Tree Up & Engagement Photos

Thanksgiving is over, so I guess that means it's time to put up the tree.

The kids have brought up and put up the Christmas Tree. Unlike previous years, I was home as it was being done, so I was able to make sure the lights got put on properly, aka not round and round to choke the tree and make you dizzy when you take the lights off. No, the proper way to do it is up and down. As I did that, I also made sure the lights were properly spaced out. Abi could tell that I did it, cause tonight when we turned on the lights, they looked good and nice and even. The star is a little loose, but if we're careful it should stay centered and straight.

The littles did a pretty good job decorating it. 

Then after all that hard work, it was time to play with Mary. 

She is the center of attention!

Playing with Mary in the front room - 

I brought up the supersaucer from the basement and gave it a good wipedown so Mary could play in there. She liked the giraffe.

Before Joseph and Eliza went to the airport, we went over to my parents house for a visit so Joseph and Eliza and Mary could say hi before leaving.

Now they are in the air on their way back to Ohio. 

After I took them to the airport, Corey and I went out for dinner at the Draper Aubergine. 

And then to the Ft Union momentum for some top rope climbing. We only did 6 routes, as our palms were still a bit tender from last night. When we got home, the kids were having fun with some toys that a neighbor dropped off. She's a grandma but doesn't have little grandkids anymore, so she gave us a nice stash of toys that they don't use. The kids loved that and that kept them well entertained all evening. 

It was like an early Christmas! I could have tried to save some of the gifts for Christmas, but the kids got to the bags of stuff before I did. Corey and K tonight after we got home. 

Melodie and Christian got their engagement photos back from Nancy. 

They're narrowed it down to these four.

They make a pretty handsome couple!

Exciting! Getting married January 10th, this is gonna be here quick.

Back Home

Well we had a nice time in Park City. We checked out this morning ~

We loved spending time with Mary and Alvin! Alvin has this cute little bear costume that he wore while we were up here (skating on Wednesday) 

And Joseph showed me this photo of Mary in a cute bear coat too!

We have a little brown bear and a baby polar bear! Oh, Ethan sent me one of Alvie in a chair too - 

We could do a Goldilocks and the three bears thing with chairs, haha. Grandbabies are so fun.

So now we are back at home. It's been great having Hyrum and Joseph and Eliza here, and with them here, we  took the opportunity to use our November guest passes and we all went bouldering tonight! 

It was fun. This was at the Ft Union location. 

Corey asked Hyrum how it felt to be out-climbed by his almost 50 year old mother. haha. Corey got a photo of me goofing off pretending to gloat and rub it in, but I'm not putting it here cause I looked a little too weird in it. It was a nice Thanksgiving break.

Thanksgiving Feast

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a feast with the Wrides up at Park City today. I was impressed that we all fit in one unit together. 

A big round of applause goes to Mark for bringing up folding tables and chairs and getting it all set up. 

Mark sent out a google sign up a week ago for us to fill out. The feast was to start at 1pm:

THANKSGIVING DINNER @1:00

ITEM & ASSIGNMENT

Paper Plates (30) - Wayne

Plastic Cups (30) - Nancy & Jeremy

Plastic Silverware (30) - Mark & Chalane

Napkins & Small Plates (30) - Corey & Tiff

ITEM & ASSIGNMENT

Turkey - Mark

Turkey - Wayne

Gravy - Mark

Cranberry Sauce - Wayne

Rolls and Butter (15 people) - Nancy

Rolls and Butter (15 people) - Lily

Mashed Potatoes (15 people) - Nancy

Mashed Potatoes (15 people) - Abi

Sweet Potato Souffle - Nancy

Stuffing (15 people) - Mark

Stuffing (15 People) - Wayne

Green Salad + Dressing - Corey and Tiff

Fruit Salad - Joseph and Eliza

Veggie Tray & Dip - Mark

Vegetable/side dish - Corey and Tiff

Vegetable/side dish - Ethan and Bella

Vegetable/side dish - Mel & Christian

Pumpkin Pie/ whip cream - Natalie

Pumpkin Pie/ whip cream (COSTCO) - Nancy

Pie/topping - Corey and Tiff

Pie/topping - Lilian Wride

We and our children contributed the most numbers to the crowd, so we told our olde kid couples to choose something to bring. We also had the kids here at home each choose something to help with, even though for some it meant us doing it (like us getting the pie for Natalie's sign up, and the whipped cream for Lily). It was a feast - there was hardly room on the table for all the food everyone brought. 

We have had a new tradition at meals the past few years, where oldest gets priority, so Wayne first, then old marrieds, young marrieds, single adults, teens, kids. The little kids are good at waiting their turn. 

After the meal, we went around the room and each shared thoughts on things that we are grateful for. Then people got more food if desired as we watched the video that Jordyn made and Ethan put music too, that was played at JeNeal's funeral. 

That put almost all of us in grateful tears. Then we watched the end of The House: VI (Finale) cause the clips starting at 30:50 were along that same theme of remembering JeNeal, but we as we were looking for that part we just started at 25:45 and watched those old videos of our older kids, so that was really fun. 

Other photos from the day - the kids making pretzel turkeys in the Mine ~

The kids, young and old, did a good job taking turns playing with Mary

We love her!!

Katharine's turn.

