Christmas in Lehi

The Lehi City Chamber of commerce hosted a Christmas kick off party this weekend.

Tyler and Melanie sat on Santa's lap.

Melanie participated in several craft booths.

 Warren set up a display advertising Golden Living.  Tyler helped him hand out small toys to the kids who came by.  His goal for the booth was to let people in Lehi know where he is working now.

 Graig and Melanie doing the "boot scoot and boogie" at the family dance.  Graig is pretty good at this dance. It is very popular at the UCAS dances.

  Melanie won a prize for being such an enthusiastic dancer.
Fun time.  Thank you Lehi Family Week Committee.

It's beginning to look like Christmas

As soon as Thanksgiving is over I start thinking about Christmas.  It took two days but we now have all the decoration up including the tree.  Melanie and I were decorating the tree and she asked me, "Is this what it is going to be like when the boys are moved away and I am the only one home?"  I think she like the idea of being an only child.

We decorated with snowmen on top of the cupboards.

I love garlands with colored lights.  We have them throughout the house.

 Of course, lots of nativities..

Grateful

It has been a very nice Thanksgiving Weekend around our house.  Jessica came home for the weekend and brought her room mate, Jill, who brought the dog she was doggy sitting, sugar.  It was fun to have them home. We ate our dinner at my parent's house in Orem on the China, with the silver (the grandkids must be older).

 There were puzzles...

 ...and games...

 ...and dress up with cousins...

A few of the things we are grateful for:
Warren:  God, Jesus, Holy Ghost, Mary, Jessica, Graigry, Tyler, Melanie, good, friends
Mary:  fall colors, books, prophets and apostles, a warm husband, cars that are driving well, Melanie's carpool, a fireplace to warm up by, the temple where I can find peace, rest, and revelation each week, a dryer, a Sunday afternoon nap, good parents, three priesthood boys who do their duty, beautiful mountains, good music,
Graig:  Giant Squid (who make good stories), magic (that keeps children alive and happy), God (who gives me everything), D&C 49 (where meat is good in abundance), technology ('cause it is so cool), animals (who are so cute), my teachers (who always ensure I understand), tacheon atoms (which might have created energy for the universe), Optimism (no explaining needed)
Tyler:  Microwave oatmeal, an eternal family, food, living prophets and apostles, prayer, a body, indoor plumbing, clothing, electricity.
Melanie:  Mom (who takes care of me), Dad (who earns us money), Jess (who gives me things to compete with), toys (which keep me occupied all day), bed (keeps me warm), Tyler (who plays with me), Graig (who tells me good stories), animals (who keep me occupied).

Brandon's Surprise Birthday Party

One of the downfalls of attending High School at UCAS is that Graig's friends are spread out from Lehi to Payson.  This makes it hard to get together and hang out.  My Mom and Dad are really kind to let the kids "meet in the middle" at their house in Orem.  As an added bonus their house has some fun teenager activies like air hockey and ping pong. 

On Saturday Graig and Whitney decided to plan a surprise birthday party for Graig's friend and Whitney's cousin, Brandon.  Boy was he surprised!  Brandon had never been to my parents house before but he didn't question when his mom told him to get out of the car and go to the door to pick up some papers.  He was really confused when Graig answered the door and all his friends started to yell, "surprise".  It took him a minute to realize what was happening.  He thought he was on his way to see the new Harry Potter movie.

The evening started with dinner of chili and corn chips, potato chips and soda pop and then moved downstairs to play some games.

 The favorite activity of the night was this Monopoly game.  There were "alliances" and "immunity granted" and personal bankers and police and we had to extend the evening because the game just wasn't finished yet.  

 Around the circle:  Brandon (in the chair), Graig, Khai, Bronwyn, Margaret, Andrea, and Whitney

Apparently, Brandon has been teasing for weeks that he wants his face on the $1 bill so Whitney provided the picture and Graig found a website where you can insert a picture onto a dollar bill.  They printed it on an iron-on transfer and ironed it onto a t-shirt with the words "I'm Awesome" underneath.  On the back of the shirt they put the words "I'm humble too" above a picture of a King of Spades Playing card where the king had Brandon's face.  He thought it was a great gift and Graig and Whitney were very proud.

My part in the party was refreshments (chili and chips) and chaffering.  During the party my Mom played Rumikub and watched "Lie to Me" episodes with me.  Thanks, Mom and Dad for hosting us and cooking your yummy popcorn.  Sorry the party went later than expected.

Graig's Violin Recital

Graigry got to play in a violin recital with the students of his teacher, Shauna Davies on Friday November 19.  She has many advanced students and so the music they play is very fun to listen to.  Graig was part of a group that played "Souvenir D'Amerique" by Vieutemps which in English is a very fancy "Yankee Doodle".  I would like Graig to try out to play his violin at his high school and UVU graduations in 2012 and I think this just might be the song he should play.  It is very fast and showy and fun to listen to.  Graig has been working really hard to get ready for this concert and he sounded great!

Fall Fun

It feels like fall in Lehi.  The days are crisp and cool and the leaves are falling off the trees.  Tyler took this picture as he was walking home from school.  He took the camera to school because he got to attend an advisory class on photography.

 Melanie decided we didn't have enough leaves in our yard to make a big enough pile and so she used a wheelbarrow to bring over leaves from our neighbour's yard.  That is OK with me because we will till them up in the garden to compost.

Tyler and Melanie look so serious in these pictures because the sun was shining in their eyes

Sunday Sugar Cookies

We moved to a new chapel this week and with that change we now attend church at 9am.  That left us with a free afternoon.  While Warren and I took a long nap the kids made sugar cookies.  Graig was the head chef.  Tyler was a photographer.

The Price of Freedom

It was wonderful...  I am addicted to this beautiful music.  Thank you to all of our family and friends who made a special effort to come out and see the show.  Graig had over 40 people in the audience to watch him between the two shows.  Jessica brought her two cute room mates to watch the matinée with us.

Before each show Kayson had a WWII Vet come and talk with the orchestra and tell their story.  Both vets bore their testimonies that it was their faith that sustained them through the dark days of the war.  The thing that impressed me was that even though the war was many years ago the memories of it are still very fresh in the mind of any vet I have ever talked with.  I am so grateful for their service.  

 Graig with his good friends Brad and Rosie before the show.  Notice Graig is wearing his contacts and he shaved... There are some cute girls in the orchestra.

 Brad and Graig are stand partners this year.

 Melanie with Jordan Bluthe's wife who is also an actress in the show.  Her character adds comic relief when she writes her soldier boyfriend a "dear John" letter.

 Graig and Warren with Jordan Bluthe after the 2pm show.  He is one of my favorite singers.

 Notice Warren in a Silver shirt with a red tie and Tyler in a red shirt with a silver tie.

This newspaper article ran in the Daily Herald

The Program