
The tiny roads and houses and cars.
The thing that intrigues me the most now though are all the designs in the fields and the ground - circles and lines and diamonds and squares. It's amazing to me how much definition there is in dirt and rocks and weeds.

The flight attendants are still nice, but I don't know that I feel all that special anymore. I guess I was special today because I got the whole row to myself which was definitely nice. I probably should wish for seatmates so I could have opportunities to share the gospel, but I enjoyed my peaceful, quiet trip.

One of the most intelligent people I know refuses to fly.
I haven't discussed his reasons with him but every time I get on an airplane I wonder if he knows something that I don't,
but should.
I have a hard time understanding how planes can fly.
I have had it all explained to me, the lift and the drag and the this and the that, and it still doesn't make sense to me that a big, huge airplane can be held up in the sky by only air.
It's something I don't really like to dwell on.
As long as I don't think about it too hard I'm o.k.
It appears to work pretty well, over and over again so I just have faith that it will work when I am a passenger as well.
Today that plan worked out well.
It is nice to be in Salt Lake City in an hour and a half
as opposed to 13 hours.

Today I am thankful for

Airplanes.
Money to pay for a plane ticket.
A flexible schedule that allows me to leave home whenever I need to or want to.

Dominos

My mom likes to play games. She says she doesn't know why because she never wins, but regardless - she likes to play games and so we usually play games a few times whenever we visit. Today we decided to play Dominos. I never really played Dominos when I was growing up. My mom taught us how one year when we came on vacation. I learned the game from her, but today she kept telling us we didn't play the way she plays. She taught us how to play. How can we play different? Anyway, we had a fun afternoon together trying to outsmart one another. I don't know why I like to play games either. I never win. Today I am grateful for the time I get to spend with my mom and other family members. a fridge with an ice maker and a water dispenser. lunch at the Brick Oven.

Pebbles in my Pocket Warehouse Sale

I sometimes feel bad that I no longer live in Utah - the home of scrapbooking. I always think I am missing out on great deals or ideas or supplies or something. So I was glad when I found out that one of the local scrapbook stores was having a warehouse sale while I was here. Something fun that I could actually go to and not just read about! The daughter and I enjoyed digging through lots of boxes looking for the best deals we could find. We were even more excited when we saw the prices there compared to the prices we had seen in their store a few days earlier. What a bargain on all sorts of stuff we really didn't need. What fun!! We even spent the evening being creative with the supplies, so our hubbies would know it was money well spent. I made birthday cards and the daughter worked on a calendar for her first year of marriage. This is the most productive I have been in a long time. Good for me! I am thankful for a husband - that lets me spend his hard earned money. a hobby - I can enjoy and share with my daughter. a son - who buys me Dr. Quinn - Medicine Woman on DVD just because he knows I want it.

Up the canyon

Today we took a little trip up Payson canyon to enjoy nature and the cooler temperatures. We all, including mom, managed to fit into our van. It's good that the newlyweds like to sit very close. Our first stop was at the Grotto for an "easy" hike. One family member questioned this rating but it was relatively flat for the most part and only .3 miles long. The last time we made this hike (more than 10 years ago) my brother was the leader of the pack and led us up the wrong trail to start with and then the actual trail was in need of some major improvements so the trek took quite a while. They have really improved the path with log bridges and a wider trail so I thought the trip was much easier this time around. The pool and waterfall at the end was definitely worth the trip. We had to share the limited sitting rocks with some other visitors, but managed to spend some enjoyable time there. My youngest son demonstrated his rock climbing ability and climbed up to the top of the waterfall and I was impressed. He and the daughter and son-in-law then took the trail up to the top and got to look down on us all, literally and not just figuratively speaking this time. We left mom in the van reading her book while we hiked and even though we were parked in a cattle crossing she was still there when we returned. She said the largest creature she saw was a fly. We continued up the canyon and down the Santaquin side. We stopped at Tiney Flats for a picnic and potty break. I enjoyed both immensely. After we finished eating, mom and I were content to sit and appreciate the cool breeze and the beautiful scenery. The people under 25 weren't quite so happy. The fact that you can't get cell phone service when you are sitting between two very tall mountains really bothered the sons. They were certain they were missing some very vital text messages. My mom asked why they were in such a hurry to leave. She said "When we get home we will just have to work." The sons told her, "You don't have to work, you just choose to work." When we started expounding on why someone had to work ie. to pay the bills, wash the clothes, prepare food... They said, "Well of course the moms and dads have to work. That's a given." How is that choosing? If the hubby and/or I didn't choose to work, would someone else pick up the slack?? Sometimes I don't think life is very fair! It was a fun trip, even if I did have to leave before I was completely ready. I chose not to work when we got home and we still all survived. The oldest son took us all to the Polar Queen, his favorite Utah restaurant, for dinner tonight (so none of us would have to work). He and I really like their Fish and Chips. The chips are English fries and yummy. We were disappointed when we got there and found out that they no longer sell English fries. It was a sad, sad moment. Today I am grateful for Trees - I love trees. They are so green and provide shade that makes it cool. Canyons - that are close enough to drive up in just a few minutes and feel the temperature drop 15 degrees. My minivan - it is nice to have a vehicle that we can all fit in together even if some of us are a little squished.

