Visiting Family and Friends During May Temple Closure

During the two week temple closure we had a delightful visit to Utah and Idaho to see siblings, cousins, old missionary friends, and our daughter Laurie and her family.  Selected photos follow, which can be enlarged by clicking:

Virginia's brothers and spouses:  Steve and Janet Wilcox, Mel and Jeannie Wilcox, Keith and Diann Wilcox

Virginia has fun with Mel's vehicle.

Orson Hyde's grave in Spring City Cemetery

Don's siblings and spouses:  Bob and Sherryl Cazier, Don and Virginia, Marvin and Alice Cazier, and Mac and Nancy Carter, in front of Ogden Temple, where we did family sealings for lots of Cazier names.

Virginia and her sister Kathy Mills going over old photos and clippings

Twin Falls Temple, which we were able to attend with Kathy

Striking mural in ordinance room of Twin Falls Temple, very typical of Idaho scenery

Walt and Eileen Peterson, whom we knew in Mexico and Guatemala, and whom we were able to visit in Burley.  They recently completed their service as president and matron of the El Salvador Temple.

Proof for new grave marker for our son Barry, who would have been 40 this summer.

Ron and Cathy Wilcox, in Boise

Payson Temple open house, which we were able to attend.

Sean, Regina, Dimitri, Anya, AnnaSophia, and Cyrus Adib, whom we were able to visit on the occasion of AnnaSophia's baptism.

Fishing Fun with Temple Friends

Virginia and I enjoyed a great deep sea fishing trip this morning with President Jerry Boggess of the Fort Lauderdale Temple, his wife Portia, and President Bob Beck (1st counselor) and his wife Wyla.  The group caught a total of seven fish in short order.  Only two were considered edible, both king mackerels, and the other five, known as bonita, were kept as bait for future expeditions.  The smaller of the mackerels was the featured meat for a lovely lunch the Boggesses served us afterwards, and we got to bring home part of the bigger one for future enjoyment.  The following are a few photos of the event.  Click on any to enlarge them.

The Boggess' lovely home in Boca Raton--which they aren't in a lot, as they stay much of the week in an apartment near the temple.

President and Sister Boggess on their boat on which they took us fishing

Boggess home from the Intercoastal waterway

Virginia reeling in a fish

Fish reeled in by Virginia

Sister Boggess reeling in fish

Captain Don temporarily takes over the wheel.  (Had they not heard of his disastrous experience piloting a house boat some 14 years ago?)

Presidents Boggess and Beck

Sisters Beck, Boggess, and Cazier

Back side of Boggess home again

Our catch for the day

Our catch, with my catch in the background!

Same catch, with Virginia's captor

Virginia with Boggess boat

Six mighty fishermen with the day's catch

Pineapple growing in Boggess yard from a supermarket pineapple he buried in the ground

Pete, our pilot for the day, fileting the fish

Lunch preparation inside the Boggess home

Christmas in Gatlinburg with Kids and Grandkids

From December 24 to December 29 we spent a wonderful Christmas with five of our kids and their kids at Caney Creek Lodge near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  As a picture is worth a thousand words, we'll spare readers many thousands of words by posting the following pictures, with minimal commentary.  Click on any of them to see a larger version.

Caney Creek Lodge in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  Room for 42.

Majid Adib, Sean's father, with Leila Boix

Alexa Boix and Anya Adib

Amy demonstrates how she stays in shape.

Don demonstrates that he hasn't been following Amy's example.  Virginia shows results of daily jog.

Most of the following photos are self-explanatory--inside shots of the cabin, with family members having fun together.

Creek in front of cabin

Lights in Gatlinburg

Virginia's "Primary" class--the best one she ever taught, she says!

Dallin clapped his hands in front and in back, in between pushups!

Piñata

Boix home, where we stayed on the way