SUMMER IS OVER #18

SEMESTER IS OVER #18   8/10/14

  WELL WE MADE IT –1^st SEMESTER DONE AND WE ARE STILL ALIVE TO TELL STORIES ABOUT IT.  IT WAS GOOD AND NOT BAD FOR ME   I FOUND THAT I CAN COOK MEALS FOR A FEW MORE THAN 2 PEOPLE.  ANYWAY, JOEL WAS GREAT IN HIS LESSONS AND LOVED GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF TEACHING YOUNG SINGLE ADULTS AGAIN. ALTHOUGH HE FOUND THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE TAUGHT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN THE STAKE ADULT CLASSES (THEY WERE FUN TO TEACH TOO!!.)

  WE HAVE MET A LOT OF CHOICE YOUNG SINGLE ADULTS IN THIS WARD.  THEY ARE IN SCHOOL, GETTING READY TO GO TO SCHOOL AND SOME COMPLETED SCHOOL.  WE HAVE QUITE A FEW THAT TRAVEL A WAYS TO THE INSTITUTE AND SOME THAT DRIVE JUST DOWN THE ROAD.  WE HAVE A CULTURAL MELTING POT IN THIS WARD AND IT IS FUN TO SEE HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER.  WE ARE NOW STARTING TO SEE A FEW OF THE COUPLES GET ENGAGED.  THAT IS ALWAYS FUN AND EXCITING.  WE HAVE A LOT OF YSA’S THAT WE HAVE GROWN TO LOVE EVEN IN THIS SHORT TIME.

   I  FIXED MY LAST MEAL FOR THIS SEMESTER IT WAS CHICKEN SALAD WRAPS, CHIPS, CARROTS, PUMPKIN & BANANA & POPPY SEED BREAD. IT WAS VERY GOOD AND FILLING. EVERYONE APPRECIATED IT AND SAID THAT THEY WILL MISS THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OF NO DINNERS.  I WILL NEED TO START THINKING OF NEXT SEMESTER AND WHAT SURPRISES I CAN GIVE THEM.  MY THANKS TO MANY OF YOU FOR YOUR RECIPES I HAVE FOUND IN MY OLD WARD COOKBOOKS. NOT ONLY ARE THE RECIPES FANTASTIC BUT THE MEMORIES OF YOU ARE EVEN BETTER.  I NEED TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS FOR MY DAUGHTER, TRICIA, SHE HAS COME UP WITH SOME FUN IDEAS AND RECIPES. TRICIA YOU ARE THE BEST‼

   ELDER JUDD TAUGHT 2 DIFFERENT CLASSES THURSDAY NIGHT-- HIS MISSIONARY PREP. CLASS AND BRO. PATRICK’S PEARL OF GREAT PRICE CLASS (HE WAS ON A WEEKS VACATION.) AND HE HELPED ME GET THE DINNER SET UP.  THE CLASSES WENT WELL ABOUT 35 STUDENTS IN ALL FOR THE NIGHT. THIS IS GREAT FOR THE END OF THE SUMMER SEMESTER. BUT THE NEAT THING ABOUT THIS WHOLE NIGHT WAS I WENT TO THE AIRPORT AND PICKED UP MY GRANDDAUGHTERS FOR A WEEK’S STAY.  I WAS SO EXCITED. I DROVE TO THE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, (--I DID NOT GET LOST EITHER). I WAS SENT TO TWO DIFFERENT GATES AND HALLWAYS, JUST TO GET A PASS TO GET TO THEM, AND ON TOP OF IT ALL I WENT THOUGH SECURITY (  LOSING MY ONE INCH KNIFE -- I THOUGHT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD CHANGED THAT RULE--NO  NOT IN THE TPA) ANYWAY I WAS SO EXCITED  WHEN I FINALLY SAW THE GIRLS WAITING FOR ME AT GATE E64. BAYLEE AND HEATHER HAD QUITE A DAY STARTING AT 4 AM NEVADA TIME. THEY WERE PRETTY TIRED BUT EXCITED TO BE HERE TOO.   WE DROVE BACK TO THE INSTITUTE AND PUT THE SANDWICHES TOGETHER AND ALL THE OTHER FOOD OUT ON THE TABLES FOR THE STUDENTS.  WE THEN LEFT FOR THE AIRPORT AGAIN TO PICK UP MEGAN WHO HAD BEEN IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOR A 2 WEEK HUMANITARIAN SERVICE PROJECT. MEGAN HAD A GREAT TIME GIVING SERVICE TO THE DOMINICANS-SHE HELPED IN FINISHING A HEALTH  CLINIC AND HELPED WITH A SCHOOL.  SHE WAS ALSO ABLE TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE LOCALS, AND SEE A SMALL PART OF THE ISLAND. THE LAST DAY THEY DID SOME SWIMMING AND CLIFF JUMPING IN A BEAUTIFUL AREA, BUT AS SHE JUMPED SHE HIT THE WATER A LITTLE HARD AND GAVE HER SOME BACK SPASMS. SHE IS OK --IT JUST HURTS  A LITTLE. IT WAS GOOD TO GET ALL THE KIDS TOGETHER AND HUG AND KISS THEM. THEY LOOKED WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL.  WE WILL NOW DO SOME FUN THINGS WITH THEM TILL NEXT WEEK.

