Time for Another Hunter Girl Excursion to the Happiest Place on Earth

We got an EARLY start on Tuesday. We all got flights before or around 6:00 am and all arrived at LAX by 8:00 am. Jen picked up our rental car and we were on our way. We drove for about an hour to Anaheim. We got a parking pass for our hotel and left the car there. We walked across the street to start our fun. We bought 2 day passes with one park per day. That proved to be a great choice. We went to California Adventure on Tuesday. We got in there shortly after it opened. We were there from about 10:00 am until about 6:00 pm. We rode all the rides we love like: Midway Mania, California Screamin', Radiator Springs Racers, Swings, Tower of Terror, Little Mermaid, and Monsters, Inc. We also watched the Aladdin show. That gave us a chance to rest for a bit. Karen noted that the crowd in the show is different than the people in the park. It's kinda true that there are a lot of fat people in the show. I think when they're tired of walking, they watch the show.

Look at the cute ticket I got

Me and Kris going on Midway Mania

CarsLand

Look at that score. Pretty good for me.

Jenny and me with our light up buttons

We're in LAX. Bring the car, Jen! (Debbie, Kris, Karen, and me)

Kris won't ride Tower of Terror, but we four did!

Ready or not, here we come!

We had a great time. The weather was beautiful. It was in the low 80's. There were a lot of people, but it wasn't too bad. We just enjoyed being together. So, lines were no big deal; just time to talk and laugh and take pictures. In fact, we often noticed that right after we got in a line, the line got LONGER behind us. We had a magical touch. The best part is being able to say "I don't like that ride. I'm not going. I'll wait for you." No one forced anyone to ride and waiting was a pleasure. You got to sit and people watch and enjoy beautiful weather. Jen and I wore 50 buttons and Deb wore a 60 one. Birthdays all around! We were tired and decided to leave the park early and get pizza in our room. We ordered Round Table. Oh, I wish there were a Round Table near here. It's seriously so delicious. We ate pizza in bed and went to sleep early. We had to get up around 6:30 to get ready for day #2 in Disneyland. That would be a longer day.

Wednesday we got up and got ready. We got breakfast at our hotel. They had a nice set-up for breakfast. I got biscuits and gravy and some fruit and cottage cheese. I love biscuits and gravy. While we were all eating, a young lady, probably in her early 30's, sat at the table, put her elbows on the table and asked us how we managed to come alone, without kids. We told her she could join us. We were, after all, missing one of our sisters. We told her we would just call her Kelly. She agreed since her name is Kim. She was there with her two young kids and her mom. We told her that her day would come and it's pretty great to be there with just sisters. The first ride we went on was Peter Pan and who did we see in line? KIM! We only saw her that once.

Um, I got the 115,300. Not Kris.

Yes, it's Disneyland's birthday!

We really saw this. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and Jen jumped out of line and ran down the carriage to get this fantastic picture. Cinderella even wished Jen a happy birthday. Don't worry, Jen got back into line.

Mom selfie at Small World

Oh my gosh...the Star Wars stuff was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alice in Wonderland Selfie

Big Thunder Mountain Selfie. Deb cracks me up in ths one.

I DID NOT ride the Matterhorn. An example of being able to ride what you want.

What a t-shirt, right?

Me and Mel at fireworks

Kris shared the fireworks with James and Allison

Chicken Strips late at night

Probably Jungle Cruise

Isn't this a great picture of Karen and Deb in front of Disney's giant Christmas tree?

