My Adventure-Seeking BabyBoy

Yesterday was the first day of school for my BabyBoy. It's hard to believe he's all grown up. Now, this isn't what he looked like on that day! Below is my BabyBoy in first grade. Yesterday was his first day of college!

Where did the time go? Seems like it was just yesterday he was in first grade! What an adventurous life he's had so far. On Sat. he returned from a trip to Peru. And the following Mon. he started college!

Below are pictures from his trip. He and his dad were there for 10 days working with Southern Cross Humanitarian , which included working at one of their orphanages. This was a great trip for my son. It think it really opened his eyes to how people live in another country. My BabyBoy has a great deal of compassion for all people. Here he is in Cuzco.
Below, he is pictured with his dad in Macchu Pichu. His dad hasn't been back to Peru since 1982, when he was serving a mission for the LDS Church.

They both had many great and life-changing experiences on the trip.

Here's my BabyBoy, below, working on a roof at the orphanage.

I asked my son what was the thing he'll remember most about this great adventure. He said, "The children."

I'm so glad he had a great time. I sure missed him!

Times...They Are A Changin'

While visiting Utah last week, I saw many changes since the days I lived there...both in Salt Lake City and Provo. I attended Brigham Young University back in the days of Brigham Young himself. Just kidding! Anyway, these were the dorms I lived in pictured below. When I lived there I thought they were quite new and modern. Well, they've been torn down! I was shocked and saddened. My dorms got old! How did that happen?

Here's a picture below of U-Hall as I passed it last week. It's so sad. That's the hall I lived in.

When I attended BYU and went to the football games (of which I had no clue!) this was what the stadium looked like below. I thought it was beautiful and modern.

Well, they changed that too! Below is a picture of my BabyBoy standing next to a mural in the BYU Football office. This mural depicts a football game in the new stadium. The stadium is huge! They call it the Lavell Edwards Stadium.

Here's something that hasn't changed! Thank goodness they are still the BYU Cougars! Here's my BabyBoy goofing around with one of their cougars.

As I walked across campus, I saw so many buildings I had never seen before. Back in my day, this building wasn't even there. I remember visiting a fellow student in the building that was there before. He was studying Computer Technology, which was new and modern. His classroom looked much like this picture below. I thought it was awesome. I had never seen anything like it before! Data punch cards! We thought it was the wave of the future...now they are obsolete!

I was happy to see this old smoke stack hasn't been torn down yet. I used to walk by it everyday.

This science and chemistry building was still there. I can honestly tell you that I never once set foot in that building! I avoided science and chemistry!

And while I was at BYU, this building was just being constructed. Now it looks quite old. It's the Kimball tower.

In Salt Lake City, while I waited for my DH who was attending a meeting, I strolled around Temple Square. I thought, since I have some time to kill, I'll just go shopping. When we lived there, 25 years ago, there were two shopping malls downtown. Now they are both completely gone! And the first year we were married I worked in the audit department of a bank. I worked on the 19th floor of this tower in the center of this picture. What? There's no tower in the center of the picture? Where did it go? It's completely gone! Here's a picture of the tower being demolished. (I hope my old boss got out of there in time!)

I must admit...the following change didn't bother me so much. You see before moving to Los Angeles, some of my ancestors lived in this house in Salt Lake City. It's called the McCune mansion. Well, it has now been beautifully restored and is called the McCune-McCarthey Mansion. It is just beautiful! The home is 100 years old and has 21 rooms. It is reported to be haunted. I think all McCunes go to this house when they die. It's their heaven!

And lastly...here is a old pioneer log home on the grounds near Temple Square. It was lovingly restored and is on display near the Family History Library.

This is what it looked liked in the old days. These women look like quilters if you ask me! Weren't all women of that day quilters, though?

Notice the pretty quilts on display inside the log home?

Wait a minute! Check out the picture below. Is that a pioneer ghost in the mirror? No, it's just me! I guess I'm sort of a pioneer too! After all, I attended BYU with Brigham Young, right?!!!

Back from Utah

We're back from Utah. We had a great time. And it didn't even snow or rain on us! I'll tell you all about our adventures tomorrow! Right now I'm trying to catch up on my zzzzzz's! Wow! I even look tired in this picture! It was an exhausting and memorable 5 days!

I've Had Jet-Lag For 26 Years!

Whenever I feel tired and need to take a nap, I blame it on Jet-Lag. I arrived in Seville, Spain in Sept. 1981...26 years ago. There, I served a mission for my church. When I got there it took a while to acclimate my body to Spanish time. Whenever the jet-lag would hit me, I would tell my companion that I needed a nap. I'd say, "Sorry, Hermana, I need a nap...you know I suffer from jet-lag!" Well, I used that excuse the entire year and a half I lived in Spain.

