Roger and I always feel a strong and persistent magnetic pull from Up North.
That pull was just too strong to resist for the long 4th of July weekend.
Happy Birthday, America!
On the Monday before we left, Hintons asked Roger to take some pics of their darling family -
they were having their annual reunion at Ken and Kay's.
I rode over with Roger so I could see and catch up with Kristin (Wisconsin),
Shonna (Logan) and Michelle (Nevada) and their families.
What an outstanding group of great people they are!
I love them so!
Six pretty girls and 6 handsome boys
Ken and grandkids sent us off with a happy wave!
On Tuesday, we drove to Rick's in SLC, to stay with them overnight before we went to Addie's 5th Birthday Party in Highland the next day. Stacy and family (all but Tom and Jake) were Up North from Mesa, staying at Mindy's, but Londyn and Maddy were staying with cousins Katie and Abby when we got there.
Before we left for Mindy's on Wednesday, we had a little lunch and the girls were polishing off the raspberries.
Miss Adelaide Lind, AKA Elsa, turns five years old in July.
Like many little five-year-olds in the country, her favorite princess is Elsa,
and she got to have a Frozen Birthday Party!
Mindy (and Stacy) had the house looking festive and goodies set out, including melted glacier punch . . .
. . . and a from scratch almond ice cake.
The boys were dressed and ready-
Luke as Kristoff, Jack as Hans and Max as Sven.
As you can see, Jack got into character.
And little Charlie was Olaf.
The kids are ready -
Let's Party!
After the guests (friends, Stratford cousins, Lind cousins, aunts and both grandmas and grandpas) arrived,
they sat down to watch the beginning of Frozen.
Just as Elsa is singing her first song, a live voice joined the voice on the video,
and in sweeps real, live Elsa!
Wow! Eyes popped and jaws dropped, and the kids were in for a treat!
Cousin Sydney is working for a party company this summer that sends out Disney
(and other) characters of choice, and she was hired to be Elsa.
How lucky is that, Addie? She was delighted!
Elsa talked to each of the kids, interacting so cute with them. She is a natural at this job -
she adores little kids and she was born to be a princess!
After greeting and chatting with the kids, they took individual pics with her, and Mindy
emailed them to their homes. I just included the ones of our kids.
Two lovely Elsas
That scoundrel, Hans, almost broke Anna's heart!
Cousin, Katie and Sister, Londyn with Elsa
Sister, Maddy and Cousin, Abby with Elsa
Elsa with her twin bros
Elsa with cousin Olaf
Cousin Elsa and Blakey's mommy gave Blake a big kiss!
The kids sat back down with Elsa to hear her tell and sing her story.
I was amazed how the kids joined along with her in the songs, knowing all the words!
She taught the princes how to bow . . .
. . . and the princesses how to curtsy.
She taught them all Royal manners, how to eat and behave properly.
Elsa asked Addie, "Do you want to be Princess of Arendelle or Princess of Utah?"
She said, "Princess of Utah!"
Princess Addie has got the Regal Walk down!
Elsa played Hotter/Colder with the kids, then they had a snowball fight downstairs with these:
Then the kids made candy Olafs.
Happy Birthday, Princess of Utah!
The kids had cake and ice cream, then snow cones before they left.
Addie shared her crown with her sister, Fi.
She was not nearly as enamored with it!
Addie has a huge imagination and she is going to have so much fun playing with her presents.
She was already at it as her guests were leaving.
What a delightful birthday party it was!
That evening, Roger and I headed over to a great pizza place with Mindy's family.
The pizza was very tasty!
We drove to Elkridge to Patty and Hal's beautiful home that evening to stay over with them and we visited until about midnight, then Roger and Hal got up before 6 to play golf on the Elkridge golf course,
which is basically in their backyard. Wish we had pics!
Here's the amazing part!
Patty and I are both trying hard with our Fitbits to get 10,000 steps each day,
so we agreed to go for a morning walk together.
Patty said it was really pretty behind their home on mountain trails,
and because it was hovering around 100 degrees each day,
we agreed to go at 6:30 AM - possibly a first for me!
It was a fun walk - the pines and the morning air smelled so fresh.
The guys played 18 holes, then we all cleaned up and went for a tasty lunch at a local diner/restaurant.
Best part was catching up with my awesome sister -
Sister Time is THE BEST!
