Hyde Park Highlights

We are still basking in the glow of General Conference. It was so inspiring and wonderful! We went to Springville for the Saturday sessions, listening to the morning session in the car and spending a few moments with Joe's family before going to Grandpa's to watch the afternoon session. Afterward, we went back to play with the grandchildren and help out for a minute in the garden preparations at Joe and Lori's. Dad and Joe went to priesthood meeting with Grandpa and Lori went to her new favorite shopping spot (Home Depot) while I played with the children. I felt like a real live grandma when Joy fell asleep while I read to her! It was heavenly! Emma enjoyed listening to conference by herself and visiting Lauren after the sessions were over.

It was delightful to have the Hart family come to enjoy the Sunday afternoon session with us. They arrived just after the morning session and we had a fun visit and lunch before feasting again at the feet of the brethren. Then we went for a walk and played at the park until the dark clouds became too threatening and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees!  The Mannings joined us for dinner, which was a delight for all! We got a few more minutes of games and visiting before everyone headed home and we are back to our quiet house. It was a nearly perfect weekend! (It would have been completely perfect if we could have seen the rest of our family...)

Dad's boss sent a lovely bouquet of daffodils home with him last week. They are very gorgeous and a taste of spring time in our kitchen. There are a few buds on the trees and the tulips and other bulbs are still coming, but we have to leave the valley and head south before we can see blossoms on the trees and other real signs of spring. It was beautiful in Utah Valley and I'm sure spring will come to Cache Valley one of these days. We are trying to be patient and get ready for it.

Emma is getting excited to head to Washington, D.C. in a couple of weeks. They leave on the 20th and return on her birthday, the 26th. They are getting a bit nervous and feelings are a little on edge, but I'm sure they'll do a wonderful job. It will be a great experience, regardless.

Oh, one funny experience from this week:  Dad and I went to the temple Friday to do some sealings. At one point, we did some couples from Australia, which was especially fun for Dad. I was sealed to Brother George Albert Smith from Australia! Very fun :)

Well, I know it will be "business as usual" tomorrow morning when I get up, but I am going to try to remember something from conference every day in order to lift the "usual" to a new height! There are no words to express how much I love conference!