WE THANK THEE OH GOD FOR A PROPHET

Bethany found that Nixon had taken over 200 pictures at Ava's Halloween parade.  This is my favorite

We love November because it reminds us of all the many blessings we continually receive from our loving Father in Heaven.  We are so grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation that allows us to live in families for all eternity.  We love our family and so desire to live with them forever.  How blessed we are.  We are also blessed to live in a wonderful place.

We started this month with a great stake conference.  The best part was that Patriarch Jarman gave a talk that was filled with the Spirit.  He was magnificent.  He reminded me of Elder Packer sitting in his wheelchair to deliver the talk and was not even on the stand.  He said it was the first time in 35 years that he had spoken from that pulpit.  We love him so much.  He was very influential in us deciding to go for a doctorate.

Tuesday Scott surprised us by tilling our garden.  It is something we can no longer do so we were very relieved. (Yes I Can!)  We are so grateful for what our children do for us. That evening we went to Kolton and Parker’s choir concerts.  They were so entertaining.  It was so wonderful.

November 4^th was my sister, Karen’s birthday.  There is no way there could be a better sister. 

 me in elementary, Karen high school

 both pregnant

We are going to Boise, Idaho to see her after the viewing of George’s great, great cousin, Helen Redd.  She was 97 years old. 

On our way we were the next car in a horrible accident.  I don't know how we were missed.  A car went over 4 lanes of traffic and headed going the wrong way, never slowing down, and hit a car head on.  We just knew all the flying pieces were going to hit our new car. Large pieces  landed about 10 feet from it.  Needless to say we were very upset.  A few seconds sooner and we would have been smack in the middle.  Both drivers got out of their cars,.  We don't know how because neither one had air bags and the cars were so smashed.  So nervous we didn't even think to take a picture.
 We bought a new car Saturday and were excited to drive a distance with her.  She is a 2015 Buick Lacrosse with only 17,000 miles on her. 

She was a jewel and got between 28 and 29 MPH.  We were too tired to go all the way so we got a motel in Mountain Home and spent the night. 

We spent a wonderful next day with Karen and Bert. 

He is doing as well as possible and has a great attitude about his physical condition.  They live in a 4,000 sq. ft home on one level.  It is surrounded by water on three sides and is a dream place for anyone.  They deserve such a great place.  These next pictures are their property looking from a huge patio.

Our favorite room in the house is the 4th bathroom.  We called it the Cistine bathroom.  At you sit this is the painting that is painted right on the wall.  The previous owner painted many amusing things throughout the home.

After going to Bert’s doctor’s appointment we had a fun fajita dinner at Chili’s.  We just had such a fun, fun day. 

We left Karen’s at 9:30 the next morning to go to Logan, Utah to watch Erik coach PG in the quarterfinals.  They lost and it was very cold.  We were lucky to save a seat for Coach Pella and enjoyed the game with him.  The good thing was that Erik’s family

met Gary, Debi, Justin, Jordy, Bayley and boys, and Christiana for dinner at a very good restaurant in an old train station.   We invited the cousins.  It was so good to be with a small part of our family. 

 It was very late but we headed home (10:30) only to get a call from Clark saying that his family would pick us up at 7 AM to go to Cedar City for Riley’s semi-final state game.  We were so tired but excited to go.  Aimee Cochran met us there.  Again we were with a  cousin.  They won their game by many points and are now going for the state title. 

Their game was at 11:00 so we were home by 6.  We were so tired but had listened to the BYU game and had recorded it on Direct TV.  It was half time when we got home so we watched (Dad watched.  I fell asleep and went to bed.)  So glad they won.

It was very hard to get up for church Sunday but we had a very good day.  We went to Andy Horton’s mother in laws viewing.  She had been ill for a long time.
Uncle Milt gave me the idea to frame my Dad's slippers that he wore while we lived in Alaska in 1944-47.

