Almost Paradise

We had another week of so many bests:

-McCall, Idaho really is dreamy. It is far, far away, but it is a beautiful place. I get it now.

-Going on a walk up A Avenue with Eliza, Juliet and Frank in the morning and then hugging Mariah and Mac in the evening was so wonderful!

-Seeing Buddy learn to ride a pedal bike, take off swimming, and use the toilet on his own all while we were there. He is 2. He is amazing!

-Squeezing sweet Misty. She is so quiet compared to Frank! But she says lots of words in her sweet quiet way. Words that make sense in context. And she is about ready to stop napping in her stroller basinet. We saw her sit up and almost jump out at the beach! She is 8 months. She is wonderful!

-Going to North Beach with Mariah and her kids. What a lovely afternoon!

-We had an amazing adult only dinner right on the edge of Payette Lake, courtesy of Mac and Mariah.

-We got to catch up with Marcie and Brett and Georgia! They are just lovely. And they treated us to an afternoon of teaching us to wake surf and letting G and E giggle and scream on the tube pulled behind their boat. Best day of summer!

-Mariah fixed my hair and Griffin's while Eve watched Blaze with Buddy and Misty messed around with some goldfish crackers.  She is the best!

-Alan rode his mountain bike every day we were there. Two morning rides with Mac, one on his own, and one with Buddy riding in and out of the storage sheds where Buddy purposely crashed into the wall and encouraged his grandpa to follow suit. Grandpa didn't do it with his new beautiful bike. Hahahaha!

-We stopped in Logan and had dinner, Aggie ice cream and a great visit with Grandma Wimmer and spent the night in her guest rooms. We loved every minute!

-Eliza and Evan made us a gourmet dinner in Provo and we got to hold a chatty Frank and kiss Juliet's cheeks.

-We got to see Willa--she looks great!--and I got to be the one who hung out with her waiting at urgent care for a migraine cocktail. Hopefully she will get her preventives back in her system soon.

-Our drive back was through a crazy thunderstorm. It was like fireworks!

-A fabulous SLC avenues walking date to Cafe Shambalaya and Hatch Family Chocolates, walking down through the park and watching our show on our balcony.

-An impromptu adventure with Eliza and her kids at Fashion Place Mall. It involved the Trax, a few fun new school clothes and food, people falling apart and Eliza being locked out of her car. It ended with Alan saving us and driving us home.

- Reading my friend Sondra Soderborg's new novel Sky Ropes. It was a really fun and thoughtful YA read. I am happy to share my copy, especially if you leave her a good review on Amazon!

-Coming home to our great house and cats who missed us. We had a fun leftover dinner, banana splits and watched the old movie "Overboard" with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. 

-Our ward is awesome. It was fast and testimony meeting today and we had so many great testimonies of Jesus Christ and his church and gospel.

The unposed picture I wasn't supposed to take. I just think they are so wonderful! Three great examples of doing things exactly right.

Isn't my girl gorgeous? Her girl is too.

Awww man, I just love this kid!

I told JoAnn in about 40 years I'll be hanging out with my mid-fifties son and being nearly a hundred myself. Doesn't she do it just right? I think she is just wonderful. Teaching us how to be.

Guess who we saw at dinner?! Bethany (formerly Ward) and her husband Dallin!

Home again to bella donnas blooming!

And monarchs on Margaret's milkweed