New York City - day one

Times Square!


Top of the Rockefeller Center

Avenue of the Americas

Classic Central Park carriage ride

Times Square after "Wicked" on

Broadway - it was totally Wicked!

Our first day in the city we were commuters

on the train from New Jersey into the city.

Good thing Carla had done it before - whew!

We probably would have been lost! It took

about 1 1/2 hours to get to Times Square.

We were starved - so we found lunch and

then headed to the Top of the Rock for

amazing views of the city. After that a walk

to Central Park, the classic horse carriage ride,

a stop at the Museum of Natural History (where

Night at the Museum was filmed) dinner at

a great Italian place and then Wicked on Broadway!

Carla had already been so Rustin Reidhead met us

in Times Square and used his student ID to buy

her a ticket for Shrek - thanks Rustin! It was

great to see him - I can't believe we forgot to get

a pic with him! After a full day, back to New

Jersey and into bed at 1:30am - back up at 6:30!

Niagara Falls

Simply breathtaking!


Ready for the Maid of the Mist boat ride

The boat gets very close to the falls - you get wet!

Read for the "Cave of the Winds" tour - cool

sandals that they give you to wear!

The walk way on the cave of the winds - check

out the rainbow! You could see both ends!

This part of the trip followed the Palmyra Temple.

It is about 2 hours from Palmyra to the falls.

Following the day there, we had to drive

6 1/2 hours back to New Jersey and Ray had to

be to work the next morning!

Palmyra New York

At the airport excited to go!


The house my Mom grew up in - Port Byron NY

Hill Cumorah

In the sacred grove

Palmyra Temple

The day after our Holladay Reunion, Chris and

I boarded a plane for New York. We have never

been and we took the opportunity while Ray

and Carla are in nearby New Jersey on temporary work

assignment for Ray. Bridget flew in from Kentucky

and we began our journey. We arrived on Monday

night. After dinner at a local NJ hangout, we bedded

down for the night and got up early the next morning

to head out. We drove first to Port Byron New York

where my Mom was raised. We saw the house she

lived in and the town. It was great for me to see as

I had never been there and I was able to connect

stories from her childhood to the actual location.

We ate lunch at the little local diner which was classic

and had the daily special menu handwritten on a

piece of notebook paper - classic! After lunch we

drove on to Palmyra. We first stopped at the Hill

Cumorah. There is a beautiful visitor's center there

and we walked up to the monument on top. Following

that we went to the Smith Family farm and took

the tour with the sisters there and saw a replica

of the original log cabin home and the actual frame

home that the family lived in. Then on into the sacred

grove - such a peaceful spirit there. We stayed at

a lovely new motel in Palmyra and enjoyed "hot

tubbing" that night and visiting with other folks

touring the area. The next morning up early again

for a session at the Palmyra Temple. Another

wonderful experience. We changed clothes and hit

the road for the next part of the adventure - Niagara

Falls.

Holladay Reunion 2009

From whence it all stems!


Ummm those nachos are yummy!

Swimming buddies

The boys minus missionary baby

Gorgeous daughters

Kaitlyn cannonballs!

Best buds!

Papa and Mackey

The whole group (I know tiny pic!)

Jet skis on Canyon Lake

We had a little family reunion a few weeks ago in the valley.

In the past we have gone to Mexico (7 years running!) Due to

a lot of different factors we decided to change it up this year.

I rented a huge house in Gilbert where we all stayed together.

Every family had their own room and some privacy and we had

alot of large common spaces to share - it also had a pool, pinball

and other games - lots of fun!

The first day we rented jet skis and spent the day on Canyon Lake.

I had never been there - it is a beautiful little lake and the weather

was perfect and the water refreshing - it was amazing! We had

a super fun time and B engineered a ghetto knee board out of a

boogie board and Kenny got up for the first time ever! It was

a fun day all together. I forgot my camera that day and I imported

pics that B took but I am not so competent so I only posted two as

they are tiny - I have to work on that skill!

The next day we went to a live production of "Jack and the Beanstalk"

for the grandkids - it was a fun time. The afternoon we spent enjoying

the pool and hanging out. Sunday morning we were up and out to

the boy's ward at 9am - lunch following at Tim and Cara's completed

our little get together.

I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I have - such amazing sons,

daughters and grandbabies - thanks to all of you for the success of our

reunion!

Birthday #52!

German babies and orange julius made by
Kenny & Leslie


Billy & Mommy

Beautiful flowers from Donna

So birthday #52 is under the belt! Where does

time fly to? It seems like yesterday that I

was 19 and had just been married less than a

month. Now, five boys, four daughter-in-laws

and five grandbabies later, I am wondering

where it all went. I had a great birthday. Tammy

Brewer took me lunch on Thursday as part

of our tradition and a gift certificate

for a pedicure! Friday night Julie and Bob

had us over for dinner and cooked a delicious

meal of steak, potatoes, salad and a completely

from scratch german chocolate cake - yummy!

Also they gave me a wonderful book on tape.

Saturday was the actual day and that morning

Kenny and Leslie made German Babies and orange

julius for breakfast - mmmmm! I was just

home from the gym and standing outside saying

goodbye to Bridget and Ben when I got a call

from Sean. He sang in Spanish and then said

he wished he could be there to give me a kiss

on my birthday - I said I did too - and next

thing I knew he drove up! He came all the way

from Mesa to give me a kiss on my birthday

and could only stay a little over an hour.

Definitely reduced me to tears! Bryan, Jenn

and Colby called with wishes as did Tim and

family. I received beautiful flowers from

Donna and a necklace from Kenny and Leslie.

My missionary even managed to send something

in the mail that arrived on Thursday along

with a wonderful letter - it was a great celebration!

Thanks to all of you for making me feel special!

Live in Maid/Cook

Look at this beautiful dinner that Kenny &

Leslie made last week. Raspberry Jalapeno

Chicken. It is like being at a gourmet

restaurant! It is great having them live with

us and we enjoy the delicious meals and the

help with the house and especially all the kisses

from Bentley!

Ellie Jo is Blessed

Grandpa Ben blessed Ellie


Kenny, Leslie and Bentley waiting to begin

Mommy and not so happy Ellie Jo

My niece Lynsi and her husband Joey blessed

their little girl Ellie Jo last week at their home.

It was a beautiful blessing performed by her

Grandpa Ben. We were glad to be a part!

House Painted!

So all the vines are down and the house is freshly

painted! The places where the vines used to be

look great - now we just need to redo all of the

front cement :) Never ends! One step at a time

I guess.