President's Cup 2017

Starvation Reservoir

July 11-15, 2016

It has been a while since we had a good water ski trip.  This one did not disappoint.  We had so much fun with BJ's family.  We have been looking forward to this trip since they announced it in the spring.  All of our kids were able to get up on something behind the boat.  AJ, got up on the wake board, knee board, and skiis.  Ash got up on the knee board, and the torpedo, and Carson, a little more water-shy than the rest, made us all proud when he bravely defeated the bobsked. We were there Monday through Friday and could have stayed another week.  Bj spent most of his time on the boat pulling skiers.  I spent a lot of time on the beach reading, visiting, and working on my tan.  I worked hard to get my school work done so I could enjoy the week.  I had to submit a couple assignments, but other than that, it was an actual vacation.  I hope we can take more lake trips in the future. 

Castleberry Reunion

July 9 2016

A long time in the planning and it finally came together.  It was so fun to get to know some of my extended family.  My dad's cousins and life before he was my dad.  It was especially rewarding to see him with these people.  He was so excited to introduce us to everyone.  We could have stayed another week and had just as much fun.  We were bummed BJ missed the actual reunion, but he was able to meet some of the "extended's" when he dropped the kids off.  I came with Ash straight from YW camp, and he brought the boys up, just to leave again because he had to work.  It was funny though... The families still tend to stick together.  There is a little intermingling, but mostly we stick by those who we know.  It's ok though. I am really glad we were able to make it and because it was so fun, we will make an extra effort to go to the next one (they are talking in two years, maybe in Idaho)

Pre-Castleberry Reunion

July 8-9, 2016

We love Bear Lake.  When dad announced he co-purchased some property we jumped for joy.  We were able to spend a few weekends there, over the course of the partnership, but this trip was the last time.  We had an incredible farewell trip.  It was especially sweet watching Rich and Carrie arrive after not seeing their kids for nearly two weeks while they were away in Japan.  They pulled up and the kids were so excited they were screaming and running around before they realized they could go outside and greet them.  Even my kids were excited, heck, I was excited!!  That was when the reunion started.  

Get-a-way Jo Style

I can't decide what was my favorite part about this trip...

-The trivia ride down

-Seeing loved ones

-Bj being "cured" of his crappy hearing issues

-musical number (and sign) in sacrament meeting

- yummy meals

-quiet conversation on the way home

Maybe they all tie for first place. It was just an all around awesome weekend.

(If only we didn't all end up sick?!?! A week later and Bj and Ash are still in a bad way:(. Not sure where the bug came from but we are ready for it to be gone!)

Winter Quarters

My cousin, My mom's sister Julie's son, Johnny.  

He was the reason for this awesome trip with my mom.  

Johnny fell in love with a darling girl named Hailey who accepted his hand in marraige and they agreed to get married in the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple where her Dad is serving as mission president.  Thus the Kazz Road Trip (Kash & Lizz=Kazz).  

Normally, well...not "Normally", trips in and of themselves are not "normal" for me, but that's beside the point... Anyway- Normally, I would't be able to take a trip like this, but the stars were in alignment and my husband and kids were supportive and encouraging so I took the bull by the horns, (or the BMW by the wheel) and took I-80 by storm. (actually, no storms were forecasted... even better)

Wednesday, I took half day off work and headed to Bountiful where my incredible mom was packed and ready. Once we got on the freeway we dove into conversation and hesitated beginning our book on disc (Secret Keeper by Kate Morton...20 Hours Long) but because of the length, we decided we had better make some headway.  It was so fun riding side by side just mom and I (and Flat Betsy in the trunk).  From Bountiful to Cheyenne, our stop for the night at the not so shabby Best Western, was about 8 hours (that's including about 6 potty breaks).  After check in we got right back into the car and headed over to the Yelp recommend Mexican dive about 15 min into the ghetto... I mean, City.  

Thursday morning we enjoyed probably the second best Hotel Breakfast Buffet, ever. (The first had to be at the Farfield Inn in Richfield when we went to visit Jamie a few years ago) 

Eight more hours had us to our hotel in Omaha.  The Country Inn was actually on the west side of the Missouri river but in a little Iowa annex so even though we were in Omaha, it was Omaha, Iowa, not Omaha Nebraska.  

First thing, after we checked in, was to take in some sights.  Top of my list was the pedestrian bridge that bridged the Nebraska-Iowa state lines.  We didn't go up on the bridge at this point, just took it in and looked around.  We hadn't heard great things about Omaha, but so far, were pleasantly impressed.  We were invited to a BBQ at the mission home with Hailey's parents so braved the Nebraska interstate with clenched jaws and white knuckles.  Mom did a great job navigating and we made it unscathed.

Johnny and Hailey had  stars in their eyes and were so excited with all the family that came into town for the wedding.  They had about 40 people there for the event, only two were native Nebraskans.  I'm sure many more would have been there if they could, they are an adorable couple.

After the BBQ, Mom and I wanted to check out the temple at night so we took the long way back to our hotel.  At the temple, we were really able to see the famous stained glass really well.  It was really cool to see in that lighting.  Another cool thing was the bats.  There were some pretty active bats swooping around trying to intimidate the golden trumpeter, but he held strong and continued to play his tune.  After our jaunt around the temple, we headed across the dark, and a little bit scary, Mormon Bridge across to the Iowa side of the river.  We made another stop at the pedestrian bridge to check it our at night, and felt it was worth the stop.  Back at our hotel, after a long day in the car, we were ready to crash, but not before reading the information that Hailey's mom printed out with bits of information about the winter temple.  Four pages of facts and tid-bits, had mom and I pumped for the sealing in the morning.





