Meranda and Pedro

Congratulations to Meranda Kay Wood and Daniel Pedro Sanchez, Jr. on their engagement.

Set your calendar for Saturday, February 20, 2016.

They are so excited and have a great adventure ahead of them.

I'm excited to plan a wedding.

Parker won't be here for the wedding, but OF COURSE he has asked for a life size cutout to stand in his place.

The Bond is Strong

We get together at least once a year with 3 of my friends (and their husbands) that I met almost 30 years ago when I started working in public accounting in the Big 8 firm of Coopers & Lybrand.

The year was 1986.  When I joined the firm, there were 2 women in the audit department - Cheri and Barb.  Cheri was married - a U of U grad.  Barb was single - a BYU grad. I started in January 1986 (as an intern) together with Kristi (a recent BYU grad).

It was difficult to enter a male dominated work force.  It was hard.  There were things said, situations we were put in, challenges we faced every day. We often met in the woman's restroom for pep talks and therapy sessions.

Last night was one of those good therapy sessions.  Our husbands still couldn't believe the "crap" we had to deal with.

I know that women today are still faced with the same issues.  You see it in the news every day.  I know a lot of people don't believe it or don't want to believe it happens, but it does. 

I know that women have become stronger.  They are more confident and even more determined to be treated as an equal.  

We are still a long ways away - I see it even today with my own work situation. I like to think that what we went through in 1986 in some small way helped pave the way for other women who wanted to get an education, who wanted to have a career, who wanted to become a wife and mother.

Last night it became clear why the four of us have remained friends.  We have supported each other through good times and bad.  Balancing work - marriages - motherhood - becoming a widow and single mom - marriage of our children - sending missionaries out into the field - becoming grandparents - losing our own parents. 

We bonded years ago and that bond is still very strong!

He's a missionary!

Parker survived the 12 days in the MTC and is on to Houston!
He woke up at 2:40 a.m. to report to the front desk by 3:30 a.m.
They bused them to the Provo Frontrunner Station.  He said it took forever to get from Provo to the airport. He called us from the airport at 7:30 a.m. and we talked for 40 minutes.

He is excited but also a little nervous.

He didn't ask about the US Tennis Open - but I was ready - I even wrote the names of the winners on the women's side.  He was disappointed that I didn't watch any of the matches.  I told him I couldn't even remember which channel was the Tennis Channel - I didn't know they were on ESPN.  Hopefully he will meet someone in Houston that can keep him posted on Tennis - because I don't think I will do a very good job.

There are 24 missionaries going to T.H.E. Mission.
He said he talked with a group going to Lithuania today.  He told them to tell Elder Petersen "Hi" from his big redheaded cousin.

He says he still can't believe he is a missionary.
He loved his district in the MTC.
He is ready and I know he will do the best he can!

Signed, sealed, delivered!

The missionary is finally on his mission.
He is such a good boy!
He says the hardest part will be living in Provo for a 12-14 days.
Our house is so quiet and we actually got to bed on Wednesday night before midnight.
I just wish he could call/text me and tell me about his companion, the food, his day...I guess I'll find out eventually.

3 WEEK COUNTDOWN.....

Three weeks from today Parker enters the MTC......
Three more Sundays....
Three more Mondays...
Cousin Annie took some great pictures and was even mistaken for his Mom.
I'm excited for Parker. 
I'm excited to have a missionary out again. 
Our house will be quiet and we will miss him but he is going to be an amazing missionary!

 

Graduation Trip 2015

We give our high school graduating children a trip of their choice. 
Preston chose NYC - Yankees games - touristy stuff
Meranda chose So Cal - San Diego - Anaheim - SeaWorld - Disneyland - Beach
Parker chose the New England States - all six of them

It was a great trip.  The northeast is beautiful. I love the New England Accents.

We did visit all 6 states, although one was just a drive through.

I don't think I will go back there again - but if I do.....

I would spend more time in Vermont.
I would spend NO time in Connecticut.
If I had a choice - I would send my children to Harvard - not Yale.
I would love to rent a beach house along the Maine Coast.

Our fun packed trip included:
Boston Red Sox Game
Visiting the Boston Temple (it was closed and there is no visitors center)
Visiting Cambridge - Harvard Campus
Walking the Freedom Trail - really cool - other than they basically charge you to see the historic buildings - which is a rip off - and no we did not pay
Prudential Center - Skywalk Observatory
Boston Harbor Sunset Cruise (a very SLOW boat ride around the Harbor)
The 4th of July Fireworks
JFK Library - very cool!
Plymouth Rock (cute town)
New Haven, CT - Yale campus - a TOTAL DIVE!
Deerfield, MA - Yankee Candle Store/factory

Sharon, VT - birthplace of Joseph Smith - out in the middle of nowhere
Montepelier, VT - a very cute town - an amazing Italian Restaurant
Waterbury, VT - home of Ben & Jerry's - very good ice cream - bought cute shirts - and lost some of them somewhere along the way
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH
Portsmouth, NH
Maine Coast - very cool - the houses are super cute

Rye Harbor, NH - took a whale watching cruise - 24 miles off the coast - saw 3 Meinke whales and a sun fish
North Hampton, NH - ate at a delicious pizza place - Flatbread pizza
Hampton, NH - as Parker said - a totally "ratchet" place - we couldn't wait to get out of there

The scenery was beautiful.  The people were nice.  They had no idea where Salt Lake City was - one lady thought it was in Arizona.  I guess they don't focus on US Geography in school.

We had some good family time!  I love my family.  I missed Preston, Katie and Beau. 

Glad to be home.....

HAPPY GRADUATION TO PARKER 2015

Friday, June 5, 2015 marked graduation for my youngest. 

I am finished with the public school system as a parent.

The graduation was quite nice - a very well behaved group of students.

Parker was on the podium as a Senior Class Officer.

We had a crazy party at our house that night.

He started working today - no rest for the new graduate!