SETTLING DOWN

AFTER LAST WEEKS 

EARTHQUAKE, TORNADOES AND HURRICANE IRENE!

Having somewhat of a NORMAL week.....and look what came in the mail!  Our book on the 

ALASKAN CRUISE 

we went on in July with Becky, David and their children.  I am so proud of myself (with Becky helping out some) for being able to put this together.

 We know we got a LOT of RAIN from the crazy weather but we really did need that.  Wayne has babied these petunias through the drought and hot, hot summer.  And his pampering has paid off.....

 see how pretty they are filling out!  Notice the FINNISH FLAG in the window!  That was given to us by a dear friend when we left Finland.  We miss our friends so much!!

 On the way home from work in Alexandria, VA today we noticed this sign in the car window.....SCRAPBOOKER ON BOARD!  

WEll, OUR LONG commutes get so boring sometimes we have to look for something 'exciting'.....and weird what might be 'exciting' sometimes!!  But we DO continue to love our work at NCFA!  And the great people we are working with!!  Makes it all worth it.

And then along came......

HURRICANE  IRENE!!

It has been a week long 'adventure' with one mother nature disaster after another.  First the earthquake, the tornadoes in southern Maryland and last but not least (and we truly hope the LAST) was

Hurricane Irene....  She decided to make a visit beginning on Saturday afternoon.

 We work the morning shift and finish about 1:00 p.m.  The temple closed early (around 4 p.m.) as a precaution.  It was beginning to rain pretty good as we were leaving.

 The rain started shortly after we arrived at home.....along with the winds.

 We decided it was best to bring FLOWERS and other outdoor things in to the sunroom where they would be safer.  Lawn chairs, grill, etc. made their way to the shed......kiitos Wayne!

 Saturday afternoon ended up being a great day time to hunker down, take a much needed nap and enjoy just being inside and chill in........

We had church this morning.  There were some small tree limbs strewn along the driveway and yard and a ton of leaves everywhere.  All in all.....we faired really, REALLY well from Irene.  Much better than the folks up north who got really pounded.  Now.....back to work tomorrow and looking forward to a NORMAL week.....we hope!

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF SO MUCH GOING ON.....

ONE MORE THING!!

It is the beginning of our KITCHEN REMODELING PROJECT!!!  Our appliances were delivered today.....new REFRIGERATOR, new COUNTERTOP STOVE, new WALL OVEN, new WALL MICROWAVE!!!

 The HH Gregg guys were here right on schedule to delivery all of our new goods.....and very polite guys as well.  We were very impressed with them.

 We had them put our FRIDGE in my 'office area'....isn't that where everyone puts their fridge!  Well, it will go to its REAL HOME SPOT once the contractor is ready for it to go there.  Until then....I get to look at it everyday.

 We had the other appliances put in the sunroom to await their installation!

In the meantime, we decided to go ahead and start up the fridge and be using it.....minus the ice maker, of course.  Can't use that until it gets hooked up by the plumber.  We will keep you posted on the progress as it happens!

A PERFECT DAY FOR A WEDDING!

August 23, 2011......a beautiful wedding day for Errin and Nick!  LOW HUMIDITY and LOW TEMPS!  Not 'normal' for the Washington D.C. area in the middle of August!  The bride and groom could not have asked for a more perfect day for their special day.  Wayne had been asked several months ago to perform the wedding in the Washington D.C. Temple.  He felt it a great honor to have been asked to do that.

 The wedding was scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.  The wedding group had just gone out the front door of the temple to take pictures.  And then it HAPPENED.....

5.8  EARTHQUAKE  HITS  THE  EAST COAST!!!

WHAT.....this never happens in this area!  We just don't have things like this happen here!  

 Wayne and I were standing on the 'bridge' talking to the Colton's (whom we had not seen since our return from Finland) catching up on life.  And then it happened.....it started out feeling like a freight train was going right across the bridge with tremendous shaking and loud noises!  I looked out the window and saw a large piece of the temple fall to the ground...it turned out it was one of the 4 pointed parts of the steeple that would fall to the ground!  As the morning shift was beginning to leave the temple, several of the sisters were sitting in chairs on the bridge waiting for their husband to come out.  One of the sisters began saying....EARTHQUAKE.....EARTHQUAKE!!  And at the same moment I realized myself that it was indeed an earthquake....much like the one I had experienced before when we were attending Jonathan and Tina's wedding in LasVegas!

 Wayne headed outside very quickly to start taking pictures.....all of these are just some of the pictures he was able to get with his cel phone.  You can see the marble facade which appears to be loose on the outside.

 Fortunately none of the marble facade fell off but a LOT of the pieces came loose.

 And one of the remaining steeples was crooked as a result.  Four of the tips actually fell to the ground.

 One of the grounds men picked up this piece and was taking it to a safe place.  It was quite heavy.....

 And another piece of 'something' that fell off the roof.

