Berne, Switzerland

Our dear friends from our ward took us to to Switzerland April 1st and 2nd.  That's how I celebrated my sister Kathryn's birthday on the 1st and Emilee's and Spencer's  birthdays on the 2nd.

Bob and Judy Palmer live in Bobstat.......he says the Romans named it knowing he would live there centuries later......I believe him!  We left our car at their place.

Judy did all the arranging and Bob did all the driving.  

Lots of steps and lots of gorgeous buildings, statues, and bears......Bern means bear.

They live down by the river.......

This is the only one we could see.....I guess the rest were still hibernating.

Berne has covered sidewalks......or you can take your life in your hands and walk on the side of the street.......but be careful you don't fall into one of the basement shops!

We were there when the clock chimed 4 o'clock.

I have loved seeing these old cities and their beautiful architecture and historic significance in Europe.

Very nice hotel.......

When I looked out our window, I got a beautiful view of Switzerland.......and a flashback to the

"Whirly-gig" on the playground of Petnetneet School in Payson.    This one is secured with ropes, but the one I played on would spin and rock and I can still see kids flying off in all directions.......it was wild and dangerous.....and so much fun!!

We came to Bern to attend the Swiss Temple.  We went to a session Friday evening and did sealing Saturday morning.  We took Palmers' names.  I called Becky Scott and arranged to meet her and Dave Saturday morning.    We met Dave as he was helping the Mission President's son move.  I saw Becky as she was serving  in the temple.

We were thrilled to meet our Assistant Area Auditor, brother Savian.  I had 

told him we were coming and it happened that he was the sealer for our session.  We haven't been able to meet  many of the AAAs, so this was a real thrill for us.

We left Bern about 1 o'clock and had slow traffic for about an hour.  So the Palmers re-programmed the GPS to miss the traffic jam.  I dozed off and the next thing I learned was ...we were in France!  After that little side trip, we got back on the autobahn and back to Friedrichsdorf about 8:30.  It was a great week end!

Back to work on Monday!

Amsterdam and Brugge

We have heard about the tulips in Holland and made it a goal to see them while we are in Europe.  Four couples went.....the Bausmans and Caracenas in one car and Gordon and Carlene Walker drove us.  It was a 5 1/2 hour drive.  We stayed at the Shanghai Hotel in Delph.  We ate at the hotel restaurant that night......none of us ordered fish lips soup or large intestine stir fry, but what we did order was very good.  I stuck with corn soup and fried rice.

Yvonne and Mitch Bausman, me, Carlene and Gordon Walker, Marilyn and Bernie Caracenas

Good Friday.....March 25

First stop....Keukenhof Gardens.       This is located in the "bulb district " of Holland.  On our way we saw fields of hyacinths and daffodils, but we were too early to see the fields of tulips.

We found thousands of tulips, and every other spring flower in the huge greenhouses.

You can tell we had a lot of fun in spite of the showers.  

Then it was off to Kinderdijk and lots of windmills.....and rain and cold wind.

We never did find the little boy with his finger in the dam.  Maybe that's a myth.

Friday evening was spent in Zoetemeer in The Hague Temple.  It is a beautiful place to see (and be in) and makes our second temple visited in Europe.

If it's Saturday, it must be Amsterdam!  What a city!!  Museums, canals, architecture......it was wonderful!  Rode the street car to the museum area and spent several hours in the Rljks Museum.

Saw the Night Watch by Rembrandt .....among other treasures.

Right after Keith took the picture, the man on the right reminded us to turn off our flash....oops!

Every person in Holland wanted their picture taken on front of the "IAMSTERDAM" sign, so we settled for just the "S".

The Canal Cruise was great.....that is something you have to do when you are here.  The old buildings are amazing!  

It was Easter weekend and the city was crowded.  We tried a month ago to get tickets to Anne Frank's  house and Cori Tenboom's but they were sold out.   Had a nice dinner and back to the hotel.

