Cozumel - Belize Cruise

Sunday, December 07, 2008 Well, Judy and I got back from our cruise last night. Last Saturday morning we flew from Salt Lake, made a connection in Atlanta and flew on to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The cruise left on Monday but the flights didn’t look that good on Sunday and we needed to get there too early on Monday to leave home on that day. We spent two nights at the Ramada Inn a mile and a half from the port. It wasn’t the fanciest hotel in the world, but the price was right and it did have a certain charm including a charming poolside bar which served food. The food was quite good and there was a wide variety of excellent courses. I especially liked the restaurant. Monday around noon the hotel shuttle took us to the ship. For the first time we had a mini suite. It was really nice. It even had a walk-in closet and more shelves and room to hang up clothes than we could possibly ever use; maybe if we were on a month long cruise and didn’t want to wear the same things twice. The Navigator of the Seas was the second in this series of ships for the Royal Caribbean International Cruise Line that we have been on. It had a promenade. At 8:30 PM we went to the Nutcracker dining room where we dined with Ron and Sharon, Mike and Judy and Paul and Mary Ellen; an eclectic group of nice and fun people. We were probably closest to Ron and Sharon and sat with them several times at different affairs. They weren’t Marty and Kathy, a couple we met several cruise ago and with whom we have corresponded with and even flew to Houston to visit, but they were enjoyable. The first day of the cruise was spent a sea and we mostly sat around the pool in the solarium. The next day we were docked at Cozumel, Mexico, an island off the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. We went ashore but only looked around the shops dockside. The second day we tendered at Belize City, Belize, C.A. I assume the C. A. stands for Central America. I quite enjoyed Belize. There was a lot more to see in the immediate area of where we disembarked the tender and we took a bus tour of the city with an airboat tour in the middle. This was on an airboat like those used in the Everglades. They made it a point to give us some high speed sharp turns and took us down some narrow passageways to open lagoons where we saw many different kinds of birds and even several alligator noses sticking up out of the water. Judy and I got the two front seats on the airboat. I would like to do that again. To me that was the highlight of the trip. Anyway here we are at home safe and sound.

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TEARYEYED

Sunday, November 23, 2008 A while back, my niece Janette said in an e-mail that she and her family were going to be in town from Roseville, California this week. I don’t remember if I mentioned it to Christina, another niece, or not but anyway, she sent an e-mail saying that we; all of Clair and Lila Jepson’s descendants should get together. My Niki took over and before I could take a deep breath it was in the organizing stage. It all culminated this afternoon and evening at our house in Saratoga Springs, Utah with everyone bringing something and Judy and I providing the meat, the deserts etc. Our four children came early and did the preparations of the food, setting up tables and chairs and all the other necessities. If Judy and I had, had to do it all by ourselves we would have been a coma by this hour. There were at least three nine-year olds and three seven-year olds; I think four, and in no time the place was a mad house with kids screaming and running up and down the stairs. My brother Brent was especially good, playing tag with the kids and whatever else they were doing. It was a wonderful success and I got teary-eyed when I knew it was about to end and everyone was getting ready to go home. Several people said that we need to do this on at least an annual basis. I agree though I’m glad there is plenty of help putting it on. In attendance were: Fred & Judy Jepson, Chris and Sierra Jepson, Jim, Diane, Austin & Molly Jepson, Corey, Stacey, Jayden & Bailey Jepson, Niki, Alexa & Gavin Chazen, Brent & Linda Jepson, Christiana & Kyra Schmutz, Janette, John, Erik, Nina, Adam & Kate Johnson and Mike, Nikki, Ryan & Mathew Jepson –twenty nine in total if I counted correctly. Hope I didn’t leave anyone out. Following is a slideshow if I can figure out how to do it. Thanks again everyone—I love you all!

SO MUCH FUN

Friday, November 21, 2008 Among other things I did today, I babysat Alexa at Chazen’s while the ladies went to see Twilight, the movie based on the vampire book written by Stephanie Meyers, an LDS lady who lives in Mesa, Arizona. Alexa and I had a good time including a nap which lasted over an hour and a half. Later this evening Niki sent me the following instant message: “Just had to tell you how much fun A[lexa] had today. She keeps talking about it and just told Greg on the phone, ‘I played with Grandpa Fred today it was SO MUCH FUN’ in the most excited high pitched voice. Funny” Niki saw the film at midnight last night so this was twice in less than fourteen hours. Judy, Jim, Austin and I saw it last night at 12:10 am at the Gateway. Diane and Molly saw it at the same time at a different theater.

"Grandpa, I'm going with you"

Thursday, November 20, 2008 Last night Corey and his family came over for dinner. Jim was here too. Corey made the Gorgonzola and Mushroom-stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Merlot Sauce that everyone else loves but I hate. He wasn’t far into the process when it was realized we had the wrong kind of cheese and I was asked if I would go to Smith’s and get some Gorgonzola. I grabbed my keys and headed out the front door towards the circle where my car was parked. I barely got around to the garage when something inside said, “Jayden” my nine year old grandson, “is coming with you.” Almost immediately the front door opened and I heard, “Grandpa, wait. I’m coming with you,” and another voice, my son Corey yelling, “Wait Dad, Jayden is going with you.” Jayden is not only quite the extrovert talking to everyone; we saw some ward members, but he is at a stage where reading is really meaningful and he is reading everything in sight. Corey called while we were in the store and asked us to get some butcher’s twine so we went to the butcher counter where Jayden read the sign that said “ring for service” and reached for the call button. Unfortunately I had to stop him since I had already pushed it. Jayden made a point to have me follow him to the candy isle were he grabbed a bag of miniature Snicker candy bars. As we were walking to the car he suddenly exclaimed something to the effect of, “Oh no, I hope I didn’t get the dark chocolate!”