While we have had some great and growing experiences as a family, the Air Force has kept us far from extended family. Traveling home from overseas or even from Alaska is a long journey and cost prohibits frequent trips. Often, the AF has limited the time I could spend away from the clinic to about 1 week at a time. This summer I was blessed with supportive coworkers that allowed me to step out of the clinic for weeks. The one blessing of COVID I think was that the airline tickets were slightly cheaper than usual so we were able to get a good deal, and Diane Petrie was willing to let us borrow her minivan and many opened their homes to us to allow us to see friends and family without breaking the bank.
We live in the "Land of the Midnight Sun" and as you can see, taking off at 1 am from Fairbanks International Airport lives up to that name.
Would you guess it was 12:00-12:30 in these pictures?
Jari and I enjoyed the views and snapped photos and the kids were soon asleep given it was 1 am.
We arrived in the morning and traveled to Anna and Tyson Paulson's house where Diane and Larry are also living. Prior to our arrival. Diane and Larry sold their home and property and had moved to Utah. We had not intended this to be a Petrie reunion but many decided to travel to join all of us. I had forgotten how beautiful the Utah desert can be in the morning.
Even though I grew up in Utah there are a few places that I had never visited so we decided to head out and see some of these. First stop was the Tree of Life out on the west desert.
The gate to the fence was open so we let ourselves in and the kids were thrilled to find coins that had been tossed in over the years. I think they all walked away with $1-2 in change...
The next stop was some hiking just a little further west of the Tree of Life. We parked the cars as far along the road as we felt comfortable and then went hiking. It was hot and dry! But the kids did well and were super happy to go exploring in the hills.
There was a small rainstorm so the girls found a cave where they could hide. It did feel good to get a little wet in the heat.
Here we are hiding from the rain. Cute girls!
The next stop was the Salt Flats. How did I grow up in Utah without ever visiting the Salt Flats?! I found them to be fascinating. The kids raced on the salt, mined the salt (filling pockets with them) and even licked the salt (on a dare from dad)
Uncle Tyson gave us a ride in the back of his truck and once we all sat down inside the truck, he let it rip and we went as fast as he felt comfortable. I won't lie, being a parent changes your perspective on life and what risks are worth taking. The kids loved it but I was super nervous. I tried to hide it. Not sure how well I did.
Letting it rip!
Having lived in a few places around the world means that we have made many friends. It is always hard to say goodbye but meeting up with friends from far away places can be so thrilling. One morning Larry Petrie let me borrow his car and I drove from Grantsville to Kaysville UT where I met up with Kade Baird who was a friend of ours in North Las Vegas. He moved to Utah for work and so we were able to meet up for a morning run up the canyon. It was great to see him again
I never tire of views from the mountains.
Utah has so many temples! It felt so crazy to drive 1 hour and see so many temples all within reach. Having spent the last few years driving 2-6 hours to reach the temple, I could not help but stop and get out and simply enjoy the temple grounds.
Time with family is why we came and the kids really enjoyed reconnecting with family
The next reunion was with friends from Germany. Our friends the Waylands just happened to be there the same time as us and so we went to the Jensen's home who had served a mission as a military relations couple in Germany in our ward. The Waylands still live in Germany as he works for the Department of Defense Education Activity as a counselor at the elementary school on Spangdahlem Air Base
Brother Jensen always referred to Zach as his "little buddy" so Zach was happy to see him. Zach also learned to love basketball where he would run with the ball like he was playing football. He does have the capacity for speed! He did make a few shots on his own which was fun!
Back in Grantsville, we spent a calm afternoon with the family and found some gulls to feed. It was hot and dry! Utah is lovely but it is for sure a dessert.
Anna and Tyson Paulson live on a lovely piece of land that has some fantastic xeriscaping in the backyard. While the kids played we decided to roll up our sleeves and get to work by clearing out the backyard. It was run to work together and we cleared out a lot of dead branches and weeds.
While we were working Tyson told us the story of the farmer next door to them and how he and the prior owner of the home had had some disputes which escalated into a feud of sorts. I recall that the homeowner had some dogs which would get into his crops. In the end, the farmer had thrown salt licks over the fence into the bushes and thus killed everything and that is why all the plants were dead. It was indeed a big mess and quite challenging to clear it out.
The next reunion is a special one: Teddy Quevedo. Teddy and I had served together in Venezuela as missionaries. Because I had changed my number several times he had a hard time tracking me down but finally did and I was grateful for his persistence. We met up after his work for a burger. Jari was out shopping with Anna for clothing for family photos (not a lot of options in Fairbanks, AK).
