Back home from Utah

Jan. 4, 2008
Dear Elder Sean,
Well, we're back home as of this evening around 5pm. Right when we got home dad and Nikki and I had to turn around and get ready for the baptism preview for all the kids in the stake getting baptized this year. It was nice and Nikki, of course, is very excited to get baptized but has to wait until Sept. It will be nice to have all the family together for our last baptism (at least in our immediate family).

We had a great time in Utah. It was very cold but at least the roads were all clear for our drive down and back. We spent the first couple nights at Grandma and Grandpa's. We even went next door and printed out your letter last week from their neighbor since they still don't have internet. The next day we went to a traveling museum show called Body World where a man from Germany took actual cadavers and plasticized them and then formed them into different positions and stripped away the skin so you could see the muscles in action. He had every body part displayed in various forms also and it was very interesting. He even had in utero babies from 2 weeks forward. It was amazing. The little girls didn't go to that, they thought it would be too gross and I'm sure they wouldn't have enjoyed it.

That night we went out to dinner for Grandpa Thompson's 82nd birthday. He wanted to go to Red Lobster. The next day we hung out around their house. Grandma took me over to a lady's house in her ward who is an excellent quilter. Dad, Kristina, Leah, Nikki and I also went over to the Weigel's house. Dad and I had a nice visit with Darla and Rick and the girls played Wii in their basement and played with their 2 dogs. Darla says Tyler is doing well and living in Boise working and plans on returning to college when he gets enough money. Darla was really pushing for us to move by them. I told her maybe someday.

Wed night we went to Steve and Carolina's for dinner and games. It was New Year's Eve. Of course, we all ate the ritual 12 grapes just before midnight. Carolina had picked up her grapes from Costco and they were HUGE! I'm surprised we didn't have any choking incidents. haha Alex went to a dance with Dakota and had fun. Gio and Jenn came over for the festivities too with their puppy Tofu. Tofu is like their child and it's funny to watch them with him. He's a cute dog though. On Thursday we went shopping at the Provo malls with Charmaine. She got the kids their Christmas presents there.

Thursday night we went over to the Young's in American Fork to see the little girls' cousin Tani. We had dinner with them and watched the kids put on "plays". Very funny. It was quite the wild time with that much Samoan energy in the room. We really enjoy spending time with them and they truly have become family to us.

Friday Carolina, Kassie and Dakota took us to Park City for the day. Steve had to work so he couldn't go. We hadn't been to Park City for a while so that was really fun. Gio and Jenn came too. We also went to the Olympic Park there which Carolina had never been to. We had lunch at Cafe Rio-we just can't seem to get away from that place. That night Jan and Jeff and David showed up. They were there for the weekend to drop off David at BYU and get him set up in the dorms. Us adults went to the movies that night and came home to watch the last part of the Sugar bowl where Utah dominated the game and won and ended their season undefeated. This could make them National champs. Then we visited into the wee hours.

Saturday the kids with Dakota all went sledding. The night before there was a good size snowstorm-about 4 inches worth. So just down the street from Steve and Carolina (right by Steven Covey's house) there's a park that they call Rock Canyon Bowl Park and it's shaped like a bowl so it was perfect for sledding. We watched them for a while, then took off with Charmaine to go see Steve's new Noah's in South Jordan. It's beautiful. I can't believe how much nicer this one is than the Linden one. Looks like now they're going to build one in Arizona and one in Denver. Steve will oversee the building of both of them. We called G & G Thompson and asked them to meet us for lunch, then we headed back to Provo. That night we all went to the BYU/Wake Forest basketball game. It was the 2nd largest crowd in Marriott Center history. It was a good game, but there was quite a few bad ref calls. The crowd almost got out of control and the coach had to take the mic and ask people to not throw things and be respectful. BYU lost in the end, but they had the lead on and off throughout the whole game. It was a fun game to watch, but disappointing.

Jan just called me because she just said goodbye to David and was crying. She knew I could relate.

So how was your week? You've been so busy and getting so much done lately. I was happy to hear that Juan got baptized. I hope Aurora keeps progressing and is open to the spirit. I'm really glad she has Alicia to talk with.

You gave us homework last week. I wasn't able to forward your letter to all the family until tonight, so you probably won't hear back from anyone until next week, but without looking I would say that the blessing of tithing is to not be burned at the last day. We'll do our homework this week.

Have any more packages shown up yet? I sure hope so. Grandma and grandpa sent you one while we were there, so now there's even more to look forward to.

I hope the new year is treating you well. There's something very invigorating about the new year and I definitely have goals for myself and for our family. Can't wait to hear what you've been up to and what your plans are for this week. AP's sure need to know how to multi-task. I can remember always telling you that I love being anxiously engaged in good causes and you must surely understand that now.

It's late and I better sign off. Have another "best week ever".
Love you much,
momxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxxooxoxoxo