Swiss Days 2014

Another Swiss Days has come and gone!  It was another fun year as we walked along the variety of shops there.  Since Rick is out of town Brach and Kenni have been staying with me for the last few days.  Kendra and I picked up Kaitlyna and Haivyn in Salt Lake and drove through Parley's Canyon while Brach came the other direction through Provo Canyon after his morning classes at UVU.  We spent the day perusing the booths seeing what we could find to bring home.  My big finds this year were a couple of reversible skirts, some new wrapping paper, and a handmade wooden train for the grandkids.  It did my heart well to see that Rafe loved the train.  Yesterday he was pushing it around saying, "Choo Choo!!"  SO CUTE!!  Here are a couple of random photos.

Brach and Kenni in the lunch area.

Kaitlyn and Haivyn

Kaitlyn and Kendra checking out some baby bows and headbands. 

 Kendra can't wait to try them on her baby girl......another month left!

My little viking......

As per tradition, before we leave the fair we usually stop off at the RS booth to get some goodies to bring home.  I chose a couple of items and as I stepped into line to pay, a voice behind me said, "those look good."  Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man behind me.  I wasn't sure if he was talking to me or not so I turned and there was President Uchtdorf looking right at me!!  I tell you my mind went blank and I could not think of anything to say except, "yes, thank you"  and then I turned my back on him to pay.   WHAT??  Why in the world did I do that??  Why didn't I smile and shake his hand and make light conversation???  Oh, mercy me!  Why wasn't I more cordial?  He is one of my favorite apostles and I missed my chance to talk to him!  Seriously,  I just froze.  Who knew he was going to speak to me?  His wife was with him and how nice would that have been to talk with her as well.  After all, this is the third time I've seen him at Swiss Days.  Why was I not prepared?   Let's just hope that when I pass from this life and meet up with the Savior,  I am not such a stammering ninny!!  

Anyway, it's always exciting to see an apostle!

Kendra took this photo of him greeting Swiss Days volunteers.   

Henry's Here!!

Henry Clyde Phelps was born last night at 7 PM.   He weighs 7 lbs and 7 oz. 

 (Skylar said, "Well, I guess we know what number his soccer jersey will be.":-)  

He is 20 inches and is a wonderful bundle of joy!!  

I got a picture of their cute family but it did not upload to i cloud so I can't post it:( anyway....

Here is a closeup of his little face.

and another......

Grandma is loving it!!

(I don't know what Sarah was doing in this picture

 but truly she looked so beautiful after just giving birth.)

Grandpa and his new little buddy!

Here's something fun.....

Sarah's nurse's last name was Phelps and her anesthesiologist's last name was Rigby.  

What are the odds of that.  This was truly Henry's special day!!

Lake Lavina

Ever since last year Skylar has been wanting to take a hiking trip up into the Uintas.  He finally was able to put a date to it and he, Rick and Dalton made the trek to Lake Lavinia about three weeks ago.  

They had a fun time for the three days that they were gone.  

They did a lot of hiking, and fishing and relaxing. 

Here are a few pictures to chronicle the event!

Dalton and Sky

Rick in the float tube

a close up

Sky by the fire

Dalton relaxing in his makeshift chair

Dalton's catch

The three wilderness guys

Rick told me it sure was a lot of work.

Something about....."I'm not as young as I used to be"

I'm just glad they came back safe:)

Hannibal and St. Lous

After leaving Nauvoo,  Rick and I drove South for an hour and ended in Hannibal, MO.  It is a quaint little town where Mark Twain and The Unsinkable Molly Brown were from.  In times past, while in Hannibal,  Rick and I have toured through Rockcliffe, a beautiful old mansion built in the late 1800's.  I love this home!  It draws me back whenever I visit Hannibal.   It was one of the first homes in the area to have indoor plumbing and electricity.  The owner, John J Cruikshank, thought that electricity was a passing fancy but had his home plumbed for it anyway.  The old chandeliers are made to use either gas or electricity.  After Mr. Cruikshank passed away his wife left the home and went to live next door with her daughter.  After she passed away the home was left vacant with all of the furnishings inside for FORTY YEARS!  Kids in the area used to break in and dare each other to climb to the top floor.  It was 13,000 square feet of "haunted, scary" house at that time.  To prove that they made it to the top the kids had to tear off a piece of map that was in the children's schoolroom on the third floor.  After being vacant for forty years and within days of demolition a historical society came in and purchased it.  This home has amazing character! 