Karen and Jen comfortable for evening play.

appropriate that this sign would be right outside of our room

Elder Jordan Tornow (Santiago South) and me in ToonTown

We were very productive at Disneyland. We even went back to the hotel to rest a bit, charge phones, and grab coats for the evening. We went on Buzz, Space Mountain (which has been improved for Star Wars), Thunder Mountain, Winnie the Pooh, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World (all decked out for Christmas), Peter Pan, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Storybook Land, Alice in Wonderland, Jungle Cruise, and the Monorail. I even got to meet up with one of Kamiko's mission buddies who was at the park for the day with his brother. We had a blast. It's just so fun to be together. Again, we avoided lines, even though it was pretty crowded. We used fast passes well. Jen is a champ. We stayed at the park until about 11:00 pm. The absolute highlight was the fireworks. I facetimed Mel and her face lit up. She sang along with every song. I had more fun watching her than the fireworks. I hope to return soon with the kiddos, but we have to recover financially from 2015. It was not a great year with unemployment and a cut in pay.

We noticed that we're getting old and we have conversations that old ladies have. Like conversations about mini kleenex packets and how to listen to podcasts on a phone. It is quite entertaining to listen to us.

We had time on Thursday to go visit Derek, Rachel, and kids before catching 7:00 pm flights. We had a great visit with them and went to lunch at a great place called Asian Box. Even though Rose doesn't like it. When Rachel mentioned it, she said "Not Asian Box. I hate Asian Box. Stop talking about it." Well, the adults won that battle. Rose was happy with a homemade lunch with a hot dog, cheese stick, raspberries, and peppers. We parted at Asian Box and us girls headed to Mood Fabrics. I wanted to show the girls that store. It did not disappoint. No one bought fabric, but we browsed and loved it. Then the trip was over. Jen went to the Delta terminal and Kris, Karen, Deb, and I went to Southwest. We left within 30 minutes of each other. Deb and I flew together. I slept and she read. We got in really late. Friday and Saturday I was still tired. In fact, I skipped the ward Christmas breakfast. I needed sleep more than I needed pancakes.

Listening to and recording our conversation about the cost of little packets of Kleenex. We are officially old.

Charlie Kay Hunter

Grandma Jenny giving Rosie attention

Asian Box

 An absolutely lovely bakery in Burbank

Buttons at MOOD

What a picture, huh? I love these people. Deb, Kris, Derek, Jen, Karen and me (why is my face so fat?)

Nursing my Disney hangover

Oh, and Keenan brought all this free butter home from the ward breakfast. OH JOY!

Allie Went to the Temple

A couple of months ago, Allie decided to go to the temple. When she went to meet with Bishop Mehr, he said he needed to check with the stake because he hadn't had a young adult come to him to receive their endowment without mission or wedding in the near future. She got the green light, went to temple preparation classes, and had her interviews. We got clothes - a skirt and sweater - and everything was ready. Yesterday was the day.

It was a great day. I had prayed for Allie for days that it would be a good experience. We had a nice time buying her clothes, talking about responsibilities after receiving your endowment, etc. Kamiko, mom, Dad, Keenan and Allie's boyfriend, Connor, were all there. While Allie was waiting in the instruction room for her "pep talk," Sister Roylance from the ward to come say hello. Brother and Sister Kinser were coincidently in the session. Sister Kinser was Allie's primary teacher when we moved here 15 years ago. I went through for Miss Keahi in our family records. I remember that when I went through the temple before my mission, my mom went through for my grandma Sears, who had died a year before. Allie looked beautiful. What a blessing to have 2 kids worthy to enter the temple. Mel will be there with us soon. Poor Kamiko had twisted his ankle 30 minutes before, but still made it to support his sister.

Allie said she really enjoyed it. She said it wasn't as weird as she was anticipating. The temple is a great place. It's nice to be there with one going for the first time and to try to see it through their eyes. It can be relaxing, instructional, peaceful, and empowering. I'm happy for my girl.

