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...