HALLOWEEN 2010

We got back from Oklahoma on Friday night in time to go grocery shopping in preparation for our FAMILY HALLOWEEN PARTY on Saturday afternoon. We had the festivities early as everyone had other parties, activities, trick-or-treating etc. We had 24 in attendance. Some came in costume, and as you can see from the pictures, Jory and Candace take the prize! I had camera troubles so the pictures are poor...too dark without the flash but too washed out with it. I didn't get a picture of everyone, and some of the ones I got were without their make-up and final touches. Nevertheless, here they are:

Jory

Candace

Mason (Napolean Dynamite)

--and that is his own hair

Tanner

Landon

Brooklyn

The VanWagenen Family

Jill

Kaden

Natalie

Ashlyn

Katelyn

Brynlee

Jayse

Ashley

We had a Halloween feast. Each family brought some gross food items. Barf-E-Qs were served with many appetizers and side dishes. I think everyone enjoyed the meal...except maybe Brandon. Excuse the poor pictures, and again, I didn't get a picture of every entree.

Tending in Oklahoma

We flew to Oklahoma City on Thursday, October 21st to spend time with our Okie grandkids while Ty and Jodi went on vacation. They flew to Miami and joined other Rove Pest Control managers and wives for a cruise. The cruise ship had some problems and they were delayed in Miami for so many extra hours that the trip itinerary had to be changed. Instead of Grand Cayman and Jamaica, they had to settle for Key West and Jamaica. This trip ended up being over Jodi and Ty's 6th anniversary. They brought back some neat souvenirs.

We had our share of problems...4 kids, 5 and under, with diarrhea, vomiting and runny noses. Most of the throwing up came during the night and all over pajamas, sheets, blankets, stuffed animals, dolls, mattress pads, the floor etc. After the first episode and spending the day doing clean-up and laundry, we thought things were under control. Then the other three kids puked all over their beds and belongings the next night. Reed had to take the larger items to the laundromat while I spent the day washing at home. We, again, got the beds taken care of and then we had a bedwetting incident. And the drama continued with the kids for 5 days, then Reed got sick, then I did. I'll spare all the disgusting details.

We got tired of kid's videos and TV. I started to hum Baby Einstein music. We went on a couple of rides around the area and to the Oklahoma City Temple. We baked cookies and played outside. Reed and I refereed numerous kiddie conflicts and tried to keep everyone happy. We changed many, many diapers, did mountains of laundry, read stacks of books and gave lots of baths.

Owen, 5, is in Kindergarten. He is really smart and a big help. We rely on him a lot. I have to say that Abby, almost 5 months, is the most happy, easy-going, low-maintenance baby I have ever been around. It would be nice to be so pleasant and smiley all the time. Such a good baby! She is a featherweight but very strong and active. Miles, 3, and Olivia, 2, are handfuls and can be very strong-willed. They kept us on our toes but they took long afternoon naps so we could regain some much-needed sanity. We are just too old for this! Now WE need a nap and a vacation! We flew home on Friday, Oct. 29th.

Ben's Homecoming

Ben is back from the Oregon Eugene Mission and spoke in the Cove Ward today. He did a great job! He is starting a job tomorrow...laying carpet in the Provo Temple.

After sacrament meeting we went to Ron and Jodie's home for a really great feast. Thanks to them for a wonderful time! It was great to visit with so many family members. My better half was busy in the YSA Ward and couldn't attend. I went with Robin and Andrew.

We had a quick 'sibling' picture...Ron, Me, Jean, Marilyn and Kent. We missed Marsha. Marilyn and Gary only have a month left of their Family History Mission in SLC.

We went on tour of Kent and Deb's 'great and spacious building.' Saying it is really nice is an understatement. Most of the sheetrock is done, the intricate brickwork has been started on the back and there's lots of custom designing, personal touches and attention to detail...even has an elevator. There are nice views in every direction. They plan on moving in around February.



Bryan graduates from the Corrections Officer Academy on November 17th.

Andrew's surgery was postponed for a week or two. He was put under anesthesia and everything but the doctor couldn't do the surgery due to scar tissue constriction.

Owen received a physical fitness award at school. Way to go!

Jodi has lost 50 pounds since Abby was born. I'm proud of her.

The Johnsons went to Hogle Zoo and the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum in SLC. UEA break was on Thursday and Friday.