 The Colton's decided t walk around the temple and survey the damage as well.....the wedding couple, by the way, continued with their PHOTO SHOOT as if nothing happened.  Good for them!

And....back home......love watching our little BAMBI FAMILY loving our apple trees.  So Cute!

IT HAS BEEN A WHILE!

We have returned from our 3 trips in a week and a half and still trying to recover.  That is why there has not been a 'post' lately.  Got to catch up!

On a recent drive down to Alexandria, Va to the NCFA office, we got a picture of the SUNRISE.  It was quite a bit more dramatic than what the picture shows.  Oh well....at least we tried!

 Last Friday, August 19th, it was SHOPPING DAY WITH GRANDMA for the 'girls'!!  We had planned this for quite some time and were really looking forward to it!  Audrey-Do, Emma-Lou and Kristyn-Marie!  Wayne and I left the temple a little early so we could get back up the road in a little more timely way.

 We only had about 3 hours in which to shop.  For a guy they would say that would be 2 hours and 45 minutes too long.....for us girls.....NOT LONG ENOUGH!  BUT....we tried to stay focused and

  SHOP TIL WE DROP was our motto!

 We made it back to Kristyn's home just in the nick of time for her BIRTHDAY PARTY!  And we had a great time.....successful by the looks of our bags.  I even got a little jar of body lotion.  Imagine that.

 On Saturday, August 20th, we just couldn't resist taking a picture of the MOON shining brightly above the temple.  We decided to take a few pictures of that......

 And when we finished our regular shift on Saturday afternoon we decided to head over to IKEA!!!  Haven't been there since we left Finland.  We used to go to IKEA in Finland often on a Saturday afternoon to have a good, cheap meal.  Usually got SALMON.  It was so good.....seemed a little weird to see a MARYLAND FLAG flying across the street from this IKEA.  Still trying to get readjusted to being back in America I guess.   I find 'little things' like that just amazing.

 They didn't have salmon on the menu but they did have the usual SWEDISH MEATBALLS with LINGONBERRY SAUCE!!!  That is what Wayne got......

 I, on the other hand, couldn't pass up the MARYLAND CRAB CAKES!!!  AAAHHHH.....I knew there was something I had been missing.  They were so good...

 And YES a little dessert to share is always a must!!  This was absolutely fantastic, delicious CHOCOLATE CAKE.....would highly recommend to anyone!

 As we headed back home, this is the 'famous' view of the Washington D.C. Temple as one drives around the Washington Beltway coming from the east toward the west......LOVE THIS VIEW!

SUNDAY IN

MAPLETON, UTAH

As we left our hotel in Layton, Utah and headed south on I-15 toward Mapleton we realized that we drove past 7 temples.  They are:

Bountiful, Salt Lake, Jordan River, Oquirrh Mountain, Draper, Timpanogos and Provo

 We made it down to Mapleton in record time.....4 of the boys were there to greet us......

 Thomas was ordained a Deacon two weeks ago.  We were able to be in Sacrament meeting the second time he passed the Sacrament.  He did a great job.

 Kevin got home on Saturday night from a week-long trip to New York for work.  He brought all of the kids a cute t-shirt.  They loved them.....

 The weather was very nice.....it was time to take the kids to the park and enjoy the weather.  

It has been a good day.......back home tomorrow afternoon.

TALK ABOUT A CRAZY

HECTIC

WEEK........

We think our life is beginning to 'take shape' with our new Church Service Mission with LDS Family Services.  Last week....Birmingham, Alabama.....this week Salt Lake City, Utah.  All in the name of NCFA!  We love it.....we are making great connections with a lot of folks that we only know by name.

We flew out on Wednesday, August 10th.  As we landed in Salt Lake and were at baggage claim I happened to look around and I said to Wayne...that looks like DJ McGee over there.  Wayne took off and sure enough.  There was DJ McGee from our ward.  He was headed to the MTC.  And the amazing thing was he was on OUR flight from D.C.  and sitting on row 31.  We were in row 30!!!  Now how on earth did we not see each other.  Cool....very, very cool.  I sent this picture to his family.

 Because we came out a day early for the FSA Conference in Layton, we planned to spend one day with A & G and their boys and we chose to stay one day later so we could have one day with K & L and their kids.  We ended up in Target running some errands and grandpa watched the boys while I picked up a few things and Geralyn got some prescriptions filled.  Perfect little angels there!

On Thursday morning we met up with Wayne and Karla Williamson who live in SL and are headed to the Helsinki Finland Temple as missionaries the middle part of October!  We were so excited to be able to talk over lunch (at Mimi's Cafe in Sandy) what our experience had been and let them ask us all kinds of questions.  The amazing thing is that we never knew them before last week!!  Wayne Williamson's nephew (who is actually only 2 years younger than Wayne Williamson is) is the one who sold us the appliances for our kitchen remodel.  Small world!  Rick told us all about his uncle who was going to Finland and got us hooked up!

