GREAT FALL WEATHER

Sunday we had a Scout Troop Committee meeting at our home in that dad is the chairman.  After the meeting we hurried to Kamas to be with Riley while he was ordained to the office of teacher.  We were so happy to be there at that time.  He is a fine young man and will be diligent in his duties.

 After the ordination we hurried back to Provo to go to our own ward sacrament meeting.  It was a good meeting.

Nixon came over Monday for his nap and helped Granddad with the leaf clean-up.

The gobble

 Scott sent a text so show us what the church vault looks like.  He is painting it.  We had no idea it was so huge and this is just the entrance.  It is all temperature controlled.

 Scott sent a text so show us what the church vault looks like.  He is painting it.  We had no idea it was so huge and this is just the entrance.  It is all temperature controlled.

 Timpview was triumphant.  We stayed for the next game because it was Kelby's reception up by Morgan.  We neglected to realize that it would be bad traffic due to the hour.l  It took us much longer to get there than we had planned but had such a good time.  So much family was there.  Mikki looked so good and Katie's family was well represented.  We just loved being with all of them.  The bride and groom had that love aura all around them.  Clark, Di and Jonny were there.  Kelby loved seeing Clark and talking about Taiwan.

The Turk men

Stephen and Sherry

Jonny and parents

Coby's family  (She's a Bayles)

Katie and Larry

Conner, Dora and Saige

Mikki and dad

Mikki made a quilt you just can't believe.  It is mainly Chinese red and I can't believe I didn't get a picture of it.  I have never seen anything like it. It was absolutely perfect.

  Afterwards we followed Clark to a drug store in Kamas for dinner.  It was 8:30 and I had one of the best hamburgers I have ever eaten.  It was so juicy and yummy.  Molly and Lily joined us.  Fun time.

Can these kids ever be serious?

Love this man who drives me to all these activities.  The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is so true.  We're so grateful for the truths taught that keep us on track.  Love our family.

CELEBRATING 69

Deer Creek Reservoir     Clark drives to work by this daily
(Jeff, notice the lack of trees)
We love Sunday's.  This was our stake conference and was very good; all about missionary work and members doing their part in getting people for the missionaries to teach.  It was wonderful.
After conference we hurried to PG to see the boys in their primary program.  They did a marvelous job and spoke so they could be heard.  We were proud.  Shanelle is the president and gave a beautiful opening  address.  Of course she got teary.

That evening we invited the Utah family to Granddad's birthday party.  They all came and it was so darn much fun.

waiting to open

opening

 Dad had a great evening.  I baked 3 pies and a cake so there was plenty to eat.  We gobbled up over 3 quarts of ice cream.  We loved it.  The kids love to be together which we are o grateful for.  Dad was showered with fun gifts and had fun.  After the treats the adults sat around the table and became the most informative wedding planners ever.

 Fun was had by all.

Di and Clark  

Erik and Shanelle

                       

Nixon, Scott and Beth

The best  thing about Granddad's birthday is that it is the same day as Uncle Eric's.  Uncle Eric was born one year later on the very same day.  They were reared as twins.  I feel so sorry for Granny.  Can you imagine the mischief they got into.  You know the pig story and many others.  Just stick around Uncle Eric and you will learn many more.  He was very verbal at the reunion.  Of course Granddad's story is very different.  We had Mark and Mikki to set things straight.

Monday morning, Dad's birthday, found him playing golf.  No better place for him to celebrate.  When he got home he spent the rest of the day fixing and painting our outside lights.

  They now look brand new.
We celebrated by going to Outback for dinner.  We love that place.  Of course we came home and watched football.
Today we went to the mountain to check to see if the electricity was actually on.

headed to ours

ours on the right

 IT WORKED!  We now have power.

 It will be so fun to go now.  All are invited any time.  We stayed and enjoyed some time and just sat on the tail gate and ate lunch.

 It was so quiet and peaceful.  We intend to go more often now.
Dad is now golfing and I am waiting to go to a RS meeting.  This retirement stuff is definitely for the men.

I did a very foolish thing 5 days ago.  I decided that because I was putting the weight I had lost back on I would go on our tread mill.  Well, before the mission I always went bare foot so I did it bare foot.  When my time was up I stepped off and about died.  My feet were so sore.  I thought it was my neuropathy getting worse.  I had dad check my feet and he said I had a quarter size puffy blister on the ball of each foot.  I worry about myself sometimes.  I am finally walking without pain.
A sad day was when I went to Ryan Runia's viewing. He was one of my favorite boys I taught in third grade.  His family is so strong and gospel centered.  He requested that in place of flowers we all give a larger fast offering.  How unselfish.  He was only 31 but had gained a large amount of weight and had an aneurysm on the aorta from his heart.  He had 4 little ones from 7-18 months which made it very difficult.  The family is amazing.
After the viewing we went to the ward talent show.  It was incredible.  I had no idea there was so much extremely gifted talent in our ward.  It was just good to be with the ward people because I'm in YW and never see the older ward people.
Riley turned 14 Friday.  I was sure he was only 13.  He is such a great young man.  I guess we lost a year while on our mission.  He is kind to others and loves to tease his siblings and usually gets away with it.  They love it/  We have loved watching him play football this fall.  He is so much like his dad in so many little things he does and makes us see his dad at that age.  We hope he will be like his dad in every way.  His dad is a great model to follow and Riley loves working beside his dad.  Riley is in 8th grade and loves sports and ballroom dance.  He is very talented.  He's a keeper.

Riley and his coach dad

happy to finally have a brother    still is

Saturday we actually went to the BYU ball game.  It was so cold.  It was just us, Erik and Shanelle and Scott and Beth.  We laughed our heads off.  Bethany decided if BYU scored 56 points we could go home and watch it on  TV.  Well, right after half time they did.  Dad said it had to be done before the half.  Bethany actually lasted 'till 4th quarter.

