I haven't blogged in a very long while. It is probably because no one really visits my blog when I do. However, that was the way I use to think. Today I have decided that I blog because it makes ME happy, Whether or not anyone views what I do shouldn't have any pull on whether or not I blog! So, "Hi, I'm back!"
This is one of my favorite pictures of Elder Perry who is serving in the Long Beach mission.

Just another day in paradise

I looked out of the plane on the way to Florida and decided clouds look pretty darn cool from above.
Miami was beautiful, humid but beautiful.

Of course, my companion was the most beautiful thing on the entire trip. Here he is wearing a tag saying when it was our turn to get on this little tug to get us to Half Moon Kay.

Oh YA....sun, surf, no responsibilities, and a very sexy man...life is good!

Notice the chef behind us...they were going on to the island to cater our lunch. I didn't have to cook!!!! I love vacations.

I am actually in the Bahamas.....YAY!!! I have always wanted to go to the Bahamas and well I'm here.

When we first got to the island there was a little gift store area....

This sign told us how far we were from everyone else. It was nice to know I was on an island with John WITHOUT interruptions.

Half Moon Kay was GLORIOUS. It was everything I dreamed of. Out on the horizon was our ship.

The sand was so fine and white. We search all over for a rock to bring home to mom and dad and needless to say there wasn't one in sight. Doesn't John look hot? It was toasty!

The water was so warm and clear, bluer than any water I have ever seen before.

Hurricane Irene chased us off course so we ended up in Grand Turk with another ship. I thought it was cool seeing these ships side by side. Ours is on the left.

Here we are on another boat going to see sting rays.

This is the island we went to....the water looks like a pool, huh?

This is a sting ray they called Princess. Here the guide is showing us her barb.

This is Princess holding me. We got so comfortable with each other we kissed. She was so soft and smooth. What a rush. John kissed her too!

The island of Grand Turk was discovered when the astronauts splashed down right next to it.

Dining was fabulous probably because I was there with the love of my life. The people at our table were super neat.... they had gotten married the day before they got on the ship and were cute together. Almost as cute as us!!!!!

Here John had found a baby live conch. We showed a bunch of kids it and then put it back. We had the opportunity to eat a larger one, while visiting Grand Turk, it tasted like cooked lobster. John didn't like it but I did.

Chips and salsa! What more can I say? Oh ya, guacamole!!

We had so much fun. I didn't want the sun to go down on the last day...everything was so fantastic. I hope we can do it soon cause there would be nothing more rewarding than another day in paradise.

Happy 13th Birthday K'Lee

Happy, happy birthday K'Lee... You are soooo loved!
Even the boys next door, Jackson and Barrett came and wished her a happy birthday. They came bearing hand made birthday cards for her.

Cierra and Shaela blindfolded her and painted her hands to give her a really neat bag for her birthday. The bag would have her hands and Cierra's hands on it.

It was fun watching them do it without K'Lee knowing what she was doing. After they finished they rinsed her hand off and of course Johnny had to get involved and he put a bunch of ice in her hand and let her stand there with it just melting... what a pain he is. It was a very clever gift .... Cierra is quite an imaginative person.

Washington 30 years later

I graduated high school in 1981... this was the house I lived in at the time. It sat on 5 acres and had 5 acres of woods behind it. It was such an adventure to go back to Washington with Johnny, Natalie, and K'Lee.
We visited a couple of different beaches.
We drove A LOT!!!!

This is the beach front in Long Beach, Washington. It was beautiful.

The wind was blowing lightly but it didn't keep the Utah kids from the water.

It had been raining the day before and we were worried it wouldn't clear up.... but by mid day the weather was glorious.

I love the beach more than any other place in the entire world. I would have wandered out into the ocean but I had fallen down the stairs and had a brace on my knee. It was a bummer I couldn't play with the kids. Just being there was awesome I love the sights, sounds, and even taste of the ocean.

We had an amazing time feeding the seagulls. They got to the point were they would hover over the top of us waiting for a treat. Johnny at Deception Park Pass Beach. 30 years ago this was the place I hung out at as a teenager.

The beach on Whidbey Island was rocky but oh so breath taking.

Deception Pass is still beautiful, after 30 years ...it hasn't changed.

Here we are riding on the ferry for the first time (everyone but me)! Of course, we had to be at the very front of the boat.

It is so cool how some things stay the same while everything else races forwards.

Here we are in front of the Seattle Space needle. I honestly can't remember a day being more amazing than this one. We had great weather, great company, and we were on vacation!

K'Lee decided to hang out under the whales tail.

Johnny chilled along the boardwalk.Here Natalie and Johnny fed the seagulls french fries.

We went to Pike's Market Place with Dawna and Eddie...talk about crowded. It was a super fun trip. The only thing that was missing was A'leese.

The placement of Moroni on the Brigham City Temple

We gathered together to watch the angel Moroni being placed at the top of the temple. The weather got bad and delayed it by quite a bit,,,,
But when the winds died down the statue was placed.

It was worth the wait!

Natalie and Ryan enjoying this historical moment in time.....

The mighty Sunflower

Lately, I've been trying really hard to catch up on my blog. Everyday I post a different event or experience from this summer. Dutifully I decided if I posted one a day, I would catch up quickly. The funny thing is life just doesn't happen that way, now does it? Yesterday I saw this small sun flower in the middle of my enormous rock wall and couldn't stop thinking of my sweet niece Miranda. It's easy to be a part of a field of sunflowers they don't have to work for the sun or moisture. They don't even have to work for protection...they use one another to wart off the wind and other elements. They all get the same amount of sun and the same amount of space, which causes them to grow the same height . A field of sunflowers is beautiful to behold but how often do you stop to look at just one? In a field they really only catch your attention when there is hundreds or thousands, right?

But tucked away in my rock wall is this one sunflower amidst all kinds of adverse conditions. The first condition it faces is it's seed was blown into a place where flowers don't always survive. Next it has to force it's way to the sunshine through the massive shadowing of the boulders. Finally, it struggles for water. Yet after all this it blossoms into a glorious site. This small little flower has beaten the odds and is worth taking note of. Just like my niece Miranda. She has been blown way out of her field of comfort. She no longer is part of a field of peers that she knows and could grow with. Winds come but the boulders (her family) protect and keep her from the storm. The greatest blessing of all is Heavenly Father is looking over her like the sun, warming her heart helping her stretch. Like this sunflower reaches up towards the sun, she is reaching towards Him. Hence, this is my special moment with this simple sunflower. God bless you "Roo" in all that you do! I love you.

Face painting for the forth of July

A'leese and I were asked to do face painting again for the Perry City carnival. I think we did a bazillion faces....here are a few of them. Natalie and Brynn wanted the same look.
Stephen went with a "Jack Sparrow" thing. Notice his eyes are closed.
This was one I practiced on K'Lee....before the carnival.

A'leese did this amazing face on Natalie, it is the cat from Alice in wonderland. (my personal favorite) Of course, she did this out of her head. A'leese is so talented!

More practice....K'Lee was a great model.

Here is one I did on Natalie.

Tennyson Rocked his look. It was a good fund raiser for the girls.... A'leese and I were tired when it was over but we earned quite a bit for camp next year!