 After lunch we headed to the airport to pick up Chuck Johnson, our CEO and President of NCFA.  We love working for him.  He is a great guy.  And then we headed up to Layton to the Davis Conference Center where the FSA Conference was being held.  We got our NCFA booth all set up and ready to go.

 Our Friday morning keynote speaker was Sister Jane Beck, General Relief Society President.  She gave a wonderful talk.  I think Chuck was even impressed.

 Look at the PICTURE ABOVE......There were so very many 'small things' that happened at the conference.....like seeing some of interns I had worked with in the Maryland Office oh so very many years ago.....Mike, Josh, Kevin.  But this one in particular was just amazing.  Last November while visiting and speaking in Seinäjoki, Finland there was a young American gal who was also visiting Seinäjoki with her High School swim team for a meet.  Because she was LDS she wanted to go to church.  We met her at the hotel where the Branch President picked her up and we followed them to church in our rental car.  She was such a sweet gal.  Because she was the daughter of a Finnish lady she was studying in Finland for that school year so she could learn Finnish.  She actually gave the closing prayer in Finnish and did a great job.

 NOW....fast forward to Friday, August 12th.  This lady comes up to our table to talk to us.  I noticed she has an accent.  I ask her where she is from and she replies FINLAND!!  I say....Mitä kuulu (how are you).  She responds back to me in Finnish.  As I talked with her it became apparent that it was her daughter that we saw in Seinäjoki last November.  Is this a small world in the church or what!  I just love it when things happen like this.....you just know the Lord has a hand in these things....they are not just happenstance.  

 Now....meet PEGGY.  She is Steve Sunday's secretary.  What a great lady she is.  We just love her.  She has helped us so much....

 At the awards banquet on Friday night Chuck was asked to be the keynote speaker.  He did a great job. Public speaking is NOT one of his 'likes' but that is just too bad.

 Afterward Chuck and I were talking with Dr. Karyn Purves.  What a dynamo lady she is.  Full of energy and knowledge and wisdom.  I wish I could be as good as she is.

We got back to our hotel room on Friday night just in time to see this GORGEOUS MOON RISE!  Full....bright....big.....beautiful!  It has been a great FSA Conference and lots of connecting with a lot of great folks.

TO ROUND OUT

ANOTHER

CRAZY, HECTIC

WEEK!

Wayne and I had to catch a late afternoon flight down to Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday evening....August 3rd.  That meant we had to leave the Airaksinen's at our home to fend for themselves. Or just relax and have a little 'down' time from their whirlwind trip here in the US for about a month!  I think they enjoyed that quiet time frankly.  As well they should.

Our quick flight down south left from the BWI Airport.  We normally do not like to fly from there because it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes for us to get there from our home......more than twice the time as it takes us to get to Dulles Airport.  This one could not be avoided since we were taking SOUTHWEST and that was the airport we needed to leave from.  We are kind of glad.....

 We FOUND this great crab restaurant!!  Oh my Heavens......it was so good to have a

  GREAT CRAB CAKE 

again.....oh for the love of small pleasures in this life...this was definitely one of them.

 We got to see a very pretty sun setting as we flew south......

 We were headed to Birmingham to attend a conference for NCFA and to meet some very important people that we would be working with.....NETWORKING.  Because we were there for such a short time, all we basically saw of Birmingham was the inside of the hotel except for the shuttle ride to and from the airport.....Hence, the picture below.

 And it was back on a flight bound for home on Thursday night.....and another beautiful SUNSET!

  

 Up early on Friday, August 5th so we could go work our shift at the temple.  And this was the special WEDDING DAY for Laura and Thomas.  What a great looking bride and groom.

 We even snuck a little picture in of Wayne and I while the wedding party were distracted taking lots of their own pictures.

 SATURDAY afternoon found us headed down 95 for Smithfield, Va. so we could attend the wedding reception.  We left when we finished working our shift at the Temple on Saturday morning.  I did not realize how deep we were going to be in PEANUT COUNTRY!  Home....sweet....peanut home!  That deserved a QUICK stop at a local peanut store that we actually found open on a late Saturday afternoon. This one was in Wakefield, Va.

 We got to our hotel in Smithfield just in time to check in and drop off our luggage and head to the Country Club for the reception.

 This was a wonderful event attended by so very many people.

 Just has to get a little shot of Marja and Wayne and I at the end of the reception.....

 Sunday found us attending church in the Smithfield Branch actually located in Suffolk.  What a great spirit felt in their Fast and Testimony Meeting.  Then it was a long, l-o-n-g, L-O-N-G drive back up the road to home, sweet, home.  We got to drive across the 5 mile-long bridge over the James River into Newport News, Va.  Beautiful drive.

We even stopped part way home in Nokesville to 'find' Uncle Johnny's gravesite.  We had not been back there since since funeral some 15 years ago.  Can't believe it has been that long.  All in all, it has been a very, very hectic, crazy week but a great week.  Not sure that I would have changed anything about anything that we have been able to do this week.  Just wish we had more time......maybe in the next life.