Friday morning we were up with the sun to welcome our morning with a bike ride.  A cool tourist attraction in Omaha is their bike stations.  They have dozen(s?) of rental stands where you can rent a bike for $6 for one hour, and $4 for each additional hour.  At the base of our favorite bridge there was a convenient and simple checkout stand where we both took a minute to adjust our seats and load our gear into our nifty little wire baskets.  Once we got to the other side of the bridge I was antsy about time (after all, we couldn't be late for the whole reason we came to Omaha in the first place!) but mom insisted we had enough time to ride along the bank of the Missouri.  Following her lead we took a mellow stroll... or the equivalent of a stroll, but on a bike, past some pretty storm-hashed houses, some wild turkeys, a black squirrel with a red tail, and a search and rescue dog and handler (my assumption..).  Being two minutes away from our hotel we were able to get ready quickly and to the temple early enough to go the visitor center across the street.  The center had  a lot of information about Winter Quarters and the Mormon pioneers that set up shop there.  It was incredible and Mom and I were both so grateful to have been born in the generation we were born in.
After our whirlwind tour, we headed over to the temple where we sat in the chapel for what felt like an hour before we went into the sealing room.

After some fun pictures around the grounds and checking out the somber surroundings (the winter quarters cemetery and it's approximately 600 dead, are buried directly behind the temple) we headed to Flemmings for the wedding luncheon that forever changed my opinion of what a "Good" steak was.  (I finally understand what it means to want your steak to "Melt" in your mouth)

The luncheon was over around 4:30 so mom and I said good bye to the family and headed over to Iowa's Council Bluffs.  Here is where Brigham Young was sustained(?) as the new Prophet.  The city of Council Bluffs erected a replica of the historic tabernacle to earmark the event.  After a sizable celebration, the city deliberated what to do with the building and the church was able to procure it for $1.  One dollar.  The same amount they bought the property for the Winter Quarters Temple grounds.  "That LDS Church knows how to take care of property"!

With the night still young, mom and I headed downtown to check out a pretty substantial collection of statues.  It spanned 4 city blocks starting with an 1&3/4 scale wagon train with 4 fully-loaded wagons and teams, horses with riders, children, families... the works! This wagon train had "Startled a herd of bison which in turn fled startling a flock of geese that took flight.  The sculpture was beautifully depicted and if the sun wasn't setting, and we weren't in danger for entering a building without the proper identification, we would have lingered a bit longer.  But before the sun set for good, we drove over to the Zoo dome to check it out and made one last stop at a firefighter memorial before we headed back to the hotel to read ourselves to sleep.

Saturday morning we were up at 4:30 Utah time and on the road about an hour after that.  Only 8 potty stops on our 15 hour ride home, and we were back to moms before my kids were in bed!

(Pic above: Rising sun in Omaha, and Abe Lincoln rest stop about an hour west of Cheyenne)

I am so glad everything worked out the way it did and the trip couldn't have been more perfect.  I know we were only there for a day and a half, but really, that's all we even needed!  And... We didn't finish our book so sometime next week we get to take a day trip to try and finish it!  I love spending time with my mom.  She is an incredible woman and friend and I hope I can be like her when I grow up! Thanks for the fun trip Mom!

Also- Thanks to my awesome hubby who got the kids to and from school Wednesday-Friday, and Thanks to my dad who not only had to work on his birthday, but went out to boonieville to pick up three of his grandkids, introduced them to Arby's sliders, and spent the evening with them while his wife and daughter made their way back across the country.

Whose family rocks?

Mine.

Cabin

This past weekend we got to spend some great quality time with some of our favorite people in the world.  

I could give a detailed account of our day to day, but the pictures really do say it all! Everything was just bliss.  (Except for the initial part of our departure when my 13 year old drove with me for the first time.  After I realized he was doing a great job, I unclenched, and surged with pride)

Whose family rocks?

Mine!

Saint George 2015

Other than our family portraits that we haven't seen yet that KJ took while we were here, this pic that Brooke snapped of us taking a family selfie, is my favorite of the trip.

If it hasn't been obvious yet, my birthday is a pretty big deal.  So, when we found out the Christmas gift from Mom and Dad, a family trip to St. George, would happen over my birthday, it was like a double bonus!!  The fact that the pre-planned (as poetically implied in our gift) pedicure was scheduled on my birthday, was another double bonus.  I love that my non-sister existence has changed and now I have 5 on my side (all pictured in the pic below) and 7 on bjs side!  I love spending time with these incredible women and feel enriched after each encounter.

St. George wasn't just about my birthday (well..sort of).  We were also able to go to Women's conference at a local church, hiking on the petrified sand dunes in snow canyon state park, swimming at the condo pool of Winegars house (where we stayed), chatting  and counting blessings at the temple grounds, slithering through a slot canyon, walking, talking, playing, and thoroughly enjoying each other's company.  

I am so blessed to be part of this incredible family.  They fill my life so full of joy and love and I cherish each moment I spend with them.

Bear Lake

Bear Lake is a Utah staple. A beautiful place we love to visit. This Labor Day weekend we went with a few friends and had an absolute blast! We camped at the BlueWater RV resort. None of us are RV campers so we had lots of space with our tents lined up in a row. We were glad we got to go. There were only three sites left in the whole place (and probably city!) when Angela's aunt Kathy offered up her guest perks. So my kids and I, The Howells, Kawas and Cornias spent the 4 day weekend in and out of the lake, pool, tents, and other establishments around the surrounding cities of Bear Lake. My kids unanimously agreed their favorite part of the trip was the train bike we rented. It was so fun (and a lot of work!). Aj said the banana bike he rode around the most and the paddle board were his favorite parts. The whole time we all kept saying we would have to make it an annual trip. It was a lot if work, not having Bj there, so that is something I will have to take into consideration, but that aside, we are in!