Carriage Ride (4/4/2011)

So after dinner we went for a Carriage ride through the town and up to Meadow Creek through a historical park of town. It was a very nice ride. Extremely cold. I wish we had brought coats. It was a very nice and relaxing ride. It was funny to see Chase and Dylan huddle under all these blankets, when they are the ones who are still opening the hotel windown and turning the AC down to 60 degrees. Defintely, carriage rides are not something to miss when one visits Salt Lake City.

The Roof Restaurant (4/4/2011)

So after todays adventures we went to The Roof Restaurant in the Joseph Smith Building. It's got a GREAT view of the temple and great piano music. The food is good but i forget that there isn't that much of a selection especially for $40 a head. It is all you can eat, but how much prime rib and chicken can you eat. Chase ate his $40 and more. Dylan and I had 2 plates and Richard had like four. The best thing besides the Prime rib and bake potatoes and of course the great rolls, were the chocolate covered strawberries. I should have taken a picture they were HUGE! Salt Lake has got to be one of the best places for any kind of rolls, bread, ohhhh SCONES! Something I can't find here in Mesa. Great Restaurant! We even did some dancing and enjoyed the sun setting and the temple lights coming on.

Temple Square (4/4/2011)

So today we were suppose to get up early and go to the Salt Lake temple, then hit up the Red Butte Gardens and the Clark Planetarium, then dinner at The Roof and end it with a Carriage Ride. Well due to sleeping in late, we missed attend the Temple. But we decided that we would go see Temple Square. I mean you can't go to Salt Lake without visiting Temple Square.  So we hit up Desert Books to get a few items for Dylan, then we headed to the North Visitors Center. Dylan and Chase ended up talking with the sister missionaries for like half an hour. Then we got some pictures at the Temple. Which is very cool because before only couples getting married could actually go up to the temple to take photos, now everyone can go right up the the temple walls. So after taking pictures we headed the the church office  building to go to the observation deck on floor 26. It is a cool view. We could see our hotel up there. While we were waiting we noticed that the First Presidency had there office in room #47E and we were wondering why they had no floor mentioned just the room #. Anyways we then headed to the Brigham Young Memorial Park, the to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where again we saw Elder Huston. And then the boys decided to take a 3 hour self guided tour of the building. Half the places they went to were off limits. They are so lucky to not have gotten in trouble. They landed on the roof of the hotel. They defintely should not have been there. Apparently, they had loads of fun because they weren't coming back until we called them and reminded them of the 5:00 warm cookies that the hotel puts out everyday. They were super yummy cookies. Would recommend this hotel by the way. Hilton Garden Inn on 600 South.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHASE (4/3/2011)

So today was Chase's 19th birthday. That was a big sacrifice for Chases family to let him come with us and be gone for his 19th birthday (I wouldn't have let my son go away for his birthday). We had great fun with Chase. After conference we headed to Chase's Aunts house a half hour away. They served Lasagna and salad. MMM favorite dish. Afterwards they had cake and ice cream. It was great fun. I am glad Chase got to spend his birthday with his family. It was sweet of them to lets us come. Especially since we hadn't eaten all day and lasagna hit the right spot. Not to mention that Dylan non stop talked about Chases aunt since they came up here in December as they have the most awesomeness house around, including an indoor basketball court, too bad Dylan couldn't play, oooh and they had an game room...aww to bad Dylan couldn't play....hehe, Dylan and Chases family were good sports about it. Why couldn't he play you ask. Because at this point Dylan was now a full time missionary and those are the rules.

Hopefully Chase got some presents when he got home. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chase!

General Conference Live! (4/3/2011)

 Today was so sweet! General Conference was Awesome! First Thanks to Chase for getting tickets. See what happens when you do your home teaching. Chase home teaches the guy who got the tickets for us. I have never seem so many Mormons in one place. it was cool. We got there the requested 1 1/2 hour before conference started. It was snowing and we got to park at the Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg and then walked to the conference center. It was cold. And we had the pleasure of walking through a sea...no. ocean of missionaries. I felt like I was at the MTC. Well we got to the conference center and then we had to go to security. Unreal. Then we made the long walk to wear our seats were. We got there and took pictures and video tape, and then guess who we saw Tres Huston...opps Elder Huston (a guy from our ward) and Dylan and Chase went down to see him. What are the chances in a ocean of 22,000 people we see the one person from our ward. It was neat. Then Choir was awesome. The talks were great. The building is Awesome. Then when we left we were walking out the building and to our right, there he was again. Elder Huston. It was totally snowing heaving and getting foggy when we left. General Conference was very uplifting and refreshing to the soul.








