The Winner Takes It All

part of the scene

On my own again

I am truly on my own, and I'll see if I like it or not, I am already a little lonely.(before)

Last Friday Kim and our boys and his brothers Ryan and Greg and nephew Paul left for a 7day back packing trip into the Wind Rivers. They had this in the works for months and months. They all seemed pretty pumped for the adventure, I just call it work and dirt. They have done this a few time before and last year Kim couldn't go because of his back, so I know he was pretty excited. They are planned home late Thurs. night.

Today Jodi left for Girls camp. Now hers I could handle, they are going to a private cabin on Bear Lake. They too having been planning this for a while, but their food and gear doesn't have to be carried on their back for miles and miles and they have showers. Now that's my kind of girls camp.

So it's me and Simon for a few days. I'm sure we can handle it. But I really do hate the quit at night.

I have to go back to work tomorrow after being off for 18 days, so that should be a trip too. I am so thankful that we all have so many opportunities in our lives and we are blessed to have great people to share them with.

Vacation over(again could be boring) pictures to come

I’ll wrap up with days 3.5 through 7. We went out to the deadliest Civil War scene of the war. Stones River. We were able to see a little reenactment of one area and how the men would move and what happened to them, the little movie was very good and very moving. It’s hard to believe when war is so devastating and so destructive that we would do it on our own land against our own people. But it also reminds us how far some will go to protect what they think is right. We also went to the cemetery of all the soldiers who fell that day, on that spot, were buried.

Then we went to the Hermitage. Home and Plantation of President Andrew Jackson. We learned so much about what a great man he was before he became Pres. and after. He was on the Battle field at age 13 and never did stop serving his country. His wife died during his run for pres and never did serve with him. He became a very wealthy man before he ever became pres. And was smart in all his actions, and always very kind, along with his wife, to the salves he had. He only had two adopted sons, one white and the other and Indian boy he found and sent home from one of his battles. The Indian boy died young and then the other would lose all the family money only 11 years after Pres. Jackson died. This had to be my favorite stop, so rich in history and preserved as it once was. Even the house, the furnishings, the paint colors the bed linens, light fixtures, everything is the original. If it wasn’t for the heat we could have stayed all day.

On to the Gaylord Opryland and the National BSA convention. This place is amazing. I have never been in one place this big under one roof. It is just a maze of rooms, shops, restaurants, conventions halls, waterfalls, hidden walkways, 6 acres alone of the water and green atrium. Anyway the meals have been fantastic, the shows professional, the productions are Hollywood style the Scouts really know how to put on a good show. This is my first National Convention. They only hold them every 10 yrs. So 10 yrs. ago Jodi had just needed her 3rd appendix follow up surgery and so I could go. One night we were entertained by Josh Turner a new and I guess well known country singer; he was really good and put on a great show.

The spouse brunch was so much fun. We had a special speaker, Dr. Kevin Leman, who is a family and children book author and psychologist and also a great comedian about family, kids, husbands, wife’s and just life. It’s so fun when someone can take the normal and seemingly stressful parts of life and make them funny and normal at the same time. We laughed so hard we were hurting.

All in all this has been a fun time. There are a lot of spouses who I really like and don’t get to see very often and it was nice to just be with Kim with none of the normal stressors of life bugging us. Now back to the real world today, and I’ve heard the animals are still alive and Matt got a new job, so Roy here we come. I am blessed to have gotten to come and have such a great time.

More to come

Day 3: We traveled out to the country side to see an old Estate and gardens but it wasn't as old as were thought only the early 1900's and the gardens were beautiful but it was so hot you couldn't spend too much time in them. But we did learn a lot about the Faberge artiest and his famous eggs. There is a collection of some of his work in the home, mostly cigarette cases and flowers but a couple of eggs.

We just drove around the country side a lot today. We found there to be a church on every corner and then one in between. Some took up blocks and blocks. None of them have the same name, and you can sure tell who has the bigger population and money due to the size and ornateness of the building. Mormons and Catholics are no where to be found. Even miss Garmin had a hard time finding a church. We are having a good time and tonight, Day 4, we check into the Grand Old Opry Land Hotel and convention center, we have our tips ready. Today were are going to an old battle field and General Jackson's home. We are grateful for good old southern hospitality.

