Helping Princes' Move

While Ken was in Missouri, I drove to Vegas to help Michelle and Brian in their move into their beautiful new home. The new home is just about 10 minutes drive from the apartment they've been living in.  We boxed stuff and cleaned and hauled and unpacked and tended kids.

All packed and ready to go.

Snack while packing.

During the move on Thursday evening, I took Gabby and Jaron to Lone Mountain Park.  Vegas has great parks.

 When it was getting dark, I took the kids to McDonald's.  I bought them an ice cream and then let them play and play.  I would be a rich woman if I had a nickel for every time Gabby said, "This is so fun!"

We all got to bed late. Bright and early the next morning was Gabby's Kindergarten graduation.  It was so fun to be there for that!

Gabby's support crew.  Gary- Brian's dad was also there helping with the move.

There's Gabby- clear over on the other side, of course!

Kindergarten graduate.

How I love this little Kindergarten graduate

As we were walking to the car, the K-9 unit of the police saw us.  The policeman stopped so that Gabby and Jaron could meet his dog and pet him.  I thought that was so nice.

 After the graduation, I took the kids back to McDonald's for lunch to celebrate and to let them play in the cool comfort so that Michelle could keep working on unpacking.

This little guy loves oatmeal.

Ken flew into Vegas on Saturday night.  He had ridden down to Vegas the week before with one of the group, so Brian picked him up at the airport and brought him back to the new home.   Then he and I rode home together.  After serving in the temple on Monday and Tuesday, we went back down to help some more.  

My main job was playing Candy Land.  Despite my best efforts to lose, I am the CANDY LAND GRAND CHAMPION!

Michelle bought a coconut so the kids could try it.  

Ken and Brian (when he got home from work) painted the great room and kitchen.  And believe me, it's a GREAT room.  They painted it a light grey with white trim.  It turned out beautiful!

Baby Kenny loved it!

While Ken painted, Michelle and I tried to clean the blinds.  Their hose wouldn't hook up, so we tried to do it by hand.  A kind neighbor lent a hose and sprayer, and we finally got the blinds cleaned.

I thought this was such a cute bedtime story picture on the top bunk.  I was holding Kenny and he was fussy.  So I put him on Gabby's lap and he was happy as could be!  He just wanted to be part of the family reading.

The view out the back before they got the blinds back up.

They finally finished painting and getting the room put back together at about 11:30pm.  We then drove back home, crawling into bed about 2am.  We loved helping and being part of this sweet family's big move.  We love having them close enough that we can be more a part of their lives.

Ken Bikes the Katy Trail in Missouri

Our biking group at the start of the trail in Clinton, Missouri. From L to R: Ken, Scott and Joyce Seegmiller, Derena, Whitney, Jeff, and Pierce Adamson, Alex and Greg Last.

Ken and his bike riding friends rode the Katy Trail in Missouri the last week in May.  They had quite the adventure.  They rode through a torrential rain storm with tornado warnings and sirens sounding.  They just kept riding because there was no place to take cover.  Ken had his iPhone in the inner pocket of his raincoat and despite its protected position, it got soaked.  Though he put it in rice for the rest of the week, it was fried and never turned on again.  All of his data was lost.  It also was his camera, so all of these photos were shared by others on the trip.  Ken will take you on his trip with him by labeling the pictures:

This was the emergency tornado warning that showed up on our phones as we were riding the trail

Scott and Joyce Seegmiller on a typical forested section of the trail

Resting at one of the many historical interpretive signs/stations that were along the trail every 3 to 16 miles or so.

The KATY Trail is a rail-trail and got its name from the railroad company that used the right-of-way originally--the Missouri, Kansas, Texas (MKT) Line.

The Adamson's enjoying a typical lunch stop along the trail. Ken chose to "over eat" for breakfast and dinner and ate trail snacks while biking throughout the day instead of indulging in the inconsistent lunch meals.

Greg Last checks out the Sedalia Depot's interpretive signs.

One last road-side rest stop, just before arriving at our night's accommodations in Booneville, the Super 8 Motel. 

Our group aboard the caboose at the Sedalia Depot.

Joyce at the Sedalia Depot.

Taking a rest stop on one of the many bridges along the trail. We learned that this type of bridge is a "Pony-truss" bridge.

