Wow wha'da trip!

So I'm back from Utah. The kids are off and running in school. I got back and my family and my home were still intact. All is well.
Paul got to reunite with his friend Trouble. He is the cat that when Paul calls and leaves a mess. for his parents, Trouble runs to the phone in hopes to find Paul there. So sweet. This cat LOVES Paul.

We got Paul's boat and went fishing at Strawberry Resv. It was so beautiful there. It was cool out as we started very early that morning. Paul was determined to help me have fun and not be grossed out by the whole fishing thing. I have never really been fishing. So, Paul was wonderful. He would bait my hook (no worries we did not use worms anyway) and then he would cast it out for me. What a life. Just sit back, relax and wait. So I did. Then I got a tug here and there. Maybe I scared them when they tugged and I screamed. lol what can I say. Mostly they ate a lot of my bait. Until......I got the bite that would be his last bite. I hooked the hook and pulled him in. Out of the three we caught, this guy was the middle sized one at almost 4 lbs and the other two were 3 and 4 lbs as well so I did just as good as Paul.

This was a time really that we got to spend some great time with Paul's dad. After surviving a very FAST ride through the mountains to get there with white knuckles the whole way, the time on the lake was so nice. We chatted and we relaxed. Its too bad the men forgot their hats as they were both very sun burnt. Then, as for me, I got a little sun on one side of one leg. Just my luck. lol

See the sweet family of duckies. Awwwww.....

Here is the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple Main that is just up the hill from Paul's parents home. You can see Moroni from their yard. What that must be like to be reminded each time you leave your home. I just think it is awesome.

We were able to see Paul's kids which is a huge deal. They have grown so much since we seen them last. It was such a good visit and we are already looking forward to next time. It was Dakota's birthday so we were lucky that we could give him his gifts in person and did not have to mail them. It seems so impersonal when we mail everything and are not able to see them for special days. So, we chatted, I took a ton of pictures and we even played some Foosball. It was really a fun day. The hard part of course was leaving them there.

Another fun trip was to Temple Square. This place is simply amazing. If you are ever faltering and have an opportunity to go to Utah, this is the place to be. Just the reverence as you walk the grounds is hard to describe. I walked surrounded by people I have never met in my life but I felt so much peace and so much love, just in the surroundings. The next time I go, Paul and I decided we are going to make sure to schedule time to do a session in the SLC Temple. They do the sessions live there and that is something I really want to see. I always get that song in my head every time I visit SLC and is, "I Love to See the Temple".

To see him as the center of the Universe really says more then words can say. To say it is beautiful is just not enough.

My new favorite quote. I just LOVE Spencer W. Kimbell.

Then back to the lake. Paul's brother Scott stays in this really nice complex where we had access to Utah lake. The weather for the entire week was perfect. In the low 90's and upper 80's and like 10-20% humidity. Yes, it was heavenly. I had great hair all week. I only had to use the straightener once for the entire stay!! We boated. Our nieces Hannah and Megan had been waiting all week to finally get to drive Uncle Paul's boat. They were so excited. I was surely more nervous then they were. They just giggled with excitement! What fun we had. Once it was just Paul and I on the boat, I relaxed and let me hair go. I am not sure why I worry so much. I am working on the whole relaxing thing. This helped a lot! Then to help with the relaxing, we went to the natural spring heated pool and hot tub. The waterfall coming down into the water with relaxing hot water. Check out the sign. The steam and water comes out so hot that they have to warn people not to get into it. It will burn you.

I just found this so fascinating. Letting nature work for us.

So again, thanks to Mom and Dad Harper. You took great care of us as you always do. We had such a great visit and a fun time. I love going out to visit all of you and we miss you greatly when we are not with you. Thanks to Cheri and Scott for also entertaining us. We enjoyed playing with the girls and hanging out with you guys. We need to get you guys out this way now. We totally need to work on getting that beach house to give you another excuse to visit all year round. IT was a blast but there is no place like home. AS messing and crazy as my house can be, it was great getting back. I walked in the door....Keely and Alyssa hugged me up top and Hunter and Anna got me below. Its a good thing I was still holding onto the door. Thanks to everyone for helping out and keeping watch for my kids.