Nov.9th was a very busy day.  I hung up 5 loads of laundry in between times that dad and I got ready for the carpet shampooer to come.  We had to move everything from the basement big room and even decided to clean the guest room.  Things were quite heavy but we're tough.  We also rolled up the carpet under the dining room table, living room and Navajo rug and took them outside for the cleaner to work on.  The table and those chairs are so darn heavy.   Good thing we have lots of muscles.  I decided as long as things were out I would clean all the base boards in the house while Dad cleaned out the wood stove and wood place.  What were we thinking?  Everything looks so good now.  Later I pruned the roses and when getting dark, Dad decided to mow the lawn really short so he could fertilize.  We fell into bed that night with a smile on our faces that we had done so much.

Tuesday was a hard day in that we were so tired.  I had a really rough time in the   temple and was very dizzy.  What a good place to be.   Later, after a nap, we put all the furniture back in place.  Funny that we should find a huge root beer stain that didn't come completely out, under the love seat.  We had to chuckle.  I suddenly remembered that I had a presidency meeting in our home.  Again we fell into our bed and slept well.
Wednesday was Dad's birthday.

 sitting on the calf, his brother Eric's bday also born on the date when George was 1

 principal or man of principle

man of hobbies

 What a great man he is.  He spent the morning in the temple serving others.  I love how dedicated he is to the gospel of Jesus Christ ad how strong his faith and testimony are.  He never wavers.  I don't know how I got such a good man but I thank our Father every day for him.  I always pray that we will have 25 more years together, but lately I have moved that to 23.  I feel so blessed that we have had 49 and are so healthy.  The plan of salvation and eternal families is so calming for us.  All we have to do is follow the Doctrine of Christ and keep our temple covenants and we can have this great blessing.  We are so happy when we think about being in the arms of our earthly parents one day.  We each have a sibling we never knew and want to have the opportunity of seeing them.  Living with this man I know it will happen because he guides me when I will listen.  I love him so much.  Took him to Outback for dinner, had their dessert and then came home to an apple pie and ice cream.  Good day.  His present was that I paid off his truck.  Now he thinks he can have a new one.  Again, what was I thinking?
Kristin gave Dad some pop corn seeds this spring so he planted them.  They grew right along with the other corn.  He finally decided to pop some.  They were so good, better than any from the store.

We didn't get all the bumps out when we tried to put the carpet back under the table so we hung it on the swing set and hoped it would straighten.  It didn't so we ordered a new one.

Nov.14th we took Ashley with us to Ogden to watch Riley in the state finals.

 They had a rough time and did not win but Riley is still our favorite.  We love being together and listening to Clark and Dad out coach the coaches.

We left at 9:00 and after the game returned home at 4 in time to change clothes and meet Erik at his home for a tasty birthday dinner at Firehouse Pizza for Dad.  After a yummy dinner with a huge ice cream dessert, we all came home to watch the pitiful BYU game.  No matter the outcome it's always fun to be with family.  

Sunday is always good.  Instead of going to our ward we went to Erik's for the boys. primary program.  What a reward for trying to be good parents.  Erik is first counselor and conducted the meeting.  Parker and Kolton passed the sacrament and Asher and Camden did awesome with their parts.  It was a teary meeting, we were so proud of that little family.  It was a special time for us.
When their meeting was over we headed back to our ward in that Dad was teaching the High Priests and I was conduction in RS.  As soon as it was over we hurried to Kamas for Riley's 16th birthday.  We missed his ordination as a priest because of our duties in our own ward.
Riley is a special young man who follows the counsel of his parents and does his best to follow the teachings of our Savior.  He is liked by everyone and so looked up to.  He is excited to drive and finally date.  He has a long list of possibilities.  He is always ready to help others.  He is greatly loved by his famiy and us.

Dianne had a wonderful stir fry dinner for Riley, the grandparents and the family.  Hailey was there with her boy friend.  We have a hard time with these grands and having boy friends.  We just think of them still so young.  Again is was so much fun to be with family.

 Grammy and Molly

The 18th I spent 8 hours doing things with Milt and enjoying the ride to and from.  We really do have a great time together.  He is doing so much better and painting like crazy.  

At noon Saturday, we left for the BYU/Fresno St. game.  It was so bitter cold so we dressed or it and had a great time.

