Quick SLC trip for a Happy New Year--2014!

We stepped off the plane in SLC to the cold winter air, so we had to re-acclimate for the first few days. We had a wonderful time with family and friends, and spent the rest of our time running here and there while in the land of plenty.  We hit Costco for our remaining consumables allowance.  This living mainly on consumables has made it easier for me to calculate how much we (as a family of 5 now) eat over a two year period.  Before it was always just a guess when figuring out a year's supply of what we go through.  Now it's more accurate since I can calculate things based on how much we've gone through over that past six months here. In case you were wondering if there were any advantages to living in Nigeria =)

We got to spend time with Boomie, our labradoodle who we couldn't afford to bring with us, so he has been staying with Colleen and Ralph.  We've missed our "Fluff-boy"!

We enjoyed many wonderful meals, including this one, prepared by Colleen!

Colleen, Moriah and I spent a half a day up at Alta, skiing. It was Moriah's first time, and she did GREAT! 

                                         

Here is a clip of Moriah coming down a hill =)

Meanwhile, the other three joined the Wall kids to go see "Frozen".

After church with Colleen and Ralph we headed out to the airport to catch our 2pm flight. At check-in they noticed we hadn't been issued seats yet, and told us to talk to someone at the gate and get seats then.  So off went our bags and we walked through the terminal to our gate. They were offering $200 vouchers for anyone who was willing to give up their seat and take a later flight. No one went for it. They upped the offer to $400, then $600 and finally $800. NO ONE budged! The flight was now 30 min late departing. The gate told us they had no seats left for us, as the flight had been overbooked. So we received 5 vouchers ($800 each) and the lady then spent the next hour and a half finding a way to get us re-booked to Lagos.  She finally found availability on a Delta and Lufthansa departing Wednesday (three days later). United paid our hotel and food for the next 3 nights at the Double-Tree Inn near the airport. Which should be called the Cookie-Tree Inn--every night we got a DELICIOUS chic chip cookie from the front desk. Yum! So our vacation was extended three more days. The down side was that the kids would miss the first week back to school, and would have some catch-up work to do.

At the airport while we were waiting to get on the overbooked flight. Jenna was sharing her last chocolate milk with Flat Stanley, who was her companion for the whole trip as a school assignment from Mrs. Savage.

 We wandered around the shops in downtown SLC and bought a few more things we'd overlooked.

We visited Temple Square and the Visitor's Center where Jenna got to see the beautiful Christus for the first time.

We went into the Family History Center and Otto was able to finally resolve the long mistaken identity of his Great Uncle Florence. He'd been entered into the system as a female, which one might assume with the name Florence. Otto had tried to fix it several times in the past but needed permission from the person who'd entered it in wrong. The woman at the Center was able to take care of it. Florence must be happy and grateful =)

We rode TRAX around the city and back to the airport where we caught the shuttle back to our hotel.

Wednesday we went back to the airport and got on our rescheduled flights. This time we were routed from SLC to Minneapolis, then to Amsterdam, and then to Lagos. We were pleasantly surprised that the only seating available for the flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam was First Class! Yeah!!

We spent about 16 hours riding above the earth, flying back home to Lagos.

The Arrows of God Orphanage

We had the opportunity to visit the Arrows of God Orphanage.  The U. S. Marines were going out there to deliver toys for tots and there was room for 12 others to come along, so we got to go too =)

 We climbed into the armoured vehicle and the driver took us safely there in about a 20 min ride.

This sign reassured us we were in the right neighborhood.

Here it is!

 Here come our Marines, in full uniform, which is pretty impressive with the added heat they must have been feeling!

 This Marine wore a Santa suit instead, which was probably even hotter than the uniform would've been.  

This is one of the classroom walls.

Lining up to have a turn with Santa and receive a gift.

 This little girl was so excited about her gift.  She danced around the yard and showed everyone her beautiful barbie =) 

This Marine was especially cute with the kids!

Notice the clips he put in his hair as he was showing the girls how to use their new gifts.

He put his hat on this little girl's head and she was happily showing the others.

She then tried out her new jump rope. She said "Uncle!  (Referring to the Marine). Watch me!" 

Then she handed him the jump rope. He gave it a shot =)

She is braiding her new doll's hair.

She is putting a doll in Jenna's hand.

Jenna wasn't sure if she should take Eeyore.

Jenna soon warmed up to this sweet little girl.

This is Deborah, the woman who runs the Orphanage.

Loading back into the armoured vehicles.

On our drive home I spotted these trees--Norfolk Island Pines! These were my favorite trees which I discovered while living in Australia.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that they also live here in Lagos =)