After our missions, he continued to live in Venezuela. He is a hard-working and charismatic individual who went to work building signs for businesses. He quickly was called as the Bishop in his ward in Maracaibo and then promptly as the Stake President. While working, the Area Seventy asked him to get his education even though he did not want to (did not see the financial benefit to doing so). He worked hard on this in spite of his busy life.
As time went by, the Venezuelan government could see his success and the police and others started to bother them about "taxes" and other fees that were owed. Over time, the threat grew and they had to move several times to stay ahead of those looking for them. One night, his wife told him they needed to leave the country. Teddy had been working with a Lawyer who told him she knew of someone that could help. He called his family in Utah and ask for some financial support.
They had an ongoing Visa to travel to the USA and were working on getting their youngest child's Visa. One day the local Visa office asked them to come in and when they presented with their passports anticipating his Visa, they revoked them all without explanation and told him to leave.
They decided to fly to Mexico for their son's birthday (this was already planned) and upon arrival, because they had a car rental and hotel etc. paid for and lined up, they allowed them to de-board the plane. The very next airplane however from Venezuela was turned away...). They spent a few days there and then got in a taxi and met up with the contact from the Lawyer who was able to smuggle them through Mexico to the border. Upon arrival, he received a new phone number for a new contact when he called they said to meet in 1 hour. They drove them to a bridge designed for commercial trucking and stopped halfway and had them get out and walk to the border and request asylum. They did so (with nothing but their clothing on their backs) and were held at gunpoint by the US Border Patrol. They asked what their business was and he told them they were seeking asylum, and at this point, they were quickly taken into custody. They spent 5 days in a jail-like cell with 3 small burritos per day for food. Then after 5 days, they opened the door and said "your story checks out, you are free to go, check-in at the local __ office wherever you choose to go."
They made their way to Utah where the family received them and he has been working for citizenship for the last 2 years. While we were there both he and his wife received their citizenship!
Without a doubt, he was brought by the hand of the Lord to the USA. I cried while listening to his story and am thrilled to have him received and well in the USA. It made me proud to be an American :)
The next reunion was a quick stop as I drove north to return to Grantsville. I realized we were near Daybreak so I called Kara and asked for her address and realized we were only a few miles from her home! So we made a spontaneous stop by her home, played with dogs she was dog-sitting and had a nice chat. Hazel loves Aunt Kara because they have things in common such as shaved ice and baking :)
The next moment I captured on my phone was a trip to a reservoir in Utah where Tyson took us out on his boat. The drive was pretty and it was to a place I had never visited before in Utah. The kids had a great time wading in the water and playing with the toys supplied by Grandma Petrie. I don't have any good photos on the boat, Jari might have had some good photos but she forgot her phone was in her pocket when she waded into the water to get on the boat only to discover that her new phone was not exactly waterproof :(
A little side story here: Zach was really afraid of the water and watched the girls a lot, fearful they would drown. Why? A few days prior, when we went to Tyson's father's house Zach had jumped in the pool into a tube without grabbing hold and had gone under the water. He bobbed above the water, gasped, and went under again. I swam to him to bring him above the water and he coughed and sputtered. This singular moment was pivotal and he was convinced that the water was dangerous. So he was not eager to get too close to the water or even do more than get his feet wet.
The next activity was a visit to the Children's Discovery Museum in SLC. In spite of COVID, we were able to pass through and have a great time exploring and playing. Trevor, Anna, and Tyson's son had a good time knocking over all the blocks we were trying to stack. Fun times.
Time for one last morning job with Tyson and Jari through the neighborhood to the north of their home. It was a fun, and good conversation
The hardest part of any trip is saying goodbye. The kids love Grandpa Larry!
On our way south we were fortunate enough to be able to stop and say hello to GG (Great Grandma Buchanan). She is such a lovely woman with a great heart. I have always loved stopping by to visit with her and the kids love her too. Interestingly, Zachary just held on to her for 15-20 minutes in a never-ending hug. She still talks about that. 
She eventually came around and joined in the fun.
I need to go back and find the photos she took and eventually upload them here. But for now, here are a few candid shots from my phone (photoshoot was at BYU)
After the photoshoot, it was time for fun with the Nielson crew!
And what could be more fun than the Cat in the Hat with Grandpa Nielson?!
Everyone knows the part doesn't start until Necia and the Witts show up. That is probably why we go to Necia's house when we want to party. She pulled out all the stops this year with hot dogs, bratwursts, cotton candy, and fireworks!
It was a fun night and the kids had a blast. Time with cousins is so rare given how far away we live.
