Christmas '08 and New years'09

New Years 2009 at Apple Bees

Christmas 2008 the whole family

Wow, mike set us up with our blogspot six months ago, and we haven't had the time to play with it or update it. So here we are giving it our all.

So lets see, We had a marvelous Christmas with all of our children and our two great additions Britt (Mike) and Zach (Lizzie). We were the happiest seeing all our children together and having a fun time. New Years came and went, we went out for dinner to celebrate the New Year with Liz, & Zack, Lynn and Tom.

Liz and Zack moved back from Minneapolis Minnesota at the beginning of December, they are renting the house from Adam, Lynn's boyfriend, quite a nice arrangement, we hope it will work for all. So we are happy our girls are together in Twin Falls, both plan to attend CSI in the Spring.

Kevin & I have been working a lot, putting in long hours. Kevin's business has kept him quite busy, and my work has been quite stressful...lots of changes and difficult situations. Although, I must say it has been a learning experience with a lot of lessons learned. Our growth and experience comes from our challenges and what we do with them.

August/September 2009 CA trip to the coast to get Mike and Britt

We enjoy so much our time together, we love to travel and savour our time with our children. Memories, is what we'll have when all the material things are gone. In August we made it down to California to help Mike and Britt move to Rexburg to finish their schooling.

we had a marvelous time with them, and enjoyed their company as we travel to places they fell in love with. We visited some of their favorite beaches like; Moro Bay, Pismo Beach, and quaint little towns like Solvang a Nordic town, St. Louis Obispo and the famous stinky gum wall. we also enjoy watching the sea lions sunbathe, they are funny and lazy and make all kind of snorting sounds while they sleep, they plop on top of each other, and watch out not to disturb them from their sleep, they can get a little grouchy.

We also made it again to Hearts Castle, Kevin and I had been through this castle many years ago with my parents Gregorio and Odette.

This a beautiful mansion in the middle of thousands of acres, with all kinds of exotic animals like zebras, mountain goats, horses, cattle, the mansion has different tours, we went to the main house and the pools, the greek outside pool and the inside pool, where we walked on 24 K gold imbedded on the marble tiles. It was amazing!

We also went to el taco grande, a restaurant famous for their hugantic tacos.

After we packed their cars and the van we rented to help move furniture, we headed on our journey to Rexburg Idaho. We meander across northern california through Yosemite Park, oh how beautiful Heavenly Father's creations are, the park itself is magnificent.

On our way to Yosemite we stop for a brake just outside the park on a town called Oakhurst, and thank goodness we did as the SUV Britt was driving, the brakes were going out...or some other mechanical part. But of course we are traveling on a weekend and a holiday weekend, so most every shop is already closed, and of course not open for the holiday. Our trusty Garmin and Mikey's iphone search for all and every shop looking for help, or someone available to fix the car....our prayers were answer, after spending a nite in this small town we found one, who was somewhat reasonably and able to get us ready and safely back on the road again.

Finally after driving all night and getting a quick sleep in Burley, we continue on to Rexburg to help move Mikey and Britt to their new little rental house. Then moving their furniture from the storage place and had them settled...ahhh they could finally say "home sweet home", at least for one more semester and then yay! be done!!!

July 4th, 7th, 2009 fourth celebration and Kevin's 50th B.D.

Time is flying at warp speed...is it because we are getting older and wiser?? he, he. We started the month of July with the 4th celebrations! what a beautiful day, and how greatful we are for the blessings of freedom and the beauty we enjoy every day.

We spend the later afternoon of the 4th with Liz and Zack and Adam, Lynn was working. We went to the Twin Falls' Canyon rim by the golf course to enjoy the beautiful scenery, then walk across the golf course and saw dear grazing by the bushes.

Then that night we found the perfect spot to see the fireworks.

On the 6th we gave Kevin his surprise 50th Birthday Party, wow! he is on top of the world and has conquer it! His birthday is actually on the 7th, but not everyone could make it. Liz and Zack and Lynn were here to celebrate.

Mike gave his old man a call as well to wish him a fabulous BD.

His siblings and parents all called him to wish him a fantastic BD and send him a cup of flowers, with birthday balloon and of course a plate of sugar cookies.

Zack and Liz did the decorations inside and outside of the house. I of course planned the meal, made some yummy potato salad, had Kevin's favorite...hamburgers on the grill, with all the trimmings. Also, on the grill roasted red, green and yellow bell peppers, on the table we had potato chips, spinach salad and watermelon.

And later some friends (Pam & Casey Anderson) came over for ice cream cake and a birthday song.

Nice evening, good friends and great children. Kevin had an enjoyable evening for his 50th...half a century old.....ohhh that sounds very old ...

2009 Thomas' Log: the last three nights in the USA before going to Argentina's MTC

The last days with Tom at home, Liz, "lady" Lynn, Tom and Mom.

