Istanbul, Turkey

One of my favorite trips with Chris basketball places was Istanbul, Turkey.  Ken and I were both able to go.  The city was unbelievable.  The history and beauty of this ancient city was breathtaking.  It was chilly, as you can see by the picture, but I felt like I was going back in time.  Truly legendary, from the tours through the majestic masques, to shopping for carpets (and knock-off purses) in the Grand Bazaar.  It was spectacular. Speaking of carpets, somehow we found ourselves trapped in a rug presentation in some shop where the shop salesmen, one of thousands of carpet stores, thought we were actually looking to purchase a rug for $32,000.00.  Not sure how that happened.  If you happen to go there, just don't mention the word carpet or rug anywhere in the city of Istanbul, or you are in for a never-ending sales pitch of your life, and they don't take "no" for an answer.  they just continue to show you rug after rug after rug.  From the high end of hundreds of thousands of dollars, down to the desperate small rug purchase pitch, it's hard to get away from those persistent and pesky salesmen, especially when they keep offering you some sort of tea in small cups.  Chris did buy me a knock-off Gucci bag that I still have.  Great trip!

Seoul, Korea was an interesting trip.  Chris made sure to take me to the tourist Village one day, but most of the city was high rise apartments that looked exactly the same.  I didn't venture out on my own - which I rarely do on any of these trips - because first, I couldn't tell anyone where I originally started from (usually Chris and Lesa's apartment), and second, no one would understand me anyway.  So much for hoping the world understands English.  Not.  So I always stick very close to Chris and his family.

The highlight of Seoul for me was attending the LDS branch there.  We sat next to the missionaries and they were excited to translate the entire meeting to me in my ear.  The spirit is always strong and speaks to your heart, but the young missionary was very enthusiastic about translated for me.  He told me that having Chris playing there as a good LDS example of the church, helped them teach.  Chris' involvement with the Hyundai team opened doors for them to teach the gospel in Korea.  That made me very proud.  Oh, I almost forgot.  While Ken and I were there on this amazing trip, the large 50 gallon salt water fish tank in the downstairs family room somehow cracked and flooded our entire downstairs.  Angela couldn't get a hold of us being across the world in a different time zone, so took charge and Ken had to eventually fly home early to handle the huge mess.  Floods are horrid, and the damage was monumental!

On to highlight another incredible trip - without the flood challenges.  What's not to love with this picture?  I'm standing in front of the Sydney Opera House!  Lesa and the girls indulged grandma by letting me spend most of the day wandering through this spectacular building where one of my favorite opera singers - Joan Sutherland - made history.  She is pictured and felt everywhere in this incredible structure.  There are so many unique features of this building, designed by an award winning Danish architect, of which acoustics were key to its shape.  This picture was taken on the side that doesn't show how the opera house juts out of the turquoise ocean, so I will include a professional picture that does. It is beyond spectacular!  Honestly, the most incredible site I've ever seen.  Truly a Wonder of the World!

It is awe-inspiring, to say the least.  I traveled the world and this city of Sydney, has to be far my favorite city.  We walked and ate on the Boardwalk, saw that huge Sydney Harbor Bridge, and so much more.  The day was exhausting, but at the same time, so very memorable.  Everyone should try in their lifetime to get to Australia, visit Croc Creek (yikes), watch the Aborigine shows, shop barefoot in the local grocery stores in Cann (that's right ... barefoot), and definitely spend as much time in Sydney just taking in the beauty of that incredible place.  Again, a highlight for me on this trip was having dinner at a member of the Church' home.  The prayer over dinner was so touching.  The member family's father gave the most humble, touching prayer I've heard.  The kindness and spirit was very strong in that home.  They knew I wanted to take home a boomerang and didn't want me to purchase one at a gift store, airport gift shop or Night Market.  They gave me one right off of their shelf in their home.  That means so much to me.  Beautiful experience.

