Girls Cruise with RAINER! 4/30 - 5/4/2009

My sister Dana came up with this great idea to take my 84 year old Mom on a cruise before it was too hard on her to travel. My Sister LaNae acted as the travel agent and the rest is history as they say! Mom's birthday is Dec. 14 th so each of my Sisters and myself gave her sun glasses, a sun hat, Jammie's and fun cruise stuff for her birthday but we didn't say a thing about anything else. Then for Christmas we gave her the cruise and airlines tickets. The best part of this gift is that we ALL got to go on the trip and we had lots of time to look forward to it!!!!

Here is our Ship. The Sun on the Norwegian Cruise Line. It was so much fun!

It was a short trip 4 days and 3 nights that traveled from LA up the cost to Vancouver Canada. This is a picture of Vancouver as we were getting ready to port there. It was a beautiful city. We did however see the down side of the city with the street people. Dana gave a handout to one of the women which started a fight between two women. I am assuming that one owed the other one money. It ended with one woman hitting the other one. It was a bit tense and scary. Next time no handouts Dana!!

We had such a fun time....all we did is laugh, eat and sleep and watch movies...OK EAT, laugh.....Either way it was a treasured memory!

Here is a picture of my Darling Mom Loraine affectionately know to us as "Rainer" guarding our luggage at the airport. My Mom is so funny. I think it is a combination of her being naive, being old and not hearing really well and trying to humor us..... but whatever it is she is the main attraction wherever we go! I call her remarks "Rainerisms"...Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Rainer: Man these people in Canada really travel a lot.

Us: Mom we are at an airport!

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2. My sister LaNae FELL off the bed and cut her foot. A SERIOUS injury as she calls it. Anyway she went to get some neosporin and band aids at the gift shop.

Mom: Where did you go?

LaNae: To get some stuff for my foot.

Mom: Did you have the leave the building?

LaNae: Mom we are on a SHIP!

Mom: Well, I thought we were still parked!

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3. LaNae e-mailed Steve to let him know which LLadro figurine she got me from him for my birthday and she said he wrote back and said to give Stacey a "wet kiss"....(Please Steve) Mom said "What affects the kids"?... Wet Kiss Mom...nothing about kids.

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4.We were watching a DUMB movie called He's Just Not That Into You. In the movie a girl upset with her husband throws a mirror and shatters it on the floor. Mom woke up out of a dead sleep and said, That's seven years bad luck and went right back to sleep!

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I could go on but WHY??? You gotta love Rainer! She always makes us laugh.

Can you believe that I did not get one good picture of all of us together on the cruise. We had two state rooms that were adjoining. it was a huge slumber party for 4 days. Here we are in one of the staterooms. Mom, LaNae, RaeAnn and Dana.

At breakfast. RaeAnn, Dana, empty spot for ME, LaNae and Rainer.

We took a city tour of Vancouver the last day of our cruise and then stayed over night in a GREAT hotel. Here we are at Queen Elizabeth's garden in Vancouver. It was so beautiful!

LaNae and me at the tulip garden.

The whole garden was this beautiful.

This great clock in Gastown operates on steam from under the streets that runs the heating system. Every hour and half hour it plays some great music generated by the steam. It is hard to see but steam is really coming out of the top of the clock.

This is China Town. This was a fun and very interesting experience. They had everything from fresh veggies and seafood to dried and salted everything!

This was one of the most interesting "dried" foods we saw. Dried, flat,smashed lizard...so appetizing. Both RaeAnn and I wanted to bring one home to our boys....however we would never get back into the country with it. We both decided it was better to come home legally.

Her is a picture of my darling kids and the GREAT gifts I picked out for them, Grant in his silk Jammie's. Camille in her darling embroidered flats. Blake in his groovy biking glasses.

It was also fun to celebrate my birthday on the ship. Each of my Sisters took a turn buying breakfast, lunch and dinner for me since it was all included! ;) Actually we went to a great steak restaurant where we had steak and lobster and huge prawns. It was so yummy. They gave me a birthday cake and the staff even sang "Hoppy birthday" to me. I think the English version is "Happy Birthday" It was historical. I got some great earrings from Lanae (yes, I did manage to loose one before I got home with it!!) a Shirt from Dana and money from Mom and RaeAnn.

Then they gave me a gift from Steve and the kids....It was this beautiful LLadro figurine. It couldn't have been a better gift!

