Texas Cousin Time #1

I forgot to add this picture from last a week ago Sunday of us skypping with Brittney and  Spencer. It was such a party! We stayed up talking until one which was fine for Brittany and me, since stats about our normal bedtime, but it was hard on Emily and Becca.  

Bright and early the next morning we loaded up the kids and strollers and headed to the zoo!

Becca models her flamingo stance.

Checking out exhibits.

Then it was time for the rain, which was fun because it lead to matching zoo ponchos. 

Everyone loved the new merry go rounds!

But all good things must come to an end ...

Of course cousin time continued ...

With a little Uncle Sam time thrown in.

Tuesday Sam was off and we all headed to the Alamo.  

I met a good looking guy, but he was rather cold and aloof, and made me miss dad even more. 

Then we went down to the river walk which was absolutely beautiful.

We ate at a Mexican place there, and the abides had a chance to get aquatinted, but the food was not as good as at home, sadly.

Although the chili relent Becca got was definitely Texas size.

I talked Britt into posing in a niche in the Alamo wall.

Back at Emily's we all relax ....

On Wednesday we were off to a museum.

Liam is enjoying the elephant out front.

Here he shows off his skills by hanging from the door of the car.

Next we heeded over to the Japanese Tea Garden which was amazing.  I can't wait to go back in the summer and have tea on the patio of the Chinese Tea House.

The tea garden was built into an old stone quarry near the zoo in 1915 by prison labor ears, then a Japanese family was offered a house to live there, and give it more of an ethnic touch.  

So this brings  us to the end of Wednesday.  Keep watching, I will be sharing the rest of our week in Texas in another post!

Just Another Week in Payson ... and a Trip to Texas!

 On Monday, March 17th, I walked with LaVern in Genola, and got to witness this beautiful morning sky.  I got home and did some cleaning before my visiting teachers came by.  Then LaVern dropped by to borrow some books for a trip she is making.  With Dad out of town working on a huge reset in Logan, I spent the rest of the day reading Mark Twain's Puddinhead Wilson ... which was fun AND lazy!

 On Tuesday I took some pics to put on Facebook the next day, our Reclaimologist Sale day, including the white quilt stand I had painted over the weekend.

Then it turned into a service kind of day, which was super fun.

 

I put together a gift bag of goodies for my friend RaeLene's birthday, and took it to her and had a nice visit.  Then I took soup to my friend Ginny, who was sick, before heading to Lynn's, a new neighbor who had asked for help masking before painting in the house they are rehabbing.  I left there in time for two visiting teaching visits.  Scott had come down from Logan for his regular temple shift, so I got to see him much later that night.

 First thing on Wednesday I shipped a book I had sold on ebay.  Then I worked  and took some pictures of my booths at the mall .... I thought it would be fun to share my letter display.  The muffin tins are full of letter in alphabetical order ...

 Below is a sign that I made with similar letters at home, to give you an idea of what people are doing with them.  I was pretty excited when both of the items I listed on the Reclaimologist Page sold!!  Yeah!!

 On Thursday there was another beautiful sky while I was out on my walk with Ginny.  I later spent another day at work, taking all my tax records and finishing up my accounting there, as Dad had an appointment with the accountant on Saturday.

On Friday morning I got out and did a bit of junking, just in Payson and Spanish.  This is a favorite occasional sale of mine.  This guy buys storage units, and takes what he wants for himself then sells everything else cheap.  I ran into my friends of Two Pitts of a Pear, Brandon and his Aunt, at the sale .... they then headed to Salt Lake for Estate sales ...

I later headed to Provo to deliver the quilt rack to the husband of the gal who had bought it, and who works there.  I then got to check out a store in the Riverwoods that Spencer and Brittney had told me about, as well as a newer furniture consigning shop.

That night we went to our new favorite restaurant in town, the Indian Place we ate at the previous weekend.  This time we met the owner, and found out that her husband had been the head chef at the Bombay House in Provo for 7 years .... we are so lucky!

 On Saturday I made sure I had enough clean clothes for the trip, before heading out to go junking.  I went to several sales in Spanish Fork

I also stopped by Confetti Antiques there and saw this doll for sale that I had rehabbed a few years ago and sold at Treasures.  I asked Kara where she had gotten it, and she named a good customer, who she said often brings things in to trade ... made me think of that old joke about the 6 antique dealers on a desert island with one antique .... they all made a profit. :-)

When I got home I met up with Dad, coming home from the tax accountant with good news ... no return really, as the Federal pretty much cancelled the state, but at least we didn't have to pay!!

I got all packed up for the trip, cramming in all I could manage before heading north ...

where I stopped by Treasures as Rosemarie had mentioned  that Bruce was going to be in town ... he is my former antique show partner, and has been a member of flea.o.logy from the first.  It was great to see him and visit for a few minutes!!

Next I picked up Becca and her kids, then Brittany and Charlotte at Mitkos and we all headed to the airport ...

Where we arrived in time to savor us some Cafe Rio ...

Before boarding the plane for our trip to see Emily in Texas ... When we got in, around midnight, we spent the night in a hotel near the airport.  

 In the morning Britt took the shuttle to the airport to get the rental car, and Emily came to pick us up ... it took both cars to shuttle us around while in Texas with four moms, 5 kids, 5 cars seats and 3 giant strollers.

Emily drives us straight to church where we first get to see Sam conducting in Sacrament meeting, then we get to see Emily conducting in Primary. .... I snuck off to  Sunday School, a weakness of mine, but came back to see how things were going in Primary afterwards ... and was asked to sub .... Becca came in with me for crowd control .... it was super fun, actually.  And every boy in the class has a prophets name ... Elijah, Noah, Samual and Spencer ...

Here is the youngest of our one year olds, sitting on the lap of the oldest of our one year olds, older by a whopping  2 and 1/2 months!!

Then we hung out at Emily's while the kids get reacquainted, and Emily made dinner for us all.

Sam got home from doing Bishopric stuff, to share the yummiest sushi I have ever had ... its a good thing that Sam's mom also went on a mission to Japan, because this basic hamburger with fries,  and meat and potato man, also happens to appreciate Japanese food.  Which is good, because Emily Loves It!!

Isn't it pretty?

I don't have pictures, but I do know that Dad was hosted for lunch that day at Brittney and Spencer's, and then was invited to dinner at Trevor and Nell's.  Isn't he lucky to have such lovely caring children!?