Grace Jacobs wedding

this post is mostly for Hayley's enjoyment --but wanted to tell all the family--Sundance is a very beautiful place to have a reception --we had a chance to be invited to Grace jacobs reception --here is a clip of hayley's friends there saying hello--

BYU is Victorious

Dad had such a fun time at the game with Bryan. He was sure excited to be invited to the game. Sorry Nancy, Brad and Hayley it looks like Bryan and his family will be getting the most for Christmas this year.

Lots of Reasons Thanksgiving is among my favorites

although I can't load 31 years worth of pics on--(read below comemorating being engaged 31 years--) I did post some random ones just to emphesize my little spill about the question I posed how we have ever imgined how great these many years would be-I've thought a lot about that lately

Thanksgiving weekend was and always has been among my favorite times of year--for the obvious reasons--of the weekend helping me to settle back and count my many blessings-

Then there is another reason--and that is because

it was Thanksgiving weekend 31 years ago

that Bryan and I were engaged--that was a defining weekend in our lives--how could I know what great blessings would come to us--in the years to come--but It was fun recounting the many blessings in life since that weekend--

to name a a few

our wonderful children

places we've gone together

callings we've served in

the activities we've watched our kids involved in

our jobs

watching our grandkids join in the clan

supporting our extended families

having inside jokes and laughing a lot!

continually fixing up the house together

enjoying the beauties all around us

enjoying the company of our family

drum roll---reflections --we have a winner!!

ANNA, holding two pic--the smaller one was the won she entered in reflections and that was chosen as a winner....

other pics may have showed before --but added again just to show all the kid-0's excitement for dabbling in paint--right now I'm headed back out to the garage to finish painting sheep and cows on cardboard for our little Christmas eve pagent.

drum-roll....ta dah---WE HAVE A WINNER!!

I have always MAINTIANED "we are all winners' so I don't mean to be so excited! but I can't help myself--as our sweet grandaughter wanted so much to win with her entry and low and behold:

she did so kudos to you sweetie--you know I don't take any credit--but can I just add that I was always glad that my parents always provided me with lots of chalk and pastels and brushes and paint and art mediums --and always encouraged me--I too in turn tried to have lots of 'art stuff' around and have done better with my grandchildren than grandchildren--but needless to say--it just tickles me that they all like to get in and 'create' as one of our apostle testify we all like to create in one form or another--all the kids in the family--seem to like to get in and do stuff and it tickles me to see them enjoy it--and if they have the fun of winning a contest along the way--yahoo

THREE wonderful Programs

#1-My heart is all set now in the right place for the Season of the holidays celebration.. How that came to be was by going to the primary program today --in Bryan and Briannes ward--and watching brianne lead the children in such beautiful songs and then watching her lead again in the primary and nurshrey. My heart caught a vision of what a blessing the Savior is in our lives

this was a wonderful follow up to the other primary programs I wrote about in an earlier post.

#2 Last night dad and I my heart was so full of gratitude last night as I saw a music production at the conference center in the little theater. The thing was it was all about the birth of Christ and his resurrection and how the shepherds were anxious to share this good news and how we too –have the joy of sharing that he lives. That he was here on earth and fulfilled his mission and atoned for our sins and he will come again.

and I my heart was so full of gratitude last night as I contiplated these truths I have always felt to be true. It was so pleasant re-counting the events that led up to the Saviors birth--

#3 I hope in some small way our little Christmas Eve pattern--as we hold it each year in the family room with our simple cardboard lamb*see above pics-- and dressing in clothing similar to days gone by to set the mood

and having dad Read from Luke will ever kindle these truths in the hearts of our little ones. as it did last night when I hear music --such as Jesus once of humble birth--and we'll sing silent night and even though I love all parts of Christmas --always know that re-inacting this story is and always will be my favorite part of the holiday--Not surprising as the birth and resurrection of our Lord and Savior are the best accounts of any story ever told in my opinion--

-Lotsa love mom

I'm Thankful for applesauce

I'm thankful that we could make some applesauce and put it in baggies and freeze it for the winter--I love to make apple sauce muffins --so it comes in handy--and they taste so good on these cold winter mornings- glad that apples were on so good this year-some years they are --some years they are more sparce--it was a good year

a picture I've been waiting to get

pictured here top to bottom (and left to right)
Bryce Benson, Randy Hall, Bryan Call, Pres. Stephen Hunter, Joel McHenry

While Bryan has been serving in his calling I have tried to keep a little journal--so this morning the Presidency let me snap a few pic of them before they started their meeting -so then I thought well I might as well blog it too--since I took it--I've been waiting to get this pic and now at last--mission accomplished...

do you notice anything different?

This may look like the old bedroom but actually it is officially now dad's new office--the new office chair gives it a 'new' look and the comeputer you see is from his old office--unfortunately his office update was quite a bit nicer than this--but you can't beat the comute

growing fast --a pic/movie clip worth a thousand words

the boys had to stay back at the house with ole grandpa and myself and eat 'rubbish' and watch the movie cars--we spoiled 'em--(here's a picure of him eating something yummy!

then fun to send four of the five pricesses from this clan to the ice skating program this weeken--a good time was had by all

you requested this and I hope it doesn't take too much of your time to search out all the fun things on everyones blogs this week--thought you'd enjoy this--time is such an interesting thing.. I titled it growin' fast as that is the honest truth

Primary program (sacrament meeting services)

I had to write how much I enjoyed the primary presentation in Sacrament both in our ward and listening to the grandkids participate in their ward--so wonderful--such a great reminder through music of songs and of the plan of Happiness --so wonderful to be reminded of the many blessings that this mortal life affords us.

and through the atonement--we can one day live as families eternally--and that while here the family has a job to love and build up one another--I was inspired and hope to do better in my role in the life..

hayley update --

guess they don't really celebrate Halloween in Portugal like we do--but I did get a kick out of this photo shot --as they (Irma Call and Salles celebrate in their own way) ---

she reports it was a good week and they have good teaching pool--

thankful fo sunsets and sunrises

Dear family-

we were driving along and there was this beautiful sky--and even though this time of year we see lots of beautiful skies at night and at sunrise I had to upload it cause it was breath taking--on this month of being thankful I have to include the beauties around us..(PS I think it was ....my mom and dad instilled this love of the sunlight in me--and I hope I instill it in you..)

what do you get when you mix-Halloween and Scones?=FUN

trick or treaters of all sizes come for scones-- Including (Cinderella "rella") especially pictured for the grand daughters (and Hayley) since its her friend natalie

the sun sets-- then trick or treaters will soon be on their way

mom dressed up (so blonds do have more fun--eh?) ready or not...
table all set ready to go--the Halloween pic hanging up behind

some of the appreciative trick or treaters from the ward--*(the two in the middle BOYS alec and beamer --end jaxon other end leffel girl)

a pumking to light the way (bll carved on one side--LLB on the other--inside joke with dad and I --remember?)

some friends of dad dropped by for the first scone and dinner on Halloween night--

the scones--ready for testing

six bags of dough ought to cover it we thought!



WE DID IT!!! we ---

stuck with the tradition of making the dough and frying it up and passing out scones this year--
when I think of stopping the tradition--then a trick or treater (or several ) will say something like "we always look forward to this" and then--what can we do--but keep it going...(and going)

so the answer to the blog title what do you get when you mix Halloween and scones I guess it does = fun --at least that is the message the parents and kids seem to give us--so it was worth it