Christmas Village 2018

Zac made an awesome DC Temple!

Next to Zac's creations 

was the Lincoln Memorial 

that Chris made.

Awesome job, Chris!

Then continuing to the right was Hunter's pentagon

with an abominable in the middle.

Hunter was on a snow monster kick

this year. 

If you look close you'll 

see a few of them scattered around

the DC village. 

Our Emily was next with a

vintage village home.

Love your sprinkle siding, sis!

Paul, with the help of both Emilys,

made Arlington National Cemetery.

Love it, Paul!

He also made a Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

(It's the little green structure between Sarah's White House 

and Emily Bo's Smithsonian 

just right of the top center.)

Layton, Utah now has it's own replica

Vietnam Veteran Memorial Wall thanks in part to our

family friend Coach Dooley who told us there's 

an app called "The Wall"

where you can enter a deceased serviceman or woman's name 

and see where their name is engraved on the wall. 

In the picture above, right of the green "Wall" 

is Emily Bo's Smithsonian. We loved

her domed ceiling and 

arched entry!

The tallest entry ways were on Sarah's White House

and she totally rocked it!!!

She even made both the North and South entries

which are quite different. 

You probably already knew that

but I sure didn't. 

I also don't know how Alex does it

but every year he gets 

twice the number of features

built as the rest of us! 

This year was no exception with his 

Capital Building

and his Washington Monument. 

Sarah and Darren's little ones decorated houses too.

Such precious little people!

Rascal loved that they brought Frankie!
This pic was taken in between all the fun.

Frankie looks like she's thinking, come on pal, 

let's play some more. 

It was a blast watching those cute dogs together. =D

Thanks everyone 

for helping us!

<3

Maple Grove Hot Springs in the fall...

A bunch of us got away a few weeks ago 

on Friday night and Saturday

to Maple Grove Hot Springs

along the shore of Oneida Reservoir

 in southern Idaho.

Autumn's colors were breathtaking! 

The campsites were complete with picnic tables

and a resident flock of turkeys 

that wandered and clucked. 

This is one of Scott and April's favorite places. 

They found it when looking up all the different hot springs in Idaho. 

A few years ago, 

when Zac was on his mission, 

they invited our family to meet them there 

and we had such a great time together!

First Visit to Maple Grove

And then THIS happened!!!

Paul was one seriously hurting man! 

It's been 4 years since that experience 

and Paul said he was up for going to Maple Grave again 

but would opt out of the hot springs soak this time 

(the wound care Dr. 

suspected he had a break in his skin 

and some bacteria from the hot pots 

wreaked havoc on him.) 

Yes, you noticed that?
Paul affectionately refers to Maple Grove 

as "Maple Grave". 

He sat in a comfy camp chair on the edge of the pool

while the rest of us soaked in the hot springs,

sharing stories and looking 

 at constellations.

We brought kayaks to enjoy the reservoir.

Friday night's sunset was one for the ages. 

Thanks, Paul, for the beautiful picture below!

Saturday more of us went kayaking. 

We all loved having Anna

join us for our get-away.

My favorite spot 

was where the hot springs run-off 

entered the reservoir 

Rascal is not a fan of getting splashed, however,  

so this was NOT his favorite spot. 

Sorry pup. 

Thanks, everyone for the fun time! 

I've thought of our little get-away 

a dozen times since then. 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

-L.M. Montgomery

The best of college life...

The other day, 

Paul and I came home from the Stake Single Adults' Breakfast Activity

to this cool-looking doohickie on our front porch.

Yes!! 

How fun does that look?!!

One of the twigs' favorite things

 about college life

is the plethora of recreation/physical education classes 

they get to take 

and this semester they're both taking skiing and golf.

Our girlie is also taking racquetball.

Their pal, Will, is taking a snowboarding class

but the classes are at the same time so they carpool together

and get to ski together after their lessons.

It's only been two weeks 

but the stories when they get home are so much fun!!!!! 

I'm sure grateful 

our twigs like to tell us their stories 

because we sure like to listen!

Thanks for sharing your pics, guys.   

=D

Finals and cheerleaders!!

It's finals week for our twigs. 

The kitchen table is buried 

and the brains are lit!

As I was doing dishes today, I was thinking about 

Lori Drake and Sandra Carter 

who have been the best cheerleaders our daughter could have had. 

Thank you dear ladies for being so supportive 

of our girlie in her huge goals. 

I hope you can know what a difference 

your encouraging words have made. 

Much love!

<3

Monkeys I tell ya, monkeys with markers!

My parents were cutting edge techies - why was that? 

Was it because their sons were interested in it

 or did Dad just really like it? 

I don't know but it made us smile 

to see octogenarians on a computer

 sending emails and posting on facebook.

I have an septuagenarian friend 

who daily texts his grandson. 

He says it keeps them talking and connected. 

What a guy! 

I value these examples 

and have a goal 

to embracing technology. 

I don't always love it at first - it hurts my head. 

Does it do that to you?

Katie got me to embrace reading and studying

 my scriptures/lessons with tech 

by patiently showing me how it was working for her

 and now I'm converted. 

Thanks sweet Katie Kate! 

Sarah, Katie and Liz have also converted me 

to blogs and the internet for recipes - it's the best!

There's one holdout in all this tech however, 

it's the "Big Grid" paper calendar 

(picture from the internet)

hanging on the inside of my kitchen cupboard door. 

I've tried half a dozen calendar apps 

but haven't been able to make the leap. 

I'll keep trying so

if you have a favorite calendar app

 please do tell!

The month of October has been craaaazzzy!!! 

My "Big Grid" calendar looks like 

monkeys got a hold of it 

(picture from the internet)

with a pack of markers, 

markers in each hand and foot, 

markers drawing all over those "Big Grid" spaces!

Last weekend 

WSU had a one day fall break on Friday for UEA 

but the twigs were swamped with homework 
and I already mentioned the monkeys with markers

so leaving on vacation for our favorite slickrock,

orange sand, 

and towering slot canyon walls

wasn't in the cards.

We all talked about it as a family

and decided we could escape for a day 

if we went somewhere really close 

and the twigs did homework while we were there 

so we ran away to Midway, Utah. 

While the twigs were doing homework, 

The Mr. and I went for a walk 

and found another monkey 

poking fun at the golf course danger sign.

Our little get away 

was just what the doctor ordered. 

Now we're back 

and ready to take on

the rest of

what the monkeys did with markers to October. 

=D