A Friendly Visit

My friend Tiffany Wacaser, her husband Brent, and their two youngest children, Jonathan and Winter, came to Texas for their Spring Break and were able to stop by and visit with us.  They came to church with us on Palm Sunday, which was our Easter program, since Easter would be on General Conference.  I played the piano for the ward choir singing "This is the Christ" and I played the cello with Corey singing "I Know That My Redeemer Lives".  Then they came to dinner with us at our house.  It was so great to see her and to catch up.  We were roommates at BYU during my sophomore year when I lived in the Belmont Apartments.

Caribbean Cruise

 

Corey and I were able to go on a cruise in February to celebrate our 25th anniversary which is happening in June this year.  We went to Roatan Honduras and two ports in Mexico (Costa Maya and Cozumel).  We went ice skating on the ship and went to some really great shows.  I loved the ice skating shows the most.  The food was fantastic and the views were beautiful.  I am sold on cruises.  Now I just have to find some good deals!

TMEA San Antonio

My parent orchestra went to the TMEA (Texas Music Educator's Association) convention in San Antonio for a clinic. It was similar to the clinic that we attened in Chicago in December 2024. Corey came with me to San Antonio and we stayed in a Holiday Inn separate from the other orchestra members. Most of them stayed at a Hyatt near the airport, but a few stayed in other places. Some drove down just for the day and then drove back after the clinic. We had a fun time. We got there and then went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant, La Tierra, with the other orchestra members. The food was great. 

The next day, we just ate breakfast and hung out until the clinic. Corey dropped me off at the convention center and I walked around until it was time to perform. Then we did our performance and clinic and afterward, Corey picked me up. We went back to the hotel and then met up with the orchestra members for dinner at Ida Claire's, southern food.  I thought it was delicious.  I'm so glad that we went and I love performing with the orchestra.

 

Pacific Northwest Trip

Corey had to go to the Pacific Northwest for a work trip and I decided to go with him since I've never been to that part of the country.  We started in Northern California and made our way up into Oregon and then the very southern part of Washington (Vancouver).  While Corey was working, I was able to explore the area.  It was a nice trip.  We also ran into Elder Eli Barch, a missionary serving in Oregon from our ward.  We just happened to run into him.  

December Week 3

After getting over my illness and Jonah getting over his, we had another busy week.

I got the ornament I bought for Travis for this first Christmas as a missionary.  

I had an orchestra concert that had kept getting put off because they couldn't find a night and place that worked.  Finally they just held it in the orchestra room.  I am really enjoying playing the cello.

And Jonah wrestled at the Wylie Invitational.  Corey helped with the score table and Nathan and Annmarie helped by being towel people (they tap the ref with a towel when the time is up).  I donated muffins, which I made the morning of.  Jonah did not have the greatest wrestling day, and he wrestled JV for this tournament.  He is still learning.

 

 

Utah Trip

I got to join Corey on one of his In-N-Out trips to Utah. Well, he flew out a day earlier than me because I got a cheaper flight the next day. I was able to join him at his hotel in South Jordan, right by the freeway at 10600 South. I was there for four days. The main purpose of the trip was to meet Alejandra's parents, who live in Lehi (she is living with them). They do not speak English, only Spanish, so that was an experience.

Corey evaluated the Riverton store the day before I got there, and he bumped into Clark Kellis, who we knew when he was seven, which was when we moved to Texas.  He is right in between Travis and Eliza--Travis' grade in school and Eliza's age group in church.

I flew right over Kennecott Copper Mine, which is out near where we lived.  I went to Village Baker to eat lunch one of the days.  Worth was there and gave me my lunch for free!  I also went up and saw Aunt Amy and my cousin Matt.  Amy and I went to see my cousin Noelle and her new baby Anna.  I also bumped into Worth and an old acquaintance from high school, Lisa (Bird) Evans, at Walmart while Amy and I were getting a baby gift for Noelle.  I had lunch with my old college roommate Jessica (Greenland) Read.  Corey, Westley, Alejandra, and I had breakfast with the Elders (Annaka) who were in our ward in Texas.  Their son Isaac just got home from his mission to Las Vegas.  He had left from our ward in Texas before his family moved back to Utah.  He worked for Corey.  I also went to see my friends Rachel Howells and Heather Belcher.  And I got to see my cousin Beth.  Right before I went back to the airport, I was able to spend a little extra time with Westley and visit Jordan's grave.  His grave is in the same section of the cemetery as President Monson, so we visited that grave also.

It was a nice getaway for me and Corey spent most of the time working.  We also went out with Spencer and Ralina Kellis for dinner one night, but I do not have a picture from that.