We went to Sacrament Meeting on Easter morning in Dordrecht, a small ward with a great spirit.

The young missionaries there were so enthusiastic and helpful.  They know Elder Steenblik from our home ward.....we told them to tell him "Hi!"  I loved hearing the Dutch language, but I sang my favorite Easter hymn, He is Risen, in English.

Then it was off to Brugge, Belgium.  The bombings last Tuesday caused some concern, but we stayed away from Brussels and felt safe the entire time.  

More cobblestones, quaint canals, and Belgium lace......and rain!  Even ate a Belgium waffle!

Went to Museum Brugge,and then  Bloedbasiliek where we saw an ornate tube containing the of Christ .......donations welcomed.

We stayed at the Ibis Hotel.  It used to be an Abbey.  The rooms are the original size as when the nuns lived there.......

Yep.........tiny !

We came "home" on Monday by way of Gent.  Then another  5 1/2 hours.....this time in heavy rain for much of the way.  

It was an lovely and memorable Easter weekend.  Next year it's back to Easter egg hunts in our backyard!     

Today we at 50 days......but who's counting!!!

March 22, 2016.....2 months minus 1 day....

Frohe Ostern!   

Easter is coming early this year.  It is still cloudy and cold most days, but when the sun does shine, we have hope that spring is just around the corner!

My work at the office has slowed down quite a bit lately so I have been going into Family  Search to give me something to do.  Keith keeps busy with corresponding with the 29 Assistant Area Auditors and making plans for a trip to Madrid for some training.  Our replacements will be here to go with us, too.  They will arrive on May 3rd and we will go to Madrid the 5th, back on the 8th.  The next weekend we will  host the new AAAs here in Friedrichsdorf ...and fly home on the next weekend!  We have started a bucket list and will try  to see some sights before we go home.

We went to an Easter Market in Wiesbaden two Saturday's ago.

We thought we could find a place to have lunch, but our GPS didn't cooperate, so we ended up in Bad Homberg and enjoyed good old American food......

Last weekend we went Johannasberg to the wood carver's shop and I picked up an elephant boy to go with the elephant I got to go with one of my Nativities.  We also went to Aschaffenburg and went through a museum in a palace.  Fortunately I took my camera....unfortunately, I forgot to put the sd card in it!  Dang!  We went with E/S Mills.  

One of our favorite co workers became a grandpa last month.  I had Kaycee send me a cute receiving blanket and burp cloth, and I crocheted around them.  Now little Ariel has a nice little American blanket to keep her warm.  Michelle moved into a new house and became a grandpa at the same time, and he brought a feast to the office to celebrate.

I must admit we are getting pretty excited to see our family and friends again.  No babies waiting for us, but grandkids from almost 19 to almost 3 will fill our arms again!

Our big news is......our first grandson, Spencer Cahoon, has been called to the Australian Brisbane Mission!!!  Yes they are calling babies on missions now!  It just doesn't seem possible he and Emilee will graduate in June!  She will be going to the Y in the fall.

We are planning a trip to Amsterdam this weekend with 3 other couples.  Really looking forward to a great trip.  Hoping to spend a night in Brugge, Belgium.  There was a bombing in Brussels this morning, but we are hoping everything being on high alert will work to our advantage.  I hope I remember my camera and the card!

So I'll say it again.....Frohe Ostern and hope you enjoy this weekend thinking about the reason for this season.  He lives......this we know.

Love to all..........

First post of 2016

Can't say goodbye to 2015 before wishing my best-companion- in-all-the-world a Happy Birthday!

After we took LeAnn and Austin to the airport on Christmas morning, we had brunch with the missionaries.....

a lovely program ......

.....and celebrating Elder SAUNDERS' 70 something birthday.  Thanks, E/S HAWKINS!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Frankfurt!

