Sister's Conference May 2009

The Sister's Conference was last Friday! This is a picture with all the young missionaries, the senior missionaries, President and Sister Hale and their two daughters, Heather (21) and Kathryn (10) in front.

Sister Holdstock and I holding her Flat Stanley and one of the young missionaries Flat Stanley's that her nephew sent her! Now you all know about Flat Stanley!

Sister Call (she is going home this month) and I at the Sister's Conference!

This is the Eric Dalling family art! Jarod's on the top, Sami's just below, Amanda clever card and Marisa's nice card and note! - along with Jarod's school picture. We put two of these on because Eric's computer only get every other picture!

Fridge Art of the Month!

Happy Mother's Day in Florida

Thanks to my children for the beautiful bouquet of flowers and the corsage. It was fun to wear it to church today! I was really surprise as no other mothers had one on! Thank you for thinking of me. I love the flowers!

Another shot of the flowers and Sister Dalling

Elder Dalling on Mother's Day!

One more picture of the Daisies! I love them!

Elder and Sister Dalling in front of the President's House - getting dark outside!

Farewell party for Elder and Sister Bean at (where else?) Bahama Breeze!

Sister Bean in the front! Flat Stanley slurping on the straw. The Calls grandchildren sent them Flat Stanley to take pictures of wherever they went while on their mission. Then they send him back to them and they learn all about where he has been through a letter that travels with him. Flat Stanley is the loveable character featured in books by Jeff Smith. Although Stanley was flattened when a bulletin board fell on him, he made the best of his circumstances. Now flat, Stanley can easily travel the world in envelopes and visit any place he wants.

I saw Flat Stanley on American Idol just the other night!

Elder Dalling and Elder Kynaston after dinner at Bahama Breeze (a different dinner) with all the senior couples and the Hales. They are holding Sister Hale's Mother's Day gift for us all -- Banana Bread!

All the Senior Sisters and Sister Hale -- We took this picture after the dinner in front of the Bahama Breeze! It sure seems like we go there a lot, but they have a nice Gazebo that we usually sit in and it is quiet and beautiful!

May 2009 in Florida

This is a picture out our patio of a sunset with really not much color, but I thought it was very beautiful just the same. I love sunsets and I do miss the ones by our house in Idaho!

Brad and I went on a P-Day Excursion to Bascayne National Park. It is a beautiful park by the ocean, but no sandy beaches. It is all coral reefs - a place where in the 1600's many pirate ships were sunk because of storms as they crashed into the rocky shore. Then in the 1700's there was a British War ship that was sunk from a storm. All the ships that sunk are still there and it is a Federal Offense to disturb them. Thus it is an interesting place to snorkel. Biscayne National Park is know as a fantastic place for outdoor and water-based recreation. The park has a shallow bay, undeveloped islands (that you can camp on for up to 14 days before someone comes to pick you up - only one problem if you don't time it just right, the misquotes eat you alive) and living coral reefs. Bascayne Park is the beginning of the Florida Keys - about a half hour drive from Miami. In fact, on a clear day, you can see the coast line of Miami. About the camping - the ranger (I think they are called rangers) told us that the Dry Tortugas National Park was the best place to camp and snorkel because the water is clearer and does not have so many mosquitoes - just poisonous snakes!

There are many of Florida's canals that empty into the ocean here and so the water does not actually get a turquoise blue until you go out a ways. It has been very dry in Florida this year and so the park was not very green.

There is a nature trail that you take alone the ocean and the coral reef coast! We walked quite awhile until the heat got to us - just a little!

A gorgeous ocean view. The Atlantic Ocean does not smell the same to me as the Pacific Ocean and you do not see near as many Seagulls, but still very beautiful. It was not a very populated Park - most likely because there are no sandy beaches to play in ---

--- but still lots of boats!

We also saw Homestead Bayfront Park, but did not go in - actually because it was just an extension of Biscayne Park only with a Marina.

A sister we are teaching with the missionaries gave me some Gardenias. They grow beautiful here, along with the Orchids, and Hibiscus.

These flowers smelled wonderful! They have always been one of my favorite flowers, but always too expensive to buy in Rexburg.

Just about to have dinner on another beautiful, colorful table cloth! Where do they come from - they just magically appear each new season!