October Odyssey

I named October an odyssey because it has truly been a journey.  One filled with discovery, fun,  a little trepidation, nostalgia, and gratitude...a journey even Odysseus would be proud of (or  Ulysses Everett McGill...what is the movie?).  In the first place, the weather has been amazingly beautiful...at least in Arizona.  We had a sampling of weather across the country, though, from Arizona to Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Oregon, Virginia and even Montana. Top left: SD, where Mary and Tyson lived through the worst October blizzard in recorded history.  Middle: CO, where they had a skiff of snow, the tail end of the SD blizzard, I think. Bottom: NE, where it was cool and still green. Top right: NE, Nathan's apple tree. Bottom: AZ, where Tony is blading the road by his house, still thankful for the little bit of shade his tractor provides.

Oregon...the Atkinson's front yard.

Virginia...The University Dallin is attending.

These are taken in Montana.  The lonesome little mustang is Rebecca and Scott's.  They slid on a patch of ice and drove over the embankment to where you see the car up next to the railroad tracks.  Thankfully, they weren't hurt but they had to wait in Montana for it to get fixed so they could drive home. Our poor little, spoiled desert kids are having scary experiences with snow.  Thank goodness they are safe now, back in the warm, dry, dependable climate they know and love.

We've had a wedding, Thomas and Jenn setting up housekeeping, plays and concerts, counsel from prophets, visits from far-away-kids, a missionary reporting for service, dressing up for Halloween,  and some amazing people having birthdays.  Our October birthdays are Shannyn, Mary, Rylie and Joel.

Shannyn turned 12 and became a Beehive on the 9th.

Mary, your baby sister, turned the big three-oh on the 11th.

Rylie turned sweet sixteen...and she really is sweet...on the 15th.

Joel's birthday (I won't mention his age) was on the 19th, Allison & Taylor's wedding day.

Thomas and Jenn moved into their new house in Thatcher right at the first of the month.  Even though they still have unpacked boxes..of course, don't we all?...they have made it a cozy nest and even invited us to dinner.  It was delicious and they seem at home there already.  We miss them but it is good for them to have their own space.  It's really a lovely home in Quail Ridge, Thatcher 6th Ward.  

If you recognize the couch, we sent that sofa set with them and have ordered new ones for us. 

 They ordered some new ones too, all from Sparks' where Rachel works.  I hope she is appreciated by her employers for bringing in business!  She went shopping with me and I was so glad for her expert opinions.

While Mary and Tyson were on their 10th anniversary trip to South Dakota (the anniversary capital of the world, you know) we kept Jared the first day.  He was good and happy, playing with his cousins, watching TV with his cereal cup on his head and finally collapsing to take a nap.

They, in the meantime, were enjoying South Dakota's balmy autumn weather.  They went prepared with warm clothes, but they didn't think to take enough food to eat for the whole time.  They thought they would be able to eat in restaurants and at the hotel, but a freak (earliest recorded blizzard in SD's history) snow storm kept all the restaurants and stores closed...even the hotel one.  Their only source of food was a neighboring gas station.  They had to plow through the knee-deep snow to get there, and others in Rapid City were eating there too, so it cleaned out pretty quickly.

Their flight was delayed an extra day, but it gave them a day to see the sights. The weather cleared enough that they could drive their rental car out to see Mt. Rushmore. (More pictures in  "News from around the family") But how random is it that they went to S. Dakota for their anniversary?  And how random that there was a freak blizzard the first week of October? And how random that the government closed all the national parks that week? They had to take a photo from far away. But Mary was impressed, anyway.  She was amazed at the detail of the giant sculptures.

Their kids spent Sunday night and Monday with us, and were they ever glad to see their parents walk through the door...especially Jared!

While they were gone, we enjoyed General Conference.  It was a treat to get to listen to Priesthood meeting, too.  We had a group text going and Daniel said, "I know we're not allowed to have favorites, but I think President Uchtdorf is my favorite." Then after President Eyring spoke, he texted again and said "I know we're not supposed to have favorites, but I think President Eyring is my favorite!" I agree with Daniel.  They're all my favorites.  It was a wonderful conference, and you already know how I feel about conference.  I'm ready to face the next six months.

Here are Jeremy's boys enjoying dinner at Mi Amigo's after the Priesthood session, and Thomas hobnobbing at El Charro after the Priesthood session...one of their busiest times.

We had Mary's birthday lunch a couple of days early because the fair opened on her birthday and it was going to be crazy with kids performing.

Allison was home to get ready for her wedding, so she was here for Mary's birthday.  There were just a few last minute touches her dress needed to be perfect!  Stephanie had gone to her fittings with her in Mesa, and she made sure the dress was altered beautifully.  It really fit like a dream and she looked like an angel in it.

Brianna played a piano solo on the first day of the fair and won a blue ribbon.

Then the next day, she and Lindsay sang and Isabel sang.  They all won ribbons for their outstanding performances.

Rylie had a "sweet sixteen" party for her birthday.  And, instead of cake, she wanted a fruit stack (Isabel named it).  Looks good, doesn't it?  The fruit too.

Happy Birthday, Rylie!

A new and very responsible driver.

Dad went to see Dr. Carter for a post op check up and we were told that he was doing very well but needed to rest more.  It's actually been nice having him sitting around with me a little bit more than usual. Here he is with a slice of Rebecca's delicious lemon meringue pie.

The girls came over on that week to give Allison a mani-pedi.  Of course, we all had to join in the fun.

And we all joined in the fun of preparing Rebecca's homemade shortbread cookies as shower favors. Sounds as if we were joining in a lot of fun, doesn't it?

On Thursday, Esther and Shad and Nathan came so they could be here for all the wedding festivities. One of my favorite things when the clan gathers is to see cousins reconnecting.

 

Allison's shower was that night at El Charro.

The shower throwers plus the mother of the bride.

The boys went to El Charro for dinner at the same time as the shower, so they were able to crash the party at the end.

The next night, Friday, we went to the Temple to be there with Allison when she received her endowment.  The session was full-to-overflowing, with Allison's Biggs and Evans families and Taylor's parents and sister and her husband. It was truly a bonding experience and one I know she'll remember forever.

Afterward, the Evans family went out to eat with the Atkinson family, so the rest of us who were at the temple went to Jumbo's.  I have to say that was a bonding experience too.

That day and the next, after the wedding, were also "decoration days." Rachel and Scott were in charge of creating an autumn palace in their back yard for the reception, then she and Scott, with the help of Mary, Rebecca, Thomas, Nathan, Stephanie, Esther, Tony and Shad made her plans come to life.

This arrangement was Shad's creative contribution.  I don't think it was so bad, but they decided not to use it anyway. Sorry Shad

Wedding day

It was a case of dressing the princess bride for her royal presentation

And it was worth it! How beautiful she looked, and how happy both of them were.

Their adoring fans

Her grandpa Tom sealed them for time and eternity in the most beautiful sealing (along with Bethany and Palmer's) I have ever heard. I think it is because in both cases he was sealing them with his heart full of love as well as authority.

The fond grandparents and parents

The Biggs and Evans clans together

The luncheon

Stephanie and Rachel decorated for this occasion. Tony's grandmother's funeral was at the same time, so Rachel and Tony's family had to leave, but it was all taken care of and everyone enjoyed it.

The groom's cake and her roommates from BYUI

The Elegant Reception

Her friend, Tessa Smith made the cake.  Rebecca made toffee and pecan