Fun Visits

We had fun visits- first from my sister, Patty.  Then from Michelle and Brian.   On Monday, Pam, Patty and I met for lunch at Sakura and then some fun sister shopping downtown.  That evening, we all went to Pam and Roger’s for a delicious rib dinner.  Everything was so good and Pam always makes everything so inviting and beautiful.  We had a nice evening.  The next day, Tuesday, I met Patty and Pam to go the annual art show held at Dixie State.  Pam and I have gone before.  It was just excellent and so inspiring.  There’s something that happens to the human soul when you view fine art or hear fine music.  You simply can’t put it into words, but it is real.  We then went to lunch and then to the “celestial kingdom.”  There’s a new accessory store in town called Charming Charlies that is so  beautiful.  They have chandeliers and it’s organized by color and each little cubicle presents jewelry and scarves and handbags and knick knacks in that color.  I was telling Michelle and Gabbi about it later and that it must be what the celestial kingdom will look like.  Gabbi said something about it being telestial.  Incredulously, I turned to my five-year-old granddaughter and said, “Where did you learn about celestial and telestial?”  Her answer, “You gave me a book!.”   That I did.  That I did.

    

The FAMOUS Blue Cheese Wedge Salad at Player's.  This is delicious . . . and I don't even like salads.

Lunch at Sakura.  The Paparazzi, aka Roger, showed up to snap our picture.  The waitress was incredulous that he came to take our picture.  That's just Roger!

Delicious and beautiful rib dinner at Pam's

Art Museum

Patty left Wednesday and then Michelle and Brian came on Thursday evening after Brian finished the Nevada Bar Exam.

  That evening, we had a birthday celebration for Michelle’s birthday.

Happy Birthday, dear Michelle!  How we love this daughter!

The next day, Friday, we went up to Zion National Park.  We enjoyed a picnic and then they all hiked to emerald pools.  Ken and Gabby were hiking partners.  She was tired and saying that she wanted to go back until they got to the lower emerald pool.  When she saw the splendor of that, she turned into a new little girl and pushed to go the middle pools and then the upper.  She became hiker extraordinaire.  It was just a glorious day up there. 

Beautiful Zion National Park

The Prince family at Emerald Pool

This kid is all personality

She made it the Upper Emerald Pool!!

Hiker Extraordinaire

  

   After the hike, we drove through the tunnel in the park, thinking that would be the highlight, but on the other side of the tunnel, we saw a Desert Bighorn sheep right by the side of the road.  We stopped and took pictures along with everyone else.  Then Gabbi, Grandpa, and Brian did a shorter hike while the rest of us waited by the car.  That sheep came right where we were.  I was out with Jaron- who was absolutely fascinated by him.  That sheep came within feet of us.  We had Jaron’s little bike with us and he’d ridden it a bit in the parking lot.  It was laying on the ground by the van, and that sheep came right up and sniffed his bike.  What a show.  We watched him over half an hour.  Unfortunately, Ken had our camera on the hike with him and my phone died, so I didn't get pictures of him close up by the car.

Desert Bighorn Sheep

Meanwhile Gabby, Grandpa and Brian had a great hike to an overlook.  

I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation and the only explanation I can find . . . is that I hiked and hiked and hiked to get here!!!

The View is worth the work!

 Saturday

Early the next morning, I brought out one of my shoes and taught Gabby how to tie a shoe.  Later that day, her mom and dad took her to the shoe store and she got tie shoes.

I also taught her about selfies (it was early morning and neither of us were dressed yet)

Gabby trying her skills at the "selfie."

Michelle made us a delicious lunch of zucchini pie.  The recipe is here.

After lunch, Michelle and I went to the aforementioned store and others while Grandpa and Brian took the kids to the Children's Museum.  I have to say, Michelle was in heaven with a few hours off and shopping! See, it IS the Celestial Kingdom!   We met all of them at Pizza Factory for dinner.  Then later watched BYU beat 3rd in the nation ranked Gonzaga in basketball.  That was fun!!!! We found out it is really fun to watch a BYU basketball game with Brian!

Sunday, it was nice to have Michelle and Brian in our ward.  Brian spent most of the time in Primary with Jaron, trying to get him to stay.  That morning, I awoke with a terrible headache.  Ken rubbed my head and I took meds and went back to bed for a little while.  When I woke up, I still had the headache.  I had to be at church at noon to lead the choir rehearsal.  Gabby came in my room while I was getting ready.  I told her I had a terrible headache and that I didn’t know what to do because I had to go lead the choir.  “I think we should say a prayer,” she said.  What a sweetheart.  So we did.  Halfway through the choir rehearsal, I realized that my headache was gone.  Medicine or sweet faith of a child?  You decide.

 Then after a Beef Stir-fry dinner, they headed back to Vegas. 

See!  Fun visits!!!  Thank you, thank you for coming!!!