One More Thing

I just have to add this about the hotel that we stayed at in Rexburg.  When we went to check out, the girl said that everything was paid and asked if we wanted a receipt.  When Terry said yes, she reached under the counter where they had a stack of receipts already copied.  This is what it looked like:

There's a zero balance at the bottom, but nothing else - not the name of the hotel, the date, our name, nothing.  It was pretty funny.  Terry didn't say anything, just thank you. 

BYU Idaho Center

There’s a BIG new building on campus.  We walked in a back entrance, I think, and there was a beautiful wide walkway, all carpeted with nice seating areas all along one side.  The other side was all windows that looked down on 10 full size basketball courts with an overhead track above them.  The room was gigantic!

(The blue in the first picture is the track.)  There aren’t any locker rooms, but this building is connected to the old PE building now.

We went through doors at the end and found ourselves in the foyer of a big event center.  There are 3 floors with beautiful big lobbies, beautiful furniture,  long banks of beautiful bathrooms, beautiful art work on the walls like a gallery.  When you go inside the auditorium, it’s like the conference center in Salt Lake.  It was massive.  The outside of the building was not as pretty.  There were no gardens on top or waterfalls, but the inside was impressive.  My pictures don’t do it justice.

Back to Class

The theme for BYU-I Education Week was “Where Can I Turn For Peace”.  Of course I had to go.  I really didn’t realize how spiritually dried-up I was until I got there.  I think I’ve been running on empty for quite a while.  I didn’t take my scriptures along.  I thought it would require too much work.  I had decided to just sit in the back of classes and let it wash over me.  Maybe something would sink in. 
There were so many classes and presenters.  I let Terry take the lead and decided to just go along with whatever classes he wanted to go to.  As it turns out, he wanted to know more about the atonement.  That wouldn’t have been my first choice, but then again, I wasn’t in a good spiritual place at the time.  We attended 10 or 12 classes and more than half of them focused on the atonement.  We went to “Becoming Saints Through Christ’s Atonement”, “Gifts of the Atonement”, “Partaking of the Blessings of the Atonement”, “Growing Spiritually (through the Atonement), and two sessions of “I Have Graven Thee Upon the Palms of My Hands”.  They were pretty deep classes. 
You’d think that someone who hadn’t chosen the class, someone who showed up unprepared, someone who’s plan it was to sit in the back and just hope for a little peace…might not get much out it.  But that’s not what happened.  It was peaceful.  I did just relax.  I didn’t put much mental effort into what was being said.  I didn’t look up the scriptures, make any comments, or even take notes, but I felt so much better.  It was the answer to a prayer that I hadn’t even uttered.  I was spiritually filled.  I certainly couldn’t teach anyone much about the atonement.  I couldn’t give a talk in church relating what I learned, but I came away with a very different take on teachings about the atonement.  I didn’t feel like working out my own salvation would be next to impossible.  I didn’t feel like everything I’m doing is inadequate in a “be ye perfect” sort of way.  I didn’t feel like every growing experience has to be difficult, something that requires great sacrifice, or is sad.  I didn’t feel like the great judgment needed to be wailing, gnashing of teeth, humiliating and a dreadful day for me. 
I came away from Education Week with a positive, joyous, uplifting feeling.  Every presenter seemed to repeat the same scriptures, reference the same conference talks, and bear testimony of the same happy message.  I have a very different understanding of God, my father, and Jesus Christ, my brother, and their great love for me, and for all of us.  I will do some things different, because I want to, not because I’m worried about what will happen if I don’t.  I will think differently.  I understand some teachings and scriptures in a different way.  I feel different.  I’m happier.  I’m thankful.