The next day was family photos and Zach was in his state. What he needs are his cousins which he can wrestle with. He is a very physical young man.
Once again, I need to pull the final photos of the family to input here.
How did we get a little blonde doll? Not sure but I am sure she could pass for Diana's child without anyone questioning.
After family photos it was on to my least favorite tradition, the parade. Don't get me wrong, I love America but sitting on the side of the road watching Luke Skywalker walk by followed the cowboys on horses and then some school marching band has always befuddled me. Why do we do this?
In the end I know the answer is because the kids love it. Glad they had a good time.
Soft serve ice cream is not something our kids have had in a long time so we had to stop by Macey'sand get some. Panoramic turned out a little funny but all the same, it captures a moment.
Next up was a hike up to the Timpanogos Caves. I recall hiking this as a child and so I was really happy to have my mom suggest we make the hike with the kids. I knew it was would be challenging for many present but I love being outside and with family so it was a double win for me.
It was so good to be with my brother, James, again, and his sweet little Ezra.
Darren was the official Caboose. He hiked most of the way and only required an occasional shoulder ride. Honestly, I am super surprised how well the kids did, given the incline.
Charlotte was so happy to be there. It was hot and long and I am sure she was dehydrated and suffering a little heat exhaustion now that I look back on it. It seemed in the moment she was just tired of being asked to continue on when it was hard.
But she is a trooper and was willing to give us a smile. Zach hiked with uncle Joey which he enjoyed.
Once we were in the cave and she had cooled down she was all smiles.
I love hiking and doing stuff like this. I know not everyone else does but having moments to be out in nature and not connected to technology like Disney or other movies rejuvenates my soul.
Here is the "Heart" of Timpanogos. It is easy to see why they named it that.
This was super cool. I don't remember why it turned green with backlighting. Copper? Whatever the reason it was cool to see
Safe to say Charlotte had a good time. What about the other kids? They loved it too but were with the rest of the family so I never got to take pictures with them. So they will just have to trust that they were there too
The next day the girls were scheduled for a "Secret Garden Party" so before that kicked off I drove up Provo Canyon for a little trail run. It got really steep so I turned around and headed back before I made the full loop I was aiming for. While on the trail I came across a small moose just 10-15 feet from me. Luckily, it was not too interested in me and just wandered off in the trees.
While the girls were starting their party I took the boys to Macey's for some food and then up the canyon to enjoy some water and hiking.
This was actually not the first time I had been up Bridal Veil waterfalls with Diana's kids. Of course Pierson and Zach took off up the falls so I had to scramble after them with Darren in tow. Remembering Jari's phone incident, I was careful to not drop my phone in the water.
Going up is always the easy part. Going down is always a challenge.
The last phase of the boys' party was a "simplified" version of risk which resulted in Zach conquering the world and loving it. This is at Jame's house. Pierscen is in red and Preston is behind Zachary.
Rejoining the Secret Garden Party just in time to make soap.
Grandma Nielson, Diana, and Jari took charge of the Secret Garden party, which began with a backyard book club that Diana conducted and where the children had profound spiritual insights from reading the Classic Book. Then they ate a proper English Tea (lunch) with cucumber sandwiches and egg salad sandwiches and Ginger lemon herb tea. They learned about good manners, how to ask for things politely. They actually loved saying, "May I please have another cucumber sandwich?".
Then they did two crafts - one group made soap in the kitchen while the other group made Secret Garden bookmarks in the dining room (in the background). then they switched places. They all made a bar of soap with Rose petals and fragrances with the book theme of the Secret Garden coming alive with cascades of roses. They also created another with their own choice of fragrance and color.
Grandma Nielson's house is a place of food and fun inside and outside.
It was so HOT! We were happy to swim at James's pool and enjoy a wonderful barbecue supper. Grandma Nielson gave each grandchild a new swimming towel, which Zachary is curled up with after swimming. What a great memory.
The next day of fun took place at Lagoon. As a child, we would go to Lagoon nearly every year. It had been 20 years since I had been there and there were some big changes there.
The kids were so excited to be there.
Sabrina and Diana and her kids joined us. One could start small but we decided to go big and start out on Cannibal. Sabrina was SO scared. It took a fair amount of distraction to keep her in line. I did not get to ride with her but it suffices to say that Hazel and Charlotte learned some new vocabulary when they rode next to her on the ride :)
Zach and Camille were content to participate in smaller attractions. If you are wondering what Zach is doing here he is holding his fists up which is a sign that the fighter pilots of the USAF stationed at Kunsan Air Base use when they are taxing to take off. Their motto is "Crush 'um!" and the fists are the way of crushing skulls. Our friend from Germany who visited us in Alaska as part of Red Flag gave us a tour of the F-16 and taught us that. The fighter squadron from Kunsan was at Eielson so we got to watch them taxi by and give the sign to us and Zach adopted this.
