Good Things to Come

these little messages are always great...they give you something to think about..just click and watch!

Good Things to Come

youth conference!!

it's been pretty crazy in the last week...was up in utah for a big wedding, then zipped home on thursday for youth conference...it turned out great..the kids loved it...on friday 8 am we all met at the church, assigned families and took off for malibu where we met with the fulcrum people...they have a camp that teaches problem solving, team building, group communication...at the camp they have a ropes course which includes a jacobs ladder, faith leap, high wire crossing, rock walls...they also played games on the ground...it was fun time for everyone...at the end of the day we had dinner at the park...they changed, came back to the church for  a talent show and dance...we were all beat by the end of the day...i was working at making food for the conference so that kept us really busy...saturday we had classes, a service project in the afternoon, a big dinner, then a testimony meeting...everyone seemed to have a great time...after cleaning up, we crashed!! i could hardly walk on sunday...my feet hurt pretty bad...but, luckily i've recovered...it was well worth it!

more fun

a great day!  slc...laying out with some (not all) of my besties....lunch with them....pick up russell (barely)....dinner with some of my favorite family.....and more favs...our close friends... the whole reason we're up here...to celebrate a great wedding...can't wait...

flag day is june's day

today is my mom's birthday...i wish she was here for me to give her a big hug...but, instead i'll just say a few things that she taught me...mom was a giver, always working hard helping others...she would make delicious dinners ( i think that's why tom married me, hoping i would cook like her) and then she would be jumping up and down serving everyone...i had to cure tom of 'that' idea immediately...she was artistic...she loved to sew clothes and would make the most beautiful dresses for all of us...she was a painter, she liked crafts, she made a beautiful home...inside and out...it was warm and gracious and lovely to look at...she was willing to do just about anything...from killing spiders to going golfing with dad to shopping with the girls...mom was alot of fun to be with...she was a great listener...i could call her with all of my problems and she always had great advice...she was always beautiful with a gorgeous big smile...i'm so lucky to have her for my mom...i just hope that i can take after a few of her many wonderful ways!

what was lost, then was found

we had a little drama today...russ took the dogs, sadie and sophie out for a run...
they went to the top of the mountain...on the way back, russ was in front and the dogs
were behind...sophie showed up, but sadie didn't....so, he ran back to look for her...but, he never did find her...
when he got home and told us we then went looking...kerry and her friends hiked back up the trail, a runner
saw her but she was gone...russ and i drove over to the end of the trail where i dropped him off and he started looking again...i drove to another trailhead...everyone looked and looked...russ ran 15 miles looking for her...so about 5 pm i went to the store and was starting to think that sadie was gone...it was very sad...driving up the street from the store i was on the phone when halfway up the street, THERE was sadie! walking up the street with her tongue dragging!  i was soooo happy...she hasn't moved since!  so, thanks to all those who searched for her...i'm glad she knew how to get home...who knows where she went...she came home the opposite way of leaving...i'm glad she made it back...

summer

summer time, summer time....my favorite time of year!  it started for me back in april when we went to africa...but, for our neck of the woods it's starting this week with the end of school...so what's your plans for summer?  i have weddings, youth conference, holidays, birthdays,concerts, movies, weddings, birthdays, weddings, did i mention birthdays?  we have 6 birthdays in 6 weeks...that's just the family...then there are friends and extended family birthdays...so, that alone keeps me busy...then there are fun things like the beach, the pool, laying out in the sun...you get my drift...visits from the grandkids...pool parties...park days, i love summer and just barbecuing with friends.4th of july with the fireworks....just having a wonderful time...can't wait...and it usually goes way too fast...have a great summer! what's your favorite thing in summer?

home away from home

ker and i just got back from 9 days in utah....it was a fun time...so fun in fact, i stayed an extra 3 days....we went up for memorial weekend...to see dave as he returned from his mission...heard him speak...he was great...we had a fun time with friends and family...i was able to see most of my favs up there...that's why i needed so many days...too many people i want to be with.....the weather got better every day..the flowers are in bloom, the mountains are green, it's beautiful! it's fun to hang out and have no commitments....is that why i like to travel?  no place that  i "have" to be?  anyway, it sure is fun and hard to come home...although, as we drove along the coast, stopped at neptunes net...it wasn't too bad!!

have you ever?

this afternoon after my big last day of bowling for the season...then running errands all afternoon...i came home, was on the computer...and then basically crashed on the couch for a little nap...that was at about 4 pm...next thing i knew the phone was ringing at about 6:20...answered...woke up some more...thought, where are the kids...i'll just watch some tv until they come home....about 2 min. later i realized that i needed to be at the church...RIGHT THEN!  uh oh...i was dressed in a flash...out the door...luckily had good traffic to westlake...and made it by 10 to 7!! in time to put my decor up and help a bit...and luckily was there to say the closing prayer!!  lucky for me that phone rang!!

tv

so, in between my daily 'life'..i've been catching up on all the shows that i missed while on our trip...so, i've been 'off the grid'....i had to be caught up for the final shows!  a few i've been watching....24, it will be so sad when jack is gone forever...lost...the same for them, although, i won't be quite so mixed up! glee will still be there to cheer me up...and modern family for some laughs...so a few more days of questions...then summer where it's hard to find something to watch...

mothers

Today is Mother's Day...and i had the best mother ever...my sister marty wrote a some wonderful thoughts about her here, she is always in my heart...i love her so much and think of her daily...i also have a daughter and daughter-in-law that are fantastic mothers themselves...i am so proud of both my kelly's...they are raising darling kids...they are in that busy, busy, never have time for anything stage...but, they do it beautifully...my hats off to both of them...i know how hard it can be...but, the rewards are the fantastic children like mine....so, on this day, i'm so blessed with the different mother's in my life...love you all...

