Sunday, December 25, 2016

The Winter Dance...

Last week was our girlie's Winter Dance. 
In the past, we've loved to take dance pictures at a nearby greenhouse. 


The owners/employees are super nice and always welcome us in.


After we got there, 
I realized 
we've never gone there for winter dance pictures before. 


Silly me! 
Greenhouses aren't doing much business in the winter. 


It was only 5:00pm but the greenhouse was nearly dark 
and the few lights they did have were pretty sparse. 


Our girlie and her friends made the best of their 
pictures in the dark. 

What great kids!



Monday, December 19, 2016

A house of mourning...

One of my favorite petitions 
given in the dedication of the Kirtland Ohio Temple 
in 1836 was to 
"establish a house, 
even 
a house of prayer,
a house of fasting, 
a house of faith, 
a house of learning, 
a house of glory,
a house of order, 
a house of God;"

(Thanks to LeAnna, Jessica, Connie, 
and anyone else who took these YW pictures)

Our beloved Young Womens Leaders were released yesterday 
and we have a new 
"house of" 
that's been established.

It's a house of mourning.

Oh how our girlie loved these women. 
Her heart is aching at the thought 
of not being blessed to spend girls camp and every 
Sunday and Wednesday in their company. 


She asked me last night 
what that tender quote was 
that speaks so genuinely about loving and grieving.

This is the quote.

"...grief is the natural by-product of love... 
The only way to avoid the grief 
would be to not experience the love; 
and it is love that gives life its richness and meaning."
-Lance B. Wickman


Our girlie will come to love again as more faithful, dedicated women 
have been called to carry on the work 
of helping families help the young women in our neighborhood 
understand their loving Heavenly Father's "vision of who they are, 
where they are going and what they are to achieve in this life." 


We've been through the mourning enough times to know 


that love will grow over time for the new leaders as well. 

But as for now, we have a house of mourning...

The night before the winter dance...

The night before their High School Winter Dance, 


these fun people got together 
(minus one of their group members) 


and made their dance boutonnieres



and corsages.


For all but our girlie, 
this was their first time making a corsage or boutonniere.



You're right if you're thinking two of these people aren't in High School. 


Zac asked one of his favorite people 
and High School Administrators, Deb, 
if she could use 2 more chaperones for the dance. 
She said she was delighted to have them attend. 


(Don't you just love the little pine cones!!

We found them on trees at a nearby park 
right after the skies dumped a hale storm on us. 
Our fingers were so numb from the cold and wet that 
we didn't even feel the needles poking us after a while. 
...hahaha...)


Zac and Deb have a tradition of swing dancing together 
so it was a sweet opportunity for them to have another dance. 
We love Deb! 

It was fun for Zac and Ashley to attend a formal dance together too! 
=D

More dance pictures to come...

Sunday, December 11, 2016

An awesome birthday guy and a ramble before the snow flies...

Today is one of my big brother's birthdays! 
Happy Birthday Scottie!

We're crazy about you.

Thanks for always being up for an adventure.
You and April are delightful.
=D

This autumn, Scott and April came for a visit 
so we introduced them and Zac 
to a new found family favorite, 
Green Pond. 

Zac was on his mission the first time our family did this hike. 
We loved this beautiful little trail that led to a small pond in the forest
and were excited to share it. 

Everyone gave it a thumbs up!


It was the late in the season 
and we were surprised by how low the water was. 


Our girlie was at Causey Reservoir just the day before with a friend
 and said Causey was only a stream
 in the bottom of the canyon. 

Wild!


This enchanting place is under a foot of snow now 
so we've tucked the hiking poles away 
and will wait for runoff to fill the reservoirs. 

Unless... 
anybody up for some snowshoeing???
;)

Sunday, December 4, 2016

New England had a devastating hurricane (tropical cyclone)!!!!!

We have sad news to report. 

Last Wednesday was a busy night at our house
 and this sweet little guy 
was left alone for 3 hours.


Who'd have imagined those beautiful brown eyes 
could conceive of such mayhem!

We used to call him just "Rascal" 
but his name henceforth
shall be "Hurricane Rascal".

Hurricane Rascal never touched last year's village 


so we were caught off guard 
Wednesday night when we came home 
to a dog with head held low, ears laid flat and tail hanging. 

He took one look at us and headed to "jail" 
(his crate) 
with the guiltiest face. 

We were left to discover the hurricane aftermath. 
In three hours, he'd managed to erase all signs 
of the lobster boat, 


Zac's house, 


Ashley's kayak,


most of Sarah's house, 


Alex's front door, 


and the reachable end of Sarah's Pier.


My house's roof had been licked clean of all the powdered sugar 
(Zac says eating my roof looked like a tasty idea!), 


Darren's house now has a flip top lid,


and Marti's windjammer is missing it's aft. 


Worst of all,
Rascal was one sick puppy. 
 :(

Now when we leave the house, Rascal has to 
"go to jail" 
and that breaks my heart.

We've decided to count our blessings 
in the fun time we had building the village 
and bid it an early adieu.

Good-bye New England Christmas Village! 
Thanks for the good times!


Bail has been posted,
for Hurricane Rascal,
but we're telling him he might want to watch his p's & q's 
cause there's a jolly bearded guy
in a red suit who's watching him,
 making a list, 
and checking it twice...
;)

Monday, November 28, 2016

A New England style Christmas Village...

With our dear Hunter sharing the good news of Jesus Christ 
in New England this holiday season, 
we decided to bring a little of his New England 
into our home with this year's Christmas Village.

We built Old Orchard Beach Pier, 


West Quoddy Head Light,


a windjammer and a lobster boat in the Gulf of Maine,


the Old Man of the Mountain, 


a maple syrup farm, 



kayakers on Lake Champlain,


and lots of unique homes but it all began like this.


We were thrilled to have 5 new village builders this year!

We've almost always had a Temus family member to help with the village 
as they usually join us on their Thanksgiving break from BYU.


This year we were super blessed 
to have the last of the Temus/Jaggi Family join us!! 

Marti made the aerodynamic windjammer 
and worked with Sarah on the lobster boat.


Sarah made the replica Old Orchard Beach Pier 
(an engineering marvel if you ask me)
and joined Marti in creating the lobster boat. 


Do you see our little photo bomber under the table?
 ;)

I missed getting a picture of Chuck but he was our idea guy 
and came up with solutions like what to use
 for the maple syrup buckets on the trees and 
the pots to boil down the syrup.


Darren was part time village builder 


and part time little person entertainer
 (which reminds me, how did I miss getting a picture 
of Grant!?!)


Joe and Jessica built this beauty in true New England style 
with a widows walk on top 
and an accompanying Christmas tree. 
(I love that tree!)
<3

Ashley isn't a Temus but she was a first time village builder this year 
though you'd never know it. 


Just look at her fabulous Rapunzel's tower. 
Way to go, Ashley!



Zac and Ashley made the Lake Champlain kayakers
 and Zac built a stone house this year. 





Emily's house was a lovely blue haven 
next to the lake 
 by Alex's candy lego house. 


The lego house is tiny but whimsical 
and photographs just don't do it justice - 
it makes me giggle it's so fun.   =D


Alex and Emily also made the Quoddy Head Light.


Paul comes up with the ideas 
that make the foundation of the village each year. 
He also carved the Old Man of the Mountain. 
(My favorite!!)
<3

Then he went to town on a true candy house 
that everyone said looked like a fancy church.


Each time we look at the village from now till New Years, 
we'll think of our dear Hunter in New England 
and the message he's sharing 
which is much sweeter than candy. 

We love you Elder Branch!