A Long Overdue Catch Up

My last post was in October of 2023 which is just before our Gilbert mission started, which explains a lot, but I will do my best to catch you up in a mostly pictorial fashion, I'm guessing.

Scott and I served in the AZ Gilbert Mission office from Nov 2023-Nov 2024. Once again, we had the opportunity to work with fabulous missionaries, young and old...oldish...well, older. We are grateful for the opportunity to have worked with them and made so many lifelong relationships. 

President and Sister Hansbrow, still serving strong until June 30, 2025.

Life continues to be super busy with lots of opportunities to serve and enjoy family and friends. We've done a lot of traveling for various events...

A wedding of a sweet friend in Idaho.

A graduation!

Another wedding in Gilbert!

ANOTHER wedding in Utah! Along with a mini mission reunion.

A trip to South Carolina to visit a friend.

This is one of the meals I was served in bed while I was there...yes, that was a beautiful trip.

A trip to Simi Valley for the Little House on the Prairie 50th anniversary reunion. Yes, you heard me right, don't be jealous.

Ma Ingalls and Half Pint even came out to say hi.

Miss Beadle wasn't there that day so I subbed at school for some very unruly children. All in all, a great time was had in Walnut Grove.

Marlowe turned 90!! So good to see everyone and catch up.

Another 90th birthday where I got hugs from all of these beautiful nieces and grandnieces of mine!

The time we've been spending with family is the best, of course. I love these moments so much.

Who says it doesn't snow in Gilbert?

Camden played Lord Farquaad in his school play and did an amazing job.

Choosing a book from the middle of the stack...I can't remember what happened next...

We came back in the room and she had finished it!!

So much fun!

A blessed event for Tori and Tyler! Baby Amelia is precious, I can't wait to meet her!

I know this was a briefly worded catch-up, but hopefully I'll stay more caught up from here on. We are so grateful for our beautiful life! Scott is very busy working in the bishopric and I am working with the young women which has been fabulous. We are also still working in the temple once a week. We have enjoyed the time we've had recently to travel and visit family and we have plans to do a lot more of that. So stay tuned for what 2025 brings to our family.

Kirtland/Palmyra

Our anniversary trip this year was amazing! We saw some beautiful country and experienced a lot of history (my fave!).

Pumpkins anyone??

Or maybe some apples???

Or maybe even the best pizza in the entire universe!!!!!!

Hmm...I'm kind of hungry right now.

I love our October trips! Even though there wasn't as much color as usual, it was BEAUTIFUL!!

See?

We started in Kirtland, Ohio, where we toured the church history sites, including the temple, NK Whitney store and home, Joseph and Emma Smith home, John Johnson farm, and Isaac Morley farm. The Spirit has definitely not left that place.

Notice our jackets?? Cold and rainy!! Life was so good.

We then took a side trip to Palmyra, New York, and quickly saw everything...

Whitmer farm

Joseph Smith log home

PLUS, Hill Cumorah, Grandin Print Shop, Sacred Grove, AND Mark's Pizzeria!!

Seriously, it's delicious enough to post the photo twice!

On our last day, we visited Amish country, where we ran into some cuddly creatures...

The deer were all over!

They were so beautiful and friendly...especially if you fed them.

Hey there!

Mr. Giraffe and I did some bonding.

Look our for the horns...seriously, it was an issue.

So hungry!

More please!

Yep, the deer were my favorite.

Popping up to say hi.

Seriously, they could not get enough! And yes, I got licked a couple of times and no, I did not freak out which is really weird.

The making of a candle...

Lots and lots of layers.

Then comes the carving...

So cool! We got to bring it home!

Oh, and my dream pantry...so much work!

So most of the week it was COLD!! Can I just say it was such a happy time for me! I had a LOT of these...

Seriously, so happy.

We came home to 102 degrees...I'm ok though...seriously. 

We are now back to our daily/weekly/monthly stuff. I bought our Halloween candy so we're good! We're getting a little bit of a jump on our mission. I went to a meeting yesterday, and Scott is helping with vehicle inspections today. Just figuring out the routine. It's kind of nice that we're already here and can do that. Scott is busy with Elders Quorum, and the Young Women are in the middle of softball season. AND, it has cooled down into the 80's...life is so so so good!

Thought for the day...

"We did not come to this earth to gain our worth, we brought it with us" (Ardeth G. Kapp).

We love you!