2010 Conference Recap

This trip was awesome for so many reasons and we are so grateful for the opportunities it afforded us. We met and/or spent time with some amazing people...the best of which we happen to be related to! #1 on the list was definitely meeting Evey. She is just a ray of sunshine and it was hard to leave her. She's going to be a different girl next time I see her, I know. I so wish the kids could have met her, too. It just kills me they won't have the opportunity to hold her as a baby. As great as it is to have the opportunity to live in another county, it's times like these that it bites, frankly.

Even aside from that, we realized how many conference traditions we have established over the years with the kids, so we were missing them at every turn.


Like on the first day, when we drove past here. Coree's favorite place on earth.



Or on the way up to my dad's, when we drove by Jake's favorite place on earth...the Hill Aerospace Museum.

It just wasn't the same without them. I think we will try very hard to bring them next year. Some things are just worth it.

In addition to seeing awesome people and places, we got to check some culinary experiences off of our stateside list. As awesome as the dining is on Okinawa, there are some things you just can't get there.



Oh, they have Starbucks everywhere on Okinawa...but no signature, salted caramel hot cocoa. I didn't have to travel father than the hotel lobby for this baby. And the barista took so much pride in it. He brought it to me without the lid and asked me to admire it first. I think he was ultra proud when I brought out my camera to memorialize it.



In N Out. Animal-style fries. Enough said.



Chick Fil A. Polynesian sauce. With extra for dipping the waffle fries. I dream about this meal all year.

And these are just the ones I thought to photograph. I already mentioned the awesome BBQ, the Buca Di Beppo, the Cafe Rio, the Church cafeteria. There are others I'm forgetting, I know.

But I think we put enough checks in the boxes for this year, and we are ready to head home to the family, who I wouldn't trade for all the Chick Fil A nuggets on earth.

St. George Road Trip

Wednesday morning we checked out of our hotel, tried to exchange our rental car to get a cheaper one (since we were done with the government subsidized portion of our trip), only to find out after lots of hassle and time wasted, that once you added all the hidden fees onto the price at the other place, we were going to have to pay more for a compact car than our nice, roomy one. We shoved the unsigned receipt back across the counter and said, "Thanks anyway" and called back the first place to take them up on their offer of extending our discount, with no hidden costs...and then finally got on the I-15 headed south.

We stopped around Lehi(ish) to have some Cafe Rio lunch with Shelly and hubs, David...and then hit the road again...



I was enjoying the scenery. Look at that gorgeous view...and the fall colors, too. ;^)



Who doesn't put their feet on the dash?



This may seem simple, but it doesn't take a lot to impress me. A cupholder muffin. Genius. It was so attractive, I hated to eat it. But I did and it was delicious, too. Thanks for the parting gift, Marriott concierge lounge!



That is actual snow falling on the mountain ahead of us.



I couldn't really capture the beauty of the fall colors, but you get the idea.



And then...a DOUBLE rainbow! (What could it MEAN?!)



Here it is from behind.

I was texting my brother the last half of the drive down there. I didn't realize how much I missed texting. That, or maybe it was just because we were texting about how much I couldn't wait to meet Evey, and how cute she is and that she was getting all rested up and she was going to be happy to see me, etc. It was fun. I told Justin I was afraid she was going to suddenly develop stranger anxiety the moment our eyes met...



I didn't need to worry.



She was ready to party with Auntie Carrie!



SO cute!!!



She was all smiles, all the time.



Cutie Patootey!



Wonder what she's thinking here? ("Wow, Auntie Carrie...you did well for yourself...Uncle Cliff is hot!") Something like that.



I love how she just dosed off here listening to the conversation. So happy and content.



We saw this when we pulled up and I had to take a picture. I really didn't think my brother was the libertarian, doomsday-er, gun-nut type (even though we do have some of those sprinkled into the mix in our family). If you don't know what it is (like I didn't), no worries...it's a snowboard company. (Whew!)

Oh Yes It's Navy Night, And the Feelin's Right....

Seven years ago, while we were out to dinner in Park City on the Monday eve of Chaplains Seminar with the Whitakers, we talked about how fun it would be to have "Navy Family Night" with any of the Navy Chaplains and their wives there for the conference. The next year we made it happen. Its beginnings were humble, as our numbers were small and not everyone was always able to attend, but it has grown into something very special.