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother.  A child is a child.  They get bigger, older, but grown?  What's that suppose to mean?  In my heart it don't mean a thing. 

 ~Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother."
-- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

• Never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth.
  • - Erma Bombeck

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."
-- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

“No influence is so powerful as that of the mother.”
-Sarah Josepha Hale

“Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.” -Marion C. Garretty

"Motherhood is the greatest potential influence in human society. Her caress first awakens in the child a sense of security; her kiss the first realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love in the world. Thus in infancy and childhood she implants ever-directing and restraining influences that remain through life."
- David 0. McKay

Always be nice to your children for they are the ones that will choose your rest home.

Phyllis Diller

Have a great Mother's Day!

wrap up....

i've been home now for a few days...trying to get over jetlag...read all my mail...unpack...all those fun things that you have to do...but, i keep thinking about the amazing sights i just saw...and to wrap up our trip, here are a few thoughts...what gorgeous country is in africa...it's huge, alot of empty land..the parts we saw had alot of bush, trees, and alot of water...the water in mozambique in the ocean was unreal...what a beautiful color of turqouise...victoria falls was unreal...so much water everywhere!!..we also saw  the most amazing animals there...we saw a pack of wild dogs, a coalition of cheetahs, a troop of baboons, a herd of elephants, a pride of lions, a journey of giraffes, an implausibility of gnus, a pod of hippos, a crash of rhinos, and a dazzle of zebras....those are pretty fun, aren't they?...we also saw huge swarms of insects,and maybe waaaaaay to many spiders, which are everywhere!!!  a flutter of butterflies, a host of sparrows, a company of parrots, a mustering of storks, a convocation of eagles, and a committee of vultures...we were also able to meet some of the nicest people...they trully made us feel welcome in their country...it's always so interesting to talk and learn about another culture and country...it's fun to eat different foods...we had croc (not the best), alot of antelope (pretty good), fish, crayfish, ostrich, the best granola, and of course biltong which is really just beef jerky...they love it and serve it with everything...we flew on all sizes of planes...the smallest was a 4 seater, 6 seater, 10 seater, and a helicopter...right up to a jumbo jet...cured any fear of flying in small planes or with pilots that aren't yet 20. and then kerry and russ flew off the bridge, without a plane!!...and then, this is a big one for me...i traveled with a bag weighing only 33 lbs.!!! i always overpack...and now i know...it can be done!!!  it was a fantastic experience...and i wish i was still there...luckily we only saw part of africa...so, we'll have to go back...can't wait!

bazaruto days

bazaruto island, mozambique...we are on a beautiful island, just off the coast...yesterday we flew from joburg to vilancous where we then got on a smaller plane to fly to the island...it’s only a 15 min. flight here...what a beautiful place...the indian ocean is so clear...today we were swimming in it...it’s so nice and warm and like i said, so clear...i could see my footprints as i walked along....there are shells all over the ocean floor...no waves to speak of...it’s so calm and serene...the island is really a large sand dune...they actually have a hill where you can ‘dune board’...the snorkeling and diving is some of the best in the world...today we just checked out the resort, enjoyed the sun...they speak portuguese here...guess that’s who settled it originally...a relaxing end to a great trip...

today is monday, yesterday we just laid out again in the hot sun...it was a gorgeous day..so not much happened except for us turning pages to our books..today we went out on a little speed boat..we went out to paradise island (it’s a deserted island) which is about 30 min. away...we snorkeled in the gorgeous water...it was perfect temperature...there were so many beautiful fish, striped yellow, black and white, fluorescent yellow, spotted, big ones, little ones, tiny ones...the coral was pretty also...brown, pink, purple..really pretty...afterwards we landed on the beach where we just laid out again...they had a picnic lunch for us and we just lounged around for a few hours...very fun...when we came back kerry and russ went horseback riding on the dunes...i was a little to lazy for that...another perfect day in paradise!

today is wednesday...yesterday we started our long journey home...we left bazaruto at 12:30ish...they aren’t ever really sure when you’ll leave...a 15 min. flight to vilcanous, then we flew to joburg, a 2 hour flight...then we had a wait of 4 hours and just arrived in london after a 10 1/2 hour flight...now have another layover of about 5 hours...so we’re hanging out in the virgin clubhouse...which is nice...kerry and i went shopping...since there really was nowhere to buy anything on our trip (lucky russ, didn’t have to carry much), all our shopping was in the airport...so our last flight home...it’s been fantastic...to see so many wonderful sights..the beauty of africa is amazing...we are so lucky!!

