Laurie Stories

Not only is Laurie delightful, (she was told this at one of her interviews) but magical, too. She snuck into my blog (everyone sneaks into my blog!) (haha, Trace. ) and put all these pictures of our trip on it for me.
We had a great trip to Nauvoo. I love traveling with Laurie. Everyone should travel with Laurie. Funny things happen to her all the time, and then you get to watch. Of course, the funniest was when we got up to use the bathroom on the airplane. Our seats were the very first row outside of first class, so it was a long walk to the bathroom at the back of the plane. Laurie marched all the way back to her seat only to have my girls cry out when they saw her, "AUNT LAURIE!" Her skirt was tucked up in her garments!
"Poor Her!" This is what I am talking about. These kinds of things have been happening to her for years. We all laughed so hard over this and then she told The Littles her other story about knocking down the line of ropes at the bank. Later she told the airplane story to all The Zunigas at Mom and Dad's. Then after having just told the story, came out of the bathroom with her skirt tucked up in her garments, AGAIN!

Also, when we were at The Double Tree hotel, we were told by the front desk to go to the gift shop for our complimentary cookies. We went to the gift shop and no one was there, but there was a basket of cookies on the cashier counter. So, we helped ourselves.
Then this woman shows up and acts like we're criminals who she's caught stealing. We explain ourselves, and that we were sent personally by the front desk. Anyway, as I am waiting to pay for my candy bar, Laurie leaves and on her way out tells the woman what a rude person she is. I had no idea she was going to do this, and I am the one left to deal with the now offended woman! Fun!

Laurie always says that it was horrible for her to watch me pregnant or nurse babies because I always looked so uncomfortable, miserable, and full of pain. (She also says Candice reminds her of me because she is the same way.) She remembers me curling my toes, and my eyes full of tears. Well, this is pretty much the same way with me when I fly, and Laurie felt terrible for me. She was so nice, and kept leaning across the aisle and patting my arm because I was having the worst dry heaving imaginable. Heidi, Erin, and Catte have all flown with me and know it can be bad sometimes. This was one of those bad times and I was so mad because I was wearing one those patches that make me tired and retarded and it didn't work at all. Laurie said I was scaring everyone on the plane! And of course, even though it's so awful, one look at Laurie and we would break out laughing. So, there I am miserable, heaving, nauseous, dizzy, dying, almost crying, and laughing!

Also, The Littles loved Laurie. They think there is no one funnier! We had slumber parties every night, and laughed our heads off. Erin Leigh was hilarious and wanted to sleep with Laurie, and of course Laurie let her. They tried on Mom's pioneer bonnet at night as we were going to bed! This was so funny, and Laurie, like Mom, loved it and wanted to wear it permanently, like Scarlet.
One night, it was too dark, so Erin told Laurie to get up and turn the light on. (SO funny) Laurie tells Erin, "You get up and turn it on." Neither one them did, so they had to go to bed scared, and Erin Leigh asked Laurie to hold her hand til she fell asleep.

Our trip was so much fun. We had such a good time, loved seeing The Pageant, meeting the cast, seeing Mom and Dad's home, and spending time with Mom and Dad. They are beloved in Nauvoo! Everyone loves them, and acted thrilled to meet us, too, because of them. People told us it was a privilege to meet us, and I just kept thinking, "It's really not. "I"m nobody!"
Dad seemed just like a General Authority, and Mom, as we all know, could have been a pioneer. We loved being there. There really is a great feeling there, and a sense of truth, history, and goodness. I loved hearing President Hinckley's voice at the end of the pageant, and missed him the moment I heard him speak. Annie has sung The Spirit of God daily, and almost non stop since we have come home. In fact, last night The Littles were having a discussion about their hobbies (because Erin Leigh is knitting a scarf! 7 years old and she's knitting a scarf. Mom showed her how, and she is just like Aunt Erin with her Crosstitch, Bop-It, Rubik's cube, and Her blog, and can't put it down. She was up until 11:30 pm knitting last night, and it was a school night! (She was in bed but knitting.) Anyway, they were talking about their hobbies and that they don't have any of the same hobbies and that really they hate to do each others hobbies, and Erin Leigh said when Annie went out, very quietly to me, "She sings way too much. It drives me crazy."

Anyway, we were so lucky to get to go. It all worked out and we had such a good time. Mom and Dad couldn't have been nicer, and it was worth it just to get a glimpse of their life there. I will write more about my trip later but I just wanted to write a few Laurie Stories. Some day, I'll have to write a whole book full.