I So Love My Little Girl!

Our 17 yr. old neighbor Corey had to have his leg amputated this week.  After his 4 day stay in the hospital, he came home today.  Shayla was mad at me because she wanted to make him a "Welcome Home" sign, and I forgot, but I will never forget the conversation that followed next.

Shayla: Mom, we should go over to see Corey today.
Me:  Well, it looks like he's had a lot of visitors today, so let's wait until maybe tomorrow.
Shayla:  OK, but we should bring him a present.
Me:  Alright, what should be bring him?
Shayla:  Some money.
Me:  Some money? Why?
Shayla:  To help him pay for his new leg.

I love this girl!!  She is always thinking of others!  What a sweetheart!

Moman June Visits Columbus

It was a short visit this time (only a week) but we'll take any time that we can get with this wonderful Mother, Mother-in-law and Grandmother. It was a great week too!  We did a little shopping, a lot of cooking (well Masood did the cooking directed by his Mother), had some great laughs, cuddled a bit, and cried a bit too (only while saying good bye).  Moman June is 81 now and it's getting harder and harder for her to get around, esp. getting from Iran to here, but she's doing it.  She hasn't given up yet.  She LOVES being with her children and her grandchildren and tries hard to spend time with them when she can.  We were so grateful to have her here this week!

Mariah, Shayla, Moman June, AJ and Aryan

Masood, Mom, and I

Masood (the baby in his family of 6 kids) LOVES his Mommy

Mariah loves the fact that she shares her grandmother's good looks!

After I gave her a haircut, Aryan gave it a new color.
(Aryan is in her pajama's)

How often do you see your Grandmother with a bag on her head?

Here is a fun video I did. Sometimes I love the fact that my Mother-in-law and I don't speak much of each other's languages. ha ha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4OKlRqs-1k

Just for you Eric

Eric Charlton is one of Aryan's good friends. He comes over a lot to just hang out.   Well, he was just one of a few of her friends that just had to stop by to meet Aryan's grandmother from Iran and to try out her amazing Persian cooking.  One night, her friend Casey had some of our dinner and then took home the rest of the leftovers, just so he could let his family try it too.  ha ha

On this particular night, we were having soup.  Eric stopped by to try it out.  He's a pretty goofy kid and insisted that Mariah feed it to him.  He also found out that night that I keep a blog and was complaining that I wasn't blogging about him enough.  So here you go Eric....a post all about you on my blog!

Mmmm, some yummy Persian Soup made of rice and beans.

This is Eric talking to my sister Sarah in WA state. They had a great conversation....I think. ha ha What a goofball!!

The Cuche Family

One thing we love about living in Ohio is the fact that it seems to be one of those States that people like to pass through, especially if they are doing a church history tour.  We've had lots of friends come to visit, but these friends came the farthest.  This is the Cuche family, visiting all the way from Lyon, France.  Masood and Denis-Pierre, were missionary companions in the MTC.  Then when I entered the Canada-Winnipeg Mission, "Elder Cuche" was my first A.P.  Although he left soon after I got there, we did have a couple of times to meet and the 3 of us have always been friends.  That was 21 years ago.  Since then, there have been many Christmas cards, birth announcements, baptism announcements, and now they are sending off their first missionary.

Anne-Laure, Denis-Pierre, Lucy, Leonie, Marie-Elise, Veronique, Corentin Cuche

Companions in the MTC - Friends for life!

Missionaries together in the Canada Winnipeg Mission - 21 years ago.

The first night they were in our home, I don't think I could wipe the smile off of my face. I just kept thinking, "I can't believe that the Cuche family is sitting here in my home. They are not just pictures anymore, they are real people with wonderful personalities."

The Moarefdoust's with the Cuche's

The Youngest 2 - Shayla Elise with Marie-Elise

We had a wonderful visit. The first night, we took them to Aryan's pizza restaurant for some pizza. I also found out that they LOVE bacon and pineapple pizza. Afterwards, the Cuche family showed us a presentation on France and we got to see pictures of where they live and the home they live in. Later the older teenagers played games, the younger 2 girls played Barbies and the adults visited. The only one that spoke great English was Denis-Pierre. All the rest of them spoke a "little" English, which they had to practice a lot while staying with us and the youngest Marie-Elise spoke NO English. She didn't care though, she spoke to Shayla in French and Shayla spoke to her in English. There is no language barrier when you are playing Barbies!

The oldest 2 - Corentin with Aryan
Corentin with be the newest "Elder Cuche" in August when he leaves for his mission to London England.

Denis-Pierre and Veronique Cuche

Hoover Dam

The Moarefdoust's and the Cuche's at Hoover Dam after a hard played game of soccer in the park.

They next day, we fixed a giant American breakfast with pancakes, bacon, hash browns and fruit and then to work it off at the park playing soccer.  This French family was pretty good at their soccer, even the 2 little girls had a goal each.  After soccer, we took them to see our Stake Center and then over to Hoover Dam.  We climbed the Dam and skipped rocks on the Reservoir.

The Columbus Temple

No trip to Columbus is complete without a trip over to the Columbus LDS Temple.  Even though it is small, it is still beautiful and you could feel the spirit there.  It's the Gospel that has brought our 2 families together and it will be the Gospel that will never separate us, even in death.

The Cuche Family at the Columbus LDS Temple

We are so grateful for the friendship that we share with the wonderful family.  We wish them well on their journey as they tour the rest of the United States, visiting Church History sites and good friends.  Maybe next time we can go to France.

