Man Time

While Lexy and her mom and sister went shopping the guys headed to Disneyland.  I smiled when I remembered that after all the boys had moved out of the house and it was just her, me, and her dad she said to him, "now you will know how it feels to be the minority."  Brother Thomas and Ellis are still the minority in the family but it is nice to have someone who will go to Disneyland with you when the other alternative is clothes shopping!

Happy Birthday Abby!

 19 Years Old

Holiday Plans

The semester has ended and finals taken for many in our family so now it's time to start celebrating.  Lexy and Ellis are in California and will be going on a cruise with her parents and sister along the coast of Mexico.  Miriam is back in Chicago for a visit.  Lincoln is home as well.  Evangeline and Owen will be traveling after Christmas to attend a friend's wedding and then will spend some time with family in Illinois.  Meg is settling in her new apartment in Provo.  Ruth is spending her last Christmas as a missionary in Mexico.  Katie and Abby are working (Katie has also finished with another semester at Southern Utah University), and Brigham and Kenna are enjoying their holiday as a newly engaged couple.  All is well!

Temple Visit

I had a wonderful visit with my friend Barbara Walker.  She came and spent two days here in Gilbert and on Friday night we drove over to the Mesa Temple to see the temple grounds which were decorated for Christmas.  It was a beautiful sight and so nice to see so many people walking around the grounds with their families.  I took a picture of one of my favorite things that is there each year.

She Said Yes!

Brigham and Kenna

 

Before & After

As anyone who has had to have any kind of medical procedures you always go in wide eyed and bushy tailed.  Afterwards it isn't always pretty and you often look like a whipped puppy.  Thanks Lexy for the before and after pictures!  Everything looked good when the tests were done so that is good news.

Gingerbread Tradition Continues!

I received a text from Aunt Cathy last night along with pictures of their Gingerbread creations.  She wrote: "You might recognize the Candyland game board that Meggie designed.  The traditional gingerbread house is mine.  Abby's Barn has a horse outside.  Rachel built a small mouse house.  You can't see it in the picture but in the door is a picture of the mice from the Muppet Christmas Carol.  Brigham and Kenna went all out on the light house.  Katie's barn has sheep in the pasture.  Bill, Austin, and Will created a rendition of the Home Alone house with traps.  Rox's is camping by the railroad tracks."

Meg's Candy Land Game

Aunt Cathy's

Abby's Barn & Horse

Rachel's Mouse House

Brigham's and Kenna's Light House

Katie's Barn w/Sheep

Will, Uncle Bill and Austin
Home Alone complete with traps

Rox's Camping by the Railroad Tracks

Gingerbread Tradition

Last night the Whitney kids came for a holiday tradition at Grandma's house.  There were some pretty amazing ideas and fun was had by all.  

Santa's Visit

Abby sent pictures of a recent visit from Santa and two of his Reindeers when he stopped by the Children's Hospital in Lehi.  It sounds like her job is great and she is enjoying all the extra activities that are happening at this time of the year.

Meg's New Job

Meg has kept busy since graduating from BYU but she is now employed by BYU to work in the Zion' Gallery in the Joseph F Smith Building.  She will begin officially in January and will be moving back to the Provo area.  Here is some information on her work place.  

"The Zion Gallery Education in Zion is an exhibition space in the Joseph F. Smith Building at Brigham Young University (BYU). The gallery and permanent exhibition documents the history and heritage of education in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from Joseph Smith to the current Church Educational System (CES). Education in Zion includes stories, film, artwork, photographs, and letters. Temporary exhibits have shown student artwork, information about university services, the history of specific CES schools and colleges, and connections between academic subjects and scriptures. The gallery hosts a number of recurring events and lectures. Students viewing the exhibition have felt a renewed appreciation for their education."

This is a perfect place for Meg to continue to contribute to the university with her background in preservation of records and exhibits.  Congratulation Meg!  They are so lucky to have you.

Flossing Lessons

Apparently Uncle Bill wanted to share a talent I didn't even know he had at his YSA ward Christmas Party.  

Spelling Bee Champ!

 

Walking off the Turkey!

(L to R) Duncan, Eden, Kenna, Brigham, Will, Katie, Graham

 

Happy Birthday Christian

 50 Years Old

Christmas Time!

I did my annual front porch decorating for Christmas.  I had a lot of fun making my little gingerbread house!

Happy Birthday Meg

 26 Years Old

New Tradition

I'm not sure it will happened again next year but I suggested that we might want to make a change in one of our Thanksgiving traditions this year.  On Wednesday night everyone was invited over to my house for a Wendy's salad and then we all headed over to the Whitney's for a Hot Chocolate Bar and Thanksgiving Pies party.  It would have been perfect if I hadn't messed up Ellis's pie crust recipe or set the oven on fire when the some of the crust melted and fell to the  bottom of the oven.  Then that evening if you had a chisel to cut the crust it wouldn't have been as big of a deal.  The idea was to have  the pie the night before Thanksgiving dinner so we would actually be hungry enough to eat the pie.  People ate the pies mostly out of sympathy for me but they certainly weren't  "to die for" good.  The hot chocolate was excellent though!

Uncle Bill has a Meme

 Members of Uncle Bill's congregation made a meme for him.  Katie said he was actually excited to have this first one.  I wasn't so sure that being called a goat was good but she explained the it stands for

GREATEST OF ALL TIMES

Brigham's New Ride

Brigham bought a truck.  He has lots of plans for getting the most out of his purchase! 

The Elephant Child

Graham entertained the audience with his performance in the Third Grade Play.  

California Camping

Caleb and I went camping last weekend at Colenel Allensworth State Historic Park. Caleb cooked our dinner on the campfire. The next day we explored the historic buildings from the only Black community in California dating to the 1910s. I also saw some good birds. After that we drove to the Pixley Wildlife Refuge and saw more birds including some noisy cranes. On our way home we stopped for Mexican food and I got Goat Birria and Caleb had a chorizo burrito.

Whitneys

Aunt Amy did a photo shoot of Jane for her 17th birthday pictures.  It's a little late but Jane looks much the same!  When she finished that she took a picture of all of the kids who are still at home.

Ellis & Lexy

I received this picture from Lexy today.  She and Ellis were invited to a Coraline party recently to celebrate Halloween.  One of the activities was for them to make a doll of themselves.  What do you think?

Working Girl!

Abby has always been a hard worker and has taught swimming classes for a number of years.  While at high school she was in a program to learn to be an MA--medical assistant.  After much work she has now been hired as a MA at the Lehi Primary Children's Hospital ENT office.  Way to go Abby!  

Evangeline's New Job

            After settling in Naples Florida, Evangeline has found a wonderful                           opportunity to work at the Naples Zoo.  The people who visit the                                                                                     Zoo are going to love her!