Trip to SLC and Grandkids

Sorry I'm so delayed in posting...no excuses!  Although, come to think of it, I did have cataract surgery on one eye.  Now I can see so much better out of that side!  It's a miracle!
I'll get my other eye done next month.  : )

This first picture is a remnant from our trip to Wyoming to see the Jolley family - I present to you the lovely Paige!

And this is one of our local Buddha,
who is often found sitting in this position,
or on his back with front paws stretched out and head upside-down, draped over the edge of our bed.

 This and the following are pictures from our Salt Lake trip for Julie and JR's wedding.  We drove down on Thursday for the sealing, staying for dinner at the Joseph Smith building, in their Empire Room.  Leto went with us, and he did great, waiting in the car and sleeping in our room at Susan's house at night.
Temple Square and the surrounding plaza were amazingly beautiful, with glowing Christmas lights and a reflecting pool with the Nativity Scene in the center.

Julie and JR

The beautiful ceiling of the Empire Room.
(This photo doesn't do it justice.  It was more a burgundy and gold color.)

These were our place settings!
We were served roast beef or seasoned chicken,
both very good, and were treated to a delicious buffet with asparagus, broccoli, fresh melons and berries, roasted potatoes, and fresh veggies.
There were warm rolls as well, and, the piece de resistance, two luscious desserts: chocolate cheesecake and chocolate macadamia nut cake.
I wish it weren't rude to take pictures during the meal, because these were spectacular-looking, and oh so scrumptious!  

You can see how happy we were to be there -

I'll continue with Temple Square; how blessed we are to live so close the this lovely city!
(Can you guess the pictures that Mark took? ;)

 I was sad to leave Temple Square, but you can see by Susan's clock that it was getting late.
We must've gotten to Mike and Susan's about 9 p.m., just in time to catch Sharon and Bruce!
We had a good visit with them, and they are doing fine (sorry, I forgot to take pictures in my excitement to see them).

 After Sharon and Bruce left, we adjourned to the kitchen, where we solved all the problems in the world!
And then we went to bed.

(Sorry for the thumb in the way - these are unedited, amateur photos taken by a blind woman who hadn't had her eye fixed yet!)

 The next morning we packed up and went to the NPS store, which Julie's family owns (it also does a huge ebay business).
It was a happy conglomeration of things for sale,
all marked down from retail.  I had a ball there, and got some makeup and nail gel, plus some salad fixin's.
When we went to our car, Leto looked so strange to me.  Then I realized it wasn't our car - ours was one car away; this German Shepherd Dog with floppy ears was in the back of another white car like ours!  Isn't he funny?

We had a safe trip back home, after dropping off our present at the Open House location (we were too anxious to get back home to stay another night in town - aren't we Old Fogies?) 

Linda and Ben's kids came over for a visit, as did Emme and Irelyn and Cooper and Wes (Ben and Katie's boys).  I snuck in some picture-taking of Josh and Beth - isn't Beth such a little dumpling?

This is the bag I decorated for Julie and JR's wedding gift.  Glue guns rule!

 Just a few more photos from Salt Lake...we thought the peeling bark on this big old tree was beautiful.

And, finally, the doors on the side of the temple,
and the towers above.

I read most of an article by "Oman" at byustudies, on the symbolism of the Salt Lake Temple.  I found it amazing uplifting and inspiring.  It quoted the General Authorities in explaining that the temple is meant to symbolize the universe, with its center an axis like the North Star, which doesn't change position - where time ceases to exist.
I just found that to be such a peaceful concept.  The other symbols on this temple have such interesting and educational meanings, also.
My understanding of the temple and the eternities was enlarged and strengthened by studying them.

We also went to the Ward Christmas Brunch recently, which was a pleasant change from the normal Christmas Chalet; however, I would like to go back to the evening Chalet next year.  : )

And I got to attend a professional production of The Nutcracker Suite ballet, here in Idaho Falls, with Danny and Melinda.  Alaina was in it, as a Sneaky Mouse and a Butterscotch Princess (or Fairy?).  It was a glorious production, and the little dancers always make this ballet have such a festive Christmas air of excitement.
At one point, when the Sugarplum Fairy (or the Fairy Queen) was dancing near Alaina, she lost all sense of time and place and just stood there with her mouth open, staring at the beautiful ballerina, in awe and wonder.  It was great.

And now I'd better return to things I need to get done.  Mark is in the kitchen, making treats.
We love all of you!
xoxoxo