ALLIGATOR ON LOG

 
FRIDAY THE JUDD FAMILY WENT TO LETTUCE PARK WHICH IS A NATURE HABITAT FOR ALLIGATORS, TURTLES, AND BIRDS OF DIFFERENT KINDS. IT IS MUCH LIKE THE EVERGLADES ONLY IT IS A VERY SMALL PARK.  WE WERE ABLE TO SEE  ALLIGATORS-- SOME LARGE ONES AND A LOT OF DECAYING TREES.

SPANISH MOSS DRAPING  DOWN TO GROUND

WATER UNDER THE GREEN VEGATATION

DON CESAR HOTEL

 LATER THAT EVENING WE DROVE OUT TO ST PETE’S DON CESAR PALACE/HOTEL. WE WERE TOLD BY THE SISTER MISSIONARIES THAT THIS PLACE HAD A FANTASTIC ICE CREAM SHOP AND IT WAS  THE GIRLS WERE TO BUSY CATCHING UP ON BEING SISTERS TO LEAVE ANY EARLIER.( IT IS GREAT TO SEE THEM BE TOGETHER).  WE ALSO DECIDED TO GO TO THE SUNSHINE SKYWAY BRIDGE. THIS BRIDGE CONNECTS THE ST.PETE ISLAND AND THE MAIN LAND OF FLORIDA.  IT IS A MASSIVE BRIDGE COVERING A LARGE, LARGE AREA OF WATER. THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE BIG CRUISE LINERS PASS UNDER THE BRIDGE TO GET INTO THE TAMPA PORTS.
RIGHT BY THE GULF.  WE FOUND THE DON CESAR ICE CREAM SHOP BUT MISSED THE GULF WATER BECAUSE IT WAS NIGHT BEFORE WE GOT THERE.

 SATURDAY WE WENT TO THE MOSI --MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, IT IS PACKED WITH HANDS ON ACTIVITIES AND LOTS OF VERY INFORMATIVE INFORMATION. WE SPENT LOT OF OUR TIME ON THE 3^RD FLOOR—HUMAN HEALTH AND WELL BEING.  THIS WAS GREAT UNTIL BAYLEE FELL ON A 1 INCH

PLATFORM AND HIT HER KNEE VERY HARD. HER RIGHT KNEE STARTED TO SWELL IMMEDIATELY.  WE FOUND SOME ICE AND WENT INTO THE THEATER TO WATCH THE “UNIVERSE” HOPING IT WOULD HEAL IT . BUT WE ENDED UP RIDING IN A WHEEL-CHAIR TO THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE AND THEN THE CAR.  WE WILL SEE WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE TOMORROW.  BAYLEE IS SUCH A GOOD SPORT.  WE NOW HAVE TWO SICKIES MEGAN CAME HOME FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC  WITH A HURT BACK AND SO SHE IS NURSING THAT   BUT WE ARE STILL GLAD THAT WE HAVE THEM  AND SORRY THAT THEY HURT.  WE ENDED THE DAY CALLING AND REAFFIRMING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AND WATCH THEM CLOSELY.  I AM KEEPING  TRACK OF HEATHER  SHE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS HEALTHY WAIT A MINUTE SHE HAD HER BRACES PUT ON THE MONDAY BEFORE SHE CAME  HER MOUTH IS VERY TENDER—I DID NOT DO IT‼