Babysitting Gig

First stop:  San Diego.  Seth/Heidi went to Hawaii for their anniversary.  Kathleen/Lauren took the first shift and we took the second.  We stayed for Thanksgiving and celebrated with another family that they are good friends with.  This is a blurry photo but I want to remember how the boys love their pop.  I'm good for the food, the transportation, the necessities of life, but Pop is the life of the party.

Jonah and I explored Seth's hospital while he took care of a short shift of work.  This boy has really grown up.  Now that Seth/Heidi are moving to St. George in February we are really going to miss this California connection!   On our flight from San Diego to Utah we flew with Mitt Romney.  Also Seth/Heidi bought a 'perfect' house in St. George but it fell through b/c of a technicality, and it was their real estate agents fault.  They are still at square one in finding housing in St. George.  

Second stop was Idaho Falls.  Lara is recuperating from an operation and it is slow going.  We felt very needed and were happy to help out.  Here is Zane and Skye checking out the squirrels.  Zane wants to shoot them, Skye wants to chase them.   We had fun going to one of Zane's swim meets.  Fun to watch him really excel. It was also our first time to see their gorgeous new house.  We slept in Daphne's room (thank you!)

Lunch with our oldest grandchild at her favorite restaurant:  Arugala.  Daphne will be 15 years old next month.  We attended two of her basketball games:  a graceful, beautiful player, and one of the high scorers (but the team lost anyway)

The musicians have a jam session.  So fun to hear them.  All nice voices.  Dan/Lara treated us to a concert:  Nashville Tribute Band. It was a fun evening and  a very talented Mormon band.  Thanks Dan/Lara!  Also thanks to Dan for treating Tom and I to lunch.  Not often you get to have that kind of one-on-one time.  It was a real treat.

Steve/Felicia and Kent live in Idaho Falls as well.  We spent the first night at Steve's hotel.  We took Kent and Levi swimming one day at the pool.  Kent has no fear.  He will jump in the water, sink, then bob back up with no problem!  At the event where this photo was taken Kent visited Santa.  Again no fear!  Fun to see where Steve works.  Very professional.  As of this writing he also got his Associates Degree!  Bravo Steve-o!

Third phase of the babysitting gig was to watch Cora and help out Colie while she recuperates from double bunion surgery.  Cora and I spent lots of time outside exploring.  I took Colie to the Dr. several times.  One appointment when stitches were taken out, Colie kept fainting and throwing up so after two hours we finally gave up and she had to go the ER via an ambulance.  Today we did a similar Dr. appointment but she was more prepared (full stomach and feet elevated during the removal of the stitches )  Success!

See Colie's big boots?  This is her first week after surgery and her first time out to the living room.  Luckily Cora doesn't really feel the difference:  just that mom is always available to read her a story!  We got to visit Jed's work at Overstock and it's an awesome environment.  Cora visited Santa at Jed's work and was perfectly happy.  Strangers are no problem.  Cora thinks it quite normal that her Gram/Pop are there every day.  We will miss that intimacy!

We visited the lights at Temple Square.  Cold and slick, and I fell and slid like a penguin.  The same evening we took Suzanne to see the production of 'White Christmas' at the Eccles Theater.

Suzanne's first time to enter her home as the owner.  Very exciting.  She wants to celebrate Christmas at 5065 S. Taroona Dr., but her new condo will be closer to Ryan/Tawny. (7901 Farm Roll Dr.) Speaking of homes.  Our home in Heber has tenant problems.  The poor couple are getting divorced.  We hired the Faux's again to manage the property while we are on our mission.  Tom took a builder up there to look at repairs.  I loved his comment:  "It will all last for 18 months and then when you get back from your mission, we will demolish the place."

