"Sights You See in Manhattan"

Colorful to peaceful - the first day in Manhattan was memorable! Nicole, Tiffany and Rachelle experienced the vast diversity of New York City. New York is just ...well, so New York!

You meet the most unlikely, but most helpful people on the subway - "Our new 'best' friend!"

Everything was beautiful, hot and humid, but not as unbearable as we thought it was going to be - except in the subways. The trains were air-conditioned - the underground platforms were not.

"Heading East to the Hamptons and Montauk"

Here the "traveling trio" is in the famous Hamptons - just wondering whom they might see. Would Martha possibly be out today doing some shopping this lovely Monday morning? Walking, shopping and simply admiring the quaint shops was a delight in this lovely town.

Montauk Point Lighthouse was a great sight. Our girls, Nicole, Tiffany and Rachelle climbed to the top, toured around the grounds and caught the beautiful ocean views. We waited for them at Camp Hero walking and getting some amazing shots of the Point.

The Atlantic Ocean at South Hampton is cool and dramatic. The sand is dark and coarse. The waves are thrilling to watch and inviting to try. The sounds & sights of soaring seagulls and crashing waves are soothing to the soul.

"Tuesday was the North Shore Day"

The girls were aghast at the quaint beauty of the North Shore near Oyster Bay. They wondered aloud, as we have many times -
"How can it remain so sparsely populated?"

Tuesday July 22 was our day on the north shore. We visited Oyster Bay, Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's Summer home, and the New York New York South Mission Home in Port Washington.

We loved helping President and Sister Bennion at their lovely home in Port Washington. In the late afternoon we helped prepare food, serve and clean up for 17 departing missionaries. It was a grand experience for our girls to see what long, hard hours the Bennions work in service to the missionaries and the mission. They were just delighted to be involved in this memorable activity - knowing it was something we do as part of our mission - and felt it was a highlight of their stay "on the Island".

"The Traveling Trio!"

These three carefree gals covered literally hundreds of miles over bridges, through tunnels, on the Long Island Railroad, taxis, buses, subway and on foot!


They got to see the two hottest Broadway musical - "Wicked" on Wednesday and "In the Heights" on Friday. Both were highlights of their trip... and even of a lifetime!

They ate at some fine restaurants and ice cream parlors, and walked their feet nearly off from the upper West Side to Canal Street. That barely began to wind them down - not before they bought a "trainload" of handbags, pashimas, T-shirts, watches, baseball caps, American Doll items, hair accessories, etc.

They bought
Handbags!

More Handbags!
And yes... more Handbags!

Yup! Saturday was a great shopping day for these women! Aren't those handbags adorable? They really should start a business. They're pros at hopping on the Long Island RR a few blocks from our pad and zooming in to Penn Station. From there they took the subway in any direction - north, south, east or west. They really wore out that subway map!

Our fun guests attended the Bay Shore ward where our daughters used their piano skills to accompany at meetings. They were all good sports to sit through their parents' talks in Sacrament Meeting (and increase our attendance percentage dramatically!) on the day of their scheduled departure. What women!

We prepared dinner together in our tiny "walk-though" kitchen - grilling steaks in our new NuWave Oven - (tender and browned), with fresh beans, summer squash (cooked like french-fried onion rings), spicy Yukon potatoes, and a huge green salad. We sat around and replayed the week's activities while the girls packed. I think we re-counted the number of handbags purchased during their shopping trips:-)

"Farewell for A While"

"Where did the time go?"
"Has it really been nine days?"
"Did we do it all?"

We said our good-byes, gave our hugs in our little apartment and drove Nicole, Tiffany and Rachelle to JFK for their 7:20pm flight Sunday night. We dropped them off at the curb with one hour 20 minutes before the scheduled flight. Little did we know JFK would be a disaster, the kiosks would not print boarding passes, the ticket counter waiting lines were delayed 4-5 hours and all they heard was "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do."

No compensation, no apology, no ticket voucher from the airline or the airport - nothing! And our girls were the lucky ones. They, at least had someone to call and somewhere to sleep. Two hundred or so others, including international fliers, did not! They were first told they could not get a flight out to SLC until Tuesday, then were later booked on a Monday morning flight from LGA through Boston, with a 6-hour layover before arriving back in in SLC.

This sounds more like stand-by travel than confirmed travel, doesn't it? We do fly standby, thanks to our daughter, Angela, and we have never had this much trouble - including travel to France, Hawaii, India and Brazil! By the way, in Boston, the same situation began to happen with congestion, overbooking, long lines, etc. and Delta did offer $400 travel vouchers, meals and hotel accommodations. Hm-mmm!

They were scampering to call husbands, children, numerous piano students to re-schedule and, in general, adjust about one hundred other people's lives because of airline/airport inefficiency.