Erik, Shanelle and Parker had tickets and we gave the other 6 to Dennis Stoutsenberger's nephew's family.  They have 4 little children and had always wanted to go to a game and were so exited and fun.  A family with 2 boys sat in front of us from Florida.  They had wanted to go to a game for 7 years and were also fun to be with.  It never got above 38 degrees but we had a ball.  BYU won 52-10.

After the game we went to the Riverside Country Club for Dr. McKell's daughter, Jordan's wedding reception.  It was a very long line.  They served a full dinner to all the people, ham, turkey, prime rib etc.  They had salad, fruits, and many full cakes.  It was unbelievable.  They are such good people and friends and even our dentist.

Monday we had a new carpet put in our bedroom.

 It is so soft and nice.

Tuesday after our temple session we did some Thanksgiving shopping and then had Nixon for the day.  He is always so fun and was so incredibly good.  It was a delight to have him.

The 25th was Ava's 7th birthday.

 She is growing so fast and loving everything she is able to do.  She has become a good reader and loves school.  She lives for dance and can never stand still.  She dances while walking.  She loves her family, especially her best friend, Nixon.  Some of her favorite times are when she is with her cousins.  We are so glad she is part of our eternal family.  

Thanksgiving brought Tiffani and her family.

 It is so fun to have family around.  Clark and Dianne offered their home for our family dinner.  We'll never say no to that.  Kristin and family were so missed but flying during a holiday is not good.

Tiffani's girls immediately found horses and everyone gathered in on the fun.

The food was yummy and Erik cooked his famous brined and cooked with citrus fruit turkey.  It is always so juicy and full of flavor.  He also did the potatoes for me.  I love his pecan pie and Shanelle made a pumpkin roll.  They also did yams and the dressing.  Tiff made her light and flufy rolls but my flour was too old so it was not good and Dave saved the day by buying rolls.  Tiffani made her rolls the next day with new flour and it was heaven.  Dianne made a chocolate pie that everyone loved.  She also made a huge mile high  blueberry pie.  She cooked a yummy turkey so we could all have leftovers to take home.  I made a banana pie but used the same flour so it was a heavy as lead.  Oh well!  Of course I didn't take a picture of Dianne's beautifully set tables and all of us eating that good food.  It was a great day and we visited until dark.

Shanelle and Erik cooking

Don't know what Clark's doing

great wisdom
We talked all the way home about how wonderful the time was.  We are so grateful for our family and the joy they each bring to us.  The restored gospel is so true and we are blessed to know that if we keep the covenants we made at baptism and in the temple, we can be a forever family with all of our loved ones who have gone before us and even those after.

Friday, Shanelle, got tickets to The Friendly Dinosaur for them, us, Tiff's and Scott's families.  It was a cute movie and again the cousins just love to be together.
The girls went to Scott's after for Ava's birthday party and a sleep over.

                                                       4 wheelin'

                                                         getting warm

Saturday we just enjoyed the day being relaxed and together.  That night we watched the BYU-Utah State game.  We won soundly.  

This is what kids do if they want to watch the game.

After the game Ava and Nixon spent the night.  They love being with the twins.

                                    Ava is under the pink quilt somewhere

Sunday found us, Tif's and Scott's at church together. It was fun to look down the row and see that everyone was family.  We love having family at church with us. Erik's came over before to say good by to the Vegans.   Tiff's family left right after church.  We came home to say good by and then went back for RS and Priesthood.  At 5:15 we left for a fireside with the Provo Temple workers.  There were over 1,000 people there.  It was amazing.  The prelude music was the congregation singing Christmas hymns led by a great director.  The choir was the single temple workers.  The temple presidency were the speakers and each one was so good.  We could have stayed much longer.  The Spirit was so evident and comforting as we listened to such powerful talks.  It was a great way to bring in the Christmas season.

The last day of November saw Granddad making cider with Nixon and Ava.

 We love this season of thanksgiving and remembering the many things we have to be grateful for.  The top on the list is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ because all of our blessings are directly from our Father in Heaven and His Son, our Savior and Redeemer.  The plan of salvation and eternal families gives us much peace and comfort.  It's true!