Spring Break Update: SLC, Baltimore, and Beyond!

My 2012 Spring Break World Tour continued on Tuesday with a trip into Salt Lake for the Relief Society Training at the Tabernacle. My very wise older sister, knowing how much I dread driving in big city traffic (insert shudder of fear/disgust here), suggested I take the train. It was a fun, traffic-less trip.
And even though riding the train was a nice, little, nephew-impressing adventure, the real highlights of the experience were being taught by Sisters Beck, Allred, and Thompson...
...along with my other favorite Relief Society sisters. Aren't we so cute?

Tuesday continued with Bentley kicking my trash at a Harry Potter Trivia contest. Apparently the student has now become the teacher (and on a side note, I would like to point out th at both Bent and Max are currently sporting hair cuts very similar to mine. I'm sure their love and admiration of their Aunt Mindy is what inspired them to grow out their hair.)

Tuesday ended with the most hilarious play I have ever seen: The Hale Center Theater's production of Xanadu.

So.

Stinkin'.

Funny.

Wednesday was a blur of packing and attending my soon-to-be-sister-in-law's junior recital at BYU. She was awesome, by the way.

Then, bright and early Thursday morning, Jenny and I were off to the Salt Lake Airport for the start of our Buffalo Adventure.

Here I am NOT grading papers, and fighting with technology in Baltimore.

And this is Jenny on the plane. I didn't realize that, although she has been to the West Coast many times, this is her first trip east of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

After traveling all day, it was wonderful to get to Spencer and Brianna's home, where my favorite furry niblets were waiting to greet us. Jenny and I haven't seen Brady and Mia since Spence and Brianna moved to New York, so it was a wonderful reunion. Ears were scratched, tails were wagged, and a good time was had by all.

Then, following Spencer and Brianna's hosting tradition, we headed over to Duff's for dinner.

It was a delicious night!

And waking up to Timbits today made for a perfect morning! Now all I need is Sister Reese, a bag of milk, and a blue planner to fill in and the missionary flashback will be complete!
Plans for Friday include: Touring the Bill's Stadium and visiting Brianna at Mercy Flight.

Viva La Spring Break!

Spring Break, Thus Far

After surviving yet another round of parent/teacher conferences last week, I left my cute little cow town and set out on my spring break journey.

Stop #1: Idaho Falls
Activities included: Car maintenance with Homely, hangin' with the niblets, dinner and ordinance work with the parents at the temple, shopping, lesson planning...

... and the first day of Kylie's birthday extravaganza. It was pretty awesome.

Stop #2: The R* Family, Utah

Activities included: letting the niblets play with my ipod and kindle, deep Harry Potter discussions with Bentley and Max, meeting Greg's girl friend and Mikey's fiance, more shopping, watching Ruby cheat at dominoes, and giving the kids lots of junk food.


So far, so good.
Upcoming stops include Relief Society training on Temple Square, my first train ride, a trip to Xanadu, a BYU recital, and then on to New York and Canada.

Countdown...

In fourteen days, Jenny and I will be visiting Buffalo, NY.

In honor of that much-anticipated spring break trip, I decided to post fourteen reasons (presented in no particular order) why I am excited to wing my way eastward.

Reasons #1 & #2: Spending time with Brianna and Spencer!
Reasons #3 & #4: Brady and Mia! Oh, how I have missed my furriest of niblets!

Reason #5: Visiting the Sacred Grove.

Reason #6: Visiting other Church history sites, like the Hill Cumorah.

Reason #7: Visiting the Bill's stadium (which will earn me some serious coolness points with the kidlets) .

Reason #8: Tim Hortons. Yummy, eh?

Reason #9: Going back to Niagara Falls (I was able to go twice while on my mission) .

Reason #10: Returning to Canada, beloved land of my mission, in general.

Reason #11: Visiting Buffalo/Orchard Park and partaking of the Eastern lifestyle.


Reason #12: Did I mention that I will get to go to Tim Hortons? And buy Tim Bits?

Reason #13: Traveling in general. Going to Nashville with Elizabeth last year seriously spoiled me. As much as I love my CowTown, I am really excited to have a little travel adventure.


Reason #14: Jenny! Traveling with my sister is going to be a blast (as long as I keep my politics to myself) .
And the best thing about traveling with my older, married sister? Any single, LDS footballers (and/or rodeo cowboys) willing to relocate to rural Idaho that we meet along the way are mine.

By Popular Demand...

Our recent Relief Society conference started with dinner and, because we are a multi-tasking type of presidency, we decided that we should provide some entertainment while the sister's munched. We stood on the stage and read a much-loved LDS poem, while corresponding goofy photos were projected on a screen on the other side of the gym. The pictures are small on purpose (we are shy) and some of them are on thier sides (not on purpose) , but you should still get the general idea of how the "skit" went down.

Enjoy!

WARNING: This poem is meant to be a funny joke. Any resemblance to Relief Society sisters, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The Girl in a Whirl

by "Dr. Sue" (a.k.a. Victoria Gunther)
Look at me, look at me, look at me now!
You could do what I do if you only knew how.

I study the scriptures one hour each day.
I bake and I garden. I scrub and I pray.

I play the piano! I bless with my talents!
My toilets all sparkle! My checkbooks all balance!

Each week every child gets a one-on-one date.
I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!)

I memorize talks by the General Authorities.
I focus on things to be done by priorities.

I keep my home organized, clean and attractive.
I drop by with goodies and see the less active.


I always keep all the commandments completely.
I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.

I help in their classrooms! I sew all they wear!
I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair!


I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all. . .

I track my bad habits 'til each is abolished.
I floss everyday! And my toenails are polished!

Our family home evenings are always delightful.
The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.

I do genealogy faithfully, too.
It's easy to do all the things that I do!

I rise each day early, refreshed and awake.
I've learned all the names of the youth in my stake!

I read to my children! I help all my neighbors!
I bless the community, too, with my labors.

I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!
Each day, I write "thank yous" to those I admire.

I exercise daily! My cooking's gourmet!

My visiting teaching is done the first day!
(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.
I love filling in for my cherished ward sisters.)


I chart resolutions and check off each goal.
I seek each "lost lamb" on my Primary roll.

I bottle our produce each summer and fall.
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all. . .

I went back to school to update my degree.
My studying earned me a new Ph.D...

I split with the Sisters who cover our ward
To spread the glad news that the gospel's restored.

I go to the temple at least once a week.
I make my girls' prom dresses--modest, yet chic.

My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!
My kids get straight A's!
And their bedrooms are clean!

I have my own business to help earn some money.
I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.

I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread.
I plan our nutritious meals six months ahead.

I make sure I rotate our two-year's supply.
My shopping for Christmas is done by July!

(It's out of the way early on for a reason.
I then can prepare for the real Christmas season.)

These things are not hard. It's good if you do them.
You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
If you plan and work smart, you can do them all too!


It's easy!" she said.....

.....and then, she dropped dead.