Here we are in Maine...and there we were in Utah!

Time has flown and I seem to have just got back from our Summer vacation and yet, in the meantime we have spent a week in Utah and are now back in Maine for our Fall getaway.  Let me try and bring you up to date. Warning - lots of photos!!

On October 3rd we left for our trip to Utah with the prime purpose being to go and see this.  Believe me, it was worth the visit!  We have been to conference before and if we don't go, we always watch all the sessions on the internet or over the satellite broadcast. The talks are the same whether in person or not, but the one thing that is so spectacular in person, is the music!  The Tabernacle choir sing at three of the sessions and nothing can compare with the experience of hearing them live with such wonderful acoustics!  On Sunday morning each week they broadcast a radio show called "Music & the spoken word". On conference Sundays it is broadcast live from the conference centre, and we got to watch it along with the rehearsal.

Along with conference, we also got to a attend a mission reunion from the Canada Montreal Mission when Wendell served in the Presidency.  We got to see so many of our lovely missionaries and catch up on what they have been up to and meet wives and children.

 

I got to meet up with a good friend from England who married an American and has lived in Utah for many years.  We were teenagers together in Manchester.

 Another one of our wonderful missionaries with his wife, baby and Mom

Another reunion.  Wendell with Shane Rowley (his favourite missionary companion when Wendell served in Finland for two years in 1979).

And with Shane's wife

Here we are in Macy's with Charlotte Etches.  Charlotte's Dad & I knew each other as youth in Manchester (small world!)

I took some photos of Salt Lake City and surrounding areas for those of you who may never have been.

The conference centre

The tabernacle

The beautiful and majestic Salt Lake Temple

The Tabernacle

The assembly hall

Our temple in Provo

The view of the BYU campus and Provo from the "Y" lookout.

It was such a busy week and we really didn't sit still at all except to eat.  There is a great Mexican restaurant chain there called "Cafe Rio" and they make the best salads.

I have to admit that we ate there twice!!

Before we knew it, we were on the plane headed home.

Now Wendell  & I are in Maine for the week.  We stayed in New Hampshire last night and left there early this morning so that we could arrive at church for 9am. Hurricane Sandy is supposed to hit here around 4pm tomorrow, but they are expecting heavy winds and rain.  Waves could be as high as 15-20 feet and as we are right at the beach, we will keep an eye on things, but we will be safe and hopefully just enjoy watching it all.  I don't think we are going too far from here tomorrow and I suspect the weather channel will be on TV for most of the day.  There is a generator here, so even if we lose power, we will be fine.  Watch this space for more.......

So much to catch up on!!!

I have been having major problems with my laptop this past week and have not been able to do much with it. Another is on its way, but in the meantime, I will try and finish this post.  We got back from Utah two weeks ago (I'll do another post on that later) and two days later our family were in a Broadway show tunes production at church.  Wendell sang "This is the moment" (Jekyll & Hyde), Rebekah sang "On my own" (Les Miserables), Wendell & I sang "Edelweiss" and I sang "I'm not that girl" (Wicked)  green makeup and all!!  We found out after my makeup had been applied, that it was not meant for the face!!!  Who makes makeup that is not intended for the face for goodness sake!!! It came off okay but it did  leave my eyes quite irritated and I ended up with conjunctivitis!  Oh well, you live and learn!

Wendell & I are off to Maine tomorrow morning.  There is a chance that hurricane Sandy will hit land in New England as a Nor' Easter with heavy winds & rain.  Should be fun to stay indoors and watch!  I'll bring you up to date when we are there.

A week in Utah

We are boarding a plane tomorrow for a week in Utah. Every six months our Church holds a general conference originating in Salt Lake City. We can watch it online or go to our church building to view all sessions, but from time to time we have actually gone to Utah to be there in person. This time we are doing just that.  It is a wonderful weekend and we always come away from these meetings feeling rejuvenated and strengthened.

You can watch for yourself and come to your own conclusion.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  I won't have my computer with me in Utah, but I will be taking lots of photos and will share our trip with all of you when we return.

My friend Anne has a lovely giveaway at her blog.  Go on over and take a look.  There is some lovely looking lace involved.

Have a great week everyone!  I know I will!!

