We left home July 21st.  We drove to Bartlesville OK.  It has been almost 5 years since we were there last and it still has the wonderful feeling it has always had.  We were able to visit with Greg and Carol Allred and Dee and Karen Johnston.  It was great to see them again.  We stayed at Mike and Robbie Vaclaw’s but they were in OK city working in the temple, so we didn’t get to see them.  It was nice of them to let us stay there.  They have had Jon in their garage apartment for the summer while Jon is doing his internship at the radio station.  We got to see Jon at work and we went golfing.  We only played 9 holes.  When we finished it was 107 degrees.

Larry, Robyn & Jon

We left Jon and headed for Utah.  Our drive was uneventful until we were in Pueblo Co.  Our car broke down.  At church Sunday morning we were blessed to find a wonderful young man who was able to help us and get us on the road by Monday morning.  This was true blessing.  We arrived in SLC just in time for the special family reunion with my cousin Helene.

Gillis family 2011

Larry went golfing with his sons a couple times.  We took Livia, McKenna and Amiya golfing too.  We had a lot of fun.  We went to dinner with friends and family.  It was fun to see them and get to spend time with each of them.  The trip ended with the baptism of McKenna Fleming.  A wonderful end to a wonderful time in Utah.

Larry, McKenna and Robyn

We did some sightseeing on our way home driving through Arches and Mesa Verde.  Amazing.  We had dinner with Evan and Jes on our way through Dallas.

Below are photos of some of the beautiful sights we saw.

Sunset in Utah

visit to Boot Hill

 

SLC Temple

Arches

sights we saw on trip

Just one dwelling in Mesa Verde

We saw some beautiful country and amazing sights.  It was fun to just get to drive and stop when we wanted to.

It was a wonderful trip and came home with some updated photos of family.

Livia, Amiya, McKenna

McKenna & Livia

Jaren & Amy Anderson

The Fleming family

First I drove to Dallas.  Evan was out of town but after Jes got off work we went out to eat and have a nice evening.  It was fun hanging out with her.  The next morning she took me to the airport.  I flew to Oklahoma city where Krista, Max and Elise picked me up.  We went to Braums for lunch and it was sooooo good.  We checked into our hotel and went swimming.  That evening we went out to dinner with the Dee Johnston family.  It was so nice to get to see and visit with them all.  The next day we met the Johnston’s at the Oklahoma City temple where we were able to see Kelly be sealed to her husband and their son sealed to them.  Matt Bastings was there and it was fun seeing him.  We also got to see Robbie and Mike Vaclaw, Darleen Powell and President and Sister Southward.  After the sealing Krista, the children and I headed for Utah.  We had a fun drive. Mas and Elise are great travelers.   We arrived in Salt Lake the evening of June 17th.  Krista dropped me off at Mom and Dad’s. The only sad part of the  trip was my erasing all my photos from when we left for Utah to the Friday before I left.  I just hope to get copies of Krista’s photos of our trip out there.

We celebrated Elise’s birthday in the canyon on the 18th and that was fun and beautiful.

I got to spend time with Daniel and Michelle and Amiya, Livia and McKenna.  I took the girls to play mini golf and we had a great time.  We spent time at Liberty park.  A great place to go with children.

Livia and McKenn

A very wet Amiya

I also got to spend a lot of time with my parents.  This time was very special.  We went to the temple, I got to take Dad to the doctors and see how wonderful the VA facility is for him.  We also went out to dinner with my siblings.  Then as an extra I got to see some old friends that I grew up with.  It was just a wonderful trip.

Mom and Dad June 2011

Elsia, she now has a place of her own.

Through the years I’ve wondered about my other Grand-daughters. They should have a doll also.  When Krista turned 12 she received a doll made by her Grandmother Eastman.  She has that doll in her home and has taken some very special photos of Elise with this doll.  Elise will receive this doll when she is older although she has a chance to see it often, since it is in her home.  But what about the other girls.  So when a neighbor moved and had dolls for sale I bought 3 more dolls.  One will go to McKenna, one to Amiya and one to an unnamed granddaughter.  These dolls have been in the guest bedroom, but they too had no cases.  Well Ron bought three cases at the auction and they each have their own home now.

The first was to Branson.  It was the week before Brenda and Kerry Beyeler were leaving for Idaho and they spent some of their time with us.  It was fun seeing them and getting to visit with them.  We saw some fun shows and had dinner with them a couple times at some of our favorite places there.

Brenda, Robyn, Larry and Kerry, Hardluck Cafe

The last day we were there Jon, Krista, Max and Elise came down.  We went to Silver Dollar City and had a fun day.

Breakfast, Krista, Elise & Max

Elise & Max, Silver Dollar city

While there we saw first hand some of the flooding, mostly at Branson Landing.

Drive up was exciting. Then closed the road after we got through.

Branson Landing, there is where they usually have their water and fire show hourly. Not now.

We then went to Dallas.  We went to the temple, only 4 in our session.  We got to visit with Evan and Jes.  Then Evan got us tickets to go to the PGA Colonial.  We enjoyed the pro-am parings.  There was a man who was playing his 50th year in this.  We had lunch with Evan.  It was a short but fun trip.  Always nice to get to visit one of the children.

The first part of May we had a wonderful visit with Jay Bach and his girlfriend, Lexie.  Jay was one of our missionaries who stayed in our home when serving.

