George and Laura: Fun Activities in Utah

During the two different weeks that we were in Utah (we flew to Dallas in between the two weeks), we were able to be part of some very fun activities.

While we were there, our granddaughter, Lauren, had her 16th birthday. She didn't want a party or big fanfare, but her mother told a few girls to come over and invite whomever they would like. (Yes, it was difficult to get the balloons in the order they should be since the wind was slightly blowing. Hah!)

Aaah! Did it--got the hair right and the balloons right, too!

When Lauren came home from dance, she was greeted with a big banner!

And a few friends turned out to be over 50 kids!

Lauren invited another young man whose birthday was, also, today to come and help blow out the candles.

And what were the mothers doing while this was all going on--in trying some of the leftover desserts and then talking about how many miles they would have to run the next day so that they wouldn't gain pounds from doing this!

Everything Lauren does, she puts her whole heart into! She spends hours with her dancing and has become a dancer extraordinaire--yet still finds time for her schoolwork, church assignments, family, and friends.

In addition to training with a dance company, she is, also, a member of her school dance academy. They were putting on their year-end show, which Grandpa and I were fortunate to be able to see.

Grandma Laura; granddaughters, Lauren and Jenna (she and Lauren are the same age and are very supportive of each other in their activities) and Grandpa George

In addition to performing with the entire company . . .

(Lauren is front middle in this pic)

(Front, second from right)

Lauren, also, performed a fantastic solo number.

Lauren's entire dance company. Lauren is third from right.

Our grandson, Carter is having quite a year, too! In addition to being awarded his Eagle Scout Award, he, also, graduated from seminary, received his mission call to Scotland/Ireland Mission, and graduated from high school. We are really proud of all he is doing and look forward to all of his experiences as he serves the Lord and the people in Scotland/Ireland beginning July 26th.

While we were in the Lone Peak Gymnasium, we looked around at all the State Champion banners. We were so proud to see the 2008 State Champion Boys' Golf banner of which our grandson, Taylor, was a member.

Also, Lone Peak took the Championship in 2010 when Taylor was on the team, again.

And the last one I took a pic of was when Lone Peak took the State Title for golf when Connor was on the team. These guys worked so hard, and it was thrilling to be reminded of these great memories!

Also, watching the grand kids go off to dances brings a lump to my throat. Where did the time go when I was watching their dads and moms doing the same?! Grandson Kade and Aubrey--so cute!

And I guess I should put something in about one of our grand dogs--Koda. He thinks he's a human and wanted some of Angie's popcorn.

He liked it--he liked it!

But then when he went to get some of Kevin's ice cream, he had to be told, "No, sorry!"

Whenever we are in Utah, we try to go by and say "Hi" to Cannon in the American Fork Cemetery. We surely do miss this little guy who brought so much love not only to his immediate family, but to all of his extended family as well.

While we were at the cemetery, we checked at the office to just see what the prices were of the new burial plots in the next phase of the cemetery since this one is all sold out. Believe it or not, these two plots and been sold back and were available, so we bought them immediately. I am standing right next to Cannon's headstone and George is standing where our plots will be.

We next visited our other little grandchild's grave site: Avery Lynn Copeland in the Orem Cemetery.

Although she only lived a few seconds, none of us who were there will ever forget the special experiences we had at her birth and being able to hold this beautiful little girl.

As often as we can when we are in Utah, is get together with our "foster" daughter and her son. Thirty years ago we sponsored Hua (goes by Jessica) now, from mainland China. In the years since, she has become such a successful business woman and owns restaurants, a spa, a bakery, a nail salon, and owns physical therapy equipment. I don't think I've seen a harder worker! She still manages to be a wonderful mother of three boys.

Not just ordinary physical therapy equipment--this is a compression chamber that athletes use, people who have pain, people who are going to high altitudes and need to get used to the altitude, etc., etc. (Extremely expensive to purchase one of these!)

Hua's oldest boy, Andrew (on the right in the pic) is on the road to becoming a very big success himself. Hua's mother next to George, only knows very few words of English and came from mainland China, also, but her smiles and warm heart cut through the language barrier. Hua took George and me to lunch since she had missed my birthday. So sweet! We love these people. They think we've done so much for them, but our lives have truly been enriched when Hua came to us 30 years ago.

The final memory George and I renewed this trip was to find our first apartment where we lived when we first were married and were attending Brigham Young University. We lived in the basement of this house for seven months. George was talking to the people that live upstairs now, telling the lady about how we lived there 48 years ago! It hasn't changed at all! same carport where we parked our car even.)

I can't say the first place we lived in was the best arrangement as there was no door going downstairs, so the people upstairs could come down anytime they felt like it. In addition, we froze down there because they controlled the thermostat from upstairs.

So, when we heard a lady professor was going on sabbatical and wanted someone to rent her apartment, we took her up on it and lived in the first apartment to the right of the front door. It was much more enjoyable living there. When we both finished at the end of 1969, we headed to Los Angeles for George's first job and our first child--I was only five weeks away from having Kevin!

So many memories and great experiences in Utah! We always enjoy visiting our family wherever we can!