Road Trip for Two! Week One

Do you know what the best thing is about going on vacation when you are retired? That dreaded feeling of vacation ending and having to go back to work is gone! Completely gone, it's awesome.

This may end up in two separate posts. Wally and I went on a two week road trip. We ate a lot of good stuff, saw a lot of family and friends and literally spent 15 days together pretty much non stop. And we survived!

I had this idea many months ago and was able to convince Wally how "fun" it would be. We coordinated dates with everyone and put the plan in place.

We drove from home to Boise on Monday, April 24th. We loaded the car with some items going to Wayne's house and Wally's really cool Skilsaw bag that he thought made a great overnight bag. Seriously, do you see the size of that thing?

Monday night was spent at Sue and Dennis' home in Boise. The next morning on our way to Salt Lake City we went to Logan, Utah to visit my great nephew Nathan. He just returned from a mission in Poland recently. It was surprising to realize how two years had gone by since we last saw him. He was working so we picked him up at work and went out to lunch. It was a short visit but so fun to spend some time with him.

After taking him back to work, we went to see the Logan temple and were treated to beautiful tulips and the sun peeking out from a rainy day.

 Wally had been joking earlier about cupcakes so I dazzled him with my smart phone skills and found a cupcake shop before heading out of Logan.

We then drove to Natalie and Scott's home in Millcreek where we would spend the next two nights. We visited with one of my old college room mates who I stay in touch with. Wally and I went out to dinner while Natalie and Scott went to a concert.

Wednesday night we went to Sicilia Mia's for dinner. I love Italian food and I love cheese. Drool over this video. That was my dinner, and also Natalie's lunch the next day.

On Thursday morning we visited my friend Loretta and her mother at their home, then went to IHOP and visited over breakfast. It was so good to see them. We then visited my sister Nancy in Springville, then we headed to Hurricane, Utah where my son lives with his wife and three daughters. We rented a condo in Sports Village in St. George.

Wally hadn't seen Wayne's family since last summer in June, so it was a lot of fun.

The condo was a pretty nice place. We had a full kitchen and lots of space. It was nice having a living room. Only problem was the bed was too tall for Wally! So we slept in one of the other beds.

On Friday afternoon Wally and I picked up the two older grand daughters and went up to Zion National Park. I finally got to go there! And it was beautiful. It's such a short drive from Wayne's house. The weather was perfect. There were lots of tourists there. Annelise took a lot of pictures with my camera and Avea took some photos with my cell phone. It was really fun. We rode the bus up to another stop and walked around just a little bit. You can see a lot from the bus ride.

After the park we went into the small town of Springdale to Zion Pizza & Noodle for some super yummy pizza. I probably should have warned you that this is as much about the food we ate as it is about everything else we did.

On our trip we went out a lot for a big breakfast mid morning, then we'd have a snack and then a great dinner. That seemed to be our pattern for awhile.

One of my favorite breakfasts of the whole trip was crepes at Bear Paw Café in St. George. We had eaten there before a couple of years ago. It's a busy place but worth the wait.

Those were so delicious filled with cream, strawberries and bananas.
On Saturday, Wayne and Andrea brought the girls over to the condo. We played games in the club house for a little bit. Air hockey with Avea was a blast, as was watching Annelise play pool. They had to leave for a little bit, so Wally napped on the couch in the condo and I relaxed by the pool.

Now, that's something I could really get used to. After so much rain in Kent, having two weeks of pure sunshine was incredible!

Later that day Wayne and family came back over and the girls and I went swimming. They all loved the water and we had a blast. Then we went out for Italian food nearby and then a quick stop at Wayne's to pick up some things that we were taking home.

Sunday morning we left St. George and headed north. We stopped at Cove Fort, Utah and toured the grounds with an older sister missionary. I had never stopped there before and it was pretty fun to see.

On our way back to Salt Lake we stopped and visited with Emily and Nancy for a little while. Back in Salt Lake Sunday night we went to Ruth's Diner with Natalie and Scott for dinner.

That pretty much sums up the first week of our trip.

Six Weeks Post Retirement

That's what the title was supposed to be. But somehow it's almost 8 weeks already! I have no idea what happened to all the time. I wanted to report in tell you how great retirement has been.

I retired on a Tuesday (end of the month) and then went right into the activity of the annual Sewing Expo at the fairgrounds. Even had a friend from out of town come stay with us for a couple of nights. Then the next full week home with Wally was interesting. But we made it work.

I think six weeks was the magic number for us to get into a good routine. With both of us keeping our own daily schedules and running errands together and eating out.

It took me about 6 weeks before I could wake up without my alarm. I started setting my alarm for 7:30, then 7;15 and now I get up 5 days a week at 7 am and go to the gym. Eight hours of sleep is perfect for me.

In the nearly 8 weeks since I stopped working I've had a few lunches out with office friends, have quilted two large quilts and one baby quilt, have started another baby quilt project. I've taken a class on how to use my serger, have sewn three pairs of work out pants and one cute top.

I've cooked, baked, made caramels and started volunteer training at our Senior Activity Center. I'm going to love working the front desk there half a day a week.

