Our Life Lessons

Friday, July 7, 2017

Tucson Temple - Week 43

Monday morning we got up and left the Morgan's house to go to the Tucson Temple Open House.

When we told the boys were were moving, one question they had was if we would get to see the Tucson Temple. We promised them we would go and so we did.

We met our sweet friends, the Alabi family, for a tour.

The interior of the temple is really beautiful. Each temple has a motif of the area that the temple's area.

The octotillo and pickle pear catcus and Arizona sunsets are in the details of the walls, doors, flooring and even the lighting. The best part was to see people we knew and give hugs to them.

After our temple visit, we ran errands for Hurricane's birthday party before going to the Earls house. We found a pinata and other party supplies. We of course needed to go to Eegee's for an eegee. That evening we met up with friends who were headed to Yellowstone the next day and were willing to meet us that night at Dairy Queen.

The boys were really happy to talk with friends that knew their personalities and listened to their stories.

Fun thing is we pulled in and a different car pulled up beside us. Another family we know was headed out for supper. It was a delightful surprise!

The boys invited some friends to go with them on Tuesday to the Temple Open House. Brittny went with us as well which was a welcome surprise.

We toured the temple, walked the grounds, and rode the double decker bus. I think the bus was a highlight. Afterward we went to Eegee's again. Again we went and visited different friends.

Wednesday Sweetheart was going to come. We hadn't seen our Dad in 2 weeks, and we were ready to see him, be with him, and travel with him. That day we went to Barnes and Noble and found the "perfect" Father's Day gift. The boys found a visual Bible that used Legos to tell the stories. They were so excited. That evening Rachael Nielson made arrangements for a Girls Night Out. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and had a wonderful time. The boys went to Cub Scouts, and Sweetheart's flight went through 6 time changes before he got on the flight. He finally made it to Tucson.

During supper, my parents called to tell me that Meg Bostwick, my Dad's cousin's daughter, had passed away from a brain tumor that had been diagnosed 2 weeks previously. She had given birth to her daughter before her passing. Meg was 27 years old.

I was very grateful that Sweetheart came in that evening. I am grateful to believe that families can be together forever.

On Thursday, Sweetheart went to work at the Tucson office.

We got Hurricane's party ready by making a cake, filling a pinata, and getting food. Hurricane was thrilled to see his friends and to celebrate his birthday.

Friday morning we packed up and took Lance to the temple. We had friends meet us for to see the Tucson Temple Open House.

Before we went to the Tucson Temple, we went to Eegee's of course. The Tucson South Stake was volunteering the day we came, and we got to see a lot of friends that we wouldn't have seen. We started our drive back toward home and drove through Globe, AZ.

The drive offered beautiful views and a stunning sunset.

Saturday we crossed off one our goals this year by going to 4 Corners and Mesa Verde National Park. At 4 Corners there was relatively no line to get our picture taken.

That was a great boon! Next we went on the Cliff House and Balcony House tours. We took the last tour for Cliff House and didn't have another group of people in the pictures.

The boys finished their Junior Ranger badges.

We finished our day in Durango, CO with swimming until 11:30 pm.

It was a long day.

Be Well.

*****

Hurricane and A. set up a route and played trains.

It does this Mama's heart good to see him play with trains.

Shaulan's hair is usually down, and my hair is usually up.

We swapped this morning.

Yellowstone bound friend

They are posing together so we can see their faces this time.

Brittny and I are riding the double decker bus.

Our friend invited us to his birthday party!

Celebrating a friend's birthday who is turning 8 years old and moving.

Hurricane's Pinata Cake

I tired to convince him that we could buy a cake.

He wanted a homemade cake.

First cut with a little treat inside.

Arizona Sunset

Arizona Sunset - Outside of Globe

Arizona Sunset

Double Bubble gum passes the time.

Another version of Double Bubble gum passing the time.

And finally we have one more bubble.

Cliff House in Mesa Verde National Park

Cliff House from above in Mesa Verde National Park

Landscape leaving Mesa Verde National Park

Sunset in Colorado

Las Vegas, Lake Havasu, and Long time Friendships - Week 42

On Sunday morning, we attended the Idaho Falls Temple Rededication. Hurricane thought that we were going to the temple with President Eyring.

When he learned that we would attend at a chapel, he was a little disappointed. They both were very tired from going and playing with cousins. Underfoot and Hurricane both were happy to attend.

We returned to Kirky and Jilli's house and spent time with Uncle Aaron, Aunt Rachel, and Chucho. Chucho would sit next to Underfoot.

Chucho had fallen and bonked his head, and his head that was really tender.

Uncle Scott and Aunt Jill came that evening because we were leaving early on Monday morning. I'm really thankful for the support, love, and efforts by family to spend time with us.

We got up early on Monday morning and said our goodbyes to Kirky and Jilli.

Our destination was Las Vegas. We first headed to the new Family History Center in Salt Lake City. Auntie Yvette met us there with her children. The boys used their FamilySearch accounts to learn about who they were related to (Founding Fathers, cast members of Studio C, other well known people), where they came from, and telling their own histories. When I came in, a sister missionary approached me to ask if I had any questions. We started to talk about where she and I were from. We found that she knew my Grandma Kirkham and that she remembered her. I knew her her brother and his wife and her nephews. It was a fun connection.

We left and went to see my cousin, Kylie, in beauty school.

She cut my hair and tinted my eyebrows. Two of her colleagues cut the boys' hair. I had wonderful time catching up. I hadn't seen her for 5 years.

We got on the road and went to Cove Fort.

We were taken on a tour by a sister missionary named Sister Moss. She gave the boys a chance to answer questions, and they learned from her as well.

At the end of the tour, she gave them a round-about and a sweet lesson to go along with it. As we walked back to the car, she mentioned that her brother served a mission in Pocatello and that she knew one family there. She named Dale and Bodell Kirkham. For the second time that day, another person knew my Grandparents. I had met her brother and knew him as well. My Grandma Kirkham was remembered well.

We made it to Las Vegas late that night. The boys were so excited to see their friends.

They held a mini birthday party for Kirk. We slept until late the next day.

We spent the next 3 days together.

We went to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and saw dinosaurs, snakes, mummies, fish, a rain frost obstacle course, and rocks.

After our museum, we went to Lake Havasu City, AZ. To get there we had to drive through California. Lake Havasu City has water and London Bridge.

We saw both. One day we rode the ferry. It was the only way were going to get on the water since renting water toys cost $90+. The ferry got $2 per person.
We played together in the pool, talked, and watched movies. In the Lake Havasu City, there are small scale lighthouses that surround the shoreline.

They are models of different ones that are across the United States. It is hard to part ways with friends and were sad to say goodbye to the Ryan family.

We arrived in Gilbert and stayed with the Morgan family. On Friday morning, I went and saw my friend from Pennsylvania, Suzette. She was visiting her in-laws in Tucson.

We haven't seen each other in about 5 years. It was marvelous to catch up. After seeing Suzette, we were going to go the Science Museum with our friend Hannah, but Hannah's daughter had been hospitalized for a scorpion sting.

Instead we had lunch in the hospital together. We are glad to know that Hannah's daughter was released the next day.

We were introduced to Bahama Bucks and swam in the afternoon.