Education Week – BYU-I

I’ve been to Education Week in Rexburg several times.  I’ve never been to Education Week in Provo, but I know I like BYU-I much better.  It is not crowded.  You don’t have to rush or worry about finding room in a class.  There have been a few times that we didn’t get in to a class that we were thinking about, but there’s always another class not far away, and they’re all good.  The schedule is much smaller than in Provo, but the instructors are every bit as good, and there’s a wide range of topics including things for moms, relationships, health, music, family history, and gospel topics.  The buildings and the campus at BYU-I are so clean.  Our classes were held in four buildings which were close together.  The weather was perfect and when we moved from place to place, we would stroll through a beautiful park-like garden.  Again, it was not crowded – not the classrooms, not the gardens, not the eating establishments, not the book store.  It was a relaxing and uplifting three days.

Staying in Rexburg

We’ve been to Education Week at BYU-I a few times.  A wide variety of classes are offered and the presenters are exceptional.  It’s not very crowded, the campus is beautiful, and you can just relax and soak in the spirit. 
The only problem with attending Education Week is finding a place to stay.  One year we stayed in a Quality Inn that we call The Low Quality Inn.  Another year we stayed in a Best Western that has an indoor pool right off the lobby and it makes the whole place damp and smelly.  This year we booked early and found a good price at a new place in town, the Magneson.  It sounded good, but when we pulled around the corner this is what we found:

The Best Western has been sold and renamed.  The pool is still just off the lobby, but they have done something about the smell.  They are on a tight budget though and it showed.  Our key didn’t work, so on the third attempt the girl came to make sure it wasn’t operator error.  Then she gave us another room, but the key still didn’t work.  She finally brought a remote kind of thing with her to our original room and got us in, but the air conditioner wasn’t working.  She tried to get us in another room across the way, but couldn’t get the key to work.  We finally ended up in the second room she offered us, with a key that worked, and an air conditioner that just worked marginally.  We will be going back to Education Week, but not to the Magneson.  As we were driving out of town we spotted a Spring Hill Suites by Marriot.  If that doesn’t work, we’ll be in Idaho Falls.

Ty’s Return

Since he sprained his foot playing Frisbee and couldn’t work, he came home for a visit, except his room, our room, and the bonus room are occupied this summer.  He enjoyed two meals with us and I took him for a breakfast bagel at Blue Sky.  He enjoyed my new Corolla and the hospitality of all his friend’s parents.  Terry and I took him to the oral surgeon and out to lunch after, but his wisdom teeth were bothering him and he couldn’t really eat.  I took him to have his wisdom teeth out and brought him back to spend the next day and half recovering on our air mattress.  That was the extent of my two week visit with Ty.  I don’t even know what how to comment on this.

We Need the Tooth Fairy

This has been a month of appointments with dentists, periodontists, endodonists, and oral surgeons - plus a couple trips to the pharmacy.  What could be worse.  Terry has had most of the work done.  He had a condition called resorption where a root was disintegrating from the outside.  When they took care of that, he spent 3 1/2 hours getting a temporary crown.  All of the trauma caused the root to die, which meant a root canal.  Now he has a another August appointment and will be able to finish the crown Sept. 1st.

Ty is the other one with an aching tooth, or two, or four.  He went in for a consultation today on his wisdom teeth and we were planning on having them out right after Labor Day, but instead he's having them out tomorrow.  They're swollen and he's in pain.

I feel for both of them, but I'm so glad it's not me.  I only have to deal with the bills.  Thank goodness for the Tooth Fairy. 

Some of the Family Had a Reunion

My mother-in-law planned a family reunion for this summer and gave everyone plenty of notice.  She wanted all of her kids and their spouses to be there, and that’s it – an adult reunion.  I’m not sure if it’s really a family reunion if you don’t invite most of the family, but it sure turned out nice.

Terry’s brothers traveled up from Salt Lake on Friday and we all had a casual, relaxing dinner at our house.  We sent Stacey, Mike and the kids packing, so they wouldn’t crash the party.  The 12 of us fit nicely in our small house, and everyone had a great visit.  Terry’s family are all talkers.