Wally and I did one road trip to Boise for a long weekend and tomorrow we embark on a big two week adventure. We'll drive to Boise, SLC, St. George, SLC, Springville, Boise and then home. I'll see all three of my sisters, both my kids, their spouses and 3 grand daughters. And not to leave out my brother who is in town visiting his son, we saw him and his wife this afternoon.

As an added bonus we are leaving the rain behind and hopefully getting some sunshine in Southern Utah. Stay tuned for trip pictures in a couple of weeks.

Utah Trip December 2016

I had the opportunity to go visit my son and his family in the St. George area after Christmas. We had so much fun. The weather was beautiful and the sunshine was a real treat. Natalie and Scott took a break from their snow in SLC to join us for a couple of days.

I flew into Vegas on Wednesday, December 28th. Wayne, Avea and Amoura picked me up at the shuttle office. Avea is such a good interpreter for Amoura. After a few hours I could start to understand what Amoura was saying.

We went over to Ted and Grace's house for a tamale lunch. Andrea's brother was there with his family and they had a little Christmas. They have a new baby boy, so that was fun having a small baby around.

I stayed from Wednesday until Sunday afternoon. We spent time outdoors walking around parks, feeding ducks, enjoying playgrounds. And saw beautiful sunsets.

We played with Wayne's Virtual Reality glasses, watched movies, enjoyed treats. New Year's Eve was spent at a fun center where the kids got to play laser tag and various games as well as the balloon drop with prizes for the kids.

Amoura loved it there. The older girls had their cousins with them so they all had a lot of fun. The highlight of NYE was when I won the raffle and the prize was a giant, I'm not kidding, giant stuffed monster. We could barely get it in the car.

Annelise and I made an amazing Oreo Cheesecake for New Year's Eve. It was so much fun having a Christmas tree in my room.

I helped the girls make the craft that I had given them for Christmas, cute little hand sewn stuffed animals. Amoura entertained us with her love of dancing and singing.

Wayne, Annalise and I were able to visit Aunt VeLois in her home. That was a very special visit since she passed away 3 weeks later. She was my Dad's youngest sister and the last sibling.

It was a really fun way to spend the holidays and greet the New Year.

Oreo Cheesecake

Huge, I tell you, huge!

Visiting with Aunt VeLois

Natalie and Scott enjoying some winter sunshine.

Happy, smiling Amoura, age 2 1/2.

With my kids, Wayne and Natalie, love these two!

Annelise, Amoura and Avea, love these three!

Selfie with Annelise, the day I completed caked red clay all over my Nikes!

Super fun playground.

On the move!

With Aunt Natalie

Sister's Trip Utah 2016

I'm writing this almost a  3 4 months later and I wish I would have jotted down some of the details. It was a great trip. I'll try to remember as much as I can.

Another year rolled around and it was once again time for our annual gathering of the sisters in Utah. I flew into Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 6th. Natalie picked me up at the airport and we went for a morning pastry snack at Gourmandise.

We did a Costco run and then we met up with my friend Susan. Susan and I met in college in 1976. I'm very fortunate that we have stayed in touch all these years. We had a good time hanging out and visiting a candy making supply store. Then we met my sisters and cousins at Mimi's for lunch.

My cousin Russell organized a lunch with Aunt Margaret, her daughters, Jill and Dana and daughter in laws, Donna and Leslie. Along with my sisters, Sue and Becky, we had quite a big group. We had a lot of fun. I'm still trying to locate the photos. Aunt Margaret is one of my Dad's sisters. Of the 7 children there are just Aunt Margaret and Aunt Velois.

After lunch I drove Sue's stick shift car with Becky and Sue and we headed to Nancy's house. For the next couple of days we camped out in the living room. We went into our spring cleaning mode and made the place shine. Emily kept us well fed and stocked up with Creamies. We watched movies, visited, read and stayed up way, way too late! Luckily we had no place to be early in the morning.

There was also some trampoline jumping and an evening trip to the Provo City Center Temple.

Love these things!

Sisters April 2016

Sue and Emily at the temple fountain

Provo City Center Temple

On Saturday morning Natalie picked me up and we dashed to St. George for Avea's baptism. We arrived at the church just in time to change clothes and get seated in the chapel. It was a fun afternoon. After the baptism we ate at Ted and Grace's house. Then Natalie and I checked into our hotel.

Wayne came and picked us up and the three of us went bowling, then to Village Inn for a late night snack. It was fun hanging out with my kids.

Sunday morning Wayne, Andrea and the girls come over to the hotel and we visited for a bit. Wayne and the girls hit up the breakfast buffet. Natalie and I walked around downtown St. George and then drove home to Salt Lake. It was a really quick trip to St. George, but I'm glad we got to be there.

We walked by this cute little building with a pink door.

Avea's baptism.

Aunt Natalie with Amoura

 Sunday night Natalie, Scott and I went out for Italian food at a really small little place that had super good food. For an appetizer we had bubble bread. It was like a pizza crust cooked in a wood fired oven with oil on it. Very good. It was my first night sleeping in their house that they moved into one year ago.

