Whirlwind

My camera is dead and I can't find either of my chargers so therefore I have no pictures to show of all the fun and crazy things that happened the past couple of weeks.  The day after Saren and Jared left we dashed off to Bear Lake to host our annual tennis friends' weekend.  Thought rain was forecast we had beautiful weather and loved catching up on lives, kids, grandkids, work, politics and the great question of life.  We had Roger and Sara, Leon and Karen, Joe and Gwen Cowley (recently returned mission presidents from the West Virginia Mission), Randy and Tomina Ridd (recently returned mission president from the Ecuador Mission) and us.  There was lots of good conversation, lots of fun tennis to watch and some fabulous food!  Leon has become a gourmet cook so he shared his talents along with the contributions of others including chocolate cake to die for! 

On Sunday we had a regional conference which meant meeting at our stake house with a huge meeting of our entire area piped in from the Conference Center.  Just after that we headed for the lake again and enjoyed being with Whit and Kathy Clayton. It was spectacular weather and as always, soaring, stimulating ideas and conversation abounded. 

We headed for an Omaha EO the day after we got back and then returned just in time to do a one week series on Good Things Utah and then get the house ready for a neighborhood open house up at Timberline.  Only about a dozen people showed up but they were interesting folks and Dad, who had gone around in the nickel car and taken pictures of every house in Timberline, was able to identify where most people live in the neighborhood. 

The next night we went to the Garbetts (fabulous family we met on the Mexican Expedition last year) for dinner with Jan and Bryson and the woman who is organizing service to the neighborhoods of Iraq and was trying to figure out how to get three containers over there.  It was fascinating to hear what is going on and then to enjoy a fabulous concert at the Conference Center with the Choir, the Utah Symphony and two incredible soloists.  Inspiring!

On Monday we got a surprise visit from non other than our wonderful Jonah!  He admired our wonderful Wellesley Lamp installed last week along with a bridge a quaking Aspen and a waterfall!  We even have grass.  Jonah installed my woven wood shade in the master bath so AT LAST...I can take a bath!!!  He also installed hangers for my utility closet and we even sang some Le Mis songs since the piano and the music was sitting right there.  That boy has a gorgeous voice! 

He and I had a lovely Nepalese buffet just as Charity was teaching her Nepalese family in England.  Serendipity!  Next he went off to buy a car and I dashed home to do my visiting teaching and get ready to leave for Nashville. 

Wow, did we have fun in the honky tonks, eating southern catfish and enjoying a benefit concert at the original Grand Ole Oprey where all the most famous writers of Western Songs jammed for about two hours.  We heard some great music, including Krisit's favorite, "Live Like You're Dying"  and "Let Them be Little, Let Them Sleep in the Middle...etc. one of Tal's favorites and now ours!

We got home just in time for me to discover that we were going to be on stage at the Ascend Gala.  I thought we were off the hook this year and was looking forward to blending into the crowd.  I squeezed in a quick haircut, found something to wear and we proceeded.  We didn't have to do much but...it was great to have Eli and Julie there as well as their friends, Lenna and Debi Gilmore and the Glades.  Carolyn pulled it off again and we raised some good money for a great cause!

Saturday night we hosted "Inklings" at Baliwood.  Dad directed a discussion about politics as well as Life Before Life.  Interesting people and interesting topics. 

Tonight, we went had another Eyreside for the neighborhood.  We had a few non-members and a really nice group.  Eli and Julie rescued us and did the nursery!  They just took off for their cute new apartment with Eli wondering what to do about his next career move. It sure is great to have kids around once here and there. 

We are so very blessed to have gotten through all that and congratulations if you made it to the end.  Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I'll try to take more pictures and use fewer words next time. This is mostly just a record for us so we can remember these fun and still pretty demanding times.  We sure love ya'll and love catching up on your lives via blogs and eyrealmgroups as well as those great visits! 

In forty eight hours we will be leaving until Thanksgiving. I'll post the schedule soon so you'll know where in the world we are!