Ramblings

We have been bottling tomato juice at least once a week for the last 5 weeks and did more this morning. Reed eats lots of cucumbers, tomatoes and radishes. Due to a frost when our fruit trees were in blossom, we got precious few pears and peaches. Those that were left were slow to ripen, but fresh peaches in October have been a real treat. Reed has been sharing cantaloupe with Courtney and took a prized peach to Hailey.

We enjoyed conference. During the Saturday sessions I tackle household jobs while I'm listening or watching. We went for a ride during the last session on Sunday and listened along the way. We went up Logan Canyon to Bear Lake, along the west side of the lake to Ovid, then down Emigration (Strawberry) Canyon. The fall colors in Logan Canyon were muted, lack-lustre and disappointing, but the colored leaves in Strawberry were pretty.

On our way home we stopped in Cove to wish Ron a 'happy birthday.' He invited us to eat with them, so we got treated to a nice meal with the family. Dan has completed his requirements for graduation and is back at home. His area of study was in surveying. The family was excited that Elder Milligan (Ben) would be home from his mission on Thursday, Oct. 6th. Ron has (finally) been making great strides in landscaping his yard, mostly in the back. It is looking great. He has a nice patio and a 'beach' by the pond. Nighttime lighting and croaking frogs add to the ambiance. We didn't drive up to Kent's new home under construction, but his 'mansion' appears to be coming long nicely.

ATK (Thiokol) had another round of layoffs...426 this time. The Bishop under whom Reed serves as 1st counselor, was one of the latest 'victims.' Reed wonders about the status of many of his friends and former co-workers. Another layoff is planned for January.

Bryan is at a Corrections Officers Academy in Sandy. This week he had to be sprayed with OC (pepper spray), something he'd never want to experience again. He lived to tell about it, however.

The Schvaneveldts flew to Florida yesterday under the guise of attending a dental convention. With UEA/Fall Break next Thursday and Friday, the kids only have to miss 3 1/2 days of school. According to Facebook posts, they are having a fantastic time.

Last week a member of our Nibley ward, Reo W., died. He grew up in Salt Lake and was friends with Thomas S. Monson. One or the other of them (Reo or Pres. Monson) was 'best man' at the other's wedding reception. President Monson came to our church to speak at the funeral. The mortuary used an old classic restored hearse. Reo was ward clerk and would walk up the aisles counting how many were in attendance at sacrament meeting. I always enjoyed seeing what tie he was wearing. He had several ties for every season and holiday. One time I told him I liked the ties he wore. He said that his wife (deceased before we moved in the ward) had made sure he had a wide selection of ties for every occasion.

Last Monday (4th) was the first week that the students in our YSA ward were invited to come to the homes of the bishopric for Family Home Evening. I decorated for fall, cleaned the house thoroughly, stayed up late making pumpkin/chocolate chip cookies, cut up veggies, chilled some apple juice, made a couple of trips to the store and had everything set out and ready. The 'mother' of the group called a half hour before and said they weren't coming. Oh well. The other counselor had a large group at his home.

On Monday (11th) after my DUP meeting I am going to American Fork. Andrew is having surgery on Tuesday. If I can't find a sub for the temple, I will probably be back by Thursday. Reed is staying home as he has a mid-week bishopric meeting and a bus run to make. He also has garden stuff that needs to be taken care of before we go to Oklahoma to tend the Hawkins kids the following week. After unseasonable high temperatures, we have had a week of cloudy skies, rain and cooler temperatures. It has been a nice fall and I hope we can hold on to it for a while longer.

With 5 daughters, 5 sons-in-law and 19 grandchildren, our family is made up of 31 persons. We have numerous family birthdays in some months, a couple of days even have duplicate birthdays, but October is the only month without a single family birthday! Nevertheless, Jodi and Ty's wedding anniversary is in October. This year it will be anniversary #6! They will be on a cruise while we tend their 5 year old, 3 year old, 2 year old and 5 month old. Wish us luck! And speaking of October, there are 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays this year. Supposedly that only happens every 823 years.

We went for a drive up by Porcupine Dam. At this time of the year we were obviously too late for the fall colors or the salmon run. The thing of interest was the Ruby Pipeline that is going in to transport natural gas from Wyoming to Oregon (I think). We were headed up when all the workers in their big pickups and dualies were headed down at the close of day. We noticed license plates from several states. The roads that have been put in to facilitate this project are incredible and much more extensive than we had thought. We drove part of the way up one of the roads. We wonder what will happen to the roads once the pipeline is put in.

So long for now. My camera card is full. I've got to download some of the pictures or dump them.