This was an amazing ravioli dish.

Monday I flew home. Then back to work on Tuesday. It was another great trip with family in Utah.

100% of My Life

I started to post this photo on Facebook but I wasn't sure I needed that many people to know how old I am! I guess I am a little vain. I've been thinking about doing something like this for awhile. I'll do some other items in a pie chart too just for fun.

Sister's Trip April 2015

 

Flowers at Temple Square

April 22nd, I flew into Salt Lake City. Natalie picked me up at the airport. We had lunch outside on the patio at The Oasis Café. Natalie then dropped me off near City Center where I walked around downtown, took pictures, visited Temple Square, bought a Subway sandwich for a disabled vet and enjoyed the sunshine.

 
From downtown I took the Trax train out to Sandy to visit with my friend Susan. Susan and I met in college. It was either 1975 or 1976. We also shared an apartment for a little while before I married my first husband.

It was a lot of fun visiting with her and Roy. We hadn't seen each other for a couple of years. We had some good laughs about growing up and caring for our older husbands, about doctor appointments and failing eye sight.
 
In the afternoon she took me over to Natalie's new house. They had just picked up the keys two days earlier. The moving van was in the drive way. We got a tour of the house and kept out of the way of the movers.

 
Then Natalie and I went to pick up my cousin Russell and the three of us went out to dinner at Mimi's. We had a nice visit. After taking Russell home Natalie and I headed to Nancy's house in Springville. Sue and Becky had driven down from Boise earlier in the day.
 


Emily marker-painted these great shoes for me. She's so talented.

At Nancy's, Emily gave Natalie a hair cut then Natalie headed back home to Salt Lake.

 

We spent Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at Nancy's house. Becky and I shared the lovely new queen size air mattress on the living room floor and Sue had the couch. We stayed up every night until about 1 a.m.

 

I don't remember which movies we watched which nights, but here are the movies I can remember; Larry Crowne (which we referred all weekend to as Russell Crowe), St. Vincent (loved this one), Guardians of the Galaxy, some random Lifetime movie with Kevin Sorbo and maybe one or two others. I'd have to ask Emily.

We did our usual spring cleaning, laundry, visiting, reading, took fun pictures, ate well and just had a really good time together. We stayed really busy but found time to sit and relax and visit. I think we have finally learned to pace ourselves, well almost.

We do have one brother in the family. He is second to the oldest.

 

 
 



We had a visit from an old friend we grew up with in Boise, Judy Hulet Fluckiger. That was so much fun catching up with her and hearing all about her family. I don't think I'd seen her in like 35 years! Russell stopped by with Sherrie, Kent and their daughter that just graduated from BYU.

We were able to get a box of cookies sent to Nathan in the MTC just days before he flew to Poland.

Sunday morning we drove in Sue's car to Natalie's house. They got the tour of the house then they headed home to Boise. Then my friend Loretta came over for a visit. She used to live here in Kent but moved back to Salt Lake a couple of years ago after she retired.

I spent the rest of the day with Natalie and Scott. What fun we had shopping and playing and eating. We had lunch at a burger place called The Habit Burger Grill. It was so good and there are rumors we're getting one in Kent.

Then we went to a sporting goods store called Scheels. Boy was that ever a fun experience. We walked in and there was a Ferris wheel in the center of the store. Or as I kept mistakenly calling it, a roller coaster. Tickets cost 1.00 and soon Natalie and I were in a seat. And then it rocked and we screamed, loudly. Then we had to wait as it moved slowly loading and unloading everyone.

Once the ride got going I remembered that I don't like Ferris wheels. Only every time I talked about it, it came out as roller coaster. That made us laugh, and loudly. So much that the little boy in the seat in front of us kept turning around to look at us. Scott was lucky enough to capture this photo of us.

 And then we captured this selfie as we were laughing.

 And then as the Ferris wheel ride was coming to an end and they were slowly letting the people out, we thought we could sit back and relax. We were wrong. Two cars before our turn to get out our car rocked again and we screamed, again. By the time it was our turn to get out the high school boy had been very entertained. As we stepped out I said, "you did that on purpose, didn't you?" He just smiled and handed us two tokens for another ride saying since he scared us we should get another ride. We almost didn't take the tokens. But I told Natalie I'd keep mine and write on it, "I rode the Ferris Wheel, I can do Anything!"

Here are some other fun pictures from the sporting goods store.

Natalie told me to pick them up! Then we saw how funny that looked.

 

From the sporting goods store we went to Ikea and Bed, Bath and Beyond looking for things for the new house. We went back to the house before heading out to dinner on the way to the airport. We had dinner in downtown Salt Lake at Maxwell's. It was really, really good. I had pasta and they had a really big pizza. Then I was dropped off at the airport for my flight home.

 

It was yet another perfect trip to Utah spending time with my daughter and son-in-law, my sisters, niece and nephew and visiting with friends and cousins. I did miss out on not seeing my son's family with the grand baby this trip. Which only means there will be a trip to Southern Utah in my near future.