The Adamson kids standing in front of the flooding Missouri River. We were told the river was about 10 feet above its normal level. We were amazed at the amount of  driftwood floating down the river and how muddy the water was.

A typical open section of the trail.

The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City (or Jeff City as the locals called it). We stayed that night in a Baymont Inn a few blocks from here.

This picture shows the spiral access for us to get from the ground to the bridge (seen in the top foreground) which took us over the Missouri River into Jefferson City.

Taking advantage of a photo op at the Booneville Depot as we began the third day of our ride. Although we started the ride in a light, misty rain here, the sun soon came out and we enjoyed another beautiful, sunshiny day.

On the bridge over the Missouri River at Booneville, MO.

Ken standing by his bike, in front of the only tunnel along the trail.

Alex, Greg, Pierce, Derena and Whitney.

A typical section of the trail along the Missouri River, with the steep, vertical bluff on the left and the river bottom on the right.

A large rock along the trail that has been used to record the flood level of the Missouri's most devastating floods over the past 100+ years.

A trail rule sign at one of the interpretive stations.

The front view of our only Bed and Breakfast stop, the Shining Hope Guest House. It was originally built in 1806 and the owners have done a beautiful job of restoring it. We played croquet on the immense front lawn that evening and then went to the back patio to watch fire flies (lightning bugs as the locals called them), roast marshmallows in the fire-pit and enjoyed making and eating S-mores.

A small portion of one of the 4 big bedrooms in the Shining Hope Guest House. This was probably my favorite over-night stops on our 6 day ride. We all had a delightful time and the hostess was extremely accommodating.

Starting our 4th day behind the Baymont Inn in Jefferson City, MO.

Crossing the bridge over the Missouri River as we left Jefferson City

Group shot on the Jefferson City Bridge. From L to R: Greg Last, Joyce Seegmiller, Whitney and Derena Adamson, Alex Last, Jeff Adamson. Kneeling in front from L to R: Pierce Adamson and Ken Hinton.

Ken & Pierce on a bridge crossing.

Greg & Alex at the McKittrick, MO. interpretive stop.

Pierce & Ken at one of our periodic rest stops next to the Missouri River.

Ken & Pierce at a rest stop on the trail.

Pierce & Derena Adamson with one of the many KATY Trail State Park signs on the trail.

A happy biker group at the end of our bike ride in St. Charles, MO. Standing in front of the Lewis & Clark Memorial. From L to R: Greg Last, Pierce, Jeff, Derena & Whitney Adamson, and Alex Last.

The iconic St. Louis Gateway Arch, just a block or two from our hotel, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, in downtown St. Louis.

Whitney, Pierce & Jeff Adamson enjoy the overpriced food at the St. Louis Cardinal's ballpark.

View of some of the Cardinals warming up just before their game with the Dodgers. The hometown Cards pulled off a win, 3 to 0.

Joyce Seegmiller in front of the Gateway Arch.

The Gateway Arch was beautiful in the city's semi-darkness after the baseball game.

The view northwest of the Mississippi River & into Illinois from the top of the Arch, 630 feet in the air. 

An inside view of the windows at the top of the Arch.

The view to the west from the top of the Arch, including the historic courthouse (the domed building in the center of  the picture).

The St. Louis Cardinal's baseball park as seen from the top of the Gateway Arch, the morning after we had watched the Cards beat the Dodgers in that venue.

Penny From Heaven

Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is an enjoyable young adult fiction that is of historical significance. Without spoiling the ending, I’ll just say I had no idea that what was depicted happened post WWII. I loved the details of the time period and the characters. I loved being part of a very Italian family for awhile. The characterization was amazing. That may be because the author used her own family as models and included details from their personalities and lives, as she explains in the afterword. The conclusion had me weeping. I will seek other books by this fine author.



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The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Diet

Last spring, I was helping Shonna's family in Logan and out of town a lot.  Ken was still working at that time.  One of his partners sells Krispy Kreme doughnuts each spring for a charity.  But you have to buy at least a dozen.  Ken ordered a dozen, and when they came, I was out of town.  So he ate the whole dozen himself in one day.  The next morning he weighed himself and had lost 2 pounds!  So, if you need to lose a little weight, try the Krispy Kreme Doughnut diet.  It worked for Ken!!!