It's a new world!

Every day seems like a new life this week.  We began Monday at Mountain Home with Miranda and family and their friends visiting us.  They did a great job of cleaning up after themselves and getting beds stripped and re-made before they left.

Tom and I spent time trying to finish chores, pack and do everything we needed to do before we took of as well. I went out to buy more cat food so there would be enough while we were gone... and missed saying good-bye to some of our company. Tom went and mowed empty rental houses so they would be okay until someone moved in. He also decided our house needed mowing and learned how fast he could actually mow it with the zero turn mower. I guess if you don't try to get close to the fence and trees you can really zoom through the lawn.

We sent the kids on their way and then packed up and left, hoping we had not forgotten anything truly essential. We had not printed out our flight itinerary, but bless the smart phone, Tom had the email available to review, get the confirmation number and get boarding passes.

We drove to Jonathan's and Kristy's and spent the night there. It was fun to see their newly renovated house. It has some nice touches and looks beautiful! I'm sure they are happy to be back in their house. There are still a number of boxes to unpack and stuff to find homes for. I think boxes arrived Tues or Wed, but they took off Friday and Saturday to go camping and get away from the stress of getting it all done.

Tuesday after visiting a bit, we drove to the Chihowa Resort to have another look a the reunion sight. We checked out the grill for Ricky who will do the pulled-pork, and I looked at the stack of muffin tins and realized we could have muffins in the morning. And while they don't have 9x13 pans, they have a gazillion of the ones that are larger. Now to convert recipes. We found the play equipment a bit sparse, but the rooms for sleeping larger than I remembered.  Big enough for pack-n-plays or even a queen air mattress for those who want more than twins. Distance between the two lodges is about 400 feet, about 200 feet to the fire pit, and maybe 300 feet to the lake. All the sports fields are right outside the main lodge, except the archery range. It has targets... maybe some bows... don't count on much there.

We asked about doing a service project. As we were talking about the trail around the camp, he mentioned that a bridge had been washed downstream and needed to be recovered or rebuilt. So we hiked the path to look at it. It was solidly build: 8" diameter poles 25-30 feet long with 2x6 planks on the top. So all you brilliant, innovative family members, how can we move it 50-100 feet upstream? Can't get a tractor in there, it's woods. No electricity out that far.  Dad suggested come-alongs. I suggested dismantling and re-mantling.  Tom says that might create some damage.

Then we went on to Costco and checked out prices and products.  I could not find the large block cheese there, or bread, but we tracked down most everything else.  It looks like we might be able to buy food on Friday and take it to the resort if they do not have a group there at the time. I think the time is currently open.  So, is there anyone who would like to help us schelp food at that time?

We dined and found our hotel. We'd paid a little more for park and fly, but I was unimpressed with the Econolodge. It was long on economy with a bed with a close kinship to plywood. However, we got to the airport on Wednesday in plenty of time and spent the next 12 hours traveling to Medford and visiting delightful Dallas and Portland on the way. I got a little work done in the airports and Tom finished a Percy Jackson book.

It's been fun to be at Adam and Savannah's. They have darling children that are well behaved. Tom thought he might be helping with a shower/bathroom remodel, but some plumbing needed to be done first.  So he and Adam just finished clearing out the space. They also hung some security screen doors so they could be open at night for more ventilation.

Friday night Tom and I went to the temple and did a session. Saturday morning Tom and Savannah and Randy Spencer ran a 5k early in the morning. They all said they had good times according to their watches, but the official time keeper that used chips to determine finishers broke. So I guess no one got prizes. 

Then in the afternoon, Denali got baptized.  It was a nice event with many of her friends in attendance. Both her grandmas spoke, and her siblings gave the opening and closing prayers. For little kids, they did a great job. We celebrated by getting Panda takeout and the Spencer's and grandma Apodaca came over for dinner.

 Kids playing in the MG while pictures were being taken.

 Adults playing in the MG.  Randy took me for a spin in it on the way home from the baptism.  I got to see pear orchards and some of the outskirts of town and he got to drive on more windy roads.

 After dinner there was a little gift giving and some riotous playing with the wrapping paper.

It's fun to be within walking distance of church. We drove to church in the morning, but walked back home. It's a nice ward, with good lessons.