During the period of babysitting we still had to make sure everything is in order for our mission.  We had a hiccup with our visa and had to hand deliver documents to the Church Office Building.  We made a special trip from Idaho Falls to Brigham City to change our TX drivers license to UT.  We had to get a Mel Priesthood certificate for Tom from Suzanne's Bishop.  We had to get a Seminary Graduation Certificate for me (didn't graduate!) so that document will have to be something else.  At any rate, we got our documents in on the deadline, so the visa is now in the hands of the authorities.  This is a photo with my cousin Gary Carpenter and his wife Sue.  They are part of the team to get Senior Couples on their mission! (us included)

This week we are still doing some Dr. appointments with Colie and helping out with Cora, but at a much less commitment level. Tom goes to Provo almost every day to gig with Larry Green.   Steve/Felicia and Kent are coming to watch the BYU Bowl game with us here in SLC.  Nicole has her 30th B.day on Thursday.  We are driving to Farmington to spend Christmas with my Mom on Friday.  And that's a wrap for the Babysitting Gig.  

Our US Adventures Begin

Matching outfits for church, including tennis shoes.  Thanks Rach for the photo bomb!  Oh and Jake grew 1/2 inch and is now taller than Dad.

Proud Momma's 

Museum at Point Lobos

The cousins had a day together.  Lily and Jonah were a bit worried about sitting on that rock.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Grammie made plenty of visits to this museum b/c it is so kid friendly.

Mel and I took a bike ride to the dunes.  Jake and I did the same bike ride earlier in the day.  I got to do it twice in the same day!

Asilomar State Park, just down the hill from our rental house.  What an amazing place.

Jelly fish are everyone's favorite.  So fascinating.

Cutsie Portugals.  They could spend hours at the beach and that's fine by me.

Sunset, Asilomar Beach.

Tom loves to stay out way past the sunset until it is pitch dark

The Bench.  Fabulous view and fabulous food (butternut squash flatbread and falafel salad)

We biked from our house all the way to Carmel.  Took us all day!

Sunset at the beach.  Hard to get enough.

Last part of the Monterey trip was having a girls 'get-away' with Tom of course!

Biked to the Fort Ord dunes

Enjoying the sun and sea

An undisturbed beach

Back to the Bench.  This time at night with the fire and warm blankets.  Magical.

Walk and Talk on the Beach

Beholding the Beauty

It is hard to leave.  A marvelous couple of weeks in a gorgeous part of the world.  Nice to have family visit.  Nice to chill and visit and play.  A great experience for our first time back to the US as residents, although it still feels like an extended home leave and we will be returning soon.  With our mission, then we are returning soon, just not to Belgium.

Brussels Au revoir!

Last day in Brussels.  For real.  This is it.  My heart is breaking but at the same time overflowing with gratitude.  Tom and I are both sitting here in Daniel's apartment (which was a Godsend) and writing our thoughts.  How do you capture 28 years of memories?  How do you say good-bye?  How come time marches ever onward?  You only get to enjoy the ride, you can never hold onto it.  You can only take one last, long glance and then you have to move on.  Turning the last page of this chapter and about to begin a new chapter.  But for today, I plan to linger and savor this very last page of this chapter.  It's been glorious, amazing, wonderful, marvelous, and chock full.  SIGH.  Good-bye Brussels.  I will always, always love you.  Thanks for all the memories and for being so good to us.  Sniff.
We walked downtown and meet friends in the Grand Place.  Franks, Rockows, Harts.  We enjoyed the city all lit up (just for us we think!).  Ate dinner at Lotus Vert.  Now it's time for bed.  Goodnight.  It was a glorious last day.

Rieden am Forggensee

After a perfect evening walk we ate dinner at our hotel (Landhotel Schwarzenbach) restaurant and had a fabulous German dish.  Tom had turkey steak with fresh fruit in a curry sauce that was exceptional.  Then a pancake with cranberries for dessert.  The hotel is on a busy road, but the view and the restaurant make up for it. 

The 'temple' looking building on the mountain is Schloss Neuschwanstein:  built for Kind Ludwig to escape the public, there are 1.4 million people who visit each year: 6,000/day.