Burgess Boulevard

Ok.  So it has been my dream since I starting having my wonderful children 35 years ago, to have all five of them living here in Orange County, California on Burgess Boulevard.  But when you send your kids to BYU, U of U, or other out of state colleges, they meet wonderful spouses who are from other parts of the country.  Thus, no Burgess Boulevard - except in my dreams, and still on my "Wish List."  Here to the right is a picture of the last time some of my kids were together in one spot, here at Ken brother's (Dean) home for Labor Day 2010.  Lots of my own kids are missing, but at least David, Chris and Josh & their families are here in this picture, along with my mom.

You read novels about families all living in the same town, getting together on Sunday afternoon for a wonderful pot roast dinner, sharing their school experiences that happened that week, and Church lessons, learned that day in Sunday School.  Sounds great.  That ideal family doesn't exist with busy lives and schedules, but it's still something to long for.  I think it's why I love Blue Bloods, the television show with Tom Selleck.  They actually all do that.  It's about a strong Catholic family that are either cops or attorney's, all meeting on Sunday around a dinner table discussing the latest case.  Very cool show.  It's one of the only family value shows on television nowadays.  I high recommend it.  Back to my personal wishes with my family. I love them, and am very glad they are all successful, living the gospel and happy.  That's what really matters.  Where they live is not important at this point.  Just wishful thinking on my part.

I do get the great advantage with kids living everywhere, to travel to various parts of the world - yes, the world - to visit them.  The bed situation is always a challenge, and of course the pillow count, but it's always fun being there.  Did I mention the pillow count situation?  Well, I think I'm very clear about having to always have at least three pillows.  But, a few of my children forget that and either give me a couple of couch pillows (yikes) or a last minute pillow purchase without a pillowcase!  Hmmm.  This simple request, along with having Atkins vanilla protein shakes in the refrigerator and bottled water, don't seem to extreme.  Maybe I should just try traveling with my pillows from home since I own 20.  Side note, with each visit to Pennsylvania seeing my eldest son, his wonderful wife Cooper, and their five fantastic children - my Walmart shopping there on the most recent visit, did include a couple of pillow purchases, along with 600 count white pillowcases.  So we're good to go there in that regard.  However, the ordered that not-an-Aero bed purchase from www.amazon.com - not so much.  The younger kids may have enjoyed using it as a slide, but it was a nightmare to sleep on.  Note to self:  throw that air bed out!

Here I am with Chris in Dubai.  That was a spectacular trip.  Hard to describe a magical place where it feels like a combination Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, New York City and Maui.  Impossible, unless you were actually there.  I found myself saying "oh my gosh!" a great deal that first week.  Just incredible!  Thanks Chris for playing there.  That was a trip of a lifetime for sure.  I do love seeing parts of the world that I normally wouldn't schedule into a travel agenda.  The usual suspects include Paris, London, Rome, Maui, New York.  But, I've seen Dubai, Istanbul, Korea, Puerto Rico, and Australia.  Wow!  What a life thanks to my traveling pro basketball players - Chris and David.  Friends ask, "So where are they playing now?  Do you get to go visit?"  It is another blessing in my life.  I have loved every place I've visited.  Chris and his wife, Lesa, have always been great about taking me to the hot spots in the areas where they live.  


One of my all-time favorites, besides riding to the top of the tallest building in the world in Dubai, was spending the day and evening at the Sydney Opera House.  It was gorgeous!  That beautiful white structure jutting out of the aqua blue water like that.  Wow!  And, of course, walking the halls where my favorite opera singer, Joan Sutherland, performed will always be treasured.  Being a part of history in Istanbul was another favorite of both Ken and myself. And with this blog I will post a few of the pictures to document and remember.  Remembering is really why we do these blogs.  Life just goes by too quickly.  One day you have these little noisy children that you struggle to control during church meetings.  Then suddenly they are all gone and having families of their own.  I just wish we had blogs back while I raising those great kids.