eagle island

yesterday we left khwai river...before leaving we went on our last game drive with leopard..he was driving pretty slow, then heard that there were some lions spotted somewhere, so we took off...we went into the bush and it's crazy when you go into the bush here...they drive over bushes, trees, anything that gets in the way...thought we were goners at certain points...but, we never saw the lions...just paw prints...so, we flew down to eagle island...it's in the middle of a ookorngoo delta...surrounded by water, so instead of drives you go on boats...last night we saw alot of hippos...our guide got us pretty close to them....the way they go under the water and pop up is sort of scary and creepy...and they move fast also...speaking of hippos, i guess at night they sometimes come up by our tents...we heard them leaving this morning...we saw baboons in the trees by our tent..early this morning we went out in the boat, then went to this area where they have mekora boats or canoes...we got in them and went into a more shallow area of the delta...i love it when they say 'keep your arms, hands etc. in the boat, the reeds are sharp and can cut you'...then, as we floated, there were so many reeds hitting my face and body...plus all these knat flies that are all over...spiders, webs, we saw teeny tiny frogs..yesterday we found a green one on the boat, about 1/2 in. the kids named him pogo...when we got to another island we got out and went for a hike...it was cool, we've seen the animals, but, now we were on the same level...we saw a tree full of baboons...they all came down, staring at us...the oldest and biggest wast about 10 ft. away from us...then we saw zebras, wild beasts, and impalas...we saw temite hills that are taller than russ...plus they go down in the earth another 30 ft....we were told the locals dry the termites, grind them up and eat them! yuck...so, it was a fun morning..right now wer'e going on a helicopter ride...so more later!

this afternoon we went for a helicopter ride over the delta...it was beautiful...the delta is formed from a river, that’s like the arm, then the delta is the fingers...from the air it looks like there are many, many golfcourses...but, it’s really all marsh lands...the water is so clear...we saw hippos and you could see every bit of them...we saw giraffes, wild beasts, zebras, impalas, elephants...it was really neat to see them from the air...after brunch we went to the pool since it was a gorgeous day...in the afternoon for our game ride we went on a party type boat with another couple from australia...it was fun to talk to them...they were also at our last lodge...they are on their honeymoon...he surprised her, until they were going to the airport she didn’t know where they were going...it was a nice time..we saw alot of hippos, eagles, other birds...then, back and after about an hour...dinner...they feed you alot in these camps...early morning tea or hot chocolate at 6 am....after the game drive...breakfast/brunch, after the free time...lunch/tea, after the night time game ride, dinner...non stop, plus they give you a snack on the game drives...this camp has been fun because of the water aspect..only problem, so many, many mosquitos!! my feet are a mess!!! oh well...that’s the price you pay....tomorrow after our last game ride we’ll fly to a little town called maun, then catch a flight to joburg...then onto mozambique the next day!

well, we made to joburg...took a plane from eagle island to maun...then to joburg...tomorrow our last stop...bazaruto...

khwai river sun/mon

today was a slow day....started raining in the night...for being the dry season, we’ve sure had alot of rain! we were supposed to get up at 5:30 for our game drive...but, it was pouring, then kerry started throwing up...don’t know if she has the flu or if it’s from eating something...so, we all slept in...she’s been sick all day...they’ve been very helpful...they gave her some pills, then a shot to stop the vomiting...so far it’s helped...so i’ve just been hanging out with her...we also had 2 big spiders, and now a squirrel in our room...guess we are camping! i can hear hippos outside...that’s fun...it stopped raining about 12 so russ went on the afternoon game drive...hope he sees some animals...well, more later...

russ saw a big herd, maybe 50 elephants on their drive...he said is was fun to see so many...today is monday...kerry is better...we all got up for the game drive..it was a bit slow...our guide, leopard, says it's because of the rain, the animals don't have to come to the watering holes...but, we saw elephants, croc, lizard, eagles..a cool hippo skeleton, jackal...we also saw a village..houses are made of tin cans and mud...a big truck was stuck on a wooden log bridge, guess it was too heavy...leopard says people camp in the park...they have tents that open on the top of their cars and they sleep up there! that's all for now...

botswana

today is saturday the 24th...we woke up early and drove to the border of zambia, it’s on the river...it’s a border that has 4 countries...zambia, botswana, zimbabwe and namibia, we then got on a little speed boat to go across the river to botswana...at that border, after showing our passports, we had to step on some muddy step and step off...it’s to check for hoof and mouth disease? couldn’t quite understand that...we then drove to the airport, where we got into a little 6 seater plane with a pilot that looked younger than kerry and he flew us to our lodge...the khwai river lodge...it’s on the river delta...a tented lodge again..but, they are all a bit different...we layed out for awhile...the first real sunny day we’ve had....all got burned...then this afternoon went out on a game drive...sort of slow though...we didn’t see many animals...hope it picks up tomorrow...we did see a ton of impalas...they have a marking on their rears that looks like an ‘m’, they saw that impalas are the lions ‘mcdonalds’...saw wart hogs, a huge old elephant that looked like he wanted to charge us as he walked toward us...a croc....so hopefully tomorrow we’ll see alot more...