forget me not

this was the first year (out of the last 10) that i didn't go to the conference center for the relief society general meeting.  i had just returned from extended stay in arizona, so i had to unpack, do laundry, prepare the relief society lesson, etc...

i was bummed out for not going, because being there and walking around downtown with that army of women is just downright freaking awesome!  you get to see our strength in numbers, and you feel stronger because it's so evident you're not alone in your cause.  :)

but this year i laid low, stayed home catching up and watched conference on my laptop.  i'm glad i did.  i was able to really ponder about the words that were spoken after the meeting was over.  

the talks by the relief society general presidency were all great, but can i get a woot woot for president uchtdorf?!?  he. is. incredible.  every time he speaks to us women it's like he knows us so well.  three years ago he spoke about our need to be creative, and i felt that that message had been directly written to me.  it came at a time of deep inner search, and it changed my life.  he explains things in a way that opens my understanding to who i am as a daughter of God, and gives me assertion of my importance and value.   

his message this time was about not feeling forgotten, and it hit me hard just like his last talk.  i'm so deeply grateful for him, his wisdom, love and respect for us as daughters of our Heavenly Father.

fun in the scorching sun

what was originally a "quick" trip turned into a one week stay, then into a two week stay, and now i'm contemplating staying 2 1/2 weeks.  who knows, maybe i won't drive back home and i'll just start living in az again! LOL

we've lived in utah for the past decade, but every time i come to az to visit i get this feeling that this is my place.  i just love it here.  yes, it's insanely hot, but somehow i still like it.  i come to az regularly because my parents live here, and this time we had an extra special reason to come down.  a family reunion, celebrating 40 years of my mom's family's baptism into the church.

Here's a quick overview of the events of this trip, so far...

First things first... We quickly stopped at the Moqui Caves (still in Utah) on the way down.  We've always wanted to check that place out, but it was never open! We lucked out this time, and decided to take the extra hour break to look around and explore that incredible space.  The kids' favorite part was to see the dinossaur tracks they have in there, and the glow in the dark mineral rocks... so cool! :)

is this awesome or what! 

Once in AZ our first commitment was the reunion we had so much looked forward to.  We gathered with family and friends at the Brazilian Bull Steakhouse, and talked about the connections  we've had throughout the last 4 decades.  So, so many, and so many blessings have come from the friendship we've maintained with our family's missionary.  It was a-ma-zing, and so gratifying to be able to look back and see all the many ways we've enriched our lives because of the love we have for our Heavenly Father.  A truly unforgettable event.

{pictures coming soon!} 

That same evening Scott and I headed down to Ben Drake's wedding, in Tucson.  He looked so handsome and happy... we were so honored to be a part of his wedding day!

Dollar dance with the groom

And the next morning we were back to be present at my nephew's blessing.  We had another family gathering -- because we love good food and laughter like that.  :)

a 4 generation picture with our missionary -- we're so blessed!

Monday we were off to Salt River to celebrate a cool labor day by the water, with Scott's brother and his wife.  What a gorgeous place; we loved being there!

on the hiking trail at Salt River

Scott's brother and his "catch"...I know, it looks more like bait! lol :)

Scuba Jonah looking for "cool rocks" to add to his collection.  he did awesome! 

with my awesome sis-in-law, Amy

the girl cousins playing in the river

We spent the rest of the week swimming and hanging out.  I really can't think of anything else I'd rather do than swim when it's 113 outside!  :-P

So as one can quickly see, the greatest thing about kids is how little they need to be happy.  Here's yet another exhibit: Chandler Fashion Mall has a LEGO store.  $15 for a bucket full of pieces of your choosing.  Seriously?!?  Utah needs a LEGO store!!!  But while we don't get one, the kids had a blast going to the store they have in AZ.  It's impossible to describe Jonah's excitement when he saw the place, so I won't.

LEGOs from wall to wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  8D

Then our plans changed again, and we had to head out to San Diego.  We're on such a tight a budget, but you don't need money to have fun when you have the beach! :)  We went to Pacific Beach, and when I got there I realized how much I miss the ocean...  wow, I miss it so much it hurts.  I tell Scott... that's the one thing I gave up when I moved from Brazil that I so wish I could have nearby again.  The ocean is my inner peaceful point of reference; it makes me whole.

my therapy

livia thought it was hilarious to dump sand on jonah's head.  jonah, not so much... 

got to teach livia how to body surf!
now we just need to come back more often so she can practice  :)

with my buddy jonah.  he loved loved loved the beach! :)

jonah playing along and pretending to be desperate
to get out of the sand trap Scott put him in

i just love this shot.  :)

My sister and her husband and kids had also gone to San Diego, so the husbands headed back to Utah while the wives and kids decided to stay behind.  My sister and I then headed back to AZ for another week or two of fun in the scorching sun.  What a perfect way to wrap up this summer!  :)