Salt Lake Valley for the day

This morning we got up and went to the Jordan River temple. The daughter and I and our hubbies did a session and the sons did baptisms. It was nice to be back in the temple where our family got it's beginning. A lot has happened since my husband and I tied the knot there 25 years ago. It is fun to see my daughter now in about the same place I was then - a newlywed just starting out with the next 25 years still to be experienced. New beginnings are always so exciting and also a little scary. I hope the temple plays an important role in her next 25 years. It's a great place to ponder the whole picture and focus on the eternal perspective rather than the day to day trials. It was a wonderful morning. We met my sister and her roommate for a lunch treat at Cafe Rio. I enjoyed the Pork Barbacoa Salad a lot. It is one of my favorites. Then we took a scenic trip north across the valley past the new Oquirrh Temple (not sure of its actual name) that is under construction and to a store I had been wanting to visit. It was called Market Square (I think) and it wasn't quite as exciting as I had hoped it would be but now I can say I've been there and won't have to feel bad for missing out on something fun. The most exciting part was trying to find it. I was in my sister's car with her and my family was following behind in our van. They were pretty sure we had no idea where we were going and they were right. Then we headed east to another part of the city to locate Ye Olde Dutch Store for the son-in-law. He served his mission in the Netherlands and wanted to pick up some of his Dutch favorites. Once again the exciting part was in the trip and not the destination, but once we figured out it wasn't really called "Ye Olde" it was a lot easier to locate in the phone book and get the actual address. Our next stop was suppose to be to find out if there is still a Snelgrove's Ice Cream Parlor in Salt Lake but after 3 failed attempts to find an open road going under the I-80 we gave up on that adventure and just headed back to my sister's house. We drove really slowly past the Deseret Industries to make my family nervous, but we didn't stop. We did manage one more stop at the Deseret Book Bookcellar Outlet store on Redwood Rd. in South Jordan. This is a must on any trip we take to Utah. I love church books and when I can get them for a bargain, I love them even more. I bought several fiction books for $1.99, a Dowdle puzzle of San Diego for $1.49 (I could do it at the beach next year if I were going back), and quite a few music CDs for $1.99. It was the highlight of the day for me -after the temple of course. We hadn't taken enough scenic routes during the day so we decided to go back to Payson past the Draper temple (which is also under construction, but further along than the Oquirrh one) and over the mountain to Highland. It was a fun and exciting route and we saw lots of big houses and dedicated bike riders pedalling up hill. It was a fun day. I am grateful for a sister - who is willing to buy me and my family lunch and drive me all over tarnation too. Temples - where I can go to remember why I am here on earth. Daylight - until 9:00 at night so I can see all the scenery on my scenic trips.

Family Fireworks

Every year our family tries to time our summer trip to Utah sometime around the Fourth or the Twenty-Fourth of July so we can shoot off some fireworks while we are here. It used to be the hubby that was the most excited, then the first son and then the second. This year it was my youngest nephew who could hardly wait for the show to begin. While I enjoy watching the fireworks, I think I enjoy being able to sit outside and enjoy the cool evening even more. I'm glad my mom has nice neighbors that don't complain too much about all the noise we make in their quiet neighborhood. It wouldn't feel like summer without this yearly event. Today I am thankful for Cool Summer Evenings - such a thing doesn't exist at my house. My Sister-in-law - she is the kind of mom I wish I was more like. It is obvious how much she loves her kids and she seems to always take life in stride and with a smile. Time - to spend with my family having fun.

The Intrepid Snake Catchers

This morning the youngest son and the eldest daughter took a walk around grandma's neighborhood. On the way home they cut across the grass and the daughter stepped on a poor, defenseless garter snake. I'm not sure which one of them was the most scared.


The "brave" son ran in and got grandma's snake catcher (it's actually a tool she uses to reach items on high shelves, but the grandkids think it was created for catching snakes and it does work pretty good). His first grab was less than stellar, but eventually he caught the snake and held him as far away as possible so I could take some pictures.



Eventually, the snake was smarter than the catchers and escaped under the neighbors porch. Just one of the many adventures to be had on vacation.

I learned something I never knew today. My husband of 25 years is a snake hater. Who would have guessed? He always puts on a very brave front.

Country Girl

I think the saying goes, "You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl." Driving into Utah County past Santaquin, where my mom grew up, and into Payson, my dad's home town and where my mom lives now, still feels like coming home to me. I haven't lived in Utah County for over 20 years, but a part of my heart still hangs out here. I love to sit on my mom's back patio and look out over the fields at the cows and the horses and the empty spaces and the mountains in the distance and just let my soul drink it all in. This is where I come from and I am glad.

