September 7th through September 13th

September 7^th through September 13^th:  Monday we left

early to drive to southern Utah to spend the day and night with our dear friends, Tom and Merritt Stites.  They just finished building a house outside of Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park.  Wow, what a beautiful place. 

Tom and Merritt's new home.

Tom and Merritt's new home.

It has one upstairs bedroom and bath and a huge loft.

They bought property about 20 years ago and for most of those years stayed in a one room cabin they built on a deck, but they have just finished a wonderful home. 

This is the one room cabin they stayed in for many years.

Tom is an architect and their home sits just above the pinion pines and they have an amazing view of the red-rock hills.  Their view is spectacular and the peace and quiet is heavenly.  We even got to take a little hike through Capitol Reef.  

We drove into Capitol Reef National Park.  I will let the pictures do the talking.

Merritt, Mom and Tom.  We did go for a short hike.

Two old people still in love.

Thanks, Tom and Merritt for a wonderful getaway.  We did not want to come home.  

Merritt and Tom cleaning up after lunch.

This is the view from our bedroom upstairs.  It is breathtaking.

Also part of our view.

Sunrise from our bedroom.

Sunrise from the deck.

Just outside of Richfield on the way home.

Tuesday we had breakfast with Tom and Merritt and then headed home.  It is about a four hour drive and we got home in time for me to get most of the shower grouted.  We then had another webinar on the temple.  Wednesday I got the grouting finished and the vanity set.   Charlotte painted the walls while we were in Torrey.  I got the new towel bars hung and new electrical switches and plates installed. Chris, Charlotte and Kate went to lunch with Chris' Aunt Deanie and her two daughters and granddaughter.

Tawna, Aunt Deanie and Karrie.  Tawna and Karrie are Chris' cousins.

Karrie and her daughter Brooke.

Vanity installed and grouting complete.

Thursday the plumber came and hooked everything up.  I cleaned the tile and said done.  We went shopping for our weekend in Lava Hot Springs with all the kids and grandkids.  I went and picked up Ginny and Sam at the airport and so everyone is ready for a short family reunion.  

The plumber is finished.

Tile cleaned and ready for use.

Friday we did the last of the grocery shopping and headed north.  Lava is only 2 hours away.  We unpacked the car and got all the groceries put away and got ready for dinner.  Everyone arrived by 6:30pm, except John.  They experienced car trouble and had to have a radiator hose changed out.  They didn’t get there until almost 9:00pm. But we still had time for a fire and s’mores.  

Sam and me cooking corn on the cob on the grill.

James working on his game with a lot of help.

The fire Friday night.

Saturday  It was so fun to have our family all together—27 in total! We will be 28 (hopefully in October) when Kirstin deliverers her 3^rd.  Some of the adults went golfing early in the morning while I cooked Swedish pancakes for the rest.  That is a lot of pancakes.  Mom, Jill, Ginny and Alex took most of the cousins on a hike up the mountain.  The cousins had a blast playing together and after lunch we loaded everyone up and went into Lava and rented tubes to float the river.  This was so fun and even the little ones enjoyed it.  I took pictures and shuttled the tubes and everyone back up to the put-in place.  They all got about 3 trips floating down the river.  We then went back and had dinner.  We then had another fire only this time James tried to see how big of a bonfire he could make.  It was at least 7 feet tall when I came out.  It was so hot you had to sit 10 feet away and nobody could roast marshmallows until it burned down, about an hour later.  

James at the put in.

Sam, Ginny, Xela and Willa hiding.

The John Norman Jr's and Kirstin and soon to be baby.

Bryce and Kate's family.

Badger was the first down.

Sam and Ginny's family hitting the rapids.

Sam and Ginny's family.

Mom went down with James and his 2 kids.

John and his family minus Badger.

John's family.

 Alex and his 3 boys.  Charlotte is tending Tilda.

Alex and his boys.

Kate and her crew.

Kate and her crew.

Second time down mom had 3 grandkids with her.  

Charlotte also got a turn.

Saturday night's fire.

Saturday night's fire.

Sunday I got up and fixed breakfast of bacon and eggs.  We then all went to church in Lava.  We filled up 2 and ½ benches.  We came home and tried to take a family picture.  Jamie how do you do it?  How do you get everyone to look at the camera?  We had a Norman family dinner, beef roast, mash potatoes and gravy and broccoli. Then everyone packed up and headed home.  We got home about 6:00pm.  It was a short but wonderful 2 days.  It is the last time we will all be together for the next three years.  Some of them have promised they will come to Guatemala and visit us.  But each of them will be in our thoughts and prayers each day.  Family is the best and we are so blessed with a truly great family.

Grandma and her grandkids.

We took one with the timer and I was in it, but is was out of focus so this is the one we will have to use of everyone.