Lexie, Jay, Robyn & Larry

The next week we have Roger and Deb Francis visit.  We played a lot of golf and had fun visiting with them.  It was good to have them here and fun to get to play golf with them gain.

The 13th Mike and Robbie Vaclaw were here.  Friday the 13 Mike, Larry and Lorne played golf.  It was Robbie’s birthday and she and I spent the day together.  We did some shopping and had lunch.  We did a lot of visiting. It was a very fun day.

Larry, Robyn, Robbie & Mike

At the end of May Jon came for a visit.  It was fun having him here.  He helped with a tag sale, and started a web-sight for the store.  We also made him a coat.

Jon in finished product

It was so fun having these wonderful Friends and family here.

As many of you know last June Larry bought into an Antique, gift and Collectables store.  He has spent the last 9 months helping to improve the store. Below are some photos of the store, Lloyd & Sacks.

Front of stoe at Christmas

inside store

We have had a fun time going to different places and buying and picking for the store.

car full after some picking

Larry and his partners have also bought the contents of a couple of houses.  This has brought a lot of adventures.

Picking though a shed at one of the houses

Just one room in the last house.

At the last house we found a lot of treasures.  The man who lived there had bought pretty much two of everything and lots of it was still in the boxes.  There were about 20 ice chests, 2 grills, 2 smokers, and lots and lots of tools.  Not to mention crystal, crock pots, china, camping equipment and lots lots more.  There had not been any human living in the house for 5 years.  Everything was staked high and there was just a small path to walk thought the house.  It was with this house I found I was not a REAL PICKER.  I had to wait for them to clean it up before I could go in and help.

some of the crystal found

We had a three day tag sale the last of April and didn’t even get to the tools and the house is still full.  We plan to have one mover sale at the house May 20th before bringing whats left back to the store. Come and see.

It has been fun.  Larry and I love going out for the hunt.  One trip to Branson, we were at a house and they had been going thought a couple sheds for us. As we were stuffing the last of our goodies in the jeep the man said, ” I thought the American Pickers had a white van.”  I answered, “Well we are the Arkansas pickers and we have a red one for the Razorbacks.”  So we continue to look for the best find and are having a lot of fun doing it.

I am finally feeling better, it has seemed like forever since I’ve been pain free.  However I did get a lot of things done while recovering.  I was pretty much down on my back and after the 2nd week I decided I had to do something other than watch TV so I crocheted around these 13 baby blankets,  I also crocheted 6 dish rags.

13 Baby blankets

I also did a lot of reading.  Besides my reading of the Book of Mormon and the months Ensign, I read 5 books.  Now for me that is an accomplishment.   I read  Glimpses into the Life of Marjorie Pay Hinckley, The R Document, A Legacy of Love by Victoria Burks, and three of the Harry Potter Books.  As I got better I also helped Larry with his store.  (There will be an entry on this later.)  It is soooo good to be feeling better and back to what ever normal is.  I am grateful for all those who brought us meals and for the lovely flowers I received from my wonderful husband, parents and friends.

More flowers

There were more flowers and I am so grateful.

I think of all the reasons she is so special and a hero to me.  I think of the nights we stayed up late doing her homework.  I think of her smile and happy nature, of her love for everyone.  How she always tried to be sure everyone was happy.  She was a peace maker and a joy to have as a daughter.  I think of how I loved to hear her play her flute.  When she finally talked us into letting her play the French horn how much I loved to see and hear her play it.  Two memories of her playing the French horn were, when she was in high school and had a solo and something happened to her horn and she had to leave the stage.  She got it taken care of and was back in time to play her solo.  Another memory is when she played in an outdoor concert on the 4^th of July in Pittsburg.  She was always so happy playing that horn.

I think of how she wanted to go to OSU but when things were not working out she was guided up to see her sister.  How she followed the prompting and went up and decided to go to school in Pittsburg.  I was always so proud of her work with the deaf and autistic children.

I am so proud of the wonderful wife and mother she has become. It is fun to see how good she is with her children.   She is a wonderful friend to all those around her.

It was because of her I came to understand more fully how much our Father in Heaven loved us by letting his son suffer for us.  Her faith in our Father in Heaven has been an example to me and her love for him and his son has always helped me. I am grateful for her council and love.   I think of those years she took her little baby and son to help take care of her sisters children.  I know this was a hard thing for her but she did it out of love for them and her sister.  She has always been a great support to me.  I love her very much and am grateful to the Lord for her special spirit.  I am so glad he sent her to our home, and to me. Love you Krista and thanks for being my daughter.

While Justin was here we  had very nice visit and Larry and I got to play golf with him.  It was especially nice having Justin here, since it was the first of his children who had come to visit.  We always welcome family to come and enjoy the wonders of Arkansas.  Things like pollen that covers everything that is in sight.  If you are wondering ask Justin.

Great to have them visit and anyone of you.

I got to have a sleep over with the three granddaughters that live there. 

I got to see Danie, Michelle, my parents and other family members.  

We got to spend time with Larry’s sons and their families.

We were home 5 days and I went to Kansas city and a day later Larry went back to Utah for 10 days.   While I was in Kansas City I got to help Krista with her house.  We cut and hung doors and put framing around closets and doors.  It was fun to be with her and her family. 

We even got to visit with Evan and Jes in Dallas as we left and came back to Dallas when we went to Utah.  So we got to see all of our children but Amanda who is in Seattle and Jon who was in Ireland when we were doing our traveling.  All in all it was a very nice time.