In the parking garage walking to the car.



Walking to the conference center. This building was on our right.

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The Joseph Smith Memorial Building that we parked under.



Sweet Picture . Yup. I took it all by myself.



Some of the flowers that we passed on the way to conference center.



10 minutes before conference started.

Waiting for the conference center to fill.

Our ticket to conference.

On the way out of the conference center. Monster Satellites.

The A/C, The Heater and Electricity (4/2/2011)

So after we left the Airport we headed to the Hilton Garden Inn. Farther from the Temple than I wanted but it was a great hotel. After we checked in we went to Chuck A Rama. All you can eat buffet. The food was delicious. Especially loved the rolls. Wish I had the scones. Anyways we filled our gullet, and I was in the middle of eating a delicious roll and everyone else wanted to leave so I put the roll in my pocket anticipating to finish the roll in the car. Well would you have guess it. there is a HUGE SIGN that says removing any food from premise is a crime. You have got to be kidding. My mother takes cookies all the time from the buffet and puts them in her pocket to eat for dessert. I paid for it i should be able to finish it. So for the next two days I was a theft. After dinner we headed back to the hotel and Richard proceeded to turn up the heater as it was cold in the hotel and Dylan proceeded to open the window as he was hot. So we all layed down and passed out. This was at 6p.m. we got to the hotel and we all woke up at 10 am. 16 hour sleep. Haven't sleep so much and so good in a while. That bed was great. Well apparently while I was asleep there was an AC/Heater war. Everytime Richard woke up he'd shut the window and turn up the heater. When Dylan or Chase woke up in the middle of the night they would turn the AC down to 60 and open up the window. Well around 2 am I am awoken by the Richard tell me to look outside...and it's SNOWING!!! Then 15 minutes later the power in the hotel goes out. The whole block is out. It has been so long since I have seen it snowing while the street lights are on. There is something cool about it.  Anyways we all head back to bed, again with the AC/HEATING war going on. Lucky for me I had no problem. It was the males either too hot or too cold. Boys...what are we going to do with them.

Dylan loving the window

Downtown with the electricity out.

Outside our window Sunday morning.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (4/2/2011)

So there we no Trains involved, but it makes for cool title. So after the Stake President left the house it was time to pack up and head out. Our flight left at 12:20 and we had to be at the airport at 10:20 and had to leave the house at 9:30 as we needed to stop by Dayna's work so Dylan could say goodbye to her. Well after packing and getting stuff outside. Our neighbor was nice enough to take us to the airport, and saying goodbye to all his friends, he had his first missionary handshake with a girl, (sorry, no hugs now) we were off to the airport. It was a very emotional goodbye for Dylan's friends. As a mom, it is a good feeling to know that your son has good and caring friends.

l-r Xavier, Kenneth, Teagen, Dylan, Tarek, Chase, Andrew, Gabe
Aubrey

                                    

Our experience at the airport was to say the least an eye opener for Dylan. I am glad we were blessed with cheap air tickets because it was good for Dylan to see. First we get there and as always you can never find a place to stop and get dropped off. Then we go to Southwest ticket counter and there was a line that wrapped back and for 4 times. Dylan was in shocked and in disbelief of such a line. (well get use to it-this was nothing) The line although it was long took us about 20 mintues to get through. So we checked in and checked our baggage. Now the long walk to the other side of the airport to our gate. After a short walk we came to SECURITY!. Drivers License and Airplane Ticket Please. Then proceed to one of the conveyer belts and take off your shoes, belts, wallets, empty your pockets, pull out your camera, phones, camcorders, laptops, and put them in the little gray bins and then wait to be instructed to go through the metal detectors. (Man has it been a while since i flew.) Well I made it through, Richard made it through, Chase made it through, Dylan got stopped. Turned out that Dylan's water bottle that had a filtration system in it was unrecognizeable and they didn't like it. This was after like 3 tries. Finally made it through after explaining what it was. They lady said next flight he should put it in his suitcase instead of carrying it on. Whew! Made it through. Then my phone rings. It was my sister, on the other side of security. I forgot to wait for her before security. So dylan and chase left EVERYTHING, should have left the shoes too, and went on the other side of security to say good bye and then went through security again. Good experience, except right before Dylan and Chase went through the second time there was this huge wave of people and the line took forever. Got to the Gate with 10 minutes to spare before they started to board. So they have this new way of lining up to board the plane. Very cool way. Dylan and chase and me all sat the in the same row and Richard sat in the seat across the aisle. Watch the video for Dylan's reaction. It was a quick flight as all 3 of us slept the whole way there. Which was only and 1 hour 15 minutes. Got off the plane, made the long walk to the rental car place, got our car upgraded to a minivan. Was very nice one. And for the next 5 days I became Chauffer. since the doors were automatic I got to push the buttom to let the boys out and in. It became a running joke. Dylan closed the back door on richards head. I guess the automatic door doesn't recognize when someone is loading up luggage. Again, check out the 2 videos of take off and landing.