It was brought to our attention that some of the grandkids felt a little slighted, so plans were changed so that everyone in the family was invited to the Saturday picnic.  We walked through the Ann Frank Memorial and then found a spot in Julia Davis Park where we could spread out.  We had to share the park with the Goddess Festival.  I’d never heard of it, but it drew a pretty big crowd.  We stayed on the other side of the park by the playground so the great-grandkids would have something to do.  There was another four hours of visiting.  Everyone was fed, and the fun family members went paddle boating.  One young family was moving to Arkansas at the end of the week, so it was good to all be together.

 

An all inclusive family reunion is probably the way to go, but just an afternoon of food and activities seems to be enough.  The adults spent another day and half together.  I think the grandkids and great grandkids are glad that they weren’t invited to the rest of it.  Our cozy reunion of siblings and spouses was just right.

We went to Macaroni Grill for dinner on Saturday night and then over to Grandma and Grandpa Swain’s for more visiting and dessert.  Most went to church together on Sunday, and then we ate some more.  There was a Sunday dinner, more visiting, some genealogy info, the introduction to a new Swain Gang web site, and singing around the piano.  Terry’s family are all singers.  It was a perfect way to end – on a happy note. 

 

Pretty Toes

Little baby toes are sweet, but most grown up toes really aren't pretty.  My sister Nan says her husband has pretty feet.  The toes are all proportioned just right and he doesn't have mangled, humped ones.  Regis once said that he has nice looking feet and he does.  He could have been a foot model.  Only half of my toes look fine.  The big and little ones are messed up, and one other toenail that I've lost twice has never really recovered.  But, last week Mom and Nan and I went for pedicures.  It was my first ever.  It was fabulous, and relaxing.  My toes look great!  I'm happy and excited every time I look down.  I'm hooked.  I think in another month, I'm going to take Terry on date night.  We'll get pedicures instead of dinner.

This is my good foot.

Sewing Update

My goal was to finish 12 sewing projects, one for each week of summer.  I have seven finished.  My problem has been that I've had to make each project twice, and one, three times.  I don't know why I can't just measure and get things to fit.  I still need to fix a pair of watermelon pants that I made for Haddie, and redo a waist band on my white skirt.  I finished a lined navy blue dress that's really cute on, but I can't zip it up the back.  It's just hanging in the back of the closet and I'm hoping with diligent dieting I'll be able to wear it some time this fall.  I love sewing.  Part of my problem is just being out of practice.  I'll continue on and finish up my goal.  I think the next five projects will go faster.  I just need to do them once - slow and careful.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Nan and I finally made good on our Fathers Day gift and took Dad out to Hawks Stadium.  We picked a night that wasn't too hot, had good seats on the third base line, and we all enjoyed a hotdog.  I looked around at the mostly season ticket holders in our section and was struck by the fact that they were all old.  They all had a decade or two on me.  Listening to them talk, they knew baseball.  It's the game of their generation.  I felt a little nostalgic sitting there with them. 

Nan and I didn't pay real close attention to the game.  We had a nice visit.  Dad watched the game and didn't visit because he didn't have his hearing aids in.  Some of the innings were slow.  (It is baseball.)  Other innings were full of hits and runs.  In the end the Hawks lost to Eugene, 8-6 and we were glad that it didn't go extra innings.  We enjoyed every minute, but didn't want to stay longer.  It was just a perfect summer night out at the ball park.

Playground of the Rich and Famous

Mike had to pick up some law credits and signed-up for classes in Sun Valley.  Who wouldn't want to go along for a few days?  (Maybe a 2 and 4 year old.)  We picked the week after Oprah and Bill Gates left.  The weather was perfect and the resort was immaculate and we managed to keep the two kids from falling in the pond. 

We weren't able to browse through the shops and check out the fashions, but there was a toy store and a candy store that held their attention.

Haddie trying a hip Sun Valley look.

Gondola going nowhere

Instead of lunch at the lodge, we opted for Wiseguy Pizza Pie in town.  It was a great pick!  Salads, pizza, and garlic knots were scrumptious.  I could have taken every meal there.

  

 Forget the playground of the rich and famous.  The second day there we found a real playground in Hailey.  That was the best part for Huds and Hads.

