Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Plains, Trains, and Automobiles pretty much sums up the past week for me.  My Husband and I left for Biloxi, Mississippi on the 16th of June for a work conference he had there.  We opted to get up at 4:30 in the morning and drive to the Salt Lake airport to catch a plane that left at 8:30.  Looking back on that decision, I wish we would have slept in a hotel.  It is physically impossible to sleep on a plane without injuring body parts. 
    After 12 hours of flights and driving we made it to our destination.  The Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi.  It is a beautiful hotel that is right on the Gulf.  We had a wonderful time.  Tom only had meetings until about noon everyday and then we got to play.  We took a boat out to Ship Island one day.  It was very beautiful even if it was infested with mosquitoes.  The water was clear and there were several dolphins playing in it , not far off the shore.  It was also full of "cow nosed" stingrays.  It was a lot of fun.  
   I must say that it is true what they say about southern hospitality.  I have never felt so welcome in all my life.  However, I am not fond of the idea of frying all of your food groups.  I prefer my food grilled, steamed, baked, just about any other way, really.    I have to say I did try a variety of things that I never thought I would.  Such as: fried green tomatoes (not bad), gator nuggets, grits, and every type of fish you can fry.  
Biloxi is a beautiful place.  It is right on the Gulf of Mexico.  It is totally flat but very green.  The water in the gulf is Tea colored, but apparently has been that way since it was discovered by Columbus. Who knew?
Tom and I ended our 5 day trip with a car ride into Alabama. It was an interesting ride.  We were looking for a spoon, because our friends we were with collects them.  Anyway, we thought we would find something quickly after crossing the border.  No such luck.  We did however, find a woman who was very helpful in telling us where she thought we could find spoons and also in telling us that only 15 min. down the road was the home they used to film "Forrest Gump."  Tom is a huge fan, so this was to good to pass up.  After driving all over the beautiful countryside of Alabama,(because no one had understood her directions)  we gave up.  It was a fun adventure anyway.  After 5 days in the south, we were both catching ourselves drawling.  It was kinda funny y'all!
  After another 12 hour travelling day we arrived home late on Wednesday night.  We awoke Thursday morning and got ready to pick our son Jason up from the airport!  He was arriving home from his mission!  It was the highlight of my week.  It was great to see him again.  It took forever to get the missionaries off the plane though.    We hurried him home and took him to the Stake Offices to be released.  It was great to hear more about some of his experiences.  We then went home and started packing for the next trip.  Yes, another one.   Tom, Jason, and I went to San Francisco for the weekend.  We went for an adult reunion with Tom's sisters and father.  It was fun.  We took a plane to S.F. and then hopped the Bart train into town and walked to our hotel.  We went to the Golden Gate bridge, walked all over SF and went to the Walt Disney Family museum.  I think that was the highlight for Jason.  It was really cool.  

Tom in front of Biloxi Lighthouse

Old trees that were damaged in hurricane Katrina.  Instead of tearing them all up they carved them!
These are eagles.

Seahorse

Waiting for Jason at the airport

Welcome home hugs!

Family photo

Jason and Elder Johnson (his last companion in France)

Welcome home sign at home

Tom and Jason on Golden Gate Bridge

Cyndie and Tom 

Golden Gate Bridge

We also had some great company and good "grilled" fish.  We arrived home late Sunday night and I am very glad that we have a month until our next trip.  I really hate airplanes.

What do the words 'I'm Bored" and Fire have in common?

    So apparently my 7 year old decided that burning a paper towel  in a candle was a great way to rid herself of boredom.  I was making dinner when she said,(all to calmly)  uh, Mom.   I turned around to find a paper towel that was quickly being consumed by flames lying on my living room floor just outside of the kitchen.  It fell next to a toy box that is covered in material and had a ton of paper on top of it from Natalie's earlier attempts to dispel her boredom.  Needless to say I was more than a little alarmed!!   Thankfully  I was able to stomp out the fire rather quickly before anyone got hurt or it spread.  Other than some nasty smelling burnt carpet fibers, everything is O.K.
   Of course she thinks I am a mean mom because I grounded her tomorrow.  Oh, well, all in a days work , right?

My baby is 7! Wow, I am old!

Natalie's B-day Luau

 Natalie celebrated her 7th birthday last week.  Thus making her mother feel very old.  She wanted a Hawaiian Luau. (This is February in Idaho mind you)  Oh well, we decorated the house like Hawaii and had a good time.  We played coconut bowling, and hula hoop, and limbo.  Hopefully the kids had a good time.  I know Natalie did. Anyway, I was pretty proud of how the house looked and thought some of you might like to see.

This was the invitation, somehow I managed not to get it flipped before i loaded it.

Wishing for a couple more years

My second son Chris will enter the MTC this Wednesday for the Winnipeg, Canada mission.  He gave a wonderful farewell talk last week and I know he will be an awesome missionary.  Even though I know he is doing what he should, I am wishing for a couple more years.  I am realizing that neither one of my sons will ever really live at home again.  It is a sad realization that those days are over.  They went by wayy to fast.  All those nights of little league baseball and basketball and football are over.  Gone are my two wrestling little boys, and in their place are two wonderful men.
       So a note of advice to all of you mothers with little boys.  Enjoy the bug catching, the mud fights, the water fights, the Lego's that constantly find their way into the vacuum cleaner, the dirty running socks, the stinky football uniforms, the hand prints on the walls, and all the noisy sleepovers.  One day you will be wishing for just a couple more years too.  Just make sure you take time to throw a little mud, some water, build some Lego's, cheer at their sporting events, make cookies for the sleepovers, and always, always tell them how much you love them so that even though you wish you could have a couple more years, you won't regret the ones you got.