Youth Conference 2012

This year, we took 180 Youth and adults to Palmyra, New York for Youth Conference.  I was sooo excited because after 4 years of living in this area, we had not yet gone to visit Palmyra.  I knew this would be an amazing trip and I was excited to have my girls (Aryan and Mariah) with me as well.

Here are some great pictures of some of the places we visited while were were there.

We left Columbus at 6:30 AM and first visited the Kirtland Temple.  We didn't have time to do any of the tours there, but we did have time to walk the temple grounds and get some pictures.

Our ward took 10 Young Men and 7 Young Woman as well as 5 adults.  Even though I am in the Stake YW Presidency, I was happy to drive a group of girls from my ward up to Palmyra.

Four of the graduated Seniors from my ward.  Casey, Hannah, Aryan and Eric.  I'm glad that THIS YC was their last because it was the most special.

A beautiful picture of the top of the Kirtland Temple, through the trees.

After 8 long hours in the car, we finally arrived in Rochester, NY where we stayed at Monroe Community College.  After registration, some fun get to know you games, pizza and a fireside, the youth ended with a fun dance.  You may have seen me on the dance floor a couple of times, but I mostly helped with making the Snow Cones.  YUMMY!!

The next morning after breakfast (the Stake provided all the food, or money to buy food) we headed into Palmyra.  Because of our large group, our Stake split up into groups visiting different sites at different times.

Our Ward started out at the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center. Did you know that the Book of Mormon is translated into at least 300 languages?  Aryan found the Persian one.

Many of the retired costumes from the Pageant are housed here.  Because of the size of the Pageant now, the costumes aren't as elaborate as they used to be.

This one reminded me of a Las Vegas show girl......I wanted it!  ha ha

My girls at the Christus Stature in the Visitors Center.

Six of our 7 YW from our ward.  Aryan, Riley, Mariah, Shelby, Hannah and Morganne.

 

Looking up at the Hill Cumorah from the bottom.  It doesn't look that steep, but it is.  We hiked up to the top and boy was it a HIKE!!  I was breathing pretty hard by the time I got to the top.

Looking down from the Hill Cumorah.  You are looking at the 9,000 chairs they set up for the Pageant. 

This is the Statue they have at the top of the Hill Cumorah.  This is where Mormon hid the gold plates that were given to Joseph Smith many years later.

Having a little fun, spelling out the State we are from.....O H I O !!!

Mariah "planking" on a garbage can.  Silly Girl!!

We took a quick visit to the Palmyra temple.  It's a "mini" temple and it looks a lot like the Columbus temple but it's on a lot more grounds....some very beautiful grounds.

Our ward at the Palmyra temple.

It was so, so, so, so, so HOT and humid this day that we decided to eat our lunches in the car with the air conditioning on.  I don't usually sweat, but this day I was dripping!!

Next was the log house Joseph Smith lived in when he was a young boy.  This is where he lived when he went into the Sacred Grove to pray as to which church was right for him.  Well we all know that answer to that prayer.  The Smith's had 8 children in this small home.

This is the room where Joseph slept when the Angel Moroni came to him in a vision 3 times in one night.  Did you know that his 5 brothers were also sleeping that that same room with him that night?

Joseph's older brother Alvin began building this home after he was engaged to marry.  He died suddenly and so his family finished the home and moved in.  Joseph had the Gold Plates by then and was translating them in this home.  He also had many hiding places for the plates here, such as Alvin's tool box or under the fireplace hearth.

Here are a couple of beautiful pictures of the Sacred Grove.  It was peaceful here and I really could imagine the First Vision happening here.

Aryan and Hannah portraying the "First Vision."

Alvin Smith's Grave

This is the Grandin Printing Press where the Book of Mormon was first published.

The Printing room.

Did you know it took 7 months to print out the Book of Mormon?

The Binding Room.

Did you know it took 17 months to bind the Book of Mormon?  WOW, that's a long time!

This is the Peter Whitmar Farm house, where the church was first organized on April 6th, 1830.

About 60 people were in this room, the night the church was organized.

The Hill Cumorah Pageant started at about 9:15 and lasted for an hour and 20 min.  It was Amazing.  This is in the beginning where all 700 cast members come up on stage.  I didn't take many pictures of the Pageant because I just wanted to sit back and enjoy it.  AND I DID!!

Saturday morning, we had a wonderful Testimony Meeting with our Youth before heading home.  Our Ward decided to make a "quick" stop somewhere else before going home..........

NIAGARA FALLS!!!!

Because most of our Youth don't have Passports, we had to visit the American side of the Falls.  I was fine with that, because I've never been on the American side, only the Canadian.  I'm sorry to admit, I still like the Canadian side better.

Looking towards Niagara Falls, Canada.

This is the lookout tower on the US side.

Some of our Youth on the Look Out Tower.  Looking down at the river and.......

.....The Maid of the Mist.

We didn't have the chance to do this with our youth (too expensive) but we hope to do it as a family sometime.

My 2 beauties!

Casey and Eric (the "twinsies" - they dressed a lot EVERY day we were up there)  with Riley Beuer.

Horseshoe Falls (the American part of Niagara Falls).

Looking at Horseshoe Falls and Niagara Falls.

On our way home, we stopped for dinner at Arby's.  This is the LONGEST curly fry I have ever seen.  Yes, that is one, long, continuous curly fry.

An 8 hour car ride can get boring, so here are some of my girls goofing off.  Mariah in her one eyed "Burka" hat.

Aryan and Hannah being silly!

We finally made it home around 12:30 AM.  It would have been earlier but one of the cars we were traveling with had a flat tire about 60 miles from home.  We all pulled off the freeway to help him out.  I was happy to be home, but just as happy to have gone to such a special and memorable Youth Conference.