When I was a little girl, our closest neighbors were dairy farmers. I spent a lot of my free time running down the hill that separated our houses and hanging out in their barn, jumping off of their hay stacks or in the calf pen with the new baby calves.
Cows and cats have always been my favorite animals. I have to say that I am partial to black and white Holsteins, but these tan cows that were living in the field behind my mom's house came in a close second. It was more than I could do to stay away and so I took a walk out to visit. They seemed to be as interested in me as I was in them. After they had all gathered around I started walking down the fence line and they all followed along behind me. One of my mom's neighbors said she counted and I had a parade of 24 cows taking my walk along with me. It was almost like old times and lots of fun.

Today I am thankful

to be in Utah with my family.
for the view from my mom's backyard.
for Cows, of course.

Two terrific trips to Tuacahn

The reason for our stop in St. George on our way to Utah county was so we could attend the "Broadway in the Desert" shows at Tuacahn. Tuacahn is an outdoor theatre that has a huge red rock mountain as the backdrop and I think I could be content to just sit and gaze up and down the hillside for a couple of hours, so actually getting to watch a play too is an added bonus. Our family came here once before, in 1997, to watch the musical "Utah". We had a family reunion in St. George and most of my family (mom, dad, brothers, sisters and kids) were together which was really fun. During the performance part of the set was blown over by the wind and they had to stop the show. It was lucky for us that we were staying around for another day and could come back the next night to see the entire play. It was a memorable experience and I have wanted to come to another performance for a long time.

Last night we saw the "Sound of Music". I am a big fan of this story and the music in it and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I especially like watching little kids living out their dreams of being on the stage. The marionette show was also a lot of fun to see portrayed by real people.
I wondered if going to the play was a patriotic way to spend the 4th of July but I was able to have feelings of gratitude for the wonderful country I live in while I was there. I am always stirred by a feeling of love for the country you call your own as I listen to the song Edelweiss. Captain Von Trapp is so willing to risk the lives of his family and himself to support his country and the values that he holds dear to his heart. During the scene in the play at the music festival they had actors dressed as German soldiers walking up and down the stairs of the audience keeping us all "under control". When someone near us booed at the announcement that the Captain was being sent to join the German Navy he was threatened and ridiculed by the guard and I started thinking how difficult it would be to have your country invaded by an enemy and to lose your freedom to voice your opinions and to live your life the way you chose to. I am truly blessed to be an American. They concluded the play with a fireworks display that was great. The live orchestra played "Stars and Stripes Forever" and the fireworks boomed just long enough to be enjoyable. It was a very "Happy Fourth of July". At least for most of us;)


Tonight we went to "Les Miserables". I had never seen this musical before and wasn't too familiar with the story or the characters so sometimes I felt a little lost, but I enjoyed it also. I thought the actors/singers did a great job. However the story was very sad and a little depressing in my opinion. Once again, it made me grateful for the life I have been blessed to live. My life could have been very, very different if I had been born in a different time and place.

Today I am thankful for
Family - to do fun things with.
Freedom - to do what I want and to live my life according to my values.
Motel rooms - that are nice, air-conditioned, not too expensive, I can share with my mom, sister and hubby who have money to help pay for them, and that my kids are all old enough to have one of their own!

Modern Technology

The jury is still out in my mind as to whether or not technology is a good thing. I will be the first to admit that there are times when I love my cell phone, my computer, my DVD player and so on. It was so nice to have the boys watching the computer the whole trip to St. George and not complaining to me, it is great to be able to be in contact with people you are looking for or meeting or leaving at home to take care of things, and it is fun to get to blog about all my experiences. However, at other times these advances seem to make life more complicated and less enjoyable rather than easier and more fun. Take for instance when my hubby would rather watch his TV shows on DVD rather than cuddle with me or when the cell phone doesn't work because you don't have a signal or when I would prefer to have a conversation with my children rather than text them or watch while they text other people.

My daughter and her husband used some of their wedding money to buy a Garmin GPS system for their car. The husband really wanted one and my daughter said it was OK as long as they bought the pink one. He was fine with that. They were excited to use it on the trip, but it kept telling them to go a different way than we were choosing to go and then it would have to recalculate. It recommended going through Las Vegas and that would never be the route I took to St. George by choice. I got to ride in her car today and she used it to give us directions to the bookstore and scrapbook store we were going to visit. Although it was nice to have a "talking map" I kept trying to figure out why it was sending us the way it did and second guessing what it told us to do. I also got a little annoyed having this "British woman" telling me where to go in Utah. Heck, I AM from Utah. I think I would probably throw the cute little box out the window pretty quickly even if it is pink. I don't like to be told what to do or where to go and I often enjoy taking the scenic route. Just ask my kids. Apparently I come by it naturally because my sister took the newlyweds on some scenic routes with my mom's help. Perhaps when the newlyweds get rich they can buy all us Cheever women a GPS of our very own.

Also, I think each one of us has our own opinion of what modern technology really is and how much is really necessary. Is it a high speed hook up in every motel room, a GPS system in every car, a cell phone in every pocket or this fine example I happened upon on our road trip.