Hi, John and I just finished a 3500 mile road trip. Awesome wedding in SLC with Danielle and her now new hubby. Beautiful Temple wedding. We then went to Texas via a snow storm in Wyoming and Colorado. We had a great time visiting President Rodgers, Rachel, Paul, Sarah and Gloria. It was so cool to be in the mission field and hear about what missionary couples do out there in Lindale, Texas. It really got John and I fired up to get our mission call and go out to serve the Lord the best we can. I re-wrote the missionary song: "I hope they call me on a mission, when I have lost a pound or two..I hope by then I will be ready to preach and teach and serve as missionaries do. Love you all. We will let you know when we get our call.

China and back with Grams

Trip to China- 2009…..Yea!! Grams made it to china!

Day 1-2 (Oct. 14-15)

Bus Ride St.Geo.to Vegas. Burger at the King in the Airport. Flight to LAS- Calls and Texts to all our loves. Yogurt in the International Korean Hub. Jean did a cool slide through a puddle and landed gracefully. Got a bright bruise on her left hand. Flight to Seoul was the long leg- all 3 sisters in and out sleeping off and on for the 11 hour flight. Landing in Seoul uneventful until Jean looked the other way while riding the moving sidewalk…whoops fell off…but she got a cool matching bruise on her right hand.

Day 3 (Oct 16)

We lost Thursday along the way. That international dateline can throw you off. We’ll board soon to go to China. Had an interesting shrimp and rice breakfast on the plane. Oh yea, It’s morning in Shanghai. Yea! Arriving in China. Hotel is definitely 1 ½ stars. We got 2 beds and a rollaway. Donna got the roll in bed. Visited Shanghai shopping areas and saw the tugs on the River. Went to Shanghai #1 Dept. Store and window shopped. Had Dinner at a fun Bistro Style restaurant. Ankles Swollen from plane ride. After walking and touring all day..exhausted and slept soundly.

Day 4 (Oct 17)

Hot Chocolate in room (brought from home), Breakfast in dining room. Donna goes on non-singers bus and tours. Jean and I go to cultural hall to practice for International Choir Festival. (Purchased Jade at the hotel before going to sing). Practice all day at Arts Center. Center has a large mural of the Heritage Choir and other murals of other performers outside the front of the Center. The have performers and live bronzed statues outside..so cool. One is a violinist and one a guitarist…we took quick photos and had to go back in to queue for the performance. The fed us sandwiches, crackers and water for lunch and then same for dinner because we did not have time to leave all day. Festival was awesome. The other choirs were good…The audience loved our singing in Chinese. They cut other numbers from other choirs because of time…but did not cut any of ours.

Day 5 (Oct 18)

Breakfast at Jinsha Hotel…Depart for Shanghai Concert Hall for rehearsal. Rehearsed for couple of hours. A nice hall -but very warm inside. Performed concert and recorded for television and radio broadcast.

Great concert until all went black…whoops…I got clammy then passed out-gracefully I am told. They took me to rest room then gave me bottle of water to help refresh me. I sneaked back on stage and finished the concert- the master of ceremonies noted my return – even in Chinese I could tell talking about me and then audience applauded. Guess I “saved face” in their culture the custom is that one needs to “save face”. After the concert we visited the YU Garden Market. Amazing shopping maze…would not want to be lost there especially at night. Dinner..then to hotel. Try to sleep…foot still very swollen.

Day 6 (Oct 19)

Got packed and was going to bus but got stuck in elevator…Jean visiting with others in our group…why is elevator taking so long…oh yea, Jean forgot to push the button. We’ve just been sitting here a while. Next stop Airport and fly to Xi’an. Enjoyed Dumpling Banquet and then taken to the market in the Muslim District.

Day 7 (Oct 20)

Visit to the Terra Cotta Factory and Museum. Roadside pomegranate orchards and roadside vendors. Ate at the Noodle Factory. Watched noodles being made, stretched and tossed. Today is a definite B.Y.O.T.P. day. Visited the Great Mosque and then enjoyed a Hotpot dinner. This entire day has been one of those Déjàvu days.