I loved the other one so much and they had great prices...well great for LLadro's so... I splurged and got another one for Mother's Day. I figured that Steve would be thrilled that I already had that gift covered! :) Don't we all do that?? I now have a collection and it is up to three. Tyler brought me one home from his mission to Spain. I hope to go to Spain one day and get a couple more to add to my COLLECTION. (By the way Steve was thrilled to know he has Mother's day covered!)

My sister Dana decided that she would WIN a LLadro. She called them LARD-O's..which we all got a kick out of. The only way you can WIN anything on a cruise ship is in the casino....just ask her how well she did. I think she actually LOST hers. I lost $20 in five minutes and was so done.... now LaNae was the only winner and we all benefited form her winnings. Dana even lost some of LaNae's winnings. RaeAnn of course is STILL little miss perfect and did not support that little vice. My favorite quote of RaeAnn's.."Why does Dana like it so much when she is so BAD at it"? I think I remember the brethren say something about not gambling...hummmm;) Needless to say Dana came home without a LARD-O!

I got home late Monday night and look what I came home to....A CLEAN house, a beautifully mowed yard with FLOWERS planted in the beds, my urns planted with new topiary of hibiscus and everything freshly mulched! It looks beautiful! I have great kids!!! What a fun surprise to come home to.

How darling is this. The kids know I like to plant begonias but Grant loved the marigolds so they let him plant one in each bed! I am thinking that it will be my new tradition! Thanks kids I love you!!

What a great trip and fun memory. I am so lucky to have wonderful Sisters. We all get along so well and they have sure blessed my life.

Kaylee Graduates from BYU

I will warn you right now that this may be the longest entry on record! We were so lucky to all be able to fly out to Utah for Kaylee's graduation. We ran from sun up to sun down and had a blast!! Here are some of our adventures.....Get your seat belts on...Grant is flying the plane! :) We could not be any prouder of out little Statistics Major. I guess Proud is not a word we should use but it sure fits this occasion! We are so proud of you Kaylee. It is nice to have brains in the family even if they have to marry into it!! ;) Outside the Marriott Center where President Uchdorf spoke. What an honor to hear him in person.

Graduation day. Right after Kaylee graduated. How fitting to have the BYU bookstore in the background.

Grant and Dad.

The Marriott center was packed . Here Elder Uchtdorf and other dignitaries are walking in. Tyler's Mission President Claude Zivic (in Spain)who is now in the First Quorum of the 70's was also on the stand.

One really FUN part of the trip was meeting up with Marilyn and Lincoln Chamberlain a couple of times. We flew in to SLC within minutes of each other so we met up for lunch at this GREAT hamburger joint called Crown Burgers. They both looked wonderful. Marilyn told us a little more about the amazing story of Lincoln's transplant. He truly is a modern day miracle! What a treat it was to see them. Blake just came to life having his buddy back.

The group.

After lunch we headed over to Temple square before our appointment to tour LDS Business College where Blake plans to attend school in the Fall. Here is a classic picture of Blake!

I took actually took this picture. Temple Square was beautiful and the perfect time of year to see all of the beautiful flowers!

That night we met up with old friends from Desoto days... the Cottrell's. You know they are great friends when you can pick right back up where we left off. It felt just like old times!

The next morning we hiked to the Y. I must say it was way harder than I thought it would be. Not only was it steep, I could NOT catch my breath. I think my kids living in Texas were secretly happy that I had to make a ton of rest stops....as they could not breath either! It took me awhile but we ALL made it! Steve missed out this day as he was working at a clients in SLC.

Here we are at the TOP!

Grant on the Y

Carly on the Y

On the way up!

The proof that I actually made it! NO... I did not ride the four wheeler up. They were lighting the Y for graduation. ;) However I would have liked to ride the four wheeler up!

Camille and Carly on top of the world. Over looking Provo.

Hiking down.

Camille, Grant, Kaylee and Tyler at a rest stop.

We were so lucky to be able to meet up with Christine, Maddie and the Ellsworth at the Brick Oven for lunch. It was so fun to catch up and see all of them. My kids say they have the cutest kids!! This is the 'boy" table.

The "girl" table! ;)

You would be hard pressed to find a more darling couple than James and Lori. We miss them but they are happy and are doing well!

After lunch we met the Naylor's (Kaylee's family) and took the kids bowling. Just notice the next two pictures and see what is wrong..... This is Blake

This is Carly..... LOOK at they way they hold the bowling ball!!! It was a bit embarrassing but that is truly how they bowled. We were lucky to get out of there with out the ball being thrown in another lane...although for Carly it was a close call. Note to self. Do not take the family bowling in public again.....