Wow what a month! This past week has been just busy and exciting for us here at home. Thomas was notified of his acceptance to report to his mission!! We had a month to get everything ready and double check all the lists, suitcases, medical exams, and vaccinations, passport and visa, back ground checks etc.
What a special boy! He showed us all determination and perseverance, faith and commitment. We as a family are better off because of his example, we learned about our weaknesses, the natural man and how we must humble ourselves and rely in our Heavenly Father to be able to make it through this life, our tests and challenges. Here is a little recap of our last four days with Tom at home.
Sunday May 7th last Sunday with the singles ward, he also came to our ward by the Bishop’s invitation to come and share his testimony with us; what a sweet experience, we felt the spirit strongly as he shared his testimony, his countenance was radiant and glowing with joy and excitement, and we felt it. Most of the family was here to share those special moments with him.
Monday 8th, last day to pack and re-pack and clean his room, wow! we can see the carpet now, everything in boxes and put away. Then that evening he was set apart as a full time missionary by President Joe Sagers and Kevin (dad), the spirit bore witness to us all of the power of the priesthood, the spirit was strong in that room and we felt it through the beautiful blessings and promises and gifts given….no eyes were dry, including President’s Sagers. It was the sweetest experience to see and feel. Then our last FHE as a family, Liz and Zack, Lynn and Adam came, the girls prepared a special lesson on the power and art of listening, then we played games, had dessert which was prepared by Adam, hmm delicious, then more hugs loves and pictures galore and the dreaded goodbyes and will see you in two years, “go get them boy” type of encouragement.
Tuesday 9th, last minute shopping and finish all the little details cell phone packed away, collecting all addresses from friends and family, checking airline itinerary, and last instructions.

We left Burley at about 3:30 p.m. and headed to SLC. Once there we met with family, grandpa and grandma Hoggan, Daren and Silvana, Liae and Roseanne and the boys Tapa and Crae, share some delicious dessert by Roseanne, and many hugs and pictures, and goodbye songs by Liae.

Wednesday 10th, up early by 0600, shower, read the scriptures as a family one more time, had breakfast and on to the airport. There we met grandpa & grandma Hoggan Silvana and the boys Tapa and Crae, and again more hugs, and lots of pictures, then on to check in and get tickets and seat assignments.

And a sweet moment for Tom....

…he met three more missionaries going to the same Mission and the same MTC, Tom was relaxed a little to know he would not be flying alone, his smiles were bigger and the butterflies decreased, we all followed them up to the customs line to check in…then they disappeared in the crowd and up the escalator to their gate in route to Buenos Aires Argentina with a lay over in Dallas TX.

Thursday 11th at 0730 he was supposed to have arrived in Argentina... We did not hear anything at all the whole day.
Friday 12th, morning surprise!! Thomas e-mail a quick “we have arrived after a six hour delay in TX due to tornados”, a nice convert to the church who was at the airport took all the four missionaries and fed them for supper while at the airport, a nice Samaritan, I am sure he could tell the poor boys were hungry, tired and excited all at once! It is nice to know he has safely arrived to his destination.
So now Kevin and I are excited to be the recipients of double and triple the blessings for having a missionary out in the field for two years! We are very proud of all of our children for their sweet spirits and examples, we truly have been blessed and we are very grateful for our extended families, for their love and support that has been extended to us, indeed Heavenly Father knows what we need and what is best for us, and gave us great families to share and learn through our journeys here on earth. We have grown, and stretched, and have learn to humble ourselves and to rely and recognize Heavenly Father as our Light and Iron Rod to hold on to get back to him again one day.
For now that is what we have to share, and hope to share more experiences through out this journey.

New Orleans May 2009

People were dying to get into 

the LaFayette Cemetery.

Double Jeopardy" with Ashley Judd, was filmed here...

Paddle boat on the Mississippi River

River walk in New Orleans.

It goes along the Mississippi River, there is also a Mall

with lots of shops.

Street car in New Orleans.
Julia street just waiting to start our 

fun weekend!

Cajun grins on bus tour to Oak Alley Plantation.

Beautiful Oak Alley Plantation. 

Dinner at The Court of the "Two Sisters" restaurant. Great food.

Canal Street

This street divides the French Quarters and the

American side the Garden District. 

Royal Street in the French Quarter.

It was a fun trip May 23 through May 27. We went, we saw, we came home and we will probably won't come back. We learned a lot of history about the French quarters, the Creole culture and way of living, we strolled through the French Market and all the fun shops in the French Quarters area, we learned about Bourbon Street, and advice anyone, strolled through it in the day time unless you are a "party animal" do not go at night.

We went through the Garden district and saw beautiful mansions and gardens, we could also still see the signs of the damage from the flood from"Katrina" even four years later. We saw and strolled along the massive Mississippi River. And of course did a little bit of shopping at the French Market or "flee market". We enjoyed the food and the music, lots of  bands, playing Jazz, and blue grass music, just about every little food place had their own group playing while you ate. We tour one of the largest Plantations of the era, beautiful mansion, and oak trees, and gardens, lush and green. The weather was perfect, warm 80's with some humidity, rain heavily on Monday but was beautiful in spite of the rain and dark clouds. We walked a lot, we needed after some of those dinners.

Thanks to Daren, Kevin's brother we made it to New Orleans, two free airplane tickets, unplanned time off but who could resist and let the opportunity go by...hmm not us no way.

Mexico, Tulum