Grandma Nell's Birthday

Last week I celebrated my 57th birthday!  The kids met at our house for Sunday dinner on the 15th.

I made meatloaf and baked potatoes.  Sarah added to the meal with homemade rolls and Kendra brought a green salad.  I made a delicious carrot cake to top it all off!  

It was nice being together with all of the family!

On Wednesday, the 18th Rick took me out to dinner at the wonderful Capital Grille.

I bought a couple of new dresses the day before when I went on a birthday shopping spree and found this cute orange number.  I even put on some high heels and felt really pretty!

Rick had a wedge salad and I had the shrimp cocktail for starters.  Then we had the amazing steak medallions and baby lobster tail with a side of scalloped potatoes on the side.  It was SO DELICIOUS!

Rick mentioned to the waiter that it was my birthday, and he brought out a wonderful dessert of creme brûlée with berries and a rich, velvety flourless chocolate cake.

We certainly enjoyed that, as well!

We had planned to go across the street to The Cheesecake Factory to grab some cheesecake to go.  We wondered since we had dessert already if we should not do that but we decided, "what the heck, it's a birthday celebration!"

We picked up a slice (I wish I could remember the flavor) and ended up eating it later in our room.

It actually made me sick in the night....but what a way to go!  HAHA!

The next day we stopped at Ruby Snap to take a couple of cookies home.  We ended going back to the house, and because it was such a beautiful day, we enjoyed a nice bike ride around the South side of Grantsville.  We went home and got showered and then had dinner at Hug-Hes.  We finished just in time for a TVCC meeting to get ready for the next week's Temple Open House.

It was a great birthday spent with those I love the most!

 

ST. GEORGE GETAWAY

While the boys were on their fishing trip Kendra, Sarah, and I took the kids down to St. George for a couple of nights.  We left on Sunday after church and got into town around 5:30.  We got our into rooms and dropped off our luggage at La Quinta and then headed over to Vernon Worthen Park in the downtown area of St. George.  We had brought a picnic lunch from home (pulled pork sliders, fruit, veggies, salad, and chips).  The dinner was filling and yummy, and the kids were able to play for about an hour and a half and get out all of their travel wiggles.  We even pulled out a couple of card games to play around the table.

The kids were having so much fun at the park and were all playing so well together that we hated to leave, but I really wanted to let the kids see both temples before it got too late.

 

It was just starting to get dusk when we got to the St. George Temple.  

The kids had gotten so hot playing at the park (in 90 degree weather) that the temple fountain brought them some much needed water fun.  They enjoyed putting their hands in the water...and dare I say some took off shoes and dangled their feet...I'm looking at you, Scout!

I was feeling nervous of the kids being too rowdy around the temple grounds but we didn't stay too long and hopefully weren't too disruptive for anyone there.

We got a couple of pictures in front of the temple.

Then we drove over to the Red Cliffs Temple.

It was dark by then but we were able to get a couple of pictures.  Unfortunately, the gates were closed, so we had to suffice with a picture outside of the temple grounds.

I'm glad we got to see them both!

That night some of the kids came into my room and played a couple of card games.

I thought some would want to sleep with me, but they each decided to sleep with their moms.

Actually, that was ok by me.😉

The next morning after getting the hotel breakfast we headed out to the pool for some water time.

The hot tub was not working and was barely warm, and so the kids got chilly even though it was plenty warm outside.  It still was fun for all!

After the pool we got ready and drove over to Bear Paw Cafe, a family favorite.

We were ready to eat!

Brady and Scout got crepes with nutella and bananas.

Henry got a grilled cheese and fries.

Charles, Daisy and Chloe got mini corndogs with fries.

Kendra got a philly sandwich with sweet potato fries.

Sarah got a club sandwich and a salad.

And I got my delicious granola muesli.

We all loved our food!

After lunch we went to TJ Maxx and did a little shopping.

Sarah took her boys over to the game store, and they got some pokemon cards.

After shopping we went over to Fiesta Fun for some arcade time.

The kids all had fun playing the games for about an hour.

