Cruisin' with Friends

Day 1 - Get settled

On board the funship "CONQUEST"

Cruisin' with Tom & Lora, who invited us to join them on this cruise.

(Lora was my best friend from 1970 to 1996.  

In 1996, the year I married Lane, she became 

my best 'girl'-friend.  Needless to say, she has 

been my awesome friend since I was 11.)

Day 2 - DAY AT SEA

Day 3 - JAMAICA

Dunn's River Falls walk

Day 4 - Grand Cayman

Water day and no waterproof camera, so no proof.

Lane and I spent the day at the beach, relaxing in handmade 

lounge chairs of soft white sand, walking the beach, 

'swimming' in the ocean during a downpour, 

then lunching by a resort pool.

Day 5 - Cozumel, Mexico

A tour of the island took us to a Kaokao shop (samples and purchases), 

a gin factory tour (no partaking of samples), 

a beach or two, and an ocean front lunch.

Day 6 - DAY AT SEA

Formal night & flirty photo

Day 7 - DISEMBARK

(but only after a scrumptious breakfast of 

fruit loop encrusted french toast, BAM!)

Hugs to Lora and Tom.  Thanks for the invite.  We love you guys!

January 2015

A family update

Living in Miami means we have a tiny yard.  

We revamped the landscaping to enhance pool privacy.  

It only takes 15 minutes to mow the yard.  

Living in Miami also means we could hardly get any further from 

the Washington Hansens...unless we move to the Philippines (haha).  

This side of tropical livin' makes our hearts heavy.  They send us 

photos to torment us with the cuteness of our grandchildren.

I've plotted how many minutes a day are needed to finish 

this afghan for Sam & Jamie's expected son.  I'm crocheting 

3 hours a day to finish off over 1,500 loose ends.

Towards the end of the month we will fly to SLC and deliver 

the afghan to Sam & Jamie while in town for the remarriage 

of my dear mother.  We only got as far as the Ft Lauderdale 

airport -- crochet hook and afghan in my lap, when we received 

a photo by text.  A handsome grandson arrived a week early!  

Time to sprint to the finish line.

Just in time!

The wedding and surrounding events were beautiful.  

It's been 6 years since I've been together with my siblings.  

The following morning we topped off the trip with a family breakfast at Steph's.

And a mother-daughter dinner to commemorate 3 birthdays.  

All 3 of these gorgeous girls have birthdays within a 4 week period.

I'm talking the gorgeous BIG girls...

Next:  Callie's 30th birthday shin-dig!

A Colombian Christmas

It was indeed a Merry CHRISTmas.

Finding ourselves far from family during the holidays...once again.  

We managed to snag a couple standby seats to COLOMBIA.  

December 23rd, 2014 to January 3rd, 2015

This was Lane's idea, and a brilliant one too.  

I wasn't sure at first but it was quite a wonderful surprise.

It unfolded in two parts.  

Part 1 - Homebase: BOGOTA  

Part 2 - Homebase: MEDELLIN

Here is a photo play-by-by.

part 1 - BOGOTA

A little exercise never hurt anybody.

Christmas dinner - TGIFriday's

Bogota Temple

A bus ride, taxi, and a stroll to...

Bogota street art

                    part 2 - MEDELLIN

City viewpoint - absolutely stunning

This rock climb up 659 steps was awesome!

The Botero Plaza was a fitting finale.

We'll be back!

part 3 - CARTAGENA

(as always, it's good to arrive home in the U.S. of A.)

December 2014

December 2014

Finally got my H'owl's painted & hung.

BYU's bowl game was in...MIAMI!!!

I am a soccer fan...of Kathleen's, (one of my favorite seminary students).

Seminary love.  

"But I don't want to wake up."

Seminary - 1st term is complete.

I started very late to make sock monkey's for my class.  As the days wore on it was obvious I could not finish them to gift my students on the last day of the term.  Lane said, you have to finish them.  So, with his support, I stayed up until 4:30 a.m. to finish 10. (Esteban was the one student who's monkey could wait...he was already on break.)  I slept 1 hour on the sofa and then crashed after seminary.

Back to the future...later this month I will buy a pair of 

alpaca socks in Bogota and create this monkey for my sweetie.

Ward Christmas Party... 

I call this my split door wreath...

And my tall skinny white tree...

An unexpected visit with the Bullocks - enroute to a Caribbean cruise.

                                       ~ tiny version of a shepherd's dinner, 

                                   ~ wishing Lane a Marry Christmas,

                                   ~ my new nativity set,

                                   ~ cookies!

Next:

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM COLOMBIA