  

We found out that it is now a B&B and we decided to stay there our night in Hannibal. 

 Can I just say that I really love this home!  (oh, did I say that already?)  I can't explain why....I just do!  It has a mystical ambiance about it.  Plus, the grand foyer is so cool!   Touring old homes is a favorite past time for Rick and I and this is one of my favorites!

The front facade

Paint is peeling off and it is not in perfect order......such character!!

Our room that we stayed in.

The old tub......

The pull chain toilet.....

The amazing foyer......

The landing on the second floor

The music room.....

...and the dining room.  We were served a wonderful breakfast here:)

Rick fooling around on the old trees on the grounds.

When we were in Hannibal that night having dinner, Rick received word that his visits for Wednesday night were canceled so we made an executive decision and decided to stay in MO for another night.  After seeing the sights in Hannibal the next day we drove to St. Louis (two hours drive) and enjoyed staying in the downtown Marriott Renaissance.   It was such a fun night!  We walked around the downtown area and ended up at the Arch.  

Before we could go inside the arch we took a riverboat trip on the 

Mississippi River along the St. Louis harbor.  

The little window inside the arch.

The view

The next morning we toured another old home in the area and then went to the zoo.

It was a great trip and we really enjoyed that extra night.  They upgraded us to a Suite on the 17th floor and it was very nice!  We arrived home Wednesday night at Midnight.

The End.

Illinois

Last week Rick and I took a trip to Illinois to go to two of his extended family reunions.  We had a really nice time.  The first reunion was in a small town by Rend Lake where his cousin Rulauna lives.  We enjoyed a potluck lunch while visiting Rick's aunts, uncles, and cousins.  It was a very hot day but it was a wonderful occasion:)

Rick's mother's siblings and/or spouses

First is Uncle Johnny (we went to visit his wife Faye in the nursing home just a few miles away.  She looks vastly different from the last time I saw her just a few years ago.  Alzheimers is such a terrible disease!) Next is Clara then Uncle Marion (Zuke), Arden's wife,  Noreen, Aunt Nida, Aunt Gay, and Uncle Frank (Tater)

Rick and his cousins along with a couple of his siblings.

On Sunday we went to the Phelps family reunion out in Coulterville. We thought it was going to be held at the city park where it's been held the last four times we've been to the reunion. After visiting the graves of his father and brother and others we drove to the park and no one was there.  We drove around and tried to find where it was held but to no avail.  Anyway, we were just about ready to leave and head for Nauvoo when we got a call from Brent wondering where we were. The reunion was being held in the VFW building......way off of the beaten path.  We never would have found it!  There was no cell service in the building so that was why no one was returning our calls and texts.  Luckily, we were able to enjoy this reunion as well after arriving an hour late!  

All of the pictures we took are on Rick's phone so no Phelps family pictures:(

That afternoon we made the trek up to Nauvoo.  It was about a four hour drive from Coulterville.  We stayed that night in Keokuk, IA.  Just a few miles out of Nauvoo.  We got up early and attended a session in the temple and then enjoyed a layer back afternoon seeing the sights.

The beautiful Temple.

Rick enjoying his after lunch dessert.

As we were finishing up our lunch I heard bagpipes!  I ran outside to see the Nauvoo bagpipe band walking down the street playing their instruments.  It was really cool.  They stopped int he park across the street and put on a nice show.

I love this statue of Josheph and Hyrum leaving Nauvoo to go to Carthage.

They knew they would not be coming back.

Funny sign:)

The corn was gigantic!  At least nine feet tall!

We got to take a short wagon ride pulled by oxen.

Rick bonding with the oxen:)

A nice few days!