Lexy

This weekend Lexy and a friend traveled to Denver to present at an academic conference on Friday and Saturday.  She said it was a success!  Would any of us expect any less?!

Happy Birthday Eden!

12 Years Old

Ice Skating!

Since it's freezing outside these two decided to go where they could warm up!  I know...it makes no sense, but the girls gotta do what they gotta do!

Peter

Aunt Becky sent me these pictures of Peter.  She said, "The fun part of having a percussionist in the family is keeping track of what instrument they are playing for each piece."  She said they went to a jazz night at the other high school but Peter's school was invited to play too.  His jazz group played four songs and Peter played in three of them.  This time he played the vibraphone for the first piece, the tambourine for the second and on the drum kit for the final song they played.  Aunt Becky said they sounded really good!

Eden

On Wednesday morning Eden left for Science Camp with other students at her school.  It seems to have been a great trip in spite of the cold.  This morning when they woke up there was snow on the ground.  A great ending to her final year in grade school.

Caleb's New Opportunity!

As part of a new saxophone quintet at his high school, Caleb is learning to play the baritone sax!

Snow Day in Utah and Arizona!

 Eden left this morning for a Science Camp in Northern Arizona.

And in Provo they had a snow day as well!

Happy Anniversary!

 Bill and Cathy

31 Years

What Do You Do...

when you live in the Utah Valley and it's 60 degrees outside?  You go to the new Creamery and have ice cream of course!  Katie tried  a new flavor "150 Swirl.  It was mint, white chocolate, brownie. and something else.  She said it was good but stained her teeth blue!  That's okay, she's a cougar!  Notice that Abby is eating ice cream and doesn't even have on a coat or sweater.

Another Goat Video!

 Lexy sent me some new pictures of her mother's goats.  I think they were celebrating because there wasn't so much snow!

My Valentines

I am so grateful for all the wonderful people in my life.  Today I had several surprises that made this a very special Valentine's Day.  

Valentine Boxes

Eden and Graham designed and made their Valentine boxes for the class parties this Fridiay.  

Pre Valentine Dinner

The Whitney's came over for an early Valentine Dinner last night.

Happy Birthday Cathy!

 57 Years Old

Belated Birthday Surprise

Lexy sent me the pictures from her birthday party.  She invited some of her friends to come to watch the movie Ratatouille on Friday night.  To add to the event Ellis recreated all the food that was in the movie for everyone in attendance!

The Ratatouille

Abby and Will

These two had a busy weekend.  They attended the Chinese New Year Celebrtion yesterday and tonight they are at the YSA devotional.

Happy Birthday Dad

 102 Year Old

Reflections in the Temple

I attended the temple yesterday and had an experience that I wanted to share with all of you.  Tomorrow my dad, your grandad, and great grandad would have been 102 years old.  Last night I wrote the following in my journal.

As I sat in the temple this morning I started to think about my dad.  I realized that tears were rolling down my cheeks.  I thought how hard I have been on him and hoped he understands now that I understand why he was sometimes so unkind.  In spite of past mistakes, I know he wished he had been a better father and although he didn’t always understand why, he knew that he should have been better.  It’s interesting to think about how much my dad changed through the years.  I attribute a lot of those changes in our family because we found the plan of happiness in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which gave us each a purpose to be better.  I want to remember about what could have been if he had been treated with kindness when he was growing up so he knew what it looked like.  His mother’s death when he was 9 and subsequent events after that put an armor around him that few could penetrate.  Of course, the greatest story of all was the love he learned to feel and understand when our children were born.  Bill, Andy, Ben and Amy were his Balm of Gilead that reached his heart when my mom, my siblings, and I weren’t able to.  I love that I get to have a temple so close.  I learn so much each time attend. 

I wanted to share this with each of you to help you realize that important moments of understanding can come when we step back and look for those moments that caused us to wonder why.  Sadly for me I didn't give my dad the grace he needed because I didn't understand.  I'm grateful now that I do.

Birthday Treat!

Two of Lexy's students in her French class brought her a special French dessert yesterday.  She said it was a chocolate cake called fondant au chocolat.  She said it's baked so that the inside is dense and rich but not so fully baked like a normal cake.  It is slightly underbaked and is "super gooey" inside."  Those students deserve an A+++

Happy Birthday Lexy!

 26 Years Old

Eden's Concert Field Trip

Eden begins her first year of Junior High in September.  Her elementary school orchestra was invited to go to what would be their new orchestra room next year and then they joined other orchestra students from other school in the area who were also invited.  They spent some time being directed by the Junior High and High School orchestra teachers.  Next was dinner and then over to the high school where they performed for their families.  

Indiana

Lexy sent me these videos of her parents house in Indiana.  She also shared a video of her mom taking the goats out of the snow.  One of the goats is named biscuit and the other Tater Tot.  They are Nigerian dwarf goats.  I haven't heard from the Illinois Duncan or Miriam but hope they are doing okay in the agressive storm! 

Ava, Jane, Ruth

 

New Apartment

Lexy and Ellis were able to move into their new apartment this weekend.  She sent me pictures of their livingroom.  

CA Duncans

From Uncle Andy:  When I was hiking on Saturday I spotted a coral fungus growing on a fallen tree. Later that day we braved the fog to go to a fossil museum near Madera. They had a full sized wooly mammoth skeleton and other Pleistocene creatures that were found in nearby grading projects. They also have the last Mammoth Orange stand moved there from the freeway when they realigned and it couldn't be on freeway anymore. We always wanted to go there but never had the chance. 

Will

Will had a dance competition last night with other teams in the state.  My source (ABBY!) said he was the best dancer out there by a mile!  

Family Directory

If you haven't already received it you will be getting a family directory that I made for each household.   I know there are mistakes in it and will make the corrections as they come in and resend the pages that were incorrect.  Uncle Andy and Uncle Bill do not have the same phone number!  Thanks for your help in helping me correct any mistakes.  

Happy Birthday Owen!

 28 Years Old