Capitol Reef Weekend

This past weekend a large group of Rick's family spent the holiday in Capitol Reef National Park.  Capitol Reef has long been a fun spot for our family!  On Friday, our first full day there, many of us went on a hike to see the the pioneer registry.  Many pioneers as they walked through this area scratched their names in the rocks along with the date that they were there.  There were many from the 19th century.  We also went on to "the tanks" a natural bowl where the pioneers were able to get water.  I only have pictures of this one day which is sad because we truly had a wonderful 3 1/2 days.   We ended the hike with a picnic in Fruita. Of course, we had to get soda and goodies from the Fruita store.  That afternoon we went swimming and then in the evening we played group games in the lobby.  First Tellestrations and then Reverse Charades!  Fun Stuff!

 

 

On Saturday another group went on the hike into the Goosenecks.  This hike is a little more challenging than the other.  Most of the hike follows the Fremont River and we crossed it many. many times.  I was grateful to have worn my crocs.  It is a five mile hike and there were some tricky spots to get through. Rafe came along on Brach's back and did amazingly well!!  He didn't make much noise throughout the whole hike!  He loves the outdoors and slept quite soundly in his little backpack:)  We were all ready for the hike to end after nearly four hours of hiking.  We had a really nice dinner that night at the Rim Rock restaurant.
     Sunday was a wonderful day as well.  We attended church in Torrey and had such a wonderful experience!  All of the meetings were exceptional and the ward members were so kind.  We had lunch at the Fruita Park and enjoyed being together.  After a Sunday nap we enjoyed playing Ticket to Ride to end the evening. 
     On Monday, after Rick did some four-wheeling we made the trek home.  It felt good to walk through the door.  I wanted to get to the cemetery before dark so after unpacking we drove across town.  I love the cemetery on Memorial Day!  It was so beautiful with all of the graves decorated so nicely.  It was nice to see all of the families visiting the graves of loved ones.  We have many friends and a couple of family members who have passed on and are buried in this cemetery.  All in all it was a great weekend! I wish I took more pictures!

RAFE

 

Rafe turns seven months on Sunday! 
Some of his accomplishments are:

*sitting

*army crawl (so close to crawling)

*sitting up from a laying position

*reaching with both hands and grabbing on to toys

*smiles and laughs a lot

*pushes around in a walker

AND provides us with hours of entertainment!!

 

Here are some random photos of him in the last few weeks.....

 

 

 

We love this boy so very much!!

April Birthdays

 

We celebrated three birthdays within the last month.  Gary turned twenty on April 22nd.  That was

 the day we left on our trip so we celebrated it on the Saturday before we left.  We met the family at Braza Grill for dinner than went back home for memories, gifts and ice cream cake.  I can't find the pictures of that night so here's one from about a month ago.

  

 

 

The twins turned twenty one on April 29th.  We were still out of town so we celebrated their birthday on the Saturday that we got back.  Again, we met family at Tepanyaki for dinner and then headed back to Grantsville for cake, memories, and gifts. 

Kaitlyn requested a tres leches cake so Kendra  made her one. 

 

 

Alyssia wanted an ice cream cake so I took care of that.  It doesn't look so good but it tasted great!

 

                                                            Happy Birthday Kiddos!!

European Treasures

Last night we had all of the kids over in celebration of Kaitlyn and Alysiia's 21st birthday.  We took the time with all of them there to give them the trinkets we bought them in Europe.  A few of the things that we brought back were: a musical doll for Alyssia from Salzburg; a handmade apron and oven mit as well as a wooden spoon set from Prague for Kaitlyn;  two more wooden spoon sets for Kendra and Sarah, as well as aprons from Germany (they had cute tiny German women on them) and each of the girls got a scarf from Salzburg.  Many women where scarfs in europe.  Oh yeah,  I found a lavender stand so I bought them a little sachet as well!  The boys each got a t-shirt from Switzerland, some French Cologne, and some Swiss Chocolates.  It was fun to search out and find little souvenirs for each of them.