After this I wanted to go upstairs to the BYU bookstore. I was looking for a camp manual when Tyler was waving frantically to me to come upstairs. His Mission President Elder Claude Zivic and his wife were there. It was such a privilege to finally meet them. Tyler absolutely idolizes this man and his wife. They were so kind and complimentary to us. You could see the love and appreciation between them towards Tyler and he to them. We have communicated in letters but it was so fun to actually meet these people that cared for my son while he was in Spain and that Tyler has spoken so highly of. Yes, I had my camera in my purse and had taken pictures all week long and I totally forgot to take a picture until we left the bookstore. If only I could go back and replay that meeting!!

Next we headed up to Bridal Vail Falls. It was a shock to see how the place had changed. I hear that there had been a fire up there and everything was in ill repair. It was such a beautiful, thriving place when I was in school I hated to see it that way. We still walked around for a bit and the kids had fun posing for and taking funny pictures....

Carly at the Falls.

Tyler and Grant at the falls.

Carly, Camille and Grant

Flying:
Camille....

Grounded...Grant ;)

Who is taller??? Sorry Carly you loose!

We are missing Blake in these pictures because he was helping Lincoln move into his dorm room and he was busy at night hanging out with the "Texas friends" . I told him he still had curfew but he fudged that a little.

Then we headed up to Squaw peek. It was raining in the valley but snowing up there. Grant was thrilled to play in the snow for a little bit. This is a picture of the Naylor's, Kaylee's family. It was fun to be able to spend some time with them and get to know them better. Today is Tyler and Kaylee's 2 year anniversary. Where does the time go??

All of us at the top of Squaw Peek.

Steve, Carly, Camille, Grant and Tyler

Boarding the airplane to come home. Grant cried and cried Sunday morning as we were getting ready to fly home. He wanted to stay just 2 more days.........................

I think we all would have liked to stay just two more days.............. It was a great trip!

You're just not Texan if you don't have a picture like this!

Texas is known for it's bluebonnets! Nothings beats a field full of Texas wild flowers. We saw these out on a bike ride and Grant was so excited to take pictures. If you have ever lived in Texas you have pictures like this! Unfortunately for us it had rained the day before and Grant fell down the second we got there and his pants were all muddy so our"photo shoot" was cut short! There is always next year.

Notice that Grant has on his blue Easter egg ring. That ring was the Easter treasure this year. :)

Look Who Came To Our house!

Grant was so excited the day that Pierce came over to play. Christine had a Doctor appointment so we got to have a play date. I love this little boy. He reminds me a lot of what my kids looked like as babies. Grant even asked his dad is we could have another baby. I overheard the answer from the other room.....NO

Examples in Action

Blake and Camille had the wonderful opportunity to attend our Stake's Youth Conference over the weekend. They were involved in a super service project for a neighboring community's senior center. The service was to build 1/4 mile sidewalk for a walking trail for the center, paint a play ground and clean a baseball field of weeds and over growth. The city put up the 20K for the materials and the kids and others donated their time. Everyone questioned if this could really be achieve in 2 days! They did it!!!!!!

Here Camille is smoothing out the concrete. Blake, Lauren, and Wren

Corrine and Stephanie.

Steve was able to attend one day and came home with a glowing report. How impressed he was with the magnitude of the project. What a wonderful project it was to have their kids involved in something bigger then themselves. He praised the leaders, the volunteers and the KIDS!!

They also had plenty of social time. The had dinners, speakers and even a dance. It was a fun and fulfilling weekend. My kids came home exhausted but both were thrilled to be apart of this wonderful activity. Thanks to all those that made it happen!!

Just wanted to share these beautiful, beautiful flowers!!

Easter Activities

We had a fun weekend getting ready for Easter. Blake and Camille were at the church Youth Conference so we missed them being in on all of the festivities. Grant loved coloring eggs, making 2 bunny cakes and of course the egg hunt!

Grant colored an egg for each person in the family. Here he is calling his dad. Grant: Dad, what is your favorite color? Dad: hummmm white (side note. You could have guessed that... what color are every one of our cars!! It is a bit embarrassing!) Grant: White is not an option. Dad: OK then green. and green is.....
Grant Finally got to lick the long awaited spatula. He chose to make a strawberry flavored bunny cake. The finished product. He took the bunnies twin to his friend Nathan.

Look what the Easter Bunny dropped by!

It rained really hard on Easter morning so the egg hunt was in the house. Not as much fun but we hid and re-hid eggs...

What a wonderful weekend. The kids had fabulous experience at Youth Conference, We had fun together and church was excellent. What a special holiday. I love Easter time. It feels like a renewal of our spirits and a renewal of the earth. What a wonderful time of year.