Travel Log

(Warning could be boring)
Day 1: Travel. Salt Lake to Denver lay-over no problem. Then on to Chicago, we were not supposed to have a lay-over, but we were told something was wrong with our plane, (on the ground is a good time to hear that) and so we had to get off and had about a 30min. wait for a new one. Finally into Tennessee.

We got our cute little car, PT Cruiser, can we say old folks car? It has really been a good little drive, according to Kim anyway, it has great leg room and our tires must have that right air pressure because we are getting pretty good gas mileage. Gas here is about .50cents cheaper.

Day 2: Mammoth Caves, in Kentucky. Kim had prearranged and booked out 2 tours. We had two very long and fun tours of the Mammoths cave, named because it's about 367,m known, miles of cave. We only saw about 3miles at two different entrances. It was different than any other cave I've seen. There were hedge rooms and some very tiny areas, walk-ways that took a good back and some very tricky body movements to get through. There were straight up stairs and then straight down and so not to look like a wimp you just kept moving. In some areas we were walking more than 200 feet above the floor. Being inside was always a pleasure, because of the cool air, once outside all you have to do is blink and the humidity makes you sweat.

It's been fun having the Garmin, but a few times she didn't like the little side trips, like the spooky old cemetery Kim found, and the car ferry ride. But all in all she's done well.

One side comment. Did you know that only in Utah Polygamy is LEGAL? We meet someone who totally believed that. We did set him straight and he said he appreciated the information. More to come. I am grateful that I am seeing more of our great country.

52 great years to you

(cake frosting melted in the Car)

52 and going strong. Happy Birthday to Kim. Gordon said Sunday, that we don’t seem that old to him, compared to some of his friends parents. What a great compliment.

(about 2)


We had Birthday dinner Sunday for Kim, along with his parents all the kids and the dogs, and all the chaos that goes with that. It is always a great time when everyone is here. It gets a little loud with too many conversations at once, but great all the same.

Back to Kim. He is such a hard worker and good provider, we may not have become millionaires yet, but we seem to have everything we need and most the things we want.He has so many good qualities, he seldom gets mad, usually very calm, doesn’t really care about what other people think, not a big complainer, (unless were on the road),very smart, granted a lot of his information is seemingly useless information, but he knows it none the less, he loves to study, anything & everything, and loves to read anything he can gets his hands on, and is always reading and studying the scriptures too. He is a great example and teacher. He makes tons of comments in Sunday School and usually Jodi and I have to give him the “be quiet” sign.



He is all about the outdoors and hikes almost every single day. That is his choice of exercise. He hikes one of the local trails everyday for lunch, and if he can’t get it in during the day, then he’ll go in the evening. We’ve always had a standing disagreement that I don’t know which trail he is on, and so if he should get hurt or die how would I be able to come help him, but his comment was, “Well if I’m dead it won’t matter”, so my come back has become, “Well I need to come get the car”. He loves nature, the Lord, his family and me. Happy Birthday to a great man, son, father, and husband.



I am so grateful and blessed to have such a great Husband and friend.

Winner takes it all

I have been "put in my place" about the Dark Night movie, mostly by my kids but a few others also. I really think I got it, but they are insisting that I didn't. None the less, it was dark and a little too evil for me.
Moving on. Mamma Mia was so much fun, my family said they don't have to see it because they know I"ll buy it. They're right. I can't wait. I have always been an ABBA fan. And that has never been a popular thing to be, at least not in my house. I have all their Gold Cd's and my I-pod/shuffle had all their songs already.

Jodi her friend Shelly and he mom Ann went late Fri. night. Jodi told me I couldn't sing along, and if I even hummed she'd give me "that look". I couldn't help but tap my foot. It was so fun to see all the dancing and singing and how great of shape all the "older actors" are in.

It's too bad that the whole premise of the movie is about a young girl who has no idea who her father is and neither does her mom. But they have a great time trying to figure it out. It's light, it's fun, you smile all through the movie and you know they had to have a great time filming it and being is such a fantastic setting. It gets 4stars and during the song "winner takes it all" Meryl Streep should get an award.

I am grateful again for choices, a better one this time.