Snow Boy

Not much has to be said here.

Cooper just combined the fresh snowfall and his sense of adventure

and ended up with this . . .



Happy Birthday Cooper

All my children continue to ignore me.

I tell them they MAY NOT grow up . . . and they do it anyway.

Coop is case in point.

He turned nine.

He was just tiny, trying to toss balls into the basket during Sacrament Meeting.

Now he's big.  And waits until Sacrament is over.

My nine-year old!

Ivy bought him a bottle of rootbeer (and something else I think) and "wrapped" it in her blankie.



BYU vs UofU

The big game.

And Richard got tickets, that included good food, from a business contact.

So Coop and his friend Koji went along.

I'm pretty sure Cooper was glad he had his coat and gloves,

even though he had insisted he wouldn't need them.

Friends

It's so nice to have good neighbors . . . who are also good friends.

Little Matt lives across the street and he and Ivy are buds.

Lance & Nicole Get Hitched

My nephew Lance used to be a

little freckled, red-hair, scrunchy-eyed, smiley boy.

Now he's a big one.

I flew to California for his marriage to Nicole the day before the event.

I never saw his face without an enormous smile.

He was SO deliriously happy.

It made my heart sing.

I'm still waiting on better pictures, but here are a few for fun.

See that grin?  That's what I'm talkin' about!

At lunch before heading to the ceremony.  All smiles, no jitters.

Sisters Sandy, Carla (mother of the groom), and me.

Dancing with the father of the bride.

An Excellent Young Woman

In our church the young women do Personal Progress - a goal setting, experienced-based program

that focuses on the eight values of

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice & Accountability

Good Works

Integrity

and

Virtue

The girls begin when they're 12 and complete several experiences in each value, and then "end" the value with a ten-hour project.  McKenna dutifully worked and completed the program, so she earned

The Young Womanhood Recognition Award

Proud parents here, for sure.

Happy Birthday Kristen

Kristen - my forever friend - moved to Provo two years ago,
and it is such a joy to have her near.

Even though our lives are busy and we don't see each other as often as we'd like, it's great knowing she's just minutes away.
Our other roommate Mindi came to my house too and to celebrate Kristen's birthday.

I won't tell you her age, but she is the baby of the group!



The Flower in the Meadow

Lucky us.

Our friend Carrie McEwan is taking a photography class.

And she needed a model.

I just happened to have a really cute one available.



Lullaby

Technically, this is not a great video, but it sure tugs on the heart strings.

A kitty adopted us Halloween Night (spurred on by the food and water and blankets left on our porch by some tender-hearted girls), and Ivy has spent much time each day in the garge mothering little Tux.

Here is what I was able to catch through a crack in the door.