Quotes of the Week

"Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
-- John Maxwell


"You have to accept things in order to be happy. One of the biggest things you have to accept is that if you're not happy, it doesn't have to be that way... but you, and only you, have the power to change your life for the better."
-- Doe Zantamata

 "Speak little; do much. Well done is better than well said."
-- Benjamin Franklin

General Conference Weekend

It seems general conference is the perfect time for our kids to descend upon us in all their glory...which actually means with hungry tummies wanting their parents to feed them (and feed their families).

In keeping with general conference tradition, we served ebelskivers for Sunday breakfast.

Brooke obediently took her dishes to the sink when she had finished her breakfast.

In between sessions there was lots of playing going on. Caroline made herself a little chair to sit on.

A big car/coaster/cookie cutter/toy train was formed on the family room floor.

 Luckily no one took offense when Eli thought it would be a fun idea to wreck up the long train.

Ben and Haley put together a puzzle and decided to move it to another location when the little people started to arrive.

This news just in: Ben now has a clean-shaven face. Since he had a skin graft on his lower front gum a couple of weeks ago, he got a medical release from shaving until that area healed a bit. I'm glad he's now fully in compliance with the BYU honor code.

Rebecca got other people hooked on her favorite puzzle fill-ins.

Of course we had our usual roast beef, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy Sunday dinner.

Caroline loved the raspberries.

We topped off the meal with some delicious homemade ice cream. Ben decided to use chocolate milk instead of regular milk and Haley added big chunks of Oreos.

Caroline declared it not as yummy as the plain vanilla kind.

We probably didn't hear as much of conference as we did the day before, but we sure had a great family gathering.

Quotes of the Week

"The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests."
-- Epictetus


"Don't prepare. Begin. Our enemy is not lack of preparation.  The enemy is resistance, our chattering brain producing excuses. Start before you are ready."
-- Steven Pressfield

"Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well."
-- Josh Billings

The Perks of Working For G&K

When I started hearing talk of a G&K managers-and-their-spouses-romantic-get-away trip, I very eagerly awaited news of which weekend it would be. As it got closer and closer to football season, I got extremely nervous because pretty much every single weekend "we" are busy (meaning one of us is busy) spending every entire Saturday going to a football game.

Finally we heard the trip had been planned for the one weekend BYU played on Thursday night and our weekend would be free. Hallelujah!!!! My lucky day--or should I say weekend!!!!

But, alas! The news was short-lived because that weekend turned out to be when the entire company had its reward trip and one of the managers here had qualified to attend that trip. Conflict of interest. Ugh!! Any alternative weekend would then make "us" (meaning one of us) have a conflict of interest (a football game.) Double UGH!!!!

Sure enough--the following weekend was chosen and it conflicted with a Friday night BYU football game. I was so sad. We wouldn't be able to go on the trip. The ball game is more important. That's it. End of conversation. Period. Or so I thought...

Glen (bless his heart) devised a way for "us" (this time I mean both of us) to participate in the get-away weekend and actually spend BOTH nights away from home. How could that possibly be?

Well this is how it happened. "We" (meaning both of us because Glen had me working in the plant that day) left work a little early on Friday. We drove to Midway--a few miles beyond Park City--and got settled in our room at the Zermatt Resort.

 We didn't linger long because "we" (meaning just the two of us--without Kenny because he wasn't feeling well) had a very important Friday night date--at the BYU football stadium.

Glen was thinking about what to do for dinner and said, "I think we'll eat at the ball park." I asked if that meant ball park franks. We chose the BBQ pork sandwich option instead.

He chose chips to compliment his dinner and I chose ice cream to compliment mine. YUM!!

We got to our seats just as the opening prayer was being said. Glen was happy our route through Midway caused us to bypass all the heavy ball game traffic going south on I-15 and we weren't late.

I was happy we got to see the band take the field and form itself into a big Y in the center of the field and then reposition itself near the end zone to welcome the players out onto the field.

It was a lovely evening with the temperature just right for sitting outside. We were on the shady side of the stadium and it was an absolutely perfect setting for watching a football game.

And for watching halftime--my favorite part of the game. Look at that full moon shining above the stadium. Glen sure knows how to pour on the romance!!

Nothing more I could wish for than a full moon, my husband's arm around me and his other hand clutching tightly to his radio with an earplug stuck in his ear (he left the other ear unplugged just because I was there). Ladies--am I right?? He hit the romance equation right on the spot, didn't he??!!??

At least it was a winning game with BYU scoring multiple touchdowns. That meant I would be going back to the resort with a happy man. Rah rah, rah rah rah!!!! Yay for me!!!!

Saturday a group went off golfing and the rest of us were offered a spa voucher to use any way we wanted. I chose a massage and then I walked all around the resort.

This is the view from our window looking down on a carousel and a pond where fish were making ripples in the water and sometimes even jumping up out of the water.

These pictures are taken from the path going around the back side of the resort

Robyn and I met in the relaxation room where we visited for a few minutes before her spa appointment. She is such a good person. We enjoy talking to each other. I love her so much.

Dinner was at Z Chop Haus right there at the resort.

First course: salad and bread which included freshly baked pretzels hanging on a hook stand on the bread board. So cute and so tasty!

The steaks were very tender and delicious.

 Sitting at our dining table were Craig and Kathy,

Jenny and Jeremy with their baby,

 Robyn and Bob,

and us.

At the other table there were Angie, Danny, Jason, Christine, Jeff and Karen.

Steve's wife left dinner early and Glen volunteered to be in the picture with Steve so he wouldn't be all alone. I'm pretty sure he would rather it had been Cindy, but the rest of us enjoyed watching the men posing together.

There was a wonderful piano player making beautiful music during the whole entire evening. He plays by ear and makes up music right on the spot. He was quite amazing as he's only been playing for the last 4 years and taught himself everything he knows.

And the pièce de résistance--apple strudel with cinnamon ice cream. Divine!

Glen chose plain vanilla ice cream.

We could definitely say after our 3-hour dinner experience--it was fine dining at its best!

Some of the group went home after dinner. Even though "we" (meaning me) had a pre-church commitment (practicing with the soloist) and other church commitments (organist, solo accompanist, YW presidency teaching assignment and ward choir substitute pianist--WHEW, feeling overwhelmed reliving all of it...!!!!), we decided to spend the night and get up early and go home the next morning.

It was a good choice. We had another relaxing night at the resort and when we left the following morning, we felt like it had been a true get-away weekend.

Our trip ended perfectly--watching the sunrise together on our way out of town. Now that's romantic!!