Babysitting

We have been very lucky this week as we have had a lot of Norah time!  Thursday & Friday night I babysat her while Mommy & Daddy were at church (Wendell was there also) and then yesterday we had her for the whole day as they were in Montreal at our temple which is a 2 hour drive away.  This was the first time Kelsi has left her for a whole day and it was hard for her to leave.  I completely understand that feeling, as I had it when mine were young.  But she was very brave and really wanted to go to the temple, so off they went.  Wendell and I had a fun day with Norah.  We went to their place around 7.45am and gave her some breakfast.  Kelsi had pumped enough milk for the day and she is also on some solids now.  We did a little shopping on the way back to our place and then she had a little nap.  In the afternoon we had to drop Rebekah at the mall, so we did a little window shopping and bought a little pooh bear for Norah.  Wendell had fun feeding her and we spent the day just enjoying her and watching her.

Having fun with applesauce

 With Grandad's cap

 There go those two fingers again!

 She likes to hold the bottle herself

One proud Grandad!

My mind has been wandering to Christmas lately.  Now because I only started this blog in January, those of you who don't actually know me, won't know that Christmas is a big deal to the Wagners - it is our favourite time of year!  Wendell and I go to Maine for a week alone at the end of October to celebrate our anniversary (31 years on Nov 6th).  we do a fair bit of Christmas shopping while we are there and when we get home, our Christmas tree goes up.  Now obviously, it's an artificial tree, or it would be dead by Christmas day!  As soon as the cooler days hit, I start to think of Christmas.  I love the cozy nesting feeling it always brings.  Now please understand that I am not a winter girl at all.  I was born in England and was not made for Ottawa winters, but Christmas is different and I love the crisp white snow and all that goes with it.  It can disappear in January for all I care, but in December it's a whole different story.  I am already gathering gifts and making plans.  I look forward to checking out all your blogs for ideas as well as time gets closer.  I will be cutting back substantially on the Christmas baking this year as we don't need as much, but I love to make things as gifts.  I always make something from the kitchen for our neighbours.  There is a chill in the air now and the nights are drawing in so that's where my mind is right now.  Any of you started your Christmas planning yet?  It's never too early you know!

Back home and settled in

We got home on Wednesday night but still considered ourselves "on vacation" as Wendell didn't go back to work until yesterday.  Even though we have a washer & dryer in the cottage there is always a mountain of laundry when we get back.  That was done and ironed on Thursday and life started to feel back to normal.

Norah playing with Aunty Bekah

Rebekah stayed at a friend's house on Friday and Saturday as she had some church activities.  So we had a weekend alone which was nice for a change. Wendell & I attend a family ward (congregation) but as Rebekah is in university and aged 21, she attends a ward made up of singles from aged 21-30.  It is a great opportunity for them to get to know people their own age with the same standards and values.  She loves it.  Each September there is a new influx of students who arrive.

Rebekah is in her third year of university but she is taking some second year classes as she took last year off and cut her course load in her second year.  She is majoring in linguistics and is very excited about her classes and Professors this year.  Here she is on the first day of classes

So life is back to normal and we are now looking forward to our trip to Salt Lake City at the beginning of October.  Our church has a general conference then and although we can watch it via satellite and internet here at home, sometimes it is nice to go in person.  Plus we have lots of friends in Utah which we like to visit. So another trip coming up soon.  Then at the end of October, Wendell and I are back off to Maine alone for a week to celebrate our 31st anniversary.  In between those two trips, Wendell has some business trips planned, so it will be a busy time.

Family time at the beach.

Andrew, Kelsi & Norah arrived Thursday night and we headed straight to the beach where our neighbours took these photos.

Our cottage is just to the left of the picture behind me.
Norah is the 3rd generation of Wagners we have had at Ocean Park.

We have been having fun with her at the beach although she wasn't too keen on the water as it was quite cold yesterday.  I dipped her feet in today and even though it was a little warmer, she still wasn't impressed!

Here she is in her Grandad's Tilly hat

And playing with him in the cottage

Fast asleep in the beach tent

And having a bath in the kitchen sink at the end of the day.

We are having a lot of fun with her.  Right now I am staying in the cottage as she naps so that Mommy & Daddy can have some beach time.

A tour of Ocean Park

I thought I'd show you some of the lovely houses and shops in Ocean Park.  Typical New England architecture - very rustic.

 The building at the top of the road is our little home for the duration. Right at the beach!

 This is a little antique store

 The grocery store where they make the best cinnamon buns & muffins.  We haven't had any this trip or we would have gained back all the weight we've lost!

 The soda fountain where they have wonderful ice cream.  We are saving this for our last day here as a real treat.

Hope you've enjoyed this little tour.