Surprise!! We have to 'surprise' Grammy!!

There is just something "magical" about coming home from an early shift at the Temple and upon walking into your apartment Lobby, hear a voice say, "Emma". And as you turn your head towards the couch and chairs in that Lobby, see familiar faces--Kyle Mumford, Emma, little Hiro and Sachi Mumford, just sitting there. WHAT A WONDERFUL SURPRISE!! I had expressed the thought, as much to myself, as to anyone else around, that very morning, that FaceTime is great, to see faces and people, etc.  But I really just needed to "hold and squeeze" a grandchild for a few minutes. Then I think I'd be fine for a while. WOW!! Did I get my wish!! Thank you, Thank you!! E Mumford was "in" on this surprise--so when he arrived home a little later, due to a sealing assignment, S Mumford was truly in "Grammy mode" big time!! We did have a fun time with them--even though the weather had turned a little chilly and we had rain on Saturday. The other 2 days cleared up and we went for stroll in Central Park after Church and our lunch.  Monday's "focus" was on Emma and especially her love of ART. Here are some fun pics that illustrate this VISIT. There was a fun "video clip" of me "discovering" Kyle and family in our Apartment building lobby--but I can't get it to play after I load it--so I cannot include here. Anyway--they did "accomplish" their SURPRISE!!

A very good juggler in Central Park

The "art" of bubble blowing

"Rock climbing" in Central Park"

In front of "Rabbie Burns" aka Robbie Burns--famous Scottish poet

Papa Mumford, Emma and Grammy

Sachi, Emma, Kyle and little Hiro Mumford

Big Bird just "chilin'"

Atop "Balto" with Kyle and Hiro and Emma 

Hiro and Emma find the heaves fascinating and. . . 

Hiro wants to "bury " his Mother, Sachi, with leaves 

Hiro loves to be " read to"

Hiro on his own horsey on the CentralPark Carousel 

Emma holds on "tight"

Emma on her own horsey, too

Hiro, Grammy Mumford and Emma Mumford share a Carousel ride together 

This "double stroller" went so many places!! 

Emma made an elephant at the "clay bar" at the CMA ( Children's Museum of Art) 

Hiro plays with play dough 

Emma has fun "rolling her clay" into pieces to make her elephant 

Outside "Dylan's Candy Bar"--quite the collection of candy, cookies and ice cream

Not sure who enjoyed it more--Emma . . . OR Kyle!! 

Dad Kyle  coaches Emma at the clay bar (a very popular item in the CMA) 

The "family that plays together . . . Stays together"!!

Emma--doing her favorite thing at Papa & Grammy's-- drawing pictures!! She is actually very good at it!! Much detail!! 

It was such a wonderful visit from Kyle and Sachi and Emma and Hiro! We feel rejuvenated with "love" from our family and hope they had as good of a time as we did!! 

🎨🍭☔️💋❤️

Sure do LOVE YOU!!!

Brad & Cassi Mumford--First "Family" Visitors!

We have so enjoyed all of our Visitors to NYC since our arrival here in March 2016. And please all know how much they have lifted us and brightened our time away from home! But to finally be able to "Welcome" our own family members is truly a great experience we look so forward to. And on October 8-11, 2016--it happened!! Exciting Time!! Brad & Cassi Mumford made it to NYC!! Brad had a training for his Air Guard duties in Washington, DC--so they planned to stay for a few days with us before that training took place. How wonderful to "first" see them as they arrived at the Manhattan Temple to participate in a Session (which was one of the 3 Spanish-only sessions and I think they even declined the headphones) on that Saturday.  What a great start to our time with them!! Brad has always been a great "planner" and before any trip--he always has an itinerary that he outlines, refines and then incorporates into the trip. (He did it when we visited them in Japan in 2014). He did so for this trip. He had things planned for us to do together and activities and sights for he & Cassi to do while we were doing our Temple Service. Now ordinarily, if you planned to visit--and that time included a Monday--we would be "free" to spend the day with you as that is our P-day and the Temple is closed. But there are 5 "government holidays" in the year that are not usually observed by other entities yet they are "holidays"-- and the NY Manhattan Temple IS OPEN for the 9:00 and 11:00 am Sessions--and the Temple Missionaries are the ones who "run" the temple on those days--no Volunteer ordinance workers are expected to come in. So--October 10th was Coumbus Day--and we had to be in the temple until about 12:30 pm--so they signed up for a "Walking Food Tour"-- which they thoroughly enjoyed with about 36 other people--from all over the world!! This was Cassi's first visit to NYC--so they bought the New York Pass-- which allowed them to choose several places/things to do & see over the 3 full days they were here. We joined them for the 9/11 museum, the Intrepid & the Air, Water and Space Museum, a stop at the M & M store, Broadway play--."Wicked" and a Juilliard School Concert, "The American Brass Quintet" (excellent!), Stardust Diner and our favorite Indian restaurant, Kismat up in Washington Heights. On their own they did Lady Liberty, Top of the Rock (Rockefeller center Observarory--really cool view of the City--especially at night) and rented a tandem bike and rode around in Central Park!! They also did the Hop On/Hop Off Bus tour--a few stops. We did have such a great time--and we walked and walked and walked!! We "captured" a few pics to "remember and celebrate" our time together--it was Wonerful!!

Central Park and the statue of Balto-- the famed sled dog who led a dogsled team the last 53 treacherous miles in a 1,000 mile journey from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska and got medicine to that village and "saved" them from a diphtheria epidemic/outbreak. This journey in 1925 is where the idea of the Iditarod race first started.

