Ivy's Baptism Weekend

On Thursday night Grandma and Grandpa Evans arrived with Uncle Dan and Tommy. They got in pretty late, so we all just crashed - not much playing that night. Friday we decided to go to Wayne Newton's ranch here in Las Vegas on Pecos and Sunset. They promised to show us Arabian horses and Grandma Joani loves horses, so it was perfect.

I regret that this is the only picture I got with Dan and Tommy in it.

There was a short film about Wayne Newton, a visitor's center that was like walking through a giant scrapbook...that included an airplane:

Faith posing inside the Fokker F-28 twin engine jet airplane.

When the FAA told them that this jet needed bigger engines, it would have cost more to have new engines installed than the airplane was worth, so they transported it (by truck) to Wayne Newton's ranch, where it has remained for visitors to see.

Also a part of Wayne Newton's life-size scrapbook are his cars. He collects fancy cars and comes to drive one once a month (in the middle of the night).  I especially enjoyed the display of his outfits with the cars.

This sofa was on the movie Gone With The Wind, and the Hummer was a gift given to Mr. Newton by the USO charities.

The small outfits were costumes Mr. Newton's mother made for him to perform in as a child.

There were Arabian horses to see too and exotic animals, both of which Mr. Newton collects and a mansion to tour (which we didn't do.)

Nana Patty and Papa Fred arrived at our house Friday afternoon. We were able to have a nice visit with them while Bill, Dan, Grandpa Evans, Will and Tommy went to fix Grandpa & Grandma Evans' air conditioning in their car and see the big horn sheep in Boulder City.

Saturday was the big day. Ivy's baptism. Joel and his family as well as Paige and Will Ladd were early enough to be at our house before the baptism which gave us a few extra minutes to kiss Reef's cheeks.

Ivy's baptism was very sweet. She shared her baptism day with Justin Frizell from our ward. It was done perfectly the first time. When she came up out of the font she asked me, "Do you want to know how I feel?" When I told her that I did, she replied, "Hungry." We watched her friend, Justin, be baptized from the top of the font steps before getting her dressed. That was neat.

We then went back to the house for lunch with everyone. Mom did an awesome job on the sauce for the chicken salad and Paige, Lesley, Joel and Mom helped me get everything ready. It was another time that really made me feel loved.

I got pictures of Kaia, Joel and Lesley for my contacts in my phone, but I'm still kicking myself that I didn't get any of Paige and Will Ladd, Reef, or Nana Patty & Papa Fred!

After the baptism as we were getting in the car to drive home, my father-in-law was so pale and weak that Dan had to lift him into the car. I was extremely concerned about him. My mother-in-law said that "this was just what he was like right before he had heart failure." He was a very good sport all weekend...especially for feeling as bad as it got at times.

Saturday afternoon we went on the Desperado roller coaster in Primm. I was still trying to figure out why we were doing this when my father-in-law was in such a state...Then I saw how much my mother-in-law enjoyed the roller coaster! The last thing I heard before the roller coaster started was, "This roller coaster is not for those with heart problems." It made the whole ride a little bit more frightening for me - that and having Ivy next to me screaming, "I don't want to do this!"

It was a very memorable weekend. I have spent my whole married life telling people that when their youngest is baptized then they are entering a whole new phase of life. I'm not sure I'm ready for it!