Mesa - ATSU

This morning all 15 of us gathered for the tasty breakfast buffet at the restaurant here at the hotel.  What a nice way to start the day.  Shortly after, the cousins all went for a swim in the pool while the rest of us lazed around reading and visiting.  The mornings here are perfect for sitting on the shaded porch - warm (but not yet too hot) with a light breeze.  Lovely.

All 15 of us at breakfast

Kerry and Candace

Rachel, Jackson and Jonathan

James, Julie and Anna

Rachel and Jonathan - the oldest cousin and the youngest cousin

Jonathan trying to be taller than Rachel     :)

The cousins

Susanna, Jonathan, Jackson, James, Anna, Hannah, Rachel, Stephen

After a light lunch we headed over to ATSU (Mesa campus) for a full tour.  James and Anna even got in appointments for manipulative treatments - James for his ankle & shoulder and Anna for her back.  Pretty handy!   :)  We enjoyed the entire tour, but I was especially interested in the dental school portion since we are hopeful that a dental school will also become part of the Kirksville campus.  That was a pretty impressive place.

Mom telling about the painting depicting A. T. Still 

More information about the painting - The Healing Touch

Absolutely beautiful painting

Daddy

an early dentist office authentically recreated.... we have come a long way!

The main building of ATSU - Mesa campus

Our whole crew at ATSU

Tonight we had dinner at Landmark Restaurant - famous for their salad 'room'.  What an interesting place this is.  It was originally constructed as a Mormon church in 1908 and the main eating area is in that original church/sanctuary area.  The decor is very 'period' with dark wood molding, restored wallpaper and the feel of an early 1900's building from the east coast of the U.S.  When you walk in you no longer feel you are in the desert area of Mesa.  It gives you some insight into how the pioneers to this area wanted to feel a bit of 'home' in their newly constructed buildings.  The downstairs area of the restaurant is a museum depicting the history of Mesa through photography.

Dinner was fantastic!  The salad room is truly amazing and many of us tried new things such as kumquats, prickly pear cactus salad and pickled watermelon.  :)  They brought tasty sorbet between courses to cleanse our pallets.  I am so glad they did that since obviously we are quite high class diners.  I proved that by whipping out my camera and taking a photo of said sorbet.  (by the way, it was yummy)   :)

Another high note was that we had the very same waitress as last time we were here (18 months ago) and she was wonderful - and we sat at the same table.  Those little things just make me smile... for no reason.  :)

Afterward, Rachel, Hannah and Susanna sang 'Be Still My Soul' a cappella for everyone.  We videoed it and I will be putting it up soon - probably tomorrow.  It was absolutely beautiful.   Then we took several group family photos.  This is the first time that all 15 of us have been together in 2 years so we sure want to preserve this moment.  Tomorrow we begin to go our somewhat separate ways... breaking into smaller groups.  Several of us will meet up again on the road next week, but we won't ALL be together again this trip - or for the foreseeable future.  It was good to fully immerse ourselves in this day together.

Rachel, Susanna, Candace and Hannah singing
'Be Still My Soul' -  Best birthday present ever!

All of us at Mama and Daddy's 

Just to show what we go through in order to
get a 'good' photo like the one above.  :D