 They went home and started the fire and after the game we took Erik and Shanelle to our house to get their car so they could get the boys and we picked up pizza and all met at Scott's.

 We played "The Red Neck Game"  and laughed all night.  It is a really fun game.  We lost, of all things and Parker and Kolton won.  Go figure.

The kids loved sliding in pillowcases  down the stairs.
When we went downstairs we saw the entertainment center Scott had built.

This has been a very fun and full week.  We love our family so very much and are so looking forward for the holidays ahead to be together even more.  I love their patriarch.

LAST VIKING GAMES

still picking flowers

Karen's (my sister) husband is still in the hospital.  They put a pace maker in and we hope all is well.  Tuesday was her birthday and she spent it in a hospital.  She's a trooper.  She is only 3 years older than me and the best sister ever. (the only one I have)  She was always nice to me while we were growing up and let me do so many things with her.  I don't ever remember her being rude but then I don't remember much of anything now days.  I love her so much.

when living in Alaska

always my friend   Still in Alaska

                                                     

me, Karen  both with child

We went to the Provo Temple with the stake this week.  We were the witness couple.  We love doing that.  It was a very full session.  They had to set up some chairs.  There was a very strong and wonderful feeling there.   We love attending anything in the temple.  Afterwards we went to Cold Stone for ice cream.
Friday we went to SLC with Shanelle and the boys again the watch PG in the state quarter finals.  They played well but the Beet diggers won.  How can a Viking get beat by a Beet digger?  We buried our sorrows in a yummy dinner at JCW's .  Erik's family treated because of Granddad's birthday.  I couldn't even eat all of my dinner and it was sooo good.  That milk shake was as good as Granny's.  Dad and I shared and I couldn't even finish my half.  I'm ashamed of myself.  Couldn't finish my fries either.  It was fun being with Erik's family.  They're all football.

Saturday we headed to PG for Parker's Super Bowl game.  They played well but gave the ball to the other team and every time they scored.  Parker played very well.  We were proud of him.  They now go to Mesquite, NV for a tournament.  We will not be there because Kelby's wedding is then.

getting 2nd place award

 While Parker was playing we had another game on the sideline.

Ava's tackle

go Nixon

Injured player or just a rest

Asher, Ava, Nixon

I'm not going to tell them I have the ball

We continue to love being home and healthy.  We feel so blessed and happy to have some of our family so close.  We love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the covenants we are blessed to make with our Father and Savior.  We love each other and the life we have together.  (Sometimes Dad wonders).  (Only when the fish don't bite.)  I wouldn't trade this life for anything. There is never a dull moment with this woman I married!

THE SPOOKY WEEK

We love Sundays, especially when our second granddaughter  turnes 17.  Hailey came with such a fun attitude.  She was always a happy little soul.  Sometimes we wish these little ones would stay in the nest a little longer but in a little over a year Hailey will be trying out her wings.  She is very dependable and always willing to help anyone.  She is a very hard worker and is active in soccer, music and anything she wants to be.  She has great faith in her Savior, Jesus Christ.  

This week I worked with Parker on a song for tryouts for a school musical.  I don't know what I expected but his voice was so full and right on.  If he doesn't get a part they're missing out.

  I took Scott's kids with me and we went to our home after for a treat and to wait  for Scott to get them.  For some reason 2 little pumpkins replaced them.

That night we went to the 100 years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Boy Scouting.  We went to the stake center to see the broadcast from the conference center but only 10 people were there.  We were shocked.  Only 2 others were there from our ward.  It was an incredible program and so very well done.  President Monson was honored by the National Boy Scout Executive and was given the honor of the new leadership Scouting building, which is on thousands of acres for Scouts, given his name.  What a great honor.  In was an inspiring evening.

Wednesday we went to Ava's preschool Halloween program and party.  It was extremely well done. 

 After the program we headed to Salt Lake City to the Inter-mountain Hospital where Karen's husband, Bert is.  He has had heart trouble for some time but was in serious condition.  It was good to be with my sister and give her some support.  We took her out to lunch and to get her a charger for her phone.  She has always been there for me, even when we were children.  She said Bert was looking much better but he was very weak.  Today was also my brother Del's 75th birthday. He has also always been good to me.  Love him. 
Halloween we went to see Camden and Kolton in their school parade.  We always enjoy that.

The best news of the day was the engagement of our granddaughter Ashley to Tyler Johns.  They are getting married Dec. 21.

When the spooky night came a little pirate and a beautiful Cinderella came to trick or treat us.  We love it when they come.

Friday afternoon we went with Shanelle and boys to the PG game.  It was a very exciting game and PG came out victorious.  Patty Sanderson’s, (the secretary when I was at Canyon Crest), grandson was a key player.  He scored 3 touchdowns as the running back.  After the game Erik came with us and we went to In-N-Out for dinner at 9:00.

The next day found us at 9:00 A.M. at Parker’s semi- final game in Lehi.  They won by one point.  Parker played very well.  Scott and his family came to the game so after the win we all went to Magleby’s for all you can eat breakfast.  The boys ate in Bayles style.

 The sad news of the day was that Kristin was in a 3 car accident and it was her fault.  The officer didn't give her a ticket because she was so honest so I hope everything works out well for her.  Their car was next to paid off so this is going to set them back a bit.  Thank goodness they have good insurance.  The little gecko is a good guy.  No one was hurt, thank goodness.
We continue to love each other and the joy of being home.  We cannot believe how busy we are and how tired we are at the end of each day.  It's a great feeling.