Family, Reunions and Fun

Weekend Together
The long weekend was a time spent in Summer Fun together as a family. We really enjoyed Pioneer Day. Elizabeth and the kids were here while Denny was camping in the Windriver Mountains with friends. We went to the movies and played with the kids. Friday, while Elizabeth went out to lunch with a girl friend, we all went to Thanksgiving Point. Tim and Gloria have a Grandparent Pass that makes it economical and fun to take the grandkids anytime. The kids love the dinosaurs and Joseph and Grandma and Grandpa love the kids. We even saw the Sea Monsters in 3D IMAX movie. We all enjoyed it. Ethan and Cheyenne love everything, especially digging up dinosaur bones.

Tour of the SL Valley
After the museum while Grandma took the kids home, Joseph and Tim took a tour of the new developments in the valley. First they drove through Saratoga Springs, Utah along the west side of Utah Lake. It is amazing the new development with hundreds of homes. They then drove by Eagle Mountain, (http://www.emcity.org/) and out to Herriman. The southwest portion of the valley is filling up with new homes and thousands of residents. The Oriquirr Mountain Temple is coming right along. It now has the Angel Moroni on the spire. After that we drove over to see how the Draper Temple was coming.

Suncrest
Dad had never driven up above the temple to the new Suncrest subdivison (http://www.suncrest.com/) above the Draper Temple. It is one of the most spectacular subdivisions in memory. It is hard to imagine the millions it cost to build the roads up to the top of the mountain between the Salt Lake and Utah valleys. It is only about 15 minutes from the freeway and unbelieveable. Tim shot a SL panorama from the top. It is interesting to look down on the Draper Temple under construction.

The Draper Temple
Afterwards they drove down to the Draper temple site. The Angel Moroni is on the spire and most of the exterior is complete. They are doing landscaping and finishing work on the exterior of the spire.




Shaffer Family Reunion
Friday night and Saturday was the Dick and Dora Shaffer Family Reunion in Logan. Gloria's grandparents had 11 children who in turn had bunches of kids. It is delightful to see everyone annually. There is always good food and great company. We have it at Willow Park in Logan each year. It is great for those who like to camp overnight in tents or trailers. The Logan River runs through it and the kids love to play in the clear water.

Logan High School Class of '68 40th Reunion
Saturday was also Gloria's 40th high school reunion. (Tim's Sky View one is is a couple of weeks). Gloria managed to split her time between the family and class reunions, hitting the Ladies Tea at the Logan Reunion and lunch at the Shaffers.


Gloria was the lead in the musical "Mr. President" as a senior. She and Paul Larsen did a duet for the reunion from the Irving Berlin Score: "Empty Pockets but a Heart Full of Love".


It was fun for Gloria to sit by Debbie (Nazar) Roper and Lana (Thurston) Burr and other friends. Tim managed to enjoy it as well. Herm Olsen (the Class President) did a great media presentation to end the evening.