This was an unexpected reunion. Here is the Lemon family who we knew in Maryland from a decade ago. I was walking through the park trying to find Jari and the kids when I saw Dane and we made plans to meet up. His kids had grown so much! Crazy how time moves so quickly,
At the end of the night Diana was kind enough to watch our younger two while Charlotte, Hazel, Jari and I rode Wicked. The girls loved it!
Necia and her crew have always been the ones to burn the midnight oil so we were surprised when they left at 6 pm and we stayed till closing. It was a lot of fun, especially to hang out late with Diana.
That evening Jari's brother, Daniel, and family came from Texas and were open to spending time with us so we decided to connect with our family by traveling south where our kids could see where Grandpa Nielson grew up and some of the work he has done in his professional life as an archeologist.
We made a visit to the Freemont State Indian Park. Years ago, dad led excavations that recovered the items found in this museum. He shared stories and captured the audience like always :)
After our visit to the museum, we traveled to Central to visit Uncle Dave, Aunt Glenda, and cousins Robyn Taylor and Haley Jo Tebbs. Haley saddled up a horse for some delightful riding, and she explained the impact of the current drought in Utah.
We had a picnic at the local park and found that in spite of the drought, they have a splash pad in Central which many people enjoyed. I was not surprised to hear Uncle David voted against it :)
The saddest part of living far is meeting new friends (2nd cousins) and knowing they would be fantastic friends but due to distance they will likely never get that chance...
Joey, Diana, Haley Jo, Robyn, and Fred! Our cousins did their best to try to recruit me to come work in Richfield/Central and I have to admit there is a charm there and in other times/circumstances, I would have considered.
The next Reunion was with the Fosters: Becky, Milo, and Hazel Foster. They lived in Germany with us. Her husband, Johnny, was our audiologist at Spangdahlem (and Bishop). Becky is very artistic and would record music and post it online. He was not able to meet up with us because he was in the process of moving to Hawaii for a 2-year schooling opportunity to get his master's in public health. With any luck we will see them again in the near future.
Our reunion was simple - we met up at a park in Lehi and let the kids run around for an hour while the adults chatted about changes and future plans.
Next reunion was with Carrie Ririe who was one of Jari's friends when she was in 7-12 grades. We met for a quick lunch and the two of them chatted about life. So fun to see old friends
When Jari and I got engaged, her ring came from Sierra West Jewelers in Orem, UT. The first time we cleaned it was free and we simply never trusted anyone else but them to re-plate her ring of white gold. Why? No real reason. But seeing how we had not been back to Utah in a long while, her ring was far past due for a cleaning. Apparently, the cost of re-plating has gone up A LOT. While this was a surprise, we noticed as we drove away (upon dropping it off) that they only wrote down there was 1 ring (her wedding and engagement bands are not fused). So I called back to inquire and they said it was a mistake and that they had both but the cost would be double as it was per ring. Yikes! After a small bit of awkward silence, they offered to do both rings for the price of one which was much appreciated given her wedding band is simply a thin piece of white gold. Jari was happy to get her ring back and see it so nice and shiny again.
Our next experience was Temple Square in Salt Lake City with some of the Petries. Our kids had never been there. It was really nice to recognize the sacrifices of the "Mormon" Pioneers and remember that piece of our heritage. It also allowed the kids to connect with it briefly.
A quick tour of the amazing Conference Center and then a picnic in the parking garage.
After visiting Temple Square w went to the SLC cemetery to look for Grandpa Bill's grave. We were not present for his funeral and burial and we were navigating via Diane Petrie's memory of where it was in relation to other gravestones. We had to spread out but eventually, we found it. Grandpa Bill was an amazing man. We are all looking forward to the day that we can embrace him in the resurrection and be with him again.
As a side note, I was happy to spend time walking through the cemetery as it allowed me to see the names of burial places of people I have read about in church history. Some were honored with large headstones while other pioneers, no less important or known to God, had simple headstones with a name and date only which is not weathered and fading with time. So many great people have given so much for God's Kingdom. We are so grateful to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and glad the Church is found everywhere we travel.
i
Remember Teddy? After work, we drove to a nearby park where our kids could meet up and play. Many other Petrie members were there as well including Kayla who had driven out from Indiana with her crew so she could be with us all.
The next morning the boys here set off on a hike of Mt Timpanogos. While this was a regular activity for James and me growing up, Dan and Eric had never made the trek while they lived in Utah so they were excited to come. William on the other hand was hard for me to read. I later found out why.