We were to take our choir clothes with us today because we will not have time to go back and change before our concert at the Christian Church…one very few in China. We got word while on the bus that we need to change clothes now on way to the church. So we closed the drapes and all started changing. I thought Donna would pass out – because both men and women on the bus. We just all paid attention to ourselves. When we got to church we had to use restroom after long ride….they showed us to their finest squatters- (no doors on the squats) and so there us ladies were with nylons down and dresses up…..fun...fun… After the concert, our guide said he had been nervous because he is member of Communist Party and should not have any contact with religion. All was good- the Christian choir sang for us and we sang for them. We gave them St. Geo Marathon shirts afterwards. They were delightful lovely people.

Day 8 (Oct 21)

Fly to Beijing. Jean needed Imodium this morning. We had a 5 am wake up call to put luggage in the lobby by 5:30am. Jean woke up at 4:30 and did her makeup. Donna and I scrambled at 5 and took our bags down and went back to room to do make up. Breakfast at 6 am. Great at the airport, they have a ticket for everyone but me and one other lady. Our guide took my passport and asked me to wait. Jean and Donna proceed through security. I told them to “tell John I love him”. 20 minutes later I’m rushed thought “latecomers” line and I actually get on the plane before Donna and Jean- then worry about where they are.

Arrived in Beijing. Donna and Jean noted no laundry hanging from window apartments like in the other cities. (Note high rise apartments as far as the eye can see if all cities) So many people!!! Arrived at hotel—very nice 5 star Hotel. Hot in hotel- they say air conditioner is turned off for the season. We will leave window open and listen to traffic and breathe very polluted air all night next few nights. Tour of the Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square. Tiananmen Square means “Heavenly Peace” then Special Beijing Duck “Peking Duck” dinner. Return to hotel.

Day 9 (Oct 22)

Breakfast at the hotel. Went to the Forbidden City for a tour. Our guide lost most of our group. Donna asked some other Chinese guide to call our 2^nd group guide and he called our guide and told him where we were- the other side of the wall.

Concert tonight at Forbidden City Concert Hall. They had chairs for us on the front row. Thank goodness. Just before our intermission things were going black…but I stayed up. Got some water back stage and did 2^nd half of concert just fine.

Day 10 (Oct 23)

Breakfast at the hotel. Buses departed and we visited the Jade Factory. Saw how it is carved and how to tell real jade from fake by ringing sound and light through stones. Purchased a 5 layer ball representing family. Visited the Great Wall of China. Overwhelming feeling of spirit of china and peace. Life long quest to be on the Great Wall. Very wonderful feeling of fulfilling this dream.

Visited the Cloisonné Factory and had lunch in restaurant above the factory. Drove by and around the Olympic Village and Birds Nest Stadium. Visited the Pearl Factory. Later opted to skip dinner to attend a Marshall Arts Show. It was Kung Fu and ballet and a lovely play all in one. Glad we took the opportunity to see it.

Day 11-12 (Oct 24)

Long…….long……flight home. So glad to be back….family……clear, clean, skies

golfing

Went golfing with John and the boys. Finally found out that you can actually hit the ball off the Tee if you have one of the huge---(I mean big) headed clubs. Lots of fun.

Gloria's New Love

This is something that I'll bet you never thought you would see. This was taken at Jacob Lake.

More Noise

I have been adding more noise to the house to compensate for the beautiful music that Gloria makes on the piano.

Catching Up

Hi Fam,
John got us set up with a blog so we can keep up with you......and you with us. We have been married 3 months now and have had some fun adventures. We spent some time at the DelCornado Hotel in SanDiego our first week. We spent another weekend at Jacob Lake...and actually rode the Harley Motorcycle up and back--great trip! We have also been to a Rich Family Reunion in Ogden...sweet meeting all the cool Riches...very smart, good lookin' and nice group of new relatives. We took the green machine (the M) to Ogden...it drove nicely.
We also stopped in Orem and visited with Robin and Rachel. Robin is all grown up and starting her first year at BYU...was great fun to see them.
John & I also had a fun trip to Mesa to visit the "girls"...Ronni, Bekee, Wendy and Leah and their families..got together for Pizza with the children and dinner that night with the adults....Anyone got a photo of that? -would like for my blog.

Yes, it's true about John playing the violin and my taking piano listens. Actually John is sounding really good for only playing for a short time...and I am improving on the piano. We look forward to Heather's violin lessons with John, because we all go out to dinner after the lessons.