Tarek and Dylan



Dylan with Chase's Mother and sisters

Dylan and Xavier

Dylan and Andrew

Dylan and Teagen

Dylan and Cousin Aubrey

Dylan and Cousin Aubrey and Tarek

Pyper not letting Andrew leave the house

Dylan and Tarek with Taytum on the stairs

Dylan and Cousin Kenneth

Dylan and Aunt Allison at the airport

Dylan and his sister Dayna saying goodbye at her work

On the airplane getting ready to taxi

Hmm. I wonder what would happen if I opened this window.

In the sky.

An Official Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (4/2/2011)

So today our Stake President was coming over to set Dylan apart at 8:00 a.m.  I would like to say that it was this great experience and everyone was all in sunday dressed and refreshed and welcoming to Stake President to our home. Exactly the opposite. Everyone had stayed up the night, we did have a great breakfast, which people sat down to eat right before the Stake President came over. Dylan wouldn't get his butt out of bed and looked like a total bum. It was not funny at the time, but is kind of now. The Stake President made him get on his shoes and maybe splash a little water on his face. We had like 20 people there. This was the first time the Stake President had set someone apart in the home. i don't know why he started now, we'd have been just as happy to have gone to his house or the stake office. Anyways - the Stake President was very nice. He ask me, the mother, the person who had been holding in her emotions all week to say the opening prayer. Not a good choice, President B. My prayers lately have been extremely heartfelt and long and this was no exception. It took me 5 minutes alone to regain my compose to be able to speak, good thing we get to say prayers in our head otherwise i'd never be saying prayers. Anyways after somewhat gathering my composure I began to pray and 10 minutes later I was done. Although if you took out all the pauses the prayer was probably 4 minutes. good thing Dayna wasn't there she would have giving me that dissapproving (take forever much) look. Anyways President B set Dylan apart as a full-time missionary and gave a wonderful blessing and even a warning. It was great I wish I had took notes so when Dylan is struggling I could remind him of the blessing that we imparted to him. After he was done, President B asked me outside to talk to me. Now this is a minor rant, but also to let other people know. He asked my why Richard did not want to participate in setting him apart. WHAT???!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? If I hadn't just emptied all the tears from my body 15 minutes early, i would have broken down and cried. I didn't know that fathers could help set apart. Yes confirming, not setting apart. I would like to know where the communication on this broke down. Should this have been the Bishop who told us, or should the Stake President quietly asked me before hand if my husband wanted to participate. Heck ya-he would have wanted to.  I apologize for those out there reading, who are totally lost. But I wanted to inform other moms who's husbands didn't serve a mission or who are converts such as mine. Since when could dad's help set apart missionaries. Its not like fathers thelp the Bishop set apart the Relieft Society, why would they help the Stake President set apart a Full-time missionary. Anyways it was none the less great and no feelings were hurt.

Dylan is finally after 128 days later a Fulltime missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Prepared to fullfill his 720 day mission which is to invite others to come unto Chirst by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghoost, and Enduring to the End.

The whole gane right after the Stake President Left. Nice Sight eh?
Dan Brinkerhoff, Xavier, Tarek, Lilly, Kenneth, ELDER SHAW, Camryon, Andrew, Teagen, Aubrey, and Taytum on the floor and mom that is cut off on the left.