A Joyous Weekend

On our way out of Lethbridge on Friday morning we were driving down Mayor Magrath Drive and Bob said,  "There is Elder Moore".  He was driving a van in the lane next to us so at the next two stop lights we rolled down the window to talk to him.  He had got back from the Halifax mission the day before and was going shopping for "normal" clothes.  It was exciting to see him - he lives in Magrath.

It was foggy and dreary that morning, but as we drove toward Calgary the sun came up and sky started to clear.

That evening we attended the Calgary Temple for the first time along with our three Calgary boys and their wives.
 It was exciting to go in and see the Draysons who had lived in Halifax for part of the time that we were there.  He is going to university in Calgary.

When we came out of the temple we were greeted with snow.

Saturday morning Bob, Edward, Jeremy, Jackson, Bentley, Lincoln, Austen and Miranda went to a car show.  I went over to Nathan and Taras and spent the time there.

He didn't buy it.

At four in the afternoon we attended Miranda's baptism at the Parkland Stake Center.  Four of our children and their families were there.  

A Great Bunch of Grandchildren to Support Miranda

The rest of our time in Calgary was cold and snowy.  This morning I took the C-train downtown for a visit to the US consulate in Calgary.  I'm not too happy about the US attitude about Canadians who were born in the US having to file US taxes and not being able to file without a Social Security # and what a pain it is to get a Social Security #.  I have to send in a document for each year that I have lived in Canada to prove that I lived here.  How many documents will that be?  Also can you believe that my birth certificate is the "old fashioned" kind and I may have to get a more modern one.

Now we are home in Lethbridge once more.

Beautiful Winter

We woke up today to bright blue sky, frost covered trees and the snow sparkling in the sun.  Bob went out and took a few pictures.  Unfortunately it is cold and the streets are icy.  It is the coldest it has been this winter except for a spell at Christmas.

 

We have had a fairly busy week or so.  A week ago Thursday I drove out to Raymond for Club.  Friday evening we watched two basketball games (one of Taylors and one of Courtneys).  Saturday we drove to Cardston and watched Langley play basketball and then took in a Temple session.  It was a beautiful spring day.

Sunday we had quite a snowstorm.  We could hardly see to drive home from church.  The bridges to west Lethbridge were closed for several hours and some roads around Southern Alberta were closed.  It has been cold ever since and we have received more snow.

Monday evening we went to a movie - "Lincoln"  and Tuesday we went to a New West Theatre play - called "An Almost Perfect Thing".  It was a very serious play on the subject of handling loneliness so although it was done well the subject was somewhat depressing.

Wednesday was a very quiet day at home.  Last night was the Relief Society party which was quite enjoyable (ladies only, a dinner and activities).

Chinook Arch

On our way to the Temple this morning we were treated to a beautiful chinook arch.

It has been very quiet since we returned from Hawaii.  We did have visits from Sue-anne, Langley and Carter, Julie and from our home teacher.  There was snow one night, but not too much.  It is a beautiful day today - +5 degrees C.

Last Day in Hawaii

It was necessary to vacate our place by 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning.  It was the warmest day we spent in Hawaii.   Bob, Liam, Keaton and I went into Honolulu and later joined Nathan and the rest of his family at the outlet shops on the other side of Pearl City.  We shopped and had dinner at Chili's.  Bob's GPS gave out when we were getting ready to leave the outlet center (he was able to download a program to fix it after we arrived home).

We followed Nathan to a school that had a playground with shade and spent a couple of hours there.

 Nathan and Tara Resting at the Playground

 Orson with his White Toque Reflecting the Hot Sun

We left the playground at rush hour and we lost Nathan the first block.  Without a GPS we started on our way - the opposite direction from the airport.  After seventeen miles we realized our mistake and stopped for directions and turned the opposite direction and found the airport.

Our flight left at nine p.m. and after a stop in Vancouver we arrived in Calgary about 9:30 a.m.  Bob and I drove directly home and I had a long nap.  It was hard to adjust to the cold weather.

Pearl Harbor as well as a Sea Turtle

Thursday morning we left early and drove across the island to the U.S.S. Arizona monument.

We toured a submarine - the U.S.S. Bowfin.  How could anyone live on a sub? 

Later we saw a film with original footage from the Pearl Harbor attack and then took a boat ride out to the U.S.S. Arizona monument which is on top of the sunken U.S.S. Arizona that has been left as it sunk on the 7th December 1941.

We didn't go across to the island that had the monument to the U.S.S. Virginia on which Mervyn Bennion, one of the Bennion relatives, was killed. (http://usswestvirginia.org/stories/story.php?id=10)

The U.S.S. Bowfin

Inside the Sub

Top of the U.S.S. Arizona

The Monument above the U.S.S. Arizona

On the way back from Pearl Harbor we stopped at a beach where sea turtles often sun themselves.  We were in luck and along with a large crowd we watched a turtle.  He did move his head once or twice.  The sea turtles are protected and an organization to save the turtles sends people down every day to keep the crowds from getting too close and to answer questions about the turtles.

 

After ordering in Pizza for supper Bob and I got dressed and went to the temple for the 7:00 p.m. session, but the session was already filled when we got there and there was a line-up for the 8:00 p.m. session so we went back to the house.

Hawaiian Temple

Margaret and Tom left to return to Oregon on Wednesday.  We said good-bye to them after the evening entertainment at the Polynesian Cultural Center the previous evening.  It was great to spend time with them after not having seen them for two and a half years.

We had a quiet morning and after Matthias napped we drove to the Temple and wandered around and played at the playground next to the Temple.  The grounds were beautiful.  In the evening Nathan and Tara did a session at the Temple.

Polynesian cultural center

 A War Canoe for Orson

Roast Pork