Families 'R' Forever

After a very long drive full of snow, deer, and extremely steep mountains with our RV, we finally got to our second son's home in Lehi, UT. It was great seeing Wayne, Karen, Jeffrey, Benjamin, and the Unborn Baby Girl. It was like returning home. After a great nights rest, we got up and visited the amazing LDS school that Karen teaches science at. It was a very uplifting experience seeing this teaching environment. That afternoon we took the boys to Thanksgiving Point where both got to feed the animals corn. It was awesome comparing the two boy's approach to feeding the horses. Benji approached the horse with the corn in his hand head on. Jeffrey on the other hand did not want to have his hands anywhere near the corn do to the dirtiness factor. It was at that moment that Sam and I decided that Jeffrey should become a doctor since he loves having his hands sanitary. This trait would save millions of lives, who knows maybe he could be the one doctor who discovers the cure to cancer. Benji on the other hand will be a cowboy who fearlessly takes down steers with ease. Rodeo legend here he comes. We then took them over to the pony rides. It was fun putting Sam's hat on them and seeing how great they looked. I loved watching their fearlessness on the ponies. It was great watching Benji take to it like a fish in the water. He mounted that pony and started kicking it's side to have it "Gittie-up 'n' go!" The next day we went to the Open House of the new Draper, UT temple. It was beautiful. After wall was said and done, we asked Jeffrey what his favorite part of the temple was and he said, "The bus ride!" The next day we went to through Provo Canyon over to Park City. I watched in delight as Karen finally go to indulge in little girl cloths. I just cannot wait to see this little one come into our family. That night Wayne asked us to make Sam's famous Split Pea Soup. It turned out great, but we thought it might need a little more garlic. After a week of excitement and fun, we sadly had to say a-due. From Lehi we set off to our fourth son's home in Glenns Ferry, ID. It was also great seeing Jess, Aprill, Eli, Cheyenne, and Brooklynn. After an exciting adventure of sinking our 5th wheel into their side yard, we settled down for the week. The next day we explored Glenns Ferry, Hammet and Mountain Home. It was great seeing the Three River's Crossing where pioneers came and had the choice to cross the Snake River. We learned that the reason the town was named Glenns Ferry was because when people would cross the river many people died due to the fast moving current of the Snake River. One man named Glenn saw a need for something to change to save the lives of the pioneers and built a ferry across the river. Hence the name Glenns Ferry. We also learned the the high schools mascot is called the pilots because it took a pilot to man the ferry across the river. Today we all loaded in one car and headed to Twin Falls, ID. There we saw the Idaho Falls Temple where Cheyenne proudly declared she would be married in the temple one day. Her sweet spirit and her willingness to love everyone and everything will take her to that temple when it comes time. As a grandma I am glad that at such a young age she has that goal to go there even if it is just her Barbie dolls who are the lucky ones who goes right now in her dreams. We also got to go to the Twin Falls and the Shoshone Falls in the beautiful Snake River Canyon. It was beautiful, but boy were we cold. It was so cold that when you smiled your teeth froze, NO JOKE!! After wards we went to the Golden Coral where we treated everyone to lunch. Eli became my little shadow as we got our plates and headed towards the buffet lines. I loved watching him declair all the things he wanted to eat with such confidence. By the time we were finished going throught the lines his plate was piled as high as an adults surving. I doubted his ability to finish it all, but gosh darn-it he ate EVERY bite. He especially loved the meat. He must have had 6 servings and still he ate and enjoyed every bite. Then to top it off he went back for dessert where he ate 3 cookies and a serving of ice cream. It was a hoot. After waddaling back to the car and driving home we then celebrated Brooklynn's very first birthday. She got dresses and shaky connector chains. But more exciting than what she got was watching the excitment she had digging into her brownie birthday cake. I was shocked at the HUGE handful's she took of the cake. I cannot wait until tomorrow to see her in her new Sunday dress. Yet, sadly this blog will conclude our adventures of this trip because we will be heading home through Elko, NV to see my nephew John on Sunday. If we have learned anything on this trip, it is that America and Family is everything. Without this trip we never would have learned that "The Journey is the Destination" that can only be acheived by holding on to our dreams. We thank our Father in Heaven for our safe journey, and for the opportunity to see that our dreams do come true, and that life is worth living every second. May all of you one day have this chance to see the beauty of His creation. We will write more in a few months as we go journey forth to New Mexico and then up to and through Canada towards our dream destination of Alaska and the Great Yukon and beyond. Bye for now!!