 Huds followed a new friend, Decker, up a tree.  Not bad climbing considering it was a pocky pine tree.

Hadley and I found a picture of a kitten in a magazine.  She was obsessed with cupping her hand and pretending to pet the "itty, bitty, kitty, kitty".  We were lobbying her dad for a kitten until she found a new friend at the park.  Their hair matched.  Now she wants a big red dog.

Our Morning Constitution

Terry and I use to walk together every morning for exercise.  We would always cover about 2 miles at a good clip.  Now we take the kids on a walk almost every morning.  It doesn't matter which direction we go, there is always a playground that catches their attention.  It's not really exercise.  We don't cover 2 miles and we don't walk at a good clip.  We do have a chance to talk.  The kids point out the airplanes and the bugs, and we have fun.  Best of all, Stacey has an hour to get something done, like take a long quiet shower in peace.  

Landscaping Help Wanted

I like doing a little gardening.  Our yard is small and usually easy to keep on top of, but this summer has been different.  The cool weather gave everything a late start.  Hadley likes to pick flowers, and Hudson likes to pick just about anything.  He has a sandbox in the yard, but dirt is better, so I find things like this:

Ernie and Cookie Monster bulldoze a cucumber plant.

He also sword fights with the clematis.   There's a plastic bat in the Chinese maple.  The rocks in the water feature have been moved, exposing the tank.  We've had to take the handle off the outside faucet and lock it in the shed - not very handy.  Now Huds has decided to make up for the destruction by helping out with the Saturday yard work.  This is what that looks like:

It's like having a back seat driver.

He wants to help every week.

Fourth of July Celebration

We didn't celebrate much.  It was great having a holiday, but all we did was fly our flag, barbecue hot dogs, eat watermelon and light a few fireworks for Hudson at about 7:00.  It wasn't even close to dark. 

Looks a little pathetic, doesn't it?

Safety First - a small bucket of water for our small display.

It's funny that on the night when all the firecrackers were going off and the dogs were howling, we slept soundly.  It was the first night that we needed to have the air conditioner on all night.  The sound from that noisy unit drowned out everything else.

Oh no! Say it isn't so!

I had the same post title in June because I did the exact same thing.  I left my new camera in a restaurant on the way home from McCall.  I can't believe it!  I had the camera that I left in the Chinese restaurant for about two months.  I had to replace it last month.  My new camera was about 2 weeks old!  Thank goodness the people at the Homestead Cafe in Weiser are kinder and more honest.  Some Saturday morning coffee people turned it in and it was kept in the kitchen safe.  They were so happy that I called.  I left it on Friday and didn't realize that it was gone until Monday.
We wanted to avoid the Fourth of July traffic so Terry went with me for a lunch date on Tuesday.  I really like the signs that welcome you to Weiser - We love our kids, our community, and our country.  I like this town.  There is a real community feeling there.  When you stop for lunch or drive around you can tell there is a slower pace of life - simpler.  The prices are lower too. 
After lunch we went to the Weiser Chocolate Shop and Deli.  We each picked out a handful of chocolates and then enjoyed a ice cream cone.  Terry's huckleberry ice cream looked good, but I know my butter pecan tasted better.  We drove home on the back roads and avoided the freeway.  I can't believe I did it again, but this time everything turned out a lot better.  We had a very pleasant day and I have my new camera back.

McCall

Huckleberry Patch and the yarn shop next door.  (By Paul's Market)

Park on the shore of beautiful Payette Lake

While people watching we spotted this rainbow dog.

We bought the new(er) Corolla from a young couple in New Meadows, so we made a day of it and enjoyed a summer afternoon in McCall.  It was the Friday before the Fourth of July weekend, but since we drove up the back way through Payette and Weiser, we missed the traffic.  The town was busy, but the restaurants weren't full.  We had a good time people watching, good pizza, good warm weather (but not hot), and I had time to wander around a couple shops that I love - a quilt and needlework shop and a yarn shop.  I came away with two stitchery patterns and a new(er) car!