Thanksgiving 2023

 

This is not our puppy.  This is the Snow's puppy, but oh my goodness!  So cute!  They brought him over for a little visit. 

We had a very... interesting... time at the Orem Temple Open House on Wednesday evening.  The temple?  It was awesome.  But do you ever have one of those times when the family is just emotionally off kilter? It was that.  Only worse.  And yet here we are smiling for the camera in front of the temple  Are we hypocrites?  I don't think so.  We were all still trying to be kind-- or at least not mean.  

Since this picture was taken, tempers have cooled and multiple apologies have been issued and accepted.  

I guess I think that's just about the best you can hope for in a family.  Go to the temple and keep trying to be kind.  And apologize when you aren't.

On Thanksgiving Day, Abe and Cannon got up early for a turkey bowl.  Cannon has watched and played a lot of football since last year's less than stellar performance at the turkey bowl.  

According to both Abe and Cannon, there was redemption.

Greta and I spent the morning making rolls for the feast.  It is quite a lengthy process, but she stuck with me the whole time and made her own batch of rolls.  She is a delight.

Look how cute her little rolls are!

And speaking of CUTE....!!!!!

My beautiful Elinor

We joined Andrea and James for Thanksgiving dinner and it was wonderful.

Post meal crafty time-- iris paper folding.  I highly recommend, even for the handicraft challenged like myself.

Sisters... sisters...

Poetry for Neanderthals.  So funny.

Friday evening we went down to a Fox family gathering at Marjorie's house in Pleasant Grove. 

It was a most enjoyable and satisfying Thanksgiving weekend. 

November Happenings 2023

We are in the thick of high school swim season and club swim season.  Here is Faith in the middle in purple with a good backstroke start.  Next week she and I will spend half the week down in St. George for Utah Senior State.  

Nice fly, Faith.

He is a dream.

One more:)  Daniel's first little haircut was adorable!

Faith in what she called her "Stoic Author Era".  She is so funny.  She's been watching a lot of Gilmore Girls lately, so I think she was also channeling her inner early 2000's style.

Earlier this month Bethany went to Southern California for her former mission companion's wedding.

Temple date with my favorite person.

Saratoga Springs temple with Team Middle Kids

Early Saturday morning trip to the Draper Temple with our wonderful ward youth.

We went on a triple date with Ben and Beth and Aimee Tibbitts and her friend to see BYU's production of The Secret Garden.  It is one of my all time favorite shows and BYU did not disappoint.  It was beautiful and moving and tear jerking-- just how I like it.  

My gorgeous niece, Kaylee (in blue) was the understudy for Cady in Mean Girls at Alta High School a couple weeks ago. She performed for one of the shows and it was a sheer joy to watch her.  She is such a natural on stage and I can't wait to see what she does next.  The gal in the middle is Abe's niece and she and Kaylee are friends.

It was fun to have so much family come out to support Kaylee.

The whole Kaylee cheering squad.  I'd never seen the play before, but it was great!

Cute little Greta practicing her violin.  I appreciate this moment of cooperation and her not crying or scowling at me.   Oh sweetheart, this isn't my first rodeo.

Uncle Cannon feeding Daniel.  It's been so enjoyable to watch the younger kids in the family be so sweet and helpful with Daniel.  The older kids grew up in a house that always had babies to help with, but that is not the case for our littles. Babies make people better.

Abe and Faith went on a Thai food date before a meeting up with me for a Nutcracker performance.  

Our young women did a nerf battle for a recent activity.  So brutal.  So fun!

Last Saturday, I was so honored to go to a little gathering to celebrate this beautiful lady.  She was a dear friend of my mom's in high school and she has been so good to my sister and I over the years since her passing. Having lived away from Utah for several decades, she retired and moved back.  It always does my heart such good to be with her and hear her talk about my mom.

As an added bonus, Elder Dale Renlund, her brother-in-law, was also in attendance.    Abe and I had a chance to talk with him and he was so kind and gracious.  

Greta takes a little online art class, and it is her very favorite thing to do.  She constantly has projects in the works.  

We like to say she "ARTS all over the house".  I love her creative, free spirit.

Once a month, as part of his voice lessons, Cannon performs in a master class.  It is just about my favorite hour of the month.

This was taken at the bridal shower for Rachel (middle).  These three ladies grew up together and I don't know that there could be three lovelier young women anywhere in the world.

One of the highlights of this week was a night of vintage dancing with Clark and his friend Chloe, and Bethany and Ben.  Clark and Bethany did vintage dancing growing up, but it had been years.  I loved that they wanted to come.  Chloe was a ballroom dancer, so this was right up her alley and she was a lot of fun.  And major kudos to Ben for being such a good sport -- he did also did great.  I mean not ballroom dancer great, but still great;)  

Here is some video from the Dance:

 https://youtube.com/shorts/DqqBjSofeQ8?si=sZ2FUNxgWj1vkhrN

Yet Even More Halloween Festivities 2023

 

Travis and Tay Tay.

This one was a no brainer for them.  They started dating right about the same time as Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.  She is a musician, he played football.  His family are big Chiefs fans and his brother already had the jersey.  The glued on earrings, gold chain, and 'stache were added for the occasion 

Bethany was so happy to be home to be able to host her annual Halloween costume party.  Here she is with "the Colonel"- AKA Becca Meiss, her Nauvoo companion.

Cam and Ashlee-- she was a companion of Bethany's in Ft. Worth.  These two are getting married next weekend in California and Bethany is going out to be a bridesmaid.

Haley Reed as Dora, Piper Foote as Diego, and Lily Stay as Backpack.  I loved it!

Battle of the Sexes game was a hit

From left to right, Becca Meiss, Bethany, Ashlee Grover, and Aimee Tibbitts.  These three ladies with Bethany were all mission companions and quite possibly Bethany's three favorite girlfriends in the world.  They are beyond delightful.

Grover likes to be in the center of the action.  

Opinion:  You are never too old to enjoy musical chairs.  Discuss.

The moment Ben got Bethany out.  I will say, he was ruthless.  

I can respect that kind of competitive spirit

The competition was fierce

Who's it gonna be???

Sweet victory!