And you see, I have used that excuse for most of my life. I get to a certain time of day, usually after lunch, and I just drag. A cat-nap usually does the trick. I tell my family, "Sorry, people, I need a nap... you know I suffer from jet-lag!"

Well, next year, I'll get to suffer from jet-lag once again...this time for real! I'm going back to the country I love! Yes, that's right! I'm going to Spain next June. The Purse Dog is helping me save my pennies. (As you can see, I have a looooooong way to go.) Daughter #2 gave me this cute piggy bank that says SPAIN on it for my birthday. :-)

I love Spain because...

1. The food is awesome.

2. It is beautiful.

3. The people are wonderful.

4. The lifestyle is just right for me.

5. They have Mediodia! We should all have a 'mediodia'...some people call it a siesta.

6. They have Antonio Banderas and Enrique Iglesias.

7. They have the best bread!









8. They have the Feria and Semana Santa.

9. I was so happy there.

10. My friend Ana lives there.


In June 2008, I am going back to see my friend Ana, who still lives in Malaga. We are going to travel all over Spain for 2 weeks. My dream is to sleep in a castle and it looks like it's going to happen. (I hope it is haunted. Wouldn't that be an adventure!)








(Left: The castle in Jaen. I lived in Jaen for 5 months and this castle was above the city...I hiked up there once.)

(Left: Here is an antique Spanish quilt I saw on the tour of a villa...draped along the railing. Isn't it beautiful?)

And just so you know...when my plane lands in Spain, I will kiss the ground, the way the Pope does!

The Only Bear I Saw!

This is the only bear I saw while in New Mexico. A bear rug in a trophy room of the Waite Phillips Villa Philmonte tour. Philmont, you see, was named for the Phillips family who once lived there. They donated the land to the Boy Scouts of America. They were pretty well-off....okay very well-off. You've heard of Phillips Oil, haven't you? Well that's them. Waite Phillips said, "The only things we keep permanently are those we give away."

My husband went to Philmont for Leadership training and my 17-year-old son, Todd went on the 30-mile Mountain Man Hike. We had a wonderful time. I was surprised and how great it was. It was nice to just pause for a week from my busy life and enjoy nature and the beauty of Philmont.

What I learned:

1. You must drink 5 bottles of water from your Nalgene bottle or you'll get altitude sickness. Altitude sickness is a very real thing...not just imagined. I know this by experience!

2. Tents can get very hot!

3. Tents are not 'luxurious"...at all!

4. Always be prepared for sudden thunder storms by keeping your tent zipped up tight. I know this by experience, too!

5. If the dining hall offers salads, eat plenty of them!

6. Only take what you really need in your backpack! (My son learned this!)

7. Don't get a mani/pedi before you go camping. It is a waste of money. Wait 'til you get home!

8. Ted Turner owns a big ranch near Philmont. I looked for him (you know me!) but didn't see him. I saw lots of the bison though!

9. If you ever go to Philmont Training Center, bring a fan and an extension cord!

10. Look for the 'outhouse' before you start to pull down your pants in the wild. I know this from experience, too!










Now back to quilting...and Julie's wedding is in two weeks!

First Tornados, Then Bears!

This summer I have had to face two of my greatest fears.


Fear of tornados. I went to Kansas this month and they only had a tornado 'warning' while I was there. So I survived that.



Fear of Bears. When I was a kid my family and I spent a vacation in Glacier National Park. During the week we were there, the rangers set out bear traps because there was a crazed bear on the loose. They told all the parents to keep their little kids closeby. I never slept that whole week! I had nightmares of that bear breaking into our cabin. They finally caught the crazed bear and all was well.



Next week I'll be in Cimmaron, New Mexico at the Philmont Scout ranch camping in "luxurious tent living"...that's what the brochure said. (Question: How can the word tent and luxurious be in the same sentence?) According to the brochure they had an entire page devoted to black bears! They let us know all the precautions; no snacks in the luxury tents, carry a whistle, etc.


I did a Google search on Black Bears and began reading all kinds of information. One site said:

"the bear may try to maul you but it will do less damage if you can manage to lie still."


Are they kidding? I know I won't get any sleep. I'm sure I'll be praying the entire week I am there.


Why can't I just stay home with the "Purse Dog" and quilt in the peace and safety of my home?

Anniversary Weekend

For our 24th Wedding Anniversary my husband took me to Las Vegas to see Spamalot. I loved it! I had tried to see that show in New York 2 summers ago with my daughter Stacy...but it was all sold out. I was so excited to see it and being a long-time

Monty Python fan, I enjoyed it very much. 2 thumbs up!

Vivian's heaven on earth: Bellagio Gardens in Las Vegas. It was a great weekend!