Leavenworth Autumn Leaf Festival

Our weekend trip to Leavenworth was great! Every year our high school band participates in the Autumn Leaf Festival parade in Leavenworth. Last year we went and watched both Sami and David play in the parade and stayed for the year. This year we decided to stay over the weekend. The number of people that came was amazing...the shops were very full. We've decided that we will go back for the day again this summer to enjoy the shopping without so many people! The band won first place for AAA schools. YEA River Ridge High School!

Finally, our Utah Trip!

We weren't sure we would have time to go to Temple Square - I am SO glad we managed to get there! We had a whirlwind tour of the temple grounds, the church office building, and the visitors center and we pretty much ran through most of it. It was so beautiful!
It took us a few trips to various stores, but we finally were successful in getting Sami's room put together. We did buy some things ahead of time and had them shipped to our friend's house...but it was amazing the number of times we still had to go to the store. And I would not have believed this if you had sworn on a stack of bibles, but most things WERE cheaper at the bookstore!

David spent most of the trip "trying to have patience!" The one thing he wanted was to buy a special CTR ring...and they didn't have the one he wanted in his size. We did order it when we got home - so not all was lost. It was very hard to leave her there - but we all knew it was the right thing. We are so excited that she is coming home for Thanksgiving!

Only in Utah

I will definitely post pictures soon, but since SOME of you think I am stingy in my posting, I will do this for now until I can unbury work desk!

We just got back from taking Sami to BYU. For those of you who don't know, it is in Provo, Utah. We noted a few things there that you would only find in a heavily populated Mormon place....
1. A store devoted entirely to TIES. Millions of them. I had to drag David away..
2. A store just for missionary preparation...anything and everything you may NEED on a mission.
3. Beggars with signs that said "Jesus loves you" and "Love your neighbor, please give".
4. A chapel on nearly every street corner.
5. A ward for every three streets, and a stake almost as often!
6. Someone sitting behind us on the plane to Utah testifying of his knowledge of the savior and the gospel.
7. Food storage - huge food storage - for sale in Walmart!