Grandpa, Grandma, Allie, me, Kamiko, and Keenan

Allie and Connor

Thanksgiving

Well, Thanksgiving 2015 is in the books. We had a great time. The kids helped me prepare on Wednesday morning. We got everything done before noon. We made 2 pumpkin pies, rolls, veggies for a veggie platter, and mashed potatoes. They were very helpful and I was very grateful. It gave me plenty of time to run errands, etc. and even make dinner for the family and friends who came over. Allie's boyfriend, Connor, came over and Mel's friend Kaleb came over, too. Allie has been dating Connor since she came home. They met last summer when they both worked at young living. He's really nice young man. He works full time, goes to SLCC full time and goes to the temple regularly. I don't know what he makes of our loud family. He's kinda quiet. I sure like him, though.

My baking wardrobe...comfy warm socks and robe

THE pies

Ready to get to work

Thursday was great. I went to a yoga class, then came home and got showered and ready for the day. Mom and dad came up here and we loaded their food into the van and drove up to Jen's together. Jenny hosted, as James and Haley are in town with baby Ellie. Deb and her gang came over for pie, so the location was good for them, too. Our kids drove in a separate car because Allie had to be back to work at Old Navy at 6:00 pm.

Anyway, we had a great time. We got to Jen's around noon and ate veggies and dip and candy and artichoke dip. We talked and got stuff ready. Mike Reason, a friend from college, joined us around 2:00. We ate around 3:30. Delicious food. My favorite was that the pumpkin pie turned out great. I have always wanted to make pie with homemade pureed pumpkin. I did it this year and it really is delicious. Really, really good. I also used the Marie Callender's recipe, as recommended by my friend Amy Christensen.

Mike Reason says as Jenny and I get older we look even MORE alike. I'll take that!

Jenny, me, and mom

Reason had just gotten home from a 38 day vacation in Poland, the Baltic States, Finland, etc. so he had travels to tell us about. Like I mentioned, Deb and Haley and family and Jon and family came over around 5:30 for pie. We had a great visit with everyone for a while before we headed home with mom and dad. A really nice day. Oh, and we used paper products, which made it that much better. We even served buffet style, out of the pots on the stove. Minimal dishes, for sure. Great day/evening for sure. Lots to be thankful for:

1. all my kids at home
2. Keenan has a job and is looking for a 2nd job to supplement
3. health
4. walking friends
5. newly discovered yoga
6. work and the friends there
7. eternal families
8. Jesus Christ and His restored gospel
9. Temples
10. the awesome world

A Homecoming for Elder Adcock

Kamiko spoke in our ward this past Sunday. We have church at 1:00 pm, so we invited friends and family to come over before church. We made breads and cinnamon rolls and had fruit and juice and milk. It turned out great. A lot of his mission friends and friends from before the mission came over. We just visited and snacked. Then I kicked everyone out around 12:40 so we could all get to the church on time. Allie and Mel and friends had left earlier to save a couple of benches for the family.

Our boy did a great job on his talk. He was assigned on how to come closer to Christ. He spoke about faith, repentance, change, the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. It was great; stuff he'd been teaching for 2 years. In fact, he only used notes that were on his phone to give his talk. He told about people who changed their lives for the gospel.

He shared the following story that he got from a Hugh B. Brown talk. My son became a huge fan of Hugh B. Brown on his mission. How funny is that?

Sometime ago a great actor in the city of New York gave a wonderful performance in a large theatre, at the close of which there were rounds of applause. He was called back again and again. Finally someone called to him, “Would you do for us the Twenty-third Psalm?”

“Why, yes. I know the Twenty-third Psalm.”

He recited it as an actor would, perfectly, with nothing left to be desired as far as a performance was concerned. When he was finished, again there was thunderous applause. Then the actor came to the front of the stage and said: “Ladies and gentlemen, there is an old man sitting here on the front row whom I happen to know. I am going to ask him without any notice if he will come and repeat the Twenty-third Psalm.”

The elderly gentleman, of course, was frightened. Trembling, he came to the stage. Fearfully he looked out over the vast audience. Then, as though he were at home only with one, he closed his eyes against the audience, bowed his head, and talked to God, and said:

“The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Then changing to address the Savior directly and intimately:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” [Ps. 23:1–6]

When the old man finished, there was no applause, but there was not a dry eye in that house. The actor came to the front of the stage. He, too, was wiping his eyes. And he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I know the words of the Twenty-third Psalm, but this man knows the Shepherd.” (Adapted from Hugh B. Brown, The Quest,Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1961, pp. 335–36.)