We look forward to this night every year, but this year, Cliff and I were committed to do the VIP tour and dinner, so we thought we'd miss out entirely. Lucky for us, most everyone was also available on Tuesday night, and they wanted to wait for us. We love these guys!


We were back at Buca for the 3rd year running. They always treat us so well. We outgrew that little room at the Olive Garden years ago, PF Chang's was just too loud, this is perfect.



Each couple orders a dish, and we pass them around and around the table until everyone gets a taste of whatever they like. You're drooling, aren't you?

For the second year in a row, we used Jen's "speed dating" suggestion, and every 15-20 minutes, we picked up all our stuff and moved 2 places to the left. This way we all had the opportunity to visit with everyone, instead of just the people seated near us.

We had a record number of candidates this year, and following Chaplain Vance's suggestion, we treated them all to dinner to give their student budgets a rest.

Once again, I got pictures of all the lovely (new and familiar) faces around the table:



New



Familiar. Still rocking the student thing.



More familiar student faces.



Familiar. Still plugging along. Getting close.



Familiar. Very Familiar. Anyone on the board reading this? Rick is ready.



Familiar Fleeties. The wives couldn't make it. =^( We missed you ladies!



Our partners in crime



Hubba Hubba



More, awesome partners in crime.



Lovely old timers ;^)



Perfectly seasoned. We're so thrilled they came back to join us. They make retirement look good. I light up inside when I see these two. He was our Chaplain before Cliff was a Chaplain.


And of course, the outtakes:






We're already looking forward to next year...hoping some more of you will be here as full-fledged Chaplains, and that those who couldn't come due to operational commitments, etc. will be able to join us, too...and not just so we have more ways to split the bill.

Chaplain Spouse Luncheon and VIP Tour

I love this view from the front as we were waiting for everyone to filter in. Talk about a gathering of incredible women. It's always such a treat to see familiar faces, and new ones, too. This is in the Relief Society building, and the feeling in here is like a little piece of heaven. I love the pics of past Relief Society Presidents on the wall.



They tried something a little different this year, and after we were all seated, they had us stand around the room and then had all the chaplain candidate spouses fill in the middle section...so we could surround them with our love. Isn't that a cool idea? We have a record number of applicants right now, and it was fabulous to contrast with years past.



Then we were called to fill in the other sections, one branch at a time. Here are some of my Air Force sisters. Lookin' good, ladies. Our Navy section was looking pretty strong, I must say. But I was too busy humming "Anchors Aweigh" to think to get a pic.



The luncheon was the usual chicken salad in a half of a V-cut cantaloupe, rolls, pink punch and a fruit-topped cookie for dessert. This year, I was OFF the speaking docket, so I enjoyed it much more than last year. Amy did a fantastic job with her talk, and so did Sheri Dew. I was so excited to see her again.

Right after lunch, we had to head off to perform our escort duties for our guest of honor. The Navy Chief of Chaplains did such a great job with his message earlier this morning. He has come to Okinawa a couple of times when he was the deputy, and we just really enjoyed getting to know him. His Aide was just as fabulous. We felt very lucky to have the opportunity to tag along on the VIP Salt Lake City tour with them.

We took them to see welfare square, including in depth looks at the Bishop's Storehouse, Deseret Industries, the cannery, dairy, Church Employment, and the Humanitarian Operations. Then we headed over to the Family History Center for a tour of that facility, even getting to learn about some of our guests' family history. Then we crossed the street to Temple Square. It was sprinkling by then, but we didn't mind.



We started at the Visitor Center, where these Sister Missionaries took great care of us and answered our questions. It was so fantastic just to sit here and look at the Christus. It was hard to want to leave.



Sitting in the Tabernacle was great, too. I hadn't been in here since I was a kid. Even with the impressive Conference Center, this Tabernacle is still amazing.




Intently listening to our tour guides...



Here's some more Tabernacle photos:










The Assembly Hall



I love this statue. One of the General Authorities on the tour did a fabulous job briefly telling the story of the handcart companies. He got very emotional, so naturally, I followed suit.



We finished our dinner with an incredible lamb dinner at the Joseph Smith Building. It's been years since I've been inside, and it was more breathtaking than I remember.



I'm so glad someone suggested we get this picture. I think it will be one of my favorites.

Unfortunately, we have to take them back to the airport tomorrow. It all went by way too quickly. SO grateful to have had the opportunity, though.