 

As for me I found a few things that I liked.  First,  these are my two Bohemian Crystal pieces.  The vase is handcut and VERY heavy.  The pitcher was an afterthought but we were going to leave Prague and we thought , "What the Heck!  Let's do it!"  So we did.  I wish I could have gotten some glasses to go with it but two things....they were extremely expensive beginning at $70 per glass plus we didn't know how we would get them all home.  So....no glasses.  But I love this pitcher and we will use it often!!   It is also handcut and it is hard to see in the picture but it is very ornate:

 

 

In Prague I found this handmade (would you call this a doily??)  I don't know what to call it but I love it!!  It looks so great on my dining room table! 

 

This is a closeup of the little hand sewn flowers.  I'm amazed at how talented people are.  I thought more on that fact all of the time that I was on vacation particularly as I visited the many cathedrals.  To see the paintings, carvings, and architecture of these buildings (as well as the amazing music that was written) beginning in the 1600's is just incredible to me.  There were truly some great minds at work in those days. 

I had wanted to bring home a music box from my first days on vacation but didn't see anything that I really wanted.  So on our last day in Switzerland (Interlaken) when I found this cute little guy I was thrilled!  It plays a melody called Swiss Yodel. 

 

My Swiss beanie:) 

Oh yeah,  I bought that other hat in Germany too.  I reiterate...I LOVE that hat:)

 

 

Here's Rick's collection of hats from each country. His Cute German one is smack dab in the middle.   A few years ago we started collecting items from the different places that we visit.  He collects ball caps while I collect ...........

 

 

BELLS!!

These are shown in the order bought....oops except the last two.  I accidentally switched those:(

Prague, Germany (cowbell), Germany (traditional), Austria,(my favorite) Liechenstein,

Switzerland (my second favorite), and France.

 

 

We also brought home some Swiss chocolates (from our Lindor Factory stop) and also not shown is our

CUCKOO CLOCK!!  It should be here in a few weeks:)

Interlaken

Monday was our last full day in Switzerland.  We drove south from Bern to Interlaken.  Interlaken is a town situated inbetween two lakes.  We stopped in Interlaken East and did a little shopping.  We bought some fun souvenirs there.  This is the oldest shop in Interlaken.  Another  BOM drop here with the owners:)  We enjoyed visiting with them and perusing their shop.  I found a muxic box along with a Switzerland beanie.  We also got some cute music boxes for our Liberty Landing neighbors.

 

 

 

Then we drove to Lauterbrunnen where we parked the car and hopped on a bus up to Trammel Falls.  Here is Rick ready to get on the tram INSIDE THE MOUNTAIN.  The tram takes us up through the cave to get to the falls.  We had a lot of stairs and walking to do to see the falls.  They were amazing though.  My pictures didn't really turn out so I can't post them:(  The falls were running slidelike through the crevice of the mountain.  That's the best way I know to explain them.  Awesome!  And really LOUD!!

 

 

This is the view at the top of the tram dropoff.

 

 

 

After the falls we took another bus further up and got to ride in a gondola.......actually two........ we got way up there.  The elevation was 5413 ft above sea level.  Then after a short train ride and another gondola we made it back down to our car.

 

 

 

After our adventure we headed back towards Zurich.  We stayed at the NH Hotel just five minutes from the airport.  We packed everything up (so happy that all of our souvenirs fit in our bags 'cause we were worried)  and got some rest.

The plane ride was very long.  We were chasing daylight the whole time!

Such a good feeling to be back home!

We have been very blessed to see and do so much on this trip. 

We've made memories that I'm sure will last a lifetime!!

Emmenthal Region

WARNING:  This post has A LOT of pictures of me.  Rick insisted that I was in EVERY picture!

 

 

On Sunday, after our afternoon nap,  Rick and I took a drive into the Emmenthal Region.  Located just outside of Bern it is filled with little villages.  Many of my ancestors from my dad's side came from these little towns.  These towns have been around at least from the 1600's.

 

 Walkingren

This is where Madlena Wegmueller (the person who I've been looking for) is from.