The colors were a perfect blend.  We are just north of Fussen, the drive only 7 1/2 hours from Brussels.  We are wondering why we haven't vacationed in this area in the summer before?  It's gorgeous.  We have a 4 hour drive tomorrow to Cortina.

THE MISSION CALL: ROME ITALY

We have been called to the Rome Italy Mission.  Our primary responsibility will be to open the Italy Country Welfare Office (Refugee Assistance)  We report to the Provo MTC on Feb 20th and we will serve for 18 months.  This is so exciting!  Seth got the letter in the mail on Saturday, and we had just come home from a long day in Florence.  Today we went to church here in Ravenna.  Tom said his Italian is starting to flood back.  I'm picking up a word here and there, but I learned in Brussels that a few key phrases can really help!  Now that we have a timeframe to work with, I did book flights to Hawaii so we can celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary there!

Mixed News, but for now good news

The update on Tom's kidney stone.  We drove from the South of France to Dijon for an overnight.  Then home to Brussels where we are lucky to be able to use Daniel's apartment for as long as needed.  Tom had his appointment with the urologist on Tuesday and here is the result:  He has a nasty, complicated stone that will have to come out at some point, but for now it is so high and so lodged that to get it out will take a major operation.  That can wait.  It's big, it's high, it's lodged and it's not going anywhere.  True, it is causing blood in the urine b/c it does move, but it is not causing any damage to the kidney.  So it's staying.  Next check-up in two years!
Mission papers moving forward.
We are staying here in Brussels through conference week-end.  On Monday morning we are headed to Cortina D'Ampezzo Italy where we have an apartment for a week.  The weather looks promising and we hope to get in daily hiking.  We will have wifi but who knows how strong/fast it will be.
Lastly.  Jake, Colie and Natalie have all called me on 'whatsapp' and it's pretty good.  If you download it then you can call on our US phone:  385.250.8678.  We love to catch up with all of you!  Thanks for making the effort to reach us.
Love to all of you!
Mom and Dad

Retirement Blast Off

View from our first apartment overlooking Menton..  For further info if you plan to go:  Villa Jade managed by Karen Coblen:  karencoblens@hotmail.com

View from our second apartment overlooking Monaco.  I did book it on booking.com, but it was managed by Interhome:  reservations@interhome.com.  (Apartment Parc Massolin Roquebrune Cap Martin)

Notre Dame des Fontaine:  7th Century Murals

Ventimiglia Italy for a market

Perched village:  Peillon

Hillside village: Saorge

Coastal walks:  Cap Ferrat

It's a great start to retirement.  Still feels like a vacation of course.  Great way to start celebrating, I must admit.  This is one of our favorite areas in Europe, so why not spend 3 weeks here?  We will deal with the kidney stones in October!

To my Children, their Spouses, and all 17 Grandchildren

Today is Aug 25th.  A 'normal' day.  And I realized it is the last one.  I am in our apartment with a 'to do' list, and Dad is at work.  His last day to get there on time and leave at the end of the day.  He will box up his office and have farewell drinks (after a total of almost 40 years of employment).

First I wanted you to know how grateful I am to each of you for making the effort to come to Belgium this year.  EVERY single child, EVERY single spouse, EVERY single grandchild.  (at this writing Cora is the youngest).   It is monumental.

I know it took loads of money, all of your leave, most of you had to miss school and do tons of make-up work.  THANK YOU one and all.  Didn't we have a blast though?  We all got to take marvelous family vacations together.   For record keeping:  Egypt, Berlin, Venice, Paris, Sicily, French Riviera, Mosel biking, Peloponnese Greece, Loire biking, Northern Spain, Lake Como:  all the places we either took as a family holiday or as a couple get-away while we babysat.

We had time to chill, to talk, to be together and eat together, to go out for dinner, to be tourists, to visit old haunts and relive memories.  I watched each of you say your 'good-bye' to Belgium, at least for the way we know it now:  home.   I hope we all come back, but as one grandchild aptly put it:  "It won't be the same without Grammie and Pop here."