He's Home!

On Tuesday, November 17, at about 10:50 am Elder Adcock came down the escalator at the Salt Lake City Airport and was HOME! We had signs, candy leis, and hugs waiting for him. It was a great day. Jenny met us at the airport and mom and dad drove up with us. Mel's friends Kobi and Makei came to take pictures and video. I didn't want to worry about pics. It was a great morning. I didn't cry or even feel an overwhelming need for a huge hug or anything. It was just great to welcome my kid home after a job well done.

My childhood neighbor, Kevin Coburn, flew Kamiko home. Kamiko and Kevin in the cockpit

Pic taken as he entered security in Chile

Elder Adcock and his captain in Santiago airport

I track the flight home a couple of times before going to bed.

We went home and made him shower. I had to wash his only white shirt. He figured he'd need only one for the rest of his life. Not true. He was too tired to go out to eat, so we ordered take out from Cafe Rio while we just visited. Then mom and dad headed home. We were tired. We took Kamiko to the bank to take care of some stuff, including replacing his debit card that got eaten by an ATM in Chile about 3 weeks ago. We also went to the T-Mobile store to get him a phone, which has become his best friend since getting home. He doesn't put it down. I hope the newness wears off and he becomes a normal person again.

Elders Richards and Ware left SLC 2 years ago with Elder Adcock. Those two went to Santiago South, while Kamiko went to Santiago North.

Mom got the first hug

He's back!

Elder and Allie

Elder and Mel

Elder and Aunt Jenny

High fives (tens) from dad

Elder and his grandma

Elder and his grandpa

meeting his kitty

off to BYU

President Brinton came over and released our Elder. I thought it would be quick. I've heard people say it's just "ok, take off your name tag. you're released." Well, it didn't go that way with our kid. President Brinton, who's in our ward and is our home teacher, asked him a lot about his mission, Chile, the church there, etc. Then he asked him to teach one last time as a set-apart missionary. He asked him to teach his family the gospel. My boy was inspired and taught us about families and the importance of building an eternal family. He promised us that if we did these two things, we would find strength and love needed.

1. Kneel and pray every evening
2. Have family home evening every week, with Keenan taking the lead

We had told him we had gotten lazy about these things. He told Keenan to step it up and take back his presiding spot in FHE. I was grateful for those promises and suggestions. I really felt we were being taught by the Lord's missionary. The, he had to take his tag off. He got emotional and asked me to do it. What a boy! He invited friends to come over that night. We pulled out cookies we had made and welcomed everyone over. I finally had to kick everyone out around 11:00 pm. Mel had to get to bed and we all had work or school in the morning.

Kamiko joined me at work on Wednesday. He was struggling to get ready for the day, trying to pick out clothes and text people. It was hilarious. Allie observed from the couch as he came out with jeans and a soccer jersey. Her reply: "Because nothing says returned missionary like a soccer jersey." I ironed a shirt and he changed into more civilian clothes. There's plenty of time to wear the soccer jerseys. Work was fun. He ended up going to the car during part of my lecture and taking a nap. He also killed the car battery since he fell asleep listening to the car radio. It's ok because he had it jump started by the time I got there. Mel and I didn't go to YW on Wednesday night. Instead, we took Kamiko shopping. He got some needed upgrades to his soccer jersey wardrobe. It's been so fun having him home.

Thursday after work, Kamiko and I went to the Provo Temple. Ours was closed. I thought it was really neat that he came home and was insistent that he go to the temple soon. I thought it was a challenge from his president. It wasn't. Just something he really wanted to do.

