Entry #43

Obviously I am running of out steam...It is time to finish our trip home. We arrived in Salt Lake City on December 9th, 2009. It was so cold that we thought we had landed at the North Pole!


After picking up our car, which we had left in storage, we went to the MTC (missionary training center) in Provo, Utah. And look who we found. The last time we saw these ladies we were all in Rajahmundry. They are Sowjanya Gorrela (l.) who is now in the Washington Tacoma mission and Aparna Vuppada (r.) who is in the Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission. Even though they are in scarves, winter coats and boots, they are shivering.

Lobby of the Joseph Smith Building

downtown Salt Lake City

Evening view of the Salt Lake City temple.

Carol had never seen the lights on Temple Square

during the Christmas season.

We arrived at Jason's house in Las Vegas

just in time for making and decorating gingerbread houses.

Left to right: Ashlyn, Katherine holding Reese, and Ellie.

Ellie, Katherine, Reese, Ashlyn and Jason Wood

Las Vegas, Nevada

Next stop: Kansas City, Missouri.

What would Christimas be without the Nutcracker!

Thought we would take in one more performance.

Lauren, as the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The car knows the way!

A very quick trip to Nauvoo, Illinois as we cross the country going east. This is where the pioneers began their trek, crossing the Mississippi, and heading west to the Salt Lake valley.

This is the historic Nauvoo Illinois Temple.

We arrived at Sarah's and Jeremy's house in Fairfax, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. just in time for Santa's arrival. McKenna, Parker, Madison and Allison are holding their wooden elephants that grandma and grandpa brought from India.

Kent's sister lives nearby and we got together for food, fun and photo-taking. Back row (l to r): Jeremy Dastrup holding McKenna, Kelly, Jesse, Cari and Niki Gaskins. Front row (l to r): Allison and Madison Dastrup, Kent and Carol, Sarah and Parker Dastrup.

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We can't bear to close. Think we'll do one more entry.