Payson Temple Open House

After graduation we had planned a trip to see the Payson Temple Open House. We had reserved 4 tickets for 7pm so we had some time for dinner. On the way, we stopped in Spanish Fork at Cafe Rio's and ran into President Flake's parents. His dad is so tall that he's hard to miss. He will be a sealer in the temple when it is dedicated. 

I loved the sealing rooms and celestial room, but what made the biggest impression on me was the waiting room for sealings. The Seattle Temple is limited by their small waiting room. This one was massive with seating areas filling the huge room. I loved the high ceilings as well. Beautiful!

Katie and Tyler Graduate from BYU

 We drove down to Provo to see Katie and Tyler graduate from college. Katie is 20-weeks pregnant and on the day of graduation had an ultrasound. So when the two of them arrived at the Marriott Center, Katie announced that the baby was a boy. We let out a big "Whoop!" Let the party begin!

Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed the celebration with us. That nice necklace around her neck is for graduating with honors. Nice.

Tyler's program had participated in digital rendering on Kung Fu Panda years ago so there's this great statue in his computer science building.

Hillside Houses

 I started the Hillside Houses quilt with the collected solids. It is a simple quilt if you can follow a recipe. I didn't alter anything from the pattern since the shadows are so important.

The backing is just the leftovers.

Up close, it's difficult to see lights and darks. I had to stand back quite often to see the correct perspective.

Trip to Fort Casey

 We took a quick trip to Whidbey Island to play at Fort Casey. The old battlements are a favorite location for us and we love to take friends there. This time we had Pam with us so we could show her the beach and lighthouse.

From our home, we drive north to Mount Vernon and go west on Hwy 20 as shown on the blue line. We cross over the water many times on incredible bridges. The best of these is Deception Pass Bridge. 

For the return home, we take the gray route so we can ride on a ferry. The ferry from Clinton (Whidbey Island) to Mukilteo is only about 30 minutes and is very comfortable. Ocassionally they put out puzzles on the tables so you can put a few pieces together before you disembark.

We bought cheap kites at Wal-Mart and brought them with us. The wind is always blowing right off the water. Fort Casey was constructed by the U.S. Army in the late 1800s; it was equipped for defense and used as a training facility up to the mid-1940s. At its inception, the fortification on Whidbey Island was part of a new national defense system, to protect U.S. coasts and waterways. 

Soldiers were stationed at Fort Casey from 1899 to 1945. The fort’s 10-inch disappearing guns and other modern weapons were the height of technology in the early 20th century, as were the fort’s plotting rooms, observation stations and communications systems.

Improvements in warships and the rise of the airplane soon rendered these forts obsolete, however. By the 1920s, their effectiveness had waned and, though Fort Casey stayed open for training through World War II, it was decommissioned soon after the end of the war.

The triangle of protection formed by Fort Casey, Fort Worden, and Fort Flagler protected the Puget Sound from enemy ships. Eventually all would be converted into State Parks. We have traveled to each and enjoy them every time.

Happy Easter

 Again, we had incredible weather for Easter Sunday. I just don't understand it. Today was different in that it was spring's General Conference broadcast from Salt Lake City. It was a special time to be with our family. There was only one egg that couldn't be found. Maybe it will surface in the fall.

Howard and Pam's Wedding

 Pam had a very difficult time getting her fiancé visa so she could travel to the US. Plus, her twin brother was getting married just before her departure. The plan was for her to arrive on Wednesday, go to the courthouse and get a license (Washington has a 3-day waiting period), and then get married on Friday. The announcements were printed and mailed.

But Pam couldn't arrive until Thursday, so we made the decision to move the wedding to Saturday morning. Why not keep the reception on Friday night? It turned out to be the best idea yet. We picked up Pam at SeaTac Airport and drove immediately to the King County Courthouse in Kent--just in time. Howard and Pam filled out the paperwork and we drove back to Camano Island with a marriage license. 

We spent some time decorating the church, trying to communicate with Pam. She was great at making fans and pom-poms. I can only imagine how nervous she was.

Sheryl was so sweet to make this lovely cake and cupcakes in blue and yellow.

Willard Men.

And just like that, they were married. President Olson was kind enough to fill in for Br. Shaw. Since we scheduled him for Friday and he lives in Sequim, there was no way I was going to make him do that trip again in the morning. And you can bet he offered.

 We were missing Jackson and Frazier, who would have loved to be there. Afterwards we stopped by Teriyaki and More for a luncheon, as is our tradition. The happy couple then drove off to their honeymoon in Leavenworth. Pam finally got to enjoy some snow!

Moda Love

 I loved making this Moda Love Quilt. A free pattern, it's easy and fun in three different sizes. After I finished the big one, I donated it to the young women to be auctioned off. You can visit this quilt at Grandma Beck's house.

The large size is 72" x 72".

The medium size is 32" x 32".

The small size is 12" square.

The funny part is that they each took the same amount of time.

Here are some quilting pics.