Home away from home

We are very fortunate to have a home away from home. It is a townhouse in Provo, Utah at the foot of "Y" Mountain. Both Glen and I attended BYU as have all of our children. Provo really is our home away from home. We rent out the townhouse during the school year, but keep the master bedroom for our use. During summers it is often a place for family gatherings and visitors. Next week it will become wedding central as the Ostler clan joins the Bunker family in celebrating Brittany's marriage to Dane in the Timpanogos Temple.

A great thing about our home away from home is the chance to experience four seasons.


These trees are in bloom at April graduations.


We mostly avoid this season. Summer is the best followed closely by Fall.

These two boys as well as their cousin Ruby were born in Provo and came home to this house. Raymond, currently in extended tourist mode on St. Kitts, stated during his visit in July that this was indeed his home.

One of our favorite places to go while at our home away from home is the Gardens at Thanksgiving Point. In fact we keep an annual grandparents' pass so that we can introduce the grandchildren to the wonders of this place.

We show them the Secret Garden.


and let them play in the fountain. . .

while being watched over by an angel.

We also feed the koi.

Eye candy awaits us around every corner.

And the garden delights change with every visit.

In July we enjoyed "hollyhock heaven."

There are special places to eat lunch near our home away from home like the Garden Cafe overlooking the gardens or

Ruth's Diner up Emigration Canyon. Don't miss their mile high biscuits when in Salt Lake City.

There are many fun places to visit in Salt Lake City, like Liberty Park which also has a bird aviary.

Glen may have had yummy apples to share, but this bird also wanted hair.

When in Provo, we are just minutes from great picnic spots up Provo Canyon.

There are rushing streams and trees of all shades green.

We like to sit on the balcony and watch dusk come to the mountains.

But sometimes sunset comes as we are in the mountains on the Alpine Loop.

There are many benefits to a home away from home.

Summer of weddings 2003

The first week of August 2003 was a busy, fun one. Not one but two of my children were married to the love of their life. We first traveled to San Diego for the marriage of David and Sally. Five days later we were back in Mesa for the marriage of Janae and Andrew. This picture was taken before the reception in Mesa where both couples were honored. It is one of my favorites!

Congratulations to both couples on their 7th anniversary. Thank you Dave and Sally for my three beautiful little granddaughters and thank you Janae and Andrew for my two handsome grandsons. I love watching how you support your spouses and parent your little ones. Great job!

Demigods

TJ has been feeling a bit left out of the "spend the night" action this summer. When he asked to come over he asked, "Can just Heather and I spend the night?"

If I were TJ, I'd want Heather around, too. That girl has some imagination. Glen pulled up "Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief" on cable to watch with them on Friday evening. The next morning they woke up to swim with me but . . .

the backyard soon became Mt. Olympus and they were playing "demigods" instead of Heather and Ruby's usual "flower fairies."

Poseidon tight rope walked through water, Hades took over the fireplace, and they ran their own "Demigod Summer Camp." They even got out the encyclopedia and looked up Greek mythology to check out more god names and what they ruled.

It wasn't until today at church that I realized that I should have told them that that being part Greek god might be fun for a morning, but being a child of God with godlike attributes is best!

Arizona monsoon sky

During July and August, thunderstorms blow into the valley from the mountains usually in the late afternoon and evening. Tonight, there was a special quality to the light which drew me outside.




The above pictures are of the north and west sky.

These two were taken during the same time period looking south. Last evening we got over a half inch of rain. Tonight we appear to be on the northern edge of the storm with no rain. Nate and Nichelle just came to pick up Oscar. They said it had been pouring at the office building just one mile southeast.

I love our summer monsoon storms!

Never wear your swimsuit in public

At what point did I decide that I could no longer wear a swimsuit in public? I can't even remember for certain, but I do know that now I hide behind the grandchildren fully dressed when at the public pool. Before she left, Janae took this picture of my favorite little people in all their cuteness. The only ones missing from this picture are the two new babies. Janae had them line up by age. Not quite stair steps, but they are definitely water lovers!

Grandma's pool doesn't quite cut it anymore. No high dives, spiraling slides, or splashy water park equipment to hold their interest. The moms like the public pool because there are life guards to help watch the little water nymphs. Janae thought it was time I tagged along to see the great skills they had honed over a summer of water play and I was impressed. Six year old Ruby learned that sometimes height is everything as four year old Raymond jumped off the high dive and she was turned away. I was still impressed with her head first dives and somersaults into the water from the low dive. They have all found their gills and they cavort under the water!

Sometimes a Konfidence Jacket helps out a bit. I think that the grownups enjoyed the variety as well.

Janae was right in line for her turn.

Emilia also joined us for an afternoon of wetness and cute kids.

Sometimes you just need a snack and a good friend.

I would have been a lot more comfortable in a swimsuit. Thank goodness I have my own private pool in the backyard. I seriously don't know how people survive a hot Arizona summer without pool time!

Pioneer Day

I can honor several pioneer ancestors on this Pioneer Day. Warren Foote is probably the most famous. He served as a Captain of 100 of a pioneer wagon train which made its way to what is now Utah in 1850. He was also a meticulous record keeper and journal writer. When we visited the museum at Winter Quarters in Nebraska, it was his record of the Warren Foote Company which was on display. I imagine that he might have been a great blogger if born in a different time. To find out more about his adventures, read his journal. To find out more about his company go here.

Next time you are traveling on Highway 89 in southern Utah, you will notice something new in Glendale. This little rest stop area is on the west side of the highway. Warren Foote finally settled here after stops in Utah and then the Muddy Mission (now under Lake Mead) in Nevada.

The rest stop sits approximately where his property was in Glendale. His house burned down in the early 1900's but he was known for his apple orchards and there are still apple trees growing on this land.

He was also a miller. He worked in a mill in Iowa across the Missouri River from Winter Quarters. He was able to earn the money necessary for an outfit to cross the plains by milling grain for those heading to California during the Gold Rush. Once in the Salt Lake Valley, he worked in a mill at Fort Union. He also helped with the mill in Glendale. Those are old millstones displayed at the new rest stop.

Warren and Artemisia Sydney Foote are buried in this cemetery. Their grave stones have special inscriptions added at the 150th anniversary of July 24, 1847 identifying them as some of the original pioneers.

The Nyborg cousins and Ryan visited the grave sites in July 2003 during a family reunion at Clear Creek Ranch.

We also traveled to the top of Lydia's Canyon just north of Glendale to see the remains of a cabin built by Warren and his sons during the 2003 reunion. This location served as their summer home. There is a spring located near the cabin where they kept the cheese they made cool until it was delivered to Panguitch to be sold or traded. Notice the rock display which looks like Bryce Canyon at the top of Lydia's Canyon. It was especially memorable to see and touch this hand hewn cabin.

Deja Vu

It was just two semesters ago that we were helping transport these same duffel bags (now restocked for two more semesters) to the check in at Sky Harbor Airport. In December, we accompanied the Ranes family early in the morning. Once again tonight we loaded up both cars for an airport run.

This time brave Janae was traveling with her boys solo. Henry fell asleep in the car before we hit McKellips. They land tomorrow morning in Atlanta, then catch Delta's once weekly flight to St. Kitts where Andrew is anxiously awaiting their arrival tomorrow afternoon.

Andrew hasn't been with them since June 5th. However, he has been pulling "A's" in their absence and has also moved them to another room at their residence hotel. This one has a generator for when the power goes out. The storm that is now approaching the Gulf hit St. Kitts earlier this week leaving them powerless for almost 24 hours. A generator sounded like a good idea heading into hurricane season.

We have enjoyed their visit - now back to empty nesting!