You are invited

After two and a half very exciting years of having beautiful granddaughters live with us, we are now empty nesters!

Also, we have our guest bedroom back again. You are hereby invited to come and visit (not all of you at once). We would love to have you.

Wedding Day

First we met at Brenda's to do the flowers. Many hands made short work of it.

Mother of the bride's corsage.

Father of the bride's boutoneire (Brenda made them)

The bridal bouquet

We were happy Carl and Velvet flew up from Utah for it.

The grandparents (am I really that gray?)

After the sealing--an eternal family unit.

The Andrei.

Neil and Pam and bridesmaid, Emily.

An adoring niece, Holly.

The happy couple with their parents.

The Dodge family (they didn't lose a daughter, they gained a son).

A lot of the family went to lunch at the Brewsters' beautiful home in Monmouth.

There were many Christmas trees. Sheryl made decorations for this one featuring pictures of Michael and Jessica.

Jessica and Michael made a gingerbread house.

Wonderful refreshments!

The cake was made by Michael's cousin. It was beautiful and tasted good. It featured Brenda's crystal Portland Temple.

Robin, Rachel with David, and Emily.

There was some fun dancing.

A walk to the pond

Wigeons

A lone Merganser

The pond is misty and cold

A kingfisher patiently waiting for a fish

A wedge of Canadian geese

Colorful mushrooms along the path

Two mallard drakes

The ornery resident goose

Nutria

The beavers are building a dam

More evidence of beavers

An old wives tale that really works.

If you're ever plagued by fruit flies, try this. Sheryl learned it at a Relief Society meeting. Put some apple cider vinegar in a glass and then a few squirts of soap. After a few days they'll all be dead!

A shower for Jessica

Soon to be sisters--Amanda and Rachel

The day after Thanksgiving was a special day. Jessica received her endowment in the Portland Temple. We went to Brenda's for lunch and then to the Brewsters in Monmouth for a shower.

 A happy girl modeling her new apron

Lots of practical gifts

Aunt Polly and 2 cousins

Aunt Pam, 2 cousins, and Gma

It was a happy Thanksgiving Day

We had three families with us--Ken's, Neil's, and Sheryl's.

There was a walk to the pond to feed the ducks.

Jessica and Michael sang a duet for after dinner entertainment.

Grandpa cooked the turkey

We played Apples to Apples

Annie Get Your Gun

Last night we watched a stake play that Brenda and her girls were in up in Beaverton.  They were all three as cute as could be. Brenda had borrowed a prom dress that was stunning. In Dad's words, she was a knock out. She looked like one of the teenagers. She was very animated and expressive.

All three were in the crowd scenes. Brenda sang in the chorus. She was also in a trio singing a pretty lullaby. In the last act she danced at the big party. That looked fun. She also surreptitiously fixed Annie's microphone that had fallen out of the back of her dress.

So, the question is.... is putting on a play worth all the time and effort involved? I say yes. The audience enjoys it. The cast and crew find a creative outlet. Friends are made. Creating something of beauty is rewarding. This particular play turned out to be a lesson in tolerance. Buffalo Bill and Annie were both quite overweight, but both did an excellent job. So appearance is of less value than talent.