Utah seems to never be without wildfires so the smoke from the valley obscured the view but brought a beauty of its own.
Spectacular views at each turn with wildflowers awaiting us.
It was a bit slow going as the boys lived at low elevation and were not accustomed to long exercise. I also learned that Eric cramps up really easy which has been a lifelong issue for him on long hikes.
Even though it took a bit, we eventually made it to the small glacier pond up top and took a rest before pushing on. Alpine views like these are so awesome. When you are up high (elevation), you sense the vast amounts of the earth beneath your feet in a similar way that one can feel an oppressive quantity of water when one is on the ocean and it is humbling. It always makes me think of the response that Moses gave in Moses Chapter 1: 9-10; "And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. And it came to pass that ... he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed."
I have watched a lot of YouTube videos of expeditions into Patagonia and other remote places on earth and they always look amazing. I have driven past Denali National park now a few times and each time the grandeur does not escape me but I also see the natural erosion over time. It is interesting that so many find the earth so beautiful and somehow cannot find 2 truths: 1) All here on earth is temporary so there is little use putting all our faith and trust in temporary things. Nothing in this life lasts so we should not build our lives with the sole of the temporary. 2) Man is so small. But God can be seen in the details of life and the earth if we will but open our hearts and minds. (Alma 30:41,44)
Our destination :)
Here is where the journey slowed down. For one, members were tired and the elevation was starting to get to them
The scramble over the rocks took a long while
Each time we hike Timpanogos, I look for the mountain goats and they are often found on a steep hillside far from us or even seemingly floating on a cliffside. This was the first time I have seen them up close and personal. We followed them up the trail to the summit.
The hike down was very slow as we learned that William is actually very afraid of heights! He would lean towards the side of the mountain and take very small steps. We did our best to encourage and reassure him but when you are at 11,000+ feet it is just hard to feel comfortable if you are afraid of heights.
While the boys when hiking the rest of the crew went on what we thought would be a short hike near Aspen Grove on the backside of Timpanogos. It said it would only be a mile it was much longer. Add to that the intense heat and the very dusty trail, plus several people not bringing water and it was far from a fun experience. At least there was a small waterfall and stream to play in at the midway point.
The visit with the Petrie's was great - here are five of the Pietre children and parents, left to right: Daniel. Kayla, mama Diane, _______, Jari, papa Larry, and Shayla. It is always fun to meet together after so long of being apart and enjoy one another's company. Modern technology allows us to see and talk to one another instantly and often but there is just no substitute for being together and exchanging hugs.
Some memories by Hazel :
"I remember Gram giving us a huge bag full of candy when we left Anna's house. She had a lot of candy she did not eat so she gave it to us. Mom and dad did not like that but we ate the candy anyway and loved it! Gram was really happy to get rid of the candy and very happy that she made us happy.
I also remember watching William, Weston, Charlotte, and Zach playing Cover your Assets at night. It was really fun.
I remember playing with Tysons dogs (Macey and Molly) in the garage at Tyson's house. I would hold a stick above Macey's head and Molly would try to grab it
Some memories by Charlotte:
"When we first arrived at Grandma Nielson's house she made a big dinner for us and I really like the bruschetta. The dessert was good also. We went to James' house and played on the trampoline with Olivia and played 'Wolf.' I also remember swimming at James's house. I would put the floating device out in front of me and then swim to try to catch it. We also went to Church while visiting Anna and we had a large bottle of water, and it tipped over and flooded the floor and dad had to clean it up. There was a girl who spoke in church after her mission. I really like going boating with Tyson and being pulled behind him on the tube. I almost fell off several times. On the shore, it was fun to float with a life vest in the water. I remember that when we got out of the water it felt really cold from the wind. I really loved Lagoon. I brought an egg salad sandwich for lunch which was really good. Grandma made these for us for the Secret Garden Party. The Colossus and Cannibal were my favorite rides. I also remember having root beer floats and sharing with Emersyn - she was so cute. The hike made me so tired. I am not made for hiking up mountains but it was really cool in the cave. I liked seeing the crystals coming down from the ceiling. One lesson that I learned when we were on the mountain was that going downhill can be just as hard as going up. I also thought it was interesting to learn that the oil from our skin would ruin the cave though I don't want to know how because it would involve a lot of physical science which is my worst subject in the world."
Some memories by Zachary:
"Lagooooooon!!!! I also remember pretending to do Karate with Devry."
Some memories by Camille:
"I remember walking and I tripped and fell on my face."
Comments