We drove back to Rick's after lunch,
and hung out and helped them get ready for their neighborhood block party -
they have it every year on the night North Salt Lake shoots off their fireworks over the golf course,
which is behind their home.
We get such a kick out of Blake playing and singing along with his tunes on the computer!
Jodie fixed root beer ribs, which Rick grilled, along with other meats the neighbors brought,
and they all made salads and desserts.
Jodie's mom, Kathie, came, too, and we had such fun catching up with each other.
We were friends in Ogden, before we moved.
She's a hoot!
Next day was family photo day at Busath for Stacy's and Mindy's families,
and Roger and I had ours re-taken, too.
Each family is taken separately, then Busath makes a composite pic,
which looks like we were all there at the same time.
After the photo sessions, Stacy's family changed clothes, because they were headed for a Young family reunion.
Roger and I treated them to hamburgers, fries and root beer freezes at Hire's, a family tradition.
On the 4th, Rick treated us to a movie in the afternoon, Disney's Inside Out,
and then a yummy dinner at Outback Steak House.
For dessert, we stopped for authentic Hawaiian shave ice.
Sadie's summer job is creating these delicious treats,
and she looked so cute standing in that window,
waiting on hot and thirsty customers.
Blake wanted to jump into that shack with his adored big sister!
Roger has been wearing this 4th of July shirt every 4th for over 20 years!
He loves it!
Surf's Up, Family! Let's Go!
To top off a packed-with-fun 4th of July weekend,
a once-in-a-lifetime thing happened.
While we were in the movie, Jodie got a recorded message on her cell phone.
It said, caller unknown, and she said she never gets those, and she was afraid something had happened to Abby, who was with friends at a 4th of July parade.
When she listened to the message, as we were walking out of the theater, it was Elder Dallin H. Oaks's voice.
He is one of the Twelve Apostles in our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He said he was going to be attending Rick's ward for all three meetings of the block the next day,
and to call him.
The apostles rarely attend their own wards, as they are on Church business 11 months of the year,
but they are usually off in July.
His daughter, Jenny Oaks Baker, a renowned violinist,
and her family moved into Rick and Jodie's ward a few months ago.
Rick is the bishop and Jenny and Jodie are friends and he got Jodie's cell # from his daughter.
He was coming to hear his grandson give a talk in Primary.
Excitement (and nerves) abounded that night, as Rick was going to conduct the Fast and Testimony meeting
and Jodie was going to teach the Gospel Doctrine class.
Next morning, Rick conducted the meeting beautifully, bearing his testimony having many tears
(as he always does), and when he concluded,
Elder Oaks, who was sitting next to him on the stand,
put his arm around him and gave him a squeeze, then a second squeeze.
It was so very tender.
Rick said that it was like Christ was giving him a hug.
It set the tone for many heart-felt testimonies in the ward,
including Elder Oaks's wife and his granddaughter sharing theirs.
After the meetings were over, Elder Oaks told Rick that he had a wonderful ward
and that he is so happy that his daughter and her family are in it.
Jodie was relieved but I was disappointed that he didn't attend the Gospel Doctrine class
because she truly gave an inspired lesson about the Savior in Gethsemine.
Elder Oaks and his lovely wife (she really is!) attended Primary, heard their grandson speak
and shook the hands of all of the kids.
They went to Sadie's Sunday School class, where the teacher, with no previous knowledge that Elder Oaks was coming, used a talk and video by Elder Oaks about the subject for the day, The Sacrament. The teacher asked Elder Oaks to share some thoughts, which he did, as did his wife.
Can you imagine, being one of six young men and women,
having an apostle come to your class and personally instruct you?
Elder Oaks and Rick went to the Deacons, Priests and Teachers and participated in the lessons briefly,
then they ended up in the last ten minutes of Relief Society.
They just missed their daughter, Jenny's, part of the Relief Society lesson,
where she shared many personal thoughts and feelings.
Wow! What an awesome Sabbath we all experienced!
We couldn't wait for Rick to come home that afternoon after all of his meetings
so we could all share our experiences that special day, having a Prophet in our midst.
Jodie fed us a delicious Sunday dinner of roast pork, mashed potatoes, veggies and fruit
and homemade rolls with honey butter, then we left for St. George, arriving before midnight.
Oh. my. goodness!
I am so glad I talked Roger into going Up North for the 4th of July Weekend!
