Our 80's reunion

A few years ago when we were in California visiting family and friends we were sitting around talking about the things we did when we were in high school. Someone made the comment of how good it would be to get together with friends from high school. I know high schools have their reunions, but this was different. There were quite a few LDS kids when we were in high school and we all ran around together. We went to two different high schools and were friends with some younger and some older than us. We did early morning seminary and they did the classes by our year in school so we got to know many of the kids in the stake, not just our ward. Well fast forward and several people that still live in the same town we grew up in got together and got a 80's reunion together. We had it the last weekend in July and it was so fun to get together. there were some people that came that I haven't seen in 20+ yrs. Most had not changed that much. A couple were shockers, but despite the extra wrinkles and wider waistbands we looked pretty much the same. We had great food, music, and loved visiting and catching up on what our lives were doing. There are some great pics I saw on Facebook but I don't know how to hijack those so these are just a few that I actually snapped. Not the greatest but a great memory.

These were "the guys". My good friend and I were in another ward and we used to hang out with these guys and head to the stake dances, skating at the skating rink, hanging at the beach or someone's house. There were 3 VW bugs between the them that we would put as many people in as possible, this was before seatbelt laws. So many great memories, so many stories we could tell on each other. We keep them under cover since our kids are too eager to learn of our past deeds.


this was everyone that came on Fri night for the reunion. these are the actual graduates. Interestingly there are many couples in there.

Ken doing his part in "YMCA"

Ken and I with good friends from high school and BYU days. Their oldest son is just 1 month younger than Jordan and comes home from his mission in just 3 weeks. Amazing how far we've come.

Me and my sisters and mom. We're just missing one that falls in the lineup between my two sisters. We missed you Amy!!

Ken and his mom and brother Lemuel

California

This is a long post, but I need to move the vacation along to try and get caught up here. Sorry for the many pics, but they tell the story better than my writing. The girls and I headed to California with my parents and two nieces. We were there a week, then Taylor flew from Houston to Utah and drove to Ca. with my other niece coming home from BYU-Idaho. Then the end of the month Ken flew to Ca. when we had a 80's reunion. We enjoyed the beautiful cool weather and had a good time. At the end we all flew home together.

The girls had spa times, when they fixed each other's hair and did pedis for each other. Lexi and Tori


A moment of calmness after a rousing game of tags with cousins and friends. Lexi is the ringleader. She loved it.

The community center just redid their playground and the girls had to check it out. Paige was not cooperative with having her picture taken. Obviously the ring was not a big challenge for her.

Lexi, Tori and Mackenzie in the spider web.

The local public library has a wonderful kids section. We spent some quiet time there.

The girls making crafts on the back porch and yes it was cool enough for a sweatshirt.

Grandma and Papa celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary

The kids at the children't museum. They had touch tank that the kids enjoyed. They got to hold starfish and sea urchins. My parents are only about 15 miles from the beach.

Everyone loved the tiki hut restaurant where they took turns being the customer or the cooks. No one wanted to be the waiter until they found out they got the money.

Swimming with cousins

Even though we never saw the sun the kids had a good time at the beach. A friend let them borrow the wetsuits which made the frigid water a bit more tolerable. Not warm enough for me to get in though. I am a wimp anymore to subject myself to that.

Everyone jumping the waves

The girls having a fight with a piece of seaweed

We even went to the beach for dinner one night. a fun tradition we do every year. You better have a jacket because when the sun goes down it's cold!!! And not just to us Texans.

My parents and I. We were laughing because we were so cold we were shivering.

The cousins at the beach

We went to the beach with friends during our reunion. This was a friend's daughter from AZ that we hooked up with in April and Lexi and she were fast friends.

Paige burying herself in the sand

Taylor doing a little skimboarding

We actually got a family shot. A rarity.

Hiking the "Y"

I lived in Provo from 9/84-12/90 part of the time as a single student at BYU and part as a married student/wife/mother. I have been all over the area, skiing, hiking, picnicing but I never hiked to Y mountain while I lived in Provo. Suzanne suggested we do that while we were there and I was ready!!! Better late than never, right. It would be she and I and six of our children. Including Jared, who we carried. Everyone had a backpack and water and we headed out. The kids were troopers, the little ones never complaining. I can't say the same for my girls. Lexi told us she is a "city girl" not used to this hiking thing. The bigger problem is she lives in the flatlands and mountains are a rare phenomenon. The highest altitude in Houston is the overpasses.


Y mountain from the bottom

The beginning of the area. This is at the entrance to the parking lot.

A map of the trail awaiting us. We hike to the top of the "Y", a longer hike than to the bottom. We were going for the whole experience.

Ready to hit the trail

Suzanne and her kids ready to get started.

We made it!!! We relaxed for a bit and had a snack before heading back down.

I had to have a picture to prove I had done it also.

A view of BYU campus and Provo from the top. Spectacular. That's Utah lake in the background. I miss the mountains and all the beauty of them. I love our home and friends in Houston but there will always be a special place in my heart for Provo. Lots of great memories here.

The Orton's home

I'm going to start with a disclaimer, I didn't not tell the Orton's I was taking these pictures to begin with. I told them afterwards and that I was going to show friends in Houston. I know there are friends that read our blog and so figured this was the easiest way to do so. I am so grateful for the Orton's hospitality and letting us stay with them for a few days. They had just moved into their house the week before and were waiting on new furniture for several bedrooms and the game room. I realized I did not get any pictures of their 3 car garage which was awesome.
So on with the tour.

After walking in the front door there is the music room on the left and this hall to the right. It leads to the laundry room, and three bedrooms. Upstairs is the master, Emily and Jared's rooms. The stairs go down to the basement.


This is immediately off the entry. Love the moulding detail. Suzanne is very excited to have the grand piano.

Just past the music room/dining room is the kitchen/great room. Very open floor plan and lots of light.

This is standing at the top of the stairs where you can see the openess of the area.

In the corner was the fireplace and TV. The french doors lead out to a huge wood deck. They also have a huge back yard.

In the basement the gameroom runs the whole length of the house. The previous owner had put in the surround sound and screen so the boys were loving that. It made for a great indoor soccer area. At the end where I was standing taking the picture is where the bedrooms downstairs are. There is also tons of storage.

Downstairs bathroom.

Josh and Tanner's room

Andrew's room

The Orton family

Thanks Ortons for such a great time and hospitality.

Utah

After spending a few days in Idaho we headed south to Utah. The girls and I stayed with our good friends the Ortons that moved from Houston to Utah. Their oldest son was away at scout camp but we enjoyed a great visit with the rest of the family. They have always been great friends and we enjoyed visiting and doing some fun things in the dry, desert air. This is a great change from the heat and humidity summer is in Houston.

The girls and I in front of the Oquirrah Mountain temple. It is really beautiful. It is the same design as Rexburg, but has a sandstone look to it. The Ortons live right in between the Jordan River temple and Oquirrah Mt. They also can see the Draper temple from their bedroom. Great views no matter where you look.


We went into Salt Lake one day and went around temple square. We also toured the beehive house, which was Brigham Young's house as the governor of the territory of Utah and president of the church. This is the kids by the fountains in front of the church office building.

We had a picnic dinner up the Little Cottonwood canyon. It was so beautiful. We were right next to the stream and the kids were easily distracted to throw rocks and climb by the banks. The girls didn't believe it was cold until they had to test for themselves and were surprised that the water is cold in July. Welcome to the mountains.

The kids hanging out on the fence.

The girls and I with the stream behind us.