  We celebrated with the missionaries by visiting the Mathesons',  the Newman's, and the Hawkins' apartments for food and fun.   The young missionaries joined us and added their joy and enthusiasm.......they are an amazing group!

It was very foggy, but we could see the FIREWORKS in the street below us, and see the glow on the sky around us.  I wish I could know how much money went into them.....they were everywhere....and lasted over an hour or more.  By the time we left to go home, the foggy smoke was very thick.  The celebration was still going on here in Friedrichsdorf, but it was quiet by 1:30 a.m.

We've had a little snow, but nothing like Utah has had.  Mostly rain, a week of frozen temperatures, and still the lawns and fields are green.  To keep our spirits up, we had a dinner and dominos party with the Mills, Bakers, and Malcoms.  The Mills are our new Zone Leaders replacing the Riggs.

Their first Zone Conference was a great success.  The theme was "A Marvelous Work", referring to the gospel and missionary work.  Elder Dyches of the Area Presidency spoke, as did Elder Mills and E/S Castleton who are leaving in February.  We will really miss them.  They got here after we did and are going home before us......that's the difference in 18 months and 23 months!  By the way, we have been here longer than all the missionaries.  We will be having the next Zone Conference the end of April to accommodate the 4 couples who will be leaving in May.....including us!

This is the most wonderful group of people.  We are so grateful to be a part of them!

We were asked to arrange the dinner after the meeting.  We asked  a member of our ward to cater it and she delivered the most wonderful meal!  Thanks to Sister Sonia Silva for the delicious Portugese meal.

And thanks to Sue Mason for helping......sorry I missed  a picture of Elizabetha Calebrese.

I did the decorations......I miss you, Sister Dittmar!  We used a Valentine theme.  

We have really missed being able to go to the temple, so we were anxious to go to the Open 

House  showing the plans and the progress.  The new Stake Center is looking good.....

The baptistery will be underground, so there will be more room in the temple.....I wish we could see the new changes, but we are hoping to return to the Draper baptistery to resume our service there.

The weather has been gloomy.  This is the view from my desk.

But last Thursday was brightened by 2 things......we got a new picture for our office wall.....

And then we got a package from Kaycee filled with love and hearts......that's the theme Kaycee set

for our mission....H E A R T.....His Example Always Remains True.

The conversation hearts were a big hit.....they don't have them here, so everyone had to see, read, and eat some.  Missing the Hershey kisses, too.

While eating my lunch, a potato chip crumb fell onto my skirt......coincidence?  I think not!

We took Marianna Starbauch to dinner to thank her for all the sweet and helpful things she does for us.  

She choose a delightful restaurant in Nidderau-Windecken, where she lives.

Keith had salmon and we had  ka noodle......potatoes filled with ham and bacon.....Tyler would have loved it!

After dinner, when it was too dark to take pictures, she showed us the results of a project she was involved with a couple of years ago.  Their committee commissioned an artist to make brass tiles and install them in the cobblestones in front of the homes where Jewish people has been taken and placed in concentration camps during WW II.  Marianna had purchased one for a couple and showed us where they used to live.  May we never forget........

Memorable day!  Sisters Ryser, Me, Piedgrass, and Castleton posing outside this wonderful souvenir shop in Wiesbaden with the proprietress.  (This is supposedly the biggest coo-coo-clock in Germany.). This lady was so helpful....she loves the missionaries...and she should.....we spent ALOT of money on souvenirs!  Sister Piedgrass just got here, but the rest of us are leaving in February, April, and May.  What a fun day....just me and my credit card!!

We have had to cancel our trip at the end of our mission because of problems that would occur if we stayed past our visa date.  Long story, but it so okay.  Keith doesn't understand the concept of "found money", (which is strange with him being an accountant)... So it's a good thing I do.  I found this extra money that we saved by not going on the tour........so I spent some of yesterday!  Now, ladies......am I smart, or what!!!

 Time for church.  Sending love from Germany!