February Activites

We started the month by being together (except for Cameron who was on the road that day to St. George) on Gaven's birthday and going to see the Harlem Globetrotters. They were as entertaining as ever and Connor and Payton were thrilled to be there.

Some changes are taking place around us so it was time to document them. The old Wahlquist Jr. High where I and all our kids went to school is being torn down. The new school has been functioning for a couple of years now so this site next to BDO on 1200 West is being cleared.

Also homes are being built to the north of us in what had always been open fields. It will never look the same.

The following week was Valentines Day. We had our Sunday dinner at our house and played games. Cindy and I always look forward to the Sundays when we have the whole family together.

A few weeks latter we decided to spend a weekend in Provo to go see a BYU basketball game. It turned into a time to also see a few other things. Nic and Shannon and their kids stayed with us the first night. We always would take the kids when they were young to a hotel in the winter so they could go swimming and this is now extended to the grandkids.

The next morning Cindy and I went to see the Provo Tabernacle Temple open house. We did it first thing in the morning since we did not have reserved tickets and it worked out just fine. It really was wonderful to see the work in changing the building that had been destroyed by fire and turning it into a wonderful temple. The last time we had been in the building was maybe 30 years ago at a friend's graduation ceremony.

After the tour we then went back to the hotel and decided to take the kids to the BYU campus and the Bean Natural Sciences Museum. This has changed since Cindy and I went there years ago. It has great exhibits which we all enjoyed.

There was one wall about butterflys and the large butterfly was a mosaic made up of various butterflys.

There was one room that was set aside and had some of Elder Packard's bird sculptures. They were quite amazing.

I don't know if Connor knew what to make of the lion scene.

After the museum Nic and Shannon headed home. We decided to go see where Cindy lived her last year at school and where I would visit her on the weekends. Then we went to what was my language training mission in 1974 which was a building across the street from the brick oven. This is where the German and the Afrikaans missionaries stayed and studied. It did not have a handicapped ramp back then.

 We then went to eat and then on to the basketball game. It was a fun time. Two days earlier BYU had played San Diego in San Diego and won by a few points. Tonight they were playing the same team and the game was not even close.

Things you do in January

This January was been more like a normal winter with snowstorms every week. When the grand-kids come over there are more indoor activites like getting into the dress up box.

For Aubrey it is to sit in the bumbo chair.

They still take advantage of playing outside in the snow though also. Noting funner than to see them walk up the field in their snow clothes to come to grandma's house.

Cindy did an activity at school which marked the 100th day of school so she dressed up as a 100 years old. She still has it even at 100.

 The snow and then rain created some interesting shapes on the trees and then started to develop some morning fog.

The snow and then rain made some heavy snow and the top part of our patio trellis came down one evening. Looks like I have another summer job.

New Year brings changes

While Cindy and I went to Provo to the art exhibit, Maddie was on an adventure of her own. She and a few friends drove to Southern California to go to Disneyland before they had to go back to school.



It was strange for us not to have her around for the week. It had been a few years since we were the only ones at home, now we would need to readjust again.The next readjustment was that with Maddie moving what to do with Ember. She had made plans to sell her to a wonderful family that had been in our ward years ago; the Keller's. Maddie got home from her trip an on the 8th of January the Kellers came to get Ember and welcome her into their home. It was bittersweet but it was the right thing to do. Ember had been in our home for 4 years since December 21, 2012. She really was a good, playful but quiet dog.

Two days after Ember left it was time for Maddie to make the move up to USU and leave us also. 

Welcoming the New Year

Between Christmas and New Years we did a few other things. We went up to Maddie's new apartment in Logan to take a few things up before she begins school at U.S.U. in January.

We realized we had not had our pre-Christmas sleep over party so we had it after Christmas. We played a new game that Cindy had got for the family. We also brought down the mattress to sleep on. Before going to bed though it was time to pull some funny faces.  Aubrey did not stay with us this year but maybe next year.

It was then time to settle in for our long winters nap.














The next day we had the traditional party at our house on New Years Eve. Unlike last year we actually had insulation and wall coverings and carpet this year so people were warmer. We had about thirty people this year and all could fit comfortably in the room. It was a good time.
On January 2 we went to Provo to see the Norman Rockwell painting exhibit. We took mom and dad with us to the exhibit and they enjoyed it. It was amazing to see the talents of Rockwell in capturing life and the expressions of people.

After the exhibit we went to the Brick Oven for a late lunch. As we went to the salad bar, who did we see in the side room? It was President Uchtdorf and his wife and some other people.  I got my salad and was returning back to my seat and President Uchtdorf was right in front of me getting ready to leave. There I stood with a salad bowl in each had (one was dad's) and President Uchtdorf was right in front of me. I followed behind him to where our booth was and he leaned his head into the area where our table was and wished everyone a Happy New Year. What an unexpected surprise.

 

Christmas Day

We welcomed Christmas with our new addition and new carpet. We had both fireplaces going to set the mood and then Maddie came down the stairs as the kids have done each year for nearly thirty years.

After getting over Maddie's excitement it was time to open our socks and see what surprises were inside.

Then it is gift time even though she chose most of her presents and there were not many surprises.

 We then had the other kids come over to get their presents around noon. We then went in the afternoon to Mom and Dad' and had dinner and played some games and like that Christmas was done.

Christmas Eve

The snow the last couple of days made sure we would have a white Christmas. Christmas Eve was at the Weaver's this year. It sure is nice of them to hold this activity there. We had Nate and Laura from Pennsylvania, April, Tony and their friend Nate from Houston and Tammy and Kent from Idaho. This is becoming a national event.

There was the good food and then the program. You can see when it comes to the chimes that if you do not get the right note the excitement can wain.

We had a rousing rendition of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer by the local touring group, "Not the Temptations." After Sisters last year and now this, can't wait to see who will come and perform next year.

We closed with the Christmas Story and this year Aubrey was perfect for the baby Jesus and Payton was Mary. Connor was a shepherd.

At the end of the evening as we went out to the cars the air was so crisp and clean and the lights of the city below glimmered as stars. What a wonderful night and tradition.