Thursday and Friday he helped Sherie Ritchie hang her Christmas lights. He also went to the dentist. He helped with lights on Monday and Tuesday, too. She's so nice to hire him to help. I know she appreciates his help, too. He's submitted some job applications and is hoping something pans out soon. He's decided to live at home until the fall so he can save money for a car and expenses when he lives on his own. That sounds ok to me. So, we'll have all 3 kids at home, probably through the summer.

Things I've noticed about my boy:
1. He is patient. He doesn't get ruffled easily and seems to let inconveniences go. I need to learn from him.
2. He loved his mission. He really had fun being with and serving Chileans.
3. He hardly spoke Spanish in the office, even though his president spoke no English.
4. He reads his scriptures and prays.
5. He's an excellent teacher!
6. He expresses love to his family.
7. He has a blast with his sisters.
8. He has good friends who have been doing good things.

Last Night was a Fun Night

One of our BYU foods lab family got married yesterday and Jenny, Starlyn, and I decided to make an event of it. Cameron was my student quite a few years ago, then was a TA. He's now in dental school. He met a girl in his singles ward and they got married yesterday. So, we went to his reception, then went out to dinner at Maria Bonita in Orem. We even invited our husbands to join us, even though we have no photographic evidence.

Jenny and Chris hadn't been to Maria Bonita before. We told them they'd love it. Well, they did. The food is so great. The service is fantastic. The cute server named Maria gives you high fives like you're family and she just saw you yesterday. She even went the extra mile and got a napkin and wiped the sweat off of Chris' bald head. Hahaha. That's funny. Keenan and I shared an entree and had plenty to eat. It really is delicious. The portions are huge and look at that soda. I'll need to order one next time. Refill limit of 2.

I really love these friends of mine. They make work and life, in general, awesome!

A Quiet, Snowy Day at Hapari

Ok, this is fantastic. It's quiet at work. It's snowing. I brought the iPad with the keyboard so I'm blogging. I'm also listening to Rush Limbaugh. What a great thing. I also brought President Monson's  biography to read and I need to learn a song for a stake camp meeting on Thursday. Life is good.

Kamiko comes home in one week. Yep, one week from today right now, he'll be off the plane and in the SLC airport. We made signs and are ready to go. People think it's funny that I've made signs already, but I know myself too well. If I wait til the last minute, I'll be busy and I'll be cranky making signs. Instead, we pulled out paint and paper and had a good time making posters on Sunday night. I'm ready for him to come home. It'll be great. He's worked hard. He's learned a lot. I'm glad he got a chance to be a leader.

Conversion is an important thing. I taught a lesson to the laurels on the subject and I've been talking about it with mom. The last few months have proven tricky for some members of the church as the church stands strong on doctrine, distancing itself from society. Social issues are pulling people in different directions. Women are wanting the priesthood. Gay marriage is more and more accepted. Society is getting divided and it's spilling into the church culture.

Recently the church updated their handboook #1 for priesthood leaders and the update got leaked. The update was that those in a gay marriage are considered apostate and can be brought in for disciplinary action. Additionally, it is stated that minor children of gay parents can't be baptized. They must wait until they are 18 and can move out of the house. I have to say, I don't fully understand the 2nd part, but I trust that the brethren make decisions and policies out of love - NOTHING ELSE. Hank Smith, a faculty member at BYU in the religion department said that perhaps it's to keep meddling grandparents/aunts/uncles from interfering in these families. I can see that. When talking to my friend Maria about it she said "hey, I don't have a single friend that I like 100% about. I guess the church is like that. I may not agree 100%, but I can still be a part of it." There are things we just don't understand, but we need to have faith. That probably sounds too simple for intellectuals, but it's enough for me.

There are going to be more things that draw people away from the church and closer to society. Conversion is important.

Allie has decided to go through the temple in December. I'm excited for her. She's a good girl, with her head on straight. Mel is doing great, too. She's been working on her BYU application. My baby is a senior. The kids are great people. I love them.