 

 

Biglen

I know someone from my family came from here but do you think I could find them for my post:(

 

 

Signau

(pronounced Sig-now)

The hometown of Samuel Stucki who listened to the missionaries and moved to America to be with the Saints.  He helped to settle the Santa Clara area.

 

 

Langnau

(pronounced Long-now)

The birthplace of 

Elizabeth Schenk (Samuel's mother) and her parents and grandparents. 

 

 

 

This is one of the gorgeous stained glass windows from the Langnau church.

I loved all of the churches.  They weren't as ornate as some of the churches you find throughout Europe but they were beautiful places of worship all the same.  They ALL had bell towers:)

One thing I love about Europe is all of those ringing church bells!

 

 

Shangnau

(pronounced Shong-now)

This is the hometown of the first Christian Reber and many of his predecessors.

This town is one of my three top beautiful places in the WHOLE WORLD!! 

These pictures do NOT do it justice!

I did not want to leave this place.  I felt very close to my forebears.

 

 

There were many Rebers buried in this cemetery.

(Of course they were buried in the last 25 years.  Remember, no old graves in Switzerland.)

 

 

Rothenbach

pronounce Ro-ten-bok

MaryAnn Stucki Hafen (my great-great grandmother) is from this beautiful little town.  Samuel and Anna were her parents. She had a brother named John and they all came across the plains pulling a handcart in the 1860's.  I LOVE her story.

 

 

On our way home we stopped at this restaurant.  It was great food.  We had eaten here earlier in the week and just had to come back.  Yes, it was Sunday but we did not have any other way of getting food:)  We gave the owner (a BOM and challenged her to read it.  She was a really sweet lady.  Rick actually gave out a total of four BOM's while we were there.  He's quite the missionary:)  Plus just today I sent one out to a man that we met in Prague.  He was Bulgarian and was just working in Prague. We didn't have a Bulgarian

BOM so we had to come home to get one.

 

 

Sunday was a great day!!

Swiss Temple and into France

 

So it's Sunday morning about 11:45.  Rick and I have just returned from Sacrament Meeting there at the church next to the Bern Temple.  Everything was in German so it was difficult to understand.  A baby was blessed and a young father got up with his newborn baby to give him a blessing.  As I watched his brothers stand up to help give this baby a blessing I was touched at the thought of Priesthood and family coming together to bless this little one's life.  I'm grateful to have the Priesthhood in my home through the worthiness of my husband.  Our family is so very blessed because of the Priesthood.  Even for or ESPECIALLY FOR those of my children who are not living the gospel at this time.

 

Yesterday we attended the 9:00 session at the Bern temple.  It was very nice.  I felt especially close to those of my ancestors from this area.  I'm thankful to be here:)

 

 

After the temple we drove to the Ammental Cheese Factory.  It has been around for a couple of centuries.  We did not have a lot of time so we did a self guided tour.  Here's Rick at the old Cheesemaking house. 

 

 

The beautiful Emmantal Valley

 

 

We stopped at a bakery for this wonderful bread that I saw in the window.  I just had to get it.  I knew that we would need food for Sunday so with this and the wonderful smoked swiss cheese from the factory as well as some Lindt truffles we've had ourselves quite the Sunday Brunch:)  This bread is actually called Sunday Bread and it is made on Saturday so people can have it for Sunday.

 

 

After Ammental we headed toward the border.  We didn't have enough days to stay in France so we decided to take a day trip.  It felt like a long time in the car but it was worth it. 

 

Here's Rick posing at the border.

 

 

We drove into a town called Pontarlier and enjoyed walking the streets.

 

 

I love the facade of these buildings.  They reminded me of the setting of The Scarlet Pimpernel.  These buildings were around at the time of the French Revolution.

 

 

Eating in France was an experience. We found a little place and when the menu was brought out I could not understand one thing.  The manager did not speak a lick of English so through some pantomiming we figured out we were in a Crepe place.  We ordered the best we could!  Luck was on our side because they were great!  It was a perfect light dinner. 

 

 

 

Now I think I'll settle down next to my cute snoring husband and take a Sunday nap!  Bye!