Another two very adventurous weeks! I have way too many pictures for this email, but I'll pick a few of the better ones.
Our flight on Monday evening to Utah was blissfully stress free, minus having to give a few forgotten items to the trash can at security (Emma's tiny pocket knife and Caytie's big lotion bottle). Traveling with older kids on a plane with wifi with no layovers is pretty nice. Dad and Gracie met us at the airport, and it was great to reunite with them. We slept in pretty late the next day, and the kids had fun exploring the yard and house. We met up with Amanda, Jessica, Gina and Christina's families for lunch at a park, then came back for some crafts and more time playing outside. Grandpa R got out his puzzle games, and we all worked on solving them all week.
On Wednesday we drove up to Cascade Springs with Grandma R. It was a beautiful drive and walk on a beautiful day, and we saw 2 big deer and 2 baby deer! Then we joined up with some cousins at their pool in Mapleton for a few hours, and then got some BYU Creamery ice cream on the way home--just in time for dinner.
On Thursday we, including all the cousins and most uncles and aunts and Grandma and Grandpa, went to an aquarium, which was really cool. The shark tunnel is always a favorite. On the way home we stopped by the Mt. Timpanogos Temple, just shy of 21 years after we got married there. It was great to see that the temple was so busy! Our Dallas Temple is closed again, this time for repairs to pipes from the winter storm in February. Someday we'll make it busy again! That evening everyone gathered again at the stocked pond in Salem to go fishing (LOTS of fish biting!), and then we all went to Devan's home to cook them up and eat. We probably set a record for the number of kids on one trampoline. That night several cousins came over to sleep on the trampoline, but once we saw a storm was coming, they slept to the music room instead.
On Friday morning Tessa and Benson opted to stay and play with cousins while Emma, Gracie, Caytie, Dad and I went over to BYU. We saw some great art at the museum, purchased some shirts (and Caytie got a fake plant), ate mint brownies and chocolate milk, played at the Eyring Science Center, and mosied through the library. Grandma and Grandpa had taken the others to the park for lunch. After we met back up, we headed up the canyon for a picnic dinner with the whole crew. We were by a little creek, which was icy cold. Grandpa set up his 9 square game, which was really fun, and there were some games of catch, until Benson's baseball skimmed the top of his glove and got his eyebrow. He got a good bit of blood, but it wasn't too deep.
Saturday was for laundry and a quick visit with my mom and dad (and Kaisey and her daughter Leah). In the afternoon we went to a park in Riverton (?) to meet up with Dad's Aunt Diane, Uncle Reed, and their kids (Dad's cousins) and grandkids, along with all of us Ropers, too. It was pretty warm, but there was a big park and splash pad there, so the kids all got soaked while the adults sat in the pavilion to eat and visit. (We shared the pavilion with a family celebrating their one-year-old's birthday in a huge way, with loud Mexican music, a visit and show from Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and lots of food!)
Sunday was nice to rest again. After church, everyone came over again for dinner, which was chicken broccoli casserole, in honor of Dad.
We got some group pictures, and it was sad at the end of the evening to say goodbye to everyone.
(All the grandkids, plus Harley's husband and Carley's boyfriend, minus Shaelyn, you and Drew.)
On Monday, Grandma R made waffles for us before we headed out. We had really enjoyed our time there--wonderful weather, activities, and especially people--but it was time to move on to our next reunion. The drive down to Antimony took about three hours (the trailer makes us slow), and we got to the Rockin R Ranch in time to check in and have lunch with the Danielson clan! I think there were 59 out of a potential 70ish that made it. That afternoon we explored the ranch, played lawn games, 9 square, and shuffleboard, and had some rotations (trail rides, archery, feeding the petting animals, etc.). After dinner we had the talent show/memory night, as you were able to see when you called! Our girls did great with "My Little Buttercup," and Benson nailed his line at the end. The other acts were great, too. (Joe and Melanie announced another "little dwarf" will join their family in February, Steve wrote a sequel to "The Lonely Dragon," Carl repeated his cardboard kazoo "Star Spangled Banner" to the delight of all, and Jeff's family did it, too!, Jenny's family did a Just Dance act, and Patti sang a song she performed when she was little. I passed out the cook books I had compiled, too.) My parents put on a little presentation about how ranch life relates to living the gospel and we sang a song my mom wrote and Steve composed music for about the temple. Everyone was assigned rooms/cabins with cousins according to age (Dad and I had our own room!), so we all headed to our places at the end of the night. (We were so thrilled when Jeff gave Benson his kazoo, and Benson accepted his challenge to play it ALL THE TIME. It even has a handy neck strap, so he can always keep it with him...)