Charles was making faces in the funny mirrors.

He was so cute!

After the arcade we went back to the pool for some more swimming.

The kids can't seem to get enough of the water, AND it was definitely hot enough!

This time the hot tub was working, so that made it even more fun!

That night we got to have dinner at Chuck a Rama.  The kids loved all the variety of food!

We all went to bed tired that night after such a full day.  The next morning we had breakfast and then went for one last hurrah out at the pool.  We packed up and left the hotel by noon, picked up some Chik Fil A and made the long trek home.  It was a whirlwind of a trip but a good way to spend a few days with our hubby's out of town!  Memories made!

GUYS FISHING TRIP TO CABO SAN LUCAS

 This year the opportunity for Rick to go to fishing in Alaska did not happen.  So he decided to invite our boys to go on a fishing trip somewhere.  One summer Sunday he approached them to see if they would like to go, and where.  Of course, you mention a fishing trip and Skylar and Brach are completely on board.  It took a little arm twisting but they were able to talk Gary into coming along.  He generally doesn't like to stray to far from home (and work) but the arm twisting worked and he agreed to come.  They went back and forth whether to make this a fishing for Alaskan fish or heading down south to Mexico to try for some marlin.  The vote was taken (not without some going back and forth) and ultimately it was decided to go to Cabo San Lucas.  Brach's dad and Skylar's father-in-law were invited, so Doug Boman and Clyde Rigby accepted to go along.

After it was decided to go to Mexico I immediately got on to find them some accommodations.  I went with Air b&b and found a nice ground floor three bedroom condo in a beautiful resort.  Some of them had to share beds, but being family I don't think they minded too much about that.  It was close to a beautiful pool, and at the end of a hot day fishing on the ocean that pool was a welcome respite.

I am posting these pictures kind of randomly.... The first three days they went out on the water on a boat for 8 hours each day catching fish and resting in between.  Here are some pictures of the fish they caught in those three days.

As you can see, they caught quite a variety of fish.  I believe they all got a chance to pull in a marlin which was a highlight of the trip because they are fighters and the guys like that!  Rick got all kinds of video of them each bringing in fish!  Besides the marlin they caught tuna, mahi mahi (dorado), bonita, and Clyde even pulled in a huge wahoo!  Rick was so happy and relieved that everyone was getting fish because as the person arranging everything he wanted everyone to have a successful fishing experience...and they all did!

Brach took the opportunity to bring his marlin in, to have it mounted and to be sent home to hang up as a showpiece.  He'll see it in a few months:).  Rick donated his marlin meat to the boat captain, Ramon, so that he could give it to families in his church.  Ramon filleted it right there on the boat.  The dorado, tuna, Clyde's wahoo, and the meat from Brach's marlin were taken to a processing plant in Cabo to be boxed up to take home.

Here is a picture of Rick with Ramon, the boat captain and Christian, Ramon's nephew and first mate.

Ramon has a wonderful story of redemption.   He explained how he used to be a drunkard for many years but was able to find the Savior in his life and has completely changed.  He goes to church and studies the bible regularly.  Rick was able to talk to him a little about our church and invited him to listen to the missionaries when he sees them:)

Doug and Clyde by their fishing boat "Game On".

Of course, going to Mexico there is no want for good food.

Twice the guys took some of their freshly caught fish in to be prepared at local restaurants.  They said it was SO delicious!  Doug even proclaimed it was the BEST seafood meal he has ever had.  The restaurant prepared the Mahi Mahi five different ways...tempura style, ceviche style, one cooked in coconut and served with an orange marmalade sauce, one with a capers and cream sauce, and one blackened.

They all ate very well on this trip (which is kind of the fun part of tripping, right?

Sunday was church.  Don't they all look handsome!

Doug flew out Monday, so the guys made it a 'do what you want' day.  This included shopping at the market, playing at the beach and a parasail excursion, and obviously more good Mexican food!

They all had such a wonderful time on this getaway fishing trip to Mexico!  I'm so happy that they got to go and to make fun memories that will last for years!  I'm especially happy that they all made it safely back to their families!!