At 5:30 am Monday, we headed this time for Laguardia Airport for the girl's flight that would leave at 9:30. Things went well. They even grabbed a city bus and took a short excursion to the center of Boston. Six hours in an airport is not a great way to end a superb vacation. They made it work:-)

Bottom line is that everything worked out just fine. The reality of a flight delay, a temporary inconvenience, or even possible mistakes by others cannot taint a memory we want to hold dear. We are the ones who color our own world.

Nicole, Tiffany and Rachelle arrived home to happy children and adoring husbands - who all loved their gifts and were so happy to see their favorite travelers:-) They're back home heavy into their schedules and we are doing the same here in the mission field.

We just love it here! Our Institute classes are just wonderful.

PS: Now children...what are your plans for Christmas?
Our mission has been extended to May 15, 2009:-)

"Ardell Zimmerman Adamson - One Feisty Lady!"

Mom - Happy 86th Birthday!

July 29

We were given permission to leave the mission field temporarily and return home to spend time with my ailing mother. It was a blessing and privilege to spend our days sharing memories with her and attending to her physical needs - sometimes around the clock.

Mom, what a blessing our being with you was for us! You are a light and a joy to all who know you. It was an honor to spend time in your presence.














Her home became a great gathering place while we were visiting. (Actually, it always has been.) Often, four generations were gathered around her bed, letting "Grandma" know how much she was loved and treasured. What a lady! In the picture above, are some of our grandchildren. Avery holds her brother, Isaiah as brother Dyson and cousin Alexa snuggle close. They wanted to see great-grandma and her miniature Chihuahua named "Puppy." Here they stand on great-grandma's deck at sunset.

Mom is a classy, determined lady and is still going strong! She loves people - has always served the Lord and her fellowmen, including two missions to England, and has worked on Temple Square as a missionary with our father.

And speaking of stubborn..uh...determined...Mom insisted that all her children study piano until they were 18 years of age - and everyone plays to this day. I, for one am eternally grateful to Mom for her rule that "You only have to practice on the days you eat." Though given in jest, we did need to practice. And because of that, I still today have a great love of music and a heritage of teaching that has lasted for 50 years. Mom was strict with us in our daily piano practice - not because she had taken music lessons, but rather, because she hadn't.

Her children would practice every day for one hour, two hours a day in the summer and would not be allowed friends, movies, talking on the phone, schools activities or TV (when we finally got one) until practicing had been done... properly and completely! She set a stop watch. When we goofed off or 'played the piano' rather than practicing she stopped the watch and added time to our "hour" of practicing. Ardell Zimmerman defined words for her children - especially words like discipline, commitment, duty and work, but also words like well-done, wonderful, honor, joy and success.

I began teaching at age 16 simply because "I knew more than someone else" and my teacher said that it was a great way to make some spending money. Having since taught literally thousands of students, including our own daughters, it became a way of life in my household. Our daughters were teaching music by the time they were 12 years old, through their teen and college years and into married and adult life. It has been the chosen profession of three of our four daughters since those very early years.

We all owe this great legacy of musical discipline to my mother who wouldn't allow us whining, disgruntled children to dissuade her from such an important life decision as learning to play the piano - even though it would have been much easier for her and for us. Did we love to practice? No! Did we do it? Yes! If parents today only had Mom's determination, kids would 1) know how to work 2) fell the joy of success in difficult things and 3) be very good piano players!

Thanks Mom, Grandma, Great-grandma!

You are one in a million.

I love you!

"New York State - the Cradle of the Restoration"

Each July, in upstate New York, six hours northwest from our mission, seven evening performances are presented on the beautiful Cumorah hillside next to the Visitors' Center. An inspiring story on an enormous 10 level stage, twelve-tower lighting, state-of-the-art sound system, Hollywood special effects, and a costumed cast of over 650 provide a truly spectacular show.

This beautiful, spiritual event is taking place now until July 19 in Palmyra, New York. It is the Hill Cumorah Pageant: America's Witness for Christ.














This pastoral shot was taken atop Hill Cumorah, just before sunset, when we visited Palmyra in October of 2005. The Smith property and surrounding area is rich farm land covered with rolling hills, beautiful streams and massive trees. The fall colors and sunsets are magnificant in this part of the country!

The golden monument of Angel Moroni stands on the hill where the young Joseph Smith was directed to visit year after year until he was prepared to receive the plates from which the Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Christ was translated and later published.

We are honored to serve our mission in the state where the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ took place in this final dispensation before His Second Coming to earth. We add our witness that this work is true and real and important for every person... and that the Book of Mormon must fill the earth with the testimony of the Jesus Christ. We love it.