Tuesday was another full day of rotating between trail rides, lasso and bullwhip lessons, riding a barrel "bull," going on a hike to a little cave (the exciting part of this was driving through a river to get there!), swimming in the pond, taking group pictures, playing ultimate frisbee, mixing in some free time and meals, and ending the day with dance lessons and a live band for a dance. Benson had an adventure on his trail ride. He was the second horse in line, and when they came up to some bushes, there were some large birds (maybe vultures?) who were startled and flew up, spooking the leader's horse and Benson's horse, and they both fell off as their horses bolted away! Thankfully Benson didn't get hurt and handled it like a champ and got back on to finish the trail. The leader hurt her arm, so she walked her horse back to the ranch with Lily, whose horse also got spooked and ran a bit, but though she didn't fall off, she wanted to get down and be done.
Wednesday began with a family rodeo. Dad was disappointed that there wasn't steer riding, and the kids were sad there wasn't mutton bustin', but they did have barrel racing (Gracie did it) and pole racing (Dad and Benson did it), and a relay on foot for everyone, and a "get the duct tape off the back of the cow and calf" race for everyone. It was pretty entertaining. Then Dad, Emma, Gracie, Caytie, Tessa, and I (and a few others) drove out to a river to tube down it. The water level was low, so we had to paddle ourselves through most of it, but the weather was lovely, the water was cool, the scenery was amazing in the canyon, and the company was the best. Everyone came back with tender muscles and arm rashes from rubbing on the tubes, but it was worth it. We had more rotations after lunch (I finally had a turn on a trail ride!), and a hayride before our milk can dinner, which was sausage, corn, potatoes, onions, and cabbage, all layered and cooked in a large milk can, and then poured out in a giant trough, where we helped ourselves. (The food all week was delicious and plentiful, and especially grand in that it was all prepared for us!) That night we had a campfire with marshmallows and songs.
Thursday was our last breakfast together, and then we all had to check out and say our goodbyes. We hope to be able to meet again in three years! (Keep your calendar open...) It was time to begin our trek home. We saw some AMAZING scenery heading out of Antimony and on a stretch of the I-70 I hadn't been on before--so many huge rocky canyons! Great for our eyes, but not great for the car pulling the trailer, which slowed us down to 35 miles on some hills. We made it to Albuquerque that night and found some not-too-sketchy rooms (but don't ask Dad about the lady in the Wendy's drive-through when he picked us up some dinner).
Friday--the last day of our trip! It was supposed to take us 10 hours to get home, but with the trailer and a semi-unplanned stop at Cadillac Ranch to spray paint some cars in a corn field (actually super fun, if you get a chance to try it) and late lunch/early dinner at The Big Texan Steakhouse in Amarillo, we didn't get home until just after midnight. The first thing the girls did was get Timmy out! He was pretty excited to see them. Dad and Gracie hadn't been home for about 25 days, so they were especially anxious to sleep in their own beds.
Saturday was full of laundry, organizing, going through mail, emptying and refilling the fridge, watching the Olympics, etc. Bishop Jones asked to do a Zoom interview with me and Dad that evening, where he extended a release to me as Relief Society President. I can't say I wasn't relieved to have that weight lifted. I surely learned a lot and my capacity was stretched, especially in my love for the sisters, and my knowledge of how much they're loved and watched over by the Lord. I was also given a new calling, which I was sustained for on Sunday, which is a Primary Activity Leader for the boys (Benson's group). I mentioned to you already that after every big calling I've had, I then get called into Cub Scouts. I'm excited-- this is a "wish list" calling for me. I handed all my things over to the new president on Sunday afternoon. She has served as a president before, but she's only been in our ward for two months, so she's a little nervous about that. We had a seminary orientation Sunday evening. Caytie and Gracie will be in the same class, and they are excited to have Sis Wyeth.
Today we reached 9 days until you come home--that's single digits! We also only have three more days until school starts! We're going to keep pretty busy--but I guess I owe you one more letter before you get home, so I'll save it all for that.
We love you, Scott! We're excited to be preparing for your return. Have an AMAZING last full week as a missionary in Chile!
Love,
Mom
