It's hard to keep up a blog when you basically stop taking pictures. But I have a few and since this is my picture journal, and I'm pretty sure I will spend hours perusing my blogs when I am old and 'bored'...and just plain want to remember what I did in my life, I'd better keep going.
After Tom and I returned from Hawaii, which trip was wonderful in every way, we dove right into Christmas and the New Year. Mom came up to SLC and for 10 days we shared Suzanne's house and had Cindee here as well. We kept really busy visiting family, and in the evenings we played non-stop cards. Suzanne and I were getting sick of card games, but mom loves them so much, we would play every night. One night we looked at each other and realized what a treat it was to have our mom here, to be together every night to play games with her....and that we would look back on this time together and wish like anything that we could do it again. While she was visiting, her sewer pipe broke and flooded her basement so she is still dealing with that mess. Luckily Scott took care of most of the details. We also met Scott's new girlfriend, Sam and her son Cody.
We of course are still very much involved with the renovations, but another realization: we have been blessed to use this time to visit with friends and family. Most likely without this delay in getting into our house, we wouldn't have taken the time we are to hang out with those we love and admire. You get into a routine. You get church assignments. You have house 'duties and repairs' to deal with. So we are seeing this time as an opportunity to 'couch surf'! (Seth thinks we should write a book about couch surfing!)
We have enjoyed our Epic Ski pass 4 times now. Since the daily rate for an adult is $169, I have paid for my ticket (including the 3 times in the summer, I have more than paid for mine). Tom still has a few more days to pay his off as the senior rate is only $120/day. We love the snow and the blue sky, the endless trails to discover, no lift lines, being outside, and our great ski equipment!
Listen to this all-star list of friends we have been able to reconnect with: Lynne and Dow Wilson for breakfast at their mansion in Hobble Creek. Heidi and Steve Hilton with Charlotte and Ric Walton at Hiltons house in Heber. Kelly and Spencer Kimball for dinner at their house in Alpine. Jessie Taggart at a restaurant on Foothill drive, not far from her house. Then a couple that we went to the MTC with: Karen and Steve Teerlink invited us to their house in Holliday. Also lunch with our great friends, Pam and Richard Norby. We ate lunch at their house in Lehi and together we called our good friends Penny and Neville Rochow in Australia! We met up with Claudia and Kevin Hamilton at the church office buildings for lunch, and then for dinner we met up with David and Carolyn Fenn at a restaurant in Draper! We feel blessed to call such stalwart people our friends. We know we are lucky. And to be able to sit and chat and catch-up and relive memories and talk about politics, church, current events, decorating, health, and every and anything else that pops into our heads. Lucky!
The highlight recently however was spending 10 days with Seth and Heidi and family. I drove down with Colie and her 2 girls and Tom drove our car. We were all able to attend the baptism of Luke! I got to play the piano, Tom gave a talk on the Holy Ghost, and he was a witness along with Brent Bluth. It was fun to spend time with the Bluth family as well. We took several hikes, went into their hot tub, visited with another mission couple: the Guercio's, went to the St. George temple and enjoyed the new endowment session, took a tour of historic St. George (the tabernacle and Brighams winter home), and went to Las Vegas to celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary.
Oh, the kids gave us a great book for Christmas with family photos and memories. So I didn't ask for their high/lows for 2018. But I should add mine: High: moving to our downtown apartment in Rome. Completing an honorable mission and at our homecoming having all of our 6 children there to greet us. Making progress on the Heber renovations. Low: Leaving Europe as my home. Not having a home to come to. Making SLOW progress on the renovations!
 |
| We took Mom, Suzanne and Cindee up to Heber to see the progress. |
 |
| The progress is slow but steady. This was the state of the house as we enter 2019. Still much to do, but it seems to be progressing at a good clip now. |
 |
| The cute Seth Herway family on Jan 5th for Luke's baptism. |
 |
| The view from our hotel room in Las Vegas. Celebrated our 42nd anniversary. We could see the Bellagio fountains from our window as well. It was a one bedroom with a jacuzzi in the room. I swam in the outside pool even though it wasn't warm weather, but if you stay in the hot tub long enough, that cold water feels great. We found a Rosso Pommodoro that just opened on Dec 27th. The food was authentic, delicious, and expensive! |
 |
| This hike was the Snow Canyon overlook. Awesome view. We also did the Gila trail, and the turtle trail. We walked most mornings to the airport near their (Seth and Heidi) home for a wonderful vista as well. |
