Trip of a Lifetime--Days 1 and 2

I thought I would try to write a little bit about our trip to Italy and Greece. I kept a journal and tried to get every detail, but I won't bore you with ALL of them :o)
We left SLC on Sunday October 9 (Kian's birthday--Yes, I felt guilty, but not enough to stay home!)
We flew into Atlanta and there was a fashion display in a few of the cases that was really cool. It was a way to re-use items and re-work clothing.

We got on the plane and the lady behind us (her name was Rose) made  37 calls  to people she knew to say that she was on the plane to Rome with Aunt Louise and she won't be back until October 26--Aunt Louise is beside herself with excitement and Rose just wanted to say good-bye and I love you!!

Then I found out that Kristin Chenoweth has her own channel on Delta Airlines so that was fun to hear her singing.

We arrived in Rome at 8:30 a.m. Rome time..it was a long night! We were waved on through the passport station so NO stamp! Then we waited a couple of hours in the airport for the rest of our group to arrive. I was SO tired it was kind of a blur.  We got on tour buses and were taken to a restaurant called Angelique for a "typical Roman style meal".

This was our darling waitress, Giovanna who spoke very little English, but she was exactly what I pictured a quintessential Italian girl!
I had Tiramisu for the first time and it was DIVINE! I probably won't ever eat it again because I'm afraid it will never be the same.

Then it was on to the Colosseum with our tour guide Tyberio, who was SO funny and extremely knowledgeable!! He knew every date and every name of ancient Rome and I was completely gobsmacked.

We then went and saw the Forum and the sense of history was palpable.

This the site where Julius Caesar's body was cremated in a ceremonial pyre...notice that people are still leaving flowers. Amazing.

 

"All roads lead to Rome".  This is the site of the beginning of the first road.

The hotel in  Rome was small and dark and not so great, but I was exhausted and we were hardly there at all so it was OK.
That night we hung out with Steve and Ralene Eller. We went to Campo Di Fiori and found a great place for dinner where we met two very cute and very different Italian boys.

Guiseppe was our waiter and he, ironically, wants to be an actor!! He is planning to move to NYC to study acting, but his Dad is not too hip on the idea. I thought he was adorable and he did ask for my Facebook contact info, but I haven't heard from him yet. I was hoping to set him up with someone from our family!

Then the four of us walked the streets looking for gelato and taking in the Bernini fountains along the way.

Gotta throw my coin in the fountain so I get to come back someday!  I loved the Trevi fountain...there were so many people just sitting on the steps, hanging out--locals and tourists.

The Spanish Steps

Then there were the high end shops...I had to get some pictures of the girls even if the stores were closed.

Emma Hale Smith, Woman of Tremendous Faith

http://youtu.be/22KZzaKaY1Q

Forget Me Not

It is my prayer and blessing that you will never forget that you are truly precious daughters in God’s kingdom.

A while ago I was walking through a beautiful garden with my wife and daughter. I marveled at the glory and beauty of God’s creation. And then I noticed, among all the glorious blooms, the tiniest flower. I knew the name of this flower because since I was a child I have had a tender connection to it. The flower is called forget-me-not.
I’m not exactly sure why this tiny flower has meant so much to me over the years. It does not attract immediate attention; it is easy to overlook among larger and more vibrant flowers; yet it is just as beautiful, with its rich color that mirrors that of the bluest skies—perhaps this is one reason why I like it so much.
And there is the haunting plea of its name. There is a German legend that just as God had finished naming all the plants, one was left unnamed. A tiny voice spoke out, “Forget me not, O Lord!” And God replied that this would be its name.
Tonight I would like to use this little flower as a metaphor. The five petals of the little forget-me-not flower prompt me to consider five things we would be wise never to forget.

First, forget not to be patient with yourself.
Our journey toward perfection is long, but we can find wonder and delight in even the tiniest steps in that journey.

Second, forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.
An acceptable sacrifice is when we give up something good for something of far greater worth.

Third, forget not to be happy now.
Never stop striving for the best that is within you. Never stop hoping for all of the righteous desires of your heart. But don’t close your eyes and hearts to the simple and elegant beauties of each day’s ordinary moments that make up a rich, well-lived life.

Fourth, forget not the “why” of the gospel.
Sometimes, in the routine of our lives, we unintentionally overlook a vital aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ, much as one might overlook a beautiful, delicate forget-me-not.
Let us not walk the path of discipleship with our eyes on the ground, thinking only of the tasks and obligations before us. Let us not walk unaware of the beauty of the glorious earthly and spiritual landscapes that surround us.

Fifth, forget not that the Lord loves you.
You are not forgotten.
Sisters, wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love.
Just think of it: You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe! You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time!
He who created and knows the stars knows you and your name—you are the daughters of His kingdom. The Psalmist wrote:
“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? …
“For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.”5
God loves you because you are His child. He loves you even though at times you may feel lonely or make mistakes.
The love of God and the power of the restored gospel are redemptive and saving. If you will only allow His divine love into your life, it can dress any wound, heal any hurt, and soften any sorrow.

Sisters, there is something inspiring and sublime about the little forget-me-not flower. I hope it will be a symbol of the little things that make your lives joyful and sweet. Please never forget that you must be patient and compassionate with yourselves, that some sacrifices are better than others, that you need not wait for a golden ticket to be happy. Please never forget that the “why” of the gospel of Jesus Christ will inspire and uplift you. And never forget that your Heavenly Father knows, loves, and cherishes you.

It's That Time

Family pictures 2011...
I have tried to do one at least every year. Some are far better than others, obviously...
That past two years we have taken Grumpy Dad to the family photo shoot-he complained that it was too cold.
So this year I tried a different approach...pictures in AUGUST!   In Tooele, where apparently it is always windy. Did I mention it was August? HOT, not cold :o)
Our wonderfully talented niece Meagan took these for us, I thought it might take the grump out of Grumpy Dad.

  Everyone complained about the sun so there was a lot of squinting going on and people trying to get away with wearing or at least HOLDING their sunglasses.

Here are some of my favorites from the Blazing Hot Field :-)

Then we moved on to a lovely location in old downtown Tooele...

Then we moved on to a lovely location in old downtown Tooele...Just two kids having fun!

Here are the drama shots...

Our girl is Broadway Bound!

Oh yeah, he's the man that has the girls "Enchanted" (his word)

      

 All in all it was a fun time and I think we managed to keep Grumpy Dad away this year...maybe next year we can shoot for October and keep Hot Mama a  little cooler! The best part was that we actually SPENT THE NIGHT in Tooele and got to visit with some of our favorite family members, the Prudens.

Most people got to Disney or Cancun or Niagara Falls for summer vacay...we went to Tooele!! AND while we were there, we got to see a world renowned yodeler at the Art in the Park event with Tooele council man, Steve Pruden. What a blast we had!! Thanks for the memories guys, we love you...