At our Sunday Meetings in Rego Park 1st Ward (in Queens)

City Hall in Downtown NYC

That was a Rainy Sabbath

Aboard and below on the Submarine called "The Growler" 

9/11 Reflecting Pools

Inside the Star Dust diner where the Wait staff sing to you while your eat. They were great--we requested a Neil Diamond song, "Sweet Caroline"-- and tho' they don't " do requests"-- a few minutes later this great voice  starts singing " Where  it began . . . " and the song was launched!! Good times!!

Brad, me and E Mumford--submarine controls 

Brad & Cassi--on Submarine

Outside famous "Ellen's Stardust Diner" 

On our way to see "Wicked" 

Our view of the stage for "Wicked" 

L to R-- Brad & Cassi Mumford, S Carol Mumford and E Ron Mumford

" Saying Good-Bye" as Cassi & Brad leave our apartment early Octoer 12th--heading to Penn Station to catch the train to Washington, DC.    Can I just say "how I dislike Goodbyes" but so THANK YOU FOR COMING!! 

We look forward to "Hosting" many more of you!!

VISITORS . . . FROM HOME!!

So excited for this Post as we have enjoyed some wonderful visits from people we know and love during the month of September 2016.
First Visitors we "welcomed" to our "New York" home were the Whites, Scott & Chris White from Weston, Idaho and with them their traveling "friends and family" Scott's cousin and his wife from Boise, Idaho. It was just delightful to have them come for a Sunday evening, share some food (Philly Steak and cheese sandwiches, mango salsa and chips, fresh fruit and ice cream cake). Chris wanted us to share some information about how the Manhattan Temple became a reality and other interesting events surrounding that time. Fun to explore information available and were blessed with a Temple Missionary FHE just a few weeks before and heard some of this information from a Brother Malclom Draper, one of 3 Church representatives involved daily in the Temple project. (I will write more about how the New York Manhattan Temple came to be in a later Post). For now--let's just say how much we enjoyed that Sunday evening with this fun group of people. We almost always take people to our "Rooftop" (37 floors to the top) to see the city from that perspective. It is so beautiful at night!!

L to R--White, Marcy White, Chris White and Scott White  

L to R: White & Marci White, Chris & Scott White, Elder Ron & Sis Carol Mumford, Deanne & Scott Jefferies

We shared information about how Manhattan , New York was chosen as the "site" for the Temple in New York

We so enjoyed this evening!! 

Our other Visitors were also from HOME--Dayton, Idaho--even closer than Weston, Idaho.

Dee and Nancy Beskstead

On their way to the "Fall Foilage" Cruise that left from New York Harbor on Sat, October 1, 2016--they stopped by for a Temple Session on Friday afternoon, September 30th. After which we went out to dinner at a very nice Italian restaurant, Pomodoro--just down the street from our apartment on Columbus Avenue.

We got our Waiter to snap this shot.

Around the table, starting on the front L--E Mumford, Sis Mumford, Nancy Beckstead and Dee Beckstead. He is one of the sons of D Marcel Beckstead who moved his Dairy operation from West Jjordan, Utah just before our Farm moved from Sandy, Utah to Clifton, Idaho in 1979. 

A sideline about Marcel: when he found out we had been called to the Temple in New York City, he said he was "concerned for our safety". Advised us to be home by 6 pm and lock our doors! Good advice, dear Marcel!!

And then in Provo, Utah --many, many miles away from New York City--on September 29, 2016 our  

son, Bryce P Mumford received a "surprise visit" (well they did call ahead to make sure Bryce would  be home) from  our new Temple President Mark Bench and his wife and Temple  Matron, Sister Dorothy Bench. Pres & Sis Bench were in Utah for New Temple Presidents and Matrons Training in Salt Lake City. Sis Bench asked me before they left for this training, for Bryce's address in Provo. She said "I want to go visit and give him a "HUG" from his Mother." I protested, saying I was sure they had way too much to do in their time in Utah, to go and visit a"stranger" to them. She said she had siblings in Provo and she was going to visit them-- and besides, " He's not a stranger--I know his parents!!"  Even when they left, I still did not think this visit would happen --until I got the texts and emails from both Bryce and the Benches showing these pictures. THEN--I burst into tears!!

Bryce on his font porch to Welcome Pres & Sis Bench

Bryce with Pierce and Jane when Pres & Sis Bench visited them 

Pierce read "Llama Llama Nighty Night" to Pres Bench and Jane on the couch in his living room 

Pierce and Pres Bench together. He sent this message " Those are happy, bright, cuddly Mumford children". 

Sis Bench and Jane --she is "darling"!!

Sis Bench and Pierce--listening as he tells her all about school 

Bryce watching and enjoying " some fantastic people and great company" as he messaged me about the visit from the Benches. Pres Benches description--FUN FOLKS IN PROVO!!

I still cannot believe that they went to visit Bryce (and am so sorry that they could not meet Lissa, as she was away to an appointment),. They both knew of my concern for Bryce's health, as he "waits" for a new kidney. They were so kind to want to go and meet him and be able to bring back news that " he is doing the best he can"--But  as I told both Pres & Sis Bench in my email and just yesterday ((Oct 21st) when they returned to the Temple in New York, "I feel as though I've "been home to visit" and I thank you  both from the "bottom of my heart"!! They are truly amazing and wonderful people.

Truly some GREAT VISITS !!