Jim and Marnie Ackerman are old-timey Navy friends. Jim was Clint's roommate in Corpus Christie, TX during flight school. We hung out with them in Pensacola. I remember them coming over one night and we'd just made home made rolls and they acted like refugees they devoured them so enthusiastically. We attended their lovely wedding in New Mexico. They hosted us at their home for several days when we moved out of our apartment and were headed from San Diego to Maryland. Haley was with us for that visit. Jim and Marnie love adventure and travel. So, when he retired in January 2015 they arrived at LAX with like 30 suit cases and no decision about which of two pilot jobs to take, or where to live. So at the airport they made a command decision that he would take the job at United vice a corporate pilot job. Instead of selecting a city to live in, they took a taxi to an RV lot and bought a motorhome and lived in it for a year. They took their kids out of school and over the course of a year visited all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Peru, Germany, London and who knows where else! We were lucky to be one of their first stops on their adventure. And they were one of the first guests we had in our new home. Here's a few pictures, Ethan and Jack at Station Park Mall, Going to see a movie, and at the Museum of Natural Curiosity. Sorry we didn't get pictures of the whole family!
Then, brand new bestie, (now well-established bestie) Owen, who also came to the Museum of Natural Curiosity with us.
P.S. After a year on the road, they bought a house in Tuscon, but declaring it a temporary time to live close to their families. For the Ackermans, life is too short to settle down!
Farmington's beautiful Woodlawn Park is so beautiful and secluded with it's century-old trees,it made me feel like I was in a park in Memphis. It was a great Summer morning activity for Jack and Trace.
Talmage, Cole and Dad were at scout camp all week. So, I enjoyed taking Jack and Trace to various activies that the teenagers wouldn't have wanted to do. It was raining so we went to an indoor skate park in Salt Lake City.
We had Sarah Malmborg for a few hours and so we went to the Farmington Railroad Museum. It's a private collection belonging to a hobbyist, open the first Saturday of the month. We got there too late to ride the miniature trains. But the boys enjoyed climbing on the rail cars. Totally not allowed, but it was fun while it lasted.
This was at a Ward Walk About. Fun to See how much these kids have changed in one year!
At the Somerset Farms Playground that is adjacent to our street.
A bike ride on the RR bike trail new our house with neighbor, and Trace's bestie, Owen.
What Our backyard looked like when we moved in. Stay tuned...
Talmage wanted me to make fried rice. So, while I was gone, he walked to the Harmons, bought the carrots and SPAM with his own money, prepped it and covered it with Saran Wrap so that I would make it as soon as I got home. I love that our neighbors have horses and there are farms all around, yet we can walk to the grocery store, the Megaplex and Station Park Mall!
Clint and I were called to be the Transportation Committee for the Bonneville Stake Pioneer Trek. We accepted, even though we knew it would occur two weeks after we moved from Salt Lake City. Heck, we'd been living 100 feet outside of the stake boundaries two years, anyway! Clint made arrangements for the buses to carry the people and the trailers to carry the stuff. I ordered 12 different patterns of ducktape in red, yellow and blue color families to put on each kids bucket for the easy sorting of stuff. Then I just followed orders and pitched in wherever during the trek, while Clint was on the walkie-talkie or four wheelers making it all sort out. I have to say it was a very enjoyable three days. My sisters had my little kids. My teenagers were with their fake "Mas" and "Pas" and I just visited and worked with the other adult logistics crew. It was a great time.
At one of the Pre-Events
Wyoming is so high there are no mountains above, because you are on top of the mountains! It's really beautiful with a huge sky that dumped rain on us every afternoon.
These rocks are called Brigham's Arrow, a pioneer trail marker. The stake leadership was not into making the kids miserable and exhausted. I think they hiked a total of eighteen miles in three days and they fed them like kings--Costa Vida the first night! But several times a day they stopped for devotionals with speakers on the historical parts of the trail that we were on. President McConkie, President Fowles and President Jackson can bring the spirit in about three words.
Privileges of your parents being on the committee: Cole got to come, even though he was only 12.
Cole Lucked out and got these two as his Ma and Pa. They don't make 'em better than Missy and Troy Hardy. I served with Missy in the Stake Primary Presidency. Missy said that she was so impressed with Cole's attitude and work ethic and that he had a very sweet testimony.
We were so blessed because Dave and Karly Nielsen requested to have Talmage in their family. They love him and did a great job of keeping track of him.
The activity committee had the kids build this model of the Nauvoo Temple! What a neat experience!
Hear I am yaking with some of the support crew, Debbie Graham and Heather Hays.
Here's Heather in the nighttime blue grass band. Guitar, puffy coat, head-lamp, all set.
Dave McConkie. One of our dear friends, who now lives in Kaysville! We get to hang with him and Michelle frequently.
Here is Sierra our long-time babysitter. She's a pioneer in her own right. She joined the church when she was 10. She's been on her own since about 13. She's a sweetheart and tough cookie.
Leslie and Scott Wilkey. Love them. He's our accountant. Leslie was the Primary President and has a big spot in her heart for Talmage because Talmage is so good with her autistic grandson.
With Molly Justice and Laura DeLannoy. Molly and I served together in the Stake Primary Presidency. I was Laura's visiting teacher.
Ariane and Dave Dansie. I rode Lotoja with Ariane and Dave is Mr. Bicycle and was Jack's Wolf Den Leader.
Dr. Jeff Robison (medical person on call), Ryan Humphreys, Clint's assistant.
Clint and I hanging in the adult-only screen tent Clint set up with a cooler full of diet coke. It was very popular.
These two were the most amazing activity committee ever. Leather satchels, leather journals, a 15-foot high temple replica you could walk inside? Inspired and inspiring.
Heather and Harland Hayes - in charge of it all.
Cort and Maryanne Andrews. I adore them and their four smart and sassy daughters. Cort offered up a key connection for Clint in getting his job at AMRG. They moved to Utah county about the same time we moved to Farmington.
John and Debbie Graham: Food Committee. He's an oral surgeon turned orthodontist. She's a pediatric dentist and has four kids, yet she cooked and froze nine meals for 180 people! She's amazing.
Molly and Jeff Justice. Jeff is a real estate broker. Molly is a computer programmer. She is an amazing mother.
Jenny and Matt Asay. Jenny is the creative power behind the Nativity in the Glen, the Bonneville Elementary Shakespeare play and the Bonneville ski program. Matt was our home teacher and made us all fat on his homemade pies and Banbury Cross donuts on all our birthdays.
Boy this blog has made me homesick for our Yalecrest neighborhood. Boo Hoo!