Hyrum playing Little People Princesses with K while we waited for everyone to gather for our Thanksgiving meal.

Owen (left) and Daniel (right) enjoying having the whole pool to themselves!

I generally tried to avoid the large pool. It was "warm" but still cold compared to the hot tubs. Katharine and Natalie have the right idea. Stay in the hot tub!

The men and boys had an epic game of Risk.

And we all went hot tubbing many times - 

Peter ready for some billiards - 

Corey giving me a smoochy kiss while I was reading. Abi took that pic and sent it to me with a "oh la la"

The kids did their fair share of watching Sponge Bob, and then we watched "Unbreakable" together this evening. A little darker than we remembered. Had to cleanse our palate with a few Studio C sketches. 

It was a nice day. We are blessed to live in this beautiful state and great land of America. Thank you Lord for thy providence. I pray with George Washington, who, after his defeat at Germantown, later wrote that "the day was rather unfortunate" but that his soldiers "were not in the least dispirited." They appreciated the valuable and much needed combat experience gained. All things considered, from Saratoga to Brandywine and Germantown, Washington commented that "A superintending Providence is ordering every thing for the best, and that, in due time, all will end well." (- Washington Hypothesis, p. 104)

Ice Skating & Engagement Pictures

Tonight we went ice skating here at Park City! This is my first time skating up here. 

The kids have come before, to the Resort Center Ice Skating Rink. I can't find it recorded here on the blog though. I didn't go skating that time but I do remember seeing videos of it. I searched my youtube but couldn't find videos there, hmm. They are most likely lost on a phone or computer somewhere, so good luck finding them. I was probably at the hotel room with an infant. Thus it was not documented here. But tonight was really fun and great. We had 12 tickets and spent time on Sunday fitting everyone up in the skates. We brought up all the skates we had and were able to fit up most of our group, and save $10 each (tickets were $25 for skating pass plus rental, or $15 for the pass if you brought your own skates). Corey had us all try them on and we were able to bring up all 12 of our pairs of skates. We went to the car to grab skates, then walked over to the rink.

Abi helped K get laced up.

It doesn't get much cuter than a little kid in snow clothes and skates (or skis)

Daniel let his attendants serve him. 

We had fun on the ice. Many of us used these skating aid things (similar to this). I used it for probably half of the time. I enjoyed going fast when I knew I wouldn't fall on my behind. I didn't take a break at all. K wasn't very good. She tried a little bit, but mostly her legs were wet noodles, even if she was able to hold onto the walker thing. Corey tried to help her, but she was still useless.

So then Corey carried her. I wouldn't trust myself to that, but Corey's had more experience skating. He played a little bit of ice hockey back in the day, and did a few stick and puck sessions with Wes. Kids taking a break - Corey brought hot cocoa, so they liked that. 

Everyone warming up. 

Little Alvie Bear is already snuggly and warm. 

After about an hour I felt like I had my legs under me and I was channeling my inner Bonnie Blair. I even crossed my legs over. Corey tried to help me go backwards too. 

Mel and Christian did this thing where she skated underneath his legs, impressive. Christian is taller than Corey, but Corey and I tried it too and we did it too, oh yeah! What other tricks do you got?? We'll have a contest! The girls got some insta worthy pics for "the gram". 

When the kids were done skating, Bella and Ethan got some skates and the girls watched Alvie and Kat. 

So that was a good activity tonight. Good job Corey for making that happen. Other than that, we've been playing around the hotel - doing some Twister - 

... hot tubbing... 

Sophi and Natalie getting ice cream in the Mine...

This morning, Corey and I drove down to SL and went climbing early, and then picked up Joseph, Eliza, and Mary at 9:30 from the airport. It was just a 4 hour direct flight from Columbus. Joseph said it felt like cheating to be able to cross all that land so quickly, when it took the pioneers months! Mary liked the Biscoff cookies served on the Delta flight. She made a yummy mess of herself with it, but she's so cute! So who could be upset?

She really is such a smiley happy baby! After getting them, we went by home to pick up Katharine and Peter's floaties, which we forgot, and my swimsuit, and a few other things, doh - we'll just gone for 3 days, and you'd think with all the junk we loaded up yesterday that we'd be set, but nope, we had to go back to get more (also forgot the salad stuff I needed for one of our contributions to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.) The kids took K swimming without floaties but were glad that we brought them up. 

That pic is from when Abi took her. I went to the pool with K after we were back with my swimsuit, but she always wants to move to a different spot. We'll be in one tub, then she'll want to move to another, and she even made me go into the big pool with her, which was not freezing, but cold enough that it took some bravery from me to leave the hot tubs and face the lukewarm temp, brr! The kids all went to the hot tub together, and Mary and Alive had a splash battle (battle 1 and battle 2). I missed that pool session cause I left to go with Mel and Christian to get some engagement photos taken by Nancy. I was the official chauffer, jacket holder, and bag carrier. We left with an hour of daylight and drove over to Deer Valley in search of some pine tree backgrounds.

She took a few hundred pics there, and then we were going to go up to Empire pass, but it was closed. We found a place to pull over close to Mid Mountain and took a few more there before the light was gone. 

With a handsome couple like this we know the pics are gonna turn out great!

Now the boys are all playing a game of Risk but it's been a full day for us so we'll let them stay up late if they want but I'm going to head to bed!