I know that we might not have been the parents or grandparents around the block, but we have had an amazing journey, this family of ours.  I just wanted you to feel my heartfelt gratitude that we had this opportunity.  The fact that the apartment at 40 Ambiorix Square was available for a 6 month rental does not go unnoticed by me.  The Lord certainly made this past 6 month gathering happen in style.

I am very reflective, and I have to get it out of my system.  What a run.  What a blessing.  Natalie said it best:  "You can take us out of Belgium but you can never get Belgium out of us."  It's part of our family legacy.  As I said, today is really the last of the normal days:  where we have a Belgian ID, where we have our home, where we have employment.  It is all ending.  I can barely hold my emotions together.  After nearly 28 years here, why do we like it so much?  The diversity, the food, the travel, the place where we raised our family, the place where we have served and loved.  It is not easy to say good-bye.  I know that new doors are opening, and I welcome them.  But just for today, just for now, I am very sad to leave and I can't stop the tears.

Okay.  Deep breath.  I'm good.  The Lord is good to us and has much in store for us in the future.  I just had to document this moment in our lives.  Feelings are bursting and I had to share, hoping I could get it out of my system somewhat.

We love you all, so very very dearly.  Each of you are the most important, top priority, never want to lose and always hold sacred and dear to our hearts, people!(to me/Grammie and to Dad/Pop).   We still have you and never have to stay good-bye as long as we all keep our covenants.  Now that is something to make me smile!  xoxo

Natalie's Family July & Aug 2016

The Portugal Family in Oviedo Spain

Bryn and Isa performed their dance all over the city, in many different times and locations.  I can't wait to see the video.

The hotel in Oviedo was a 5-star and it was classy.  The central veranda was enclosed by porticos and balconies.

Cool Lobby Shot

The Hotel de la Reconquista in Ovieda

Next stop was Ribadesella.  Beautiful setting with the Picos de Europa in the background.

Only in Spain can you afford an ocean front room during the peak season.  One morning Tom and I climbed the hill that you can see in the background.  The view was awesome of the mountains and sea.

Santillana del Mar.  Obviously I am getting a kick out of the panoramic feature on my phone.  Early morning is the best time to capture the scenes without tourists clogging it all up.

Pedestrian only, right?  Wrong.  Tom drove the oversized van down this street.  It was a nail biter but he managed (afterwards making it clear that we never do that to him again)

Just beautiful morning sunlight streaming through the old city

The church in Santillana del Mar

We all wish Tori was more amenable to taking pictures.  Luckily Bryn and Isa will accept bribes.

Thank goodness I have children who will humor me with card playing!

The most inviting beach we have ever visited.  Can you get an idea how wide the beach is?  Noja Spain and we stayed at the Maritime Ris Hotel.  Incredible low tide that leaves behind tide pools and seemingly unlimited walking.  We spent 4 glorious days here and wished we had longer.

Playing around in Tervuren Park

Aug 6 (Bryn) and Aug 8 (Tom).  Lucky ducks were able to celebrate BIG b.days together.  Bryn hit double digits and Tom hit retirement and 65!  

Girls Getaway to Budapest Hungary.  Lots of raspberry soup, walking, swimming and lounging at the thermal baths,  biking, and the mandatory non-stop card playing.  Fabulous and too short but grateful to have that time together.  Shout out to Noel and Tom for taking care of the famous 'gals'.
We took an overnight trip to Bonn all together as well.  No pictures but I want to remember that we went to the pool, rented bikes, ate at the Bier Garden, took the ferry to the Drakenburg and Drakenfels and had spaghetti ice cream.  That is Tom's 'happy place' and that is where we spent his 65th birthday!!!

Flower Carpet 2016.  I took this from a cafe.

Dang fabulous shot of the City Hall with the Flower Carpet.  Just sayin'

Last night on the Grand Place.  The end of the family visits for 2016.  "I never can say good-bye, no no no!"

Thank you Portugals for making the trip, for staying as long as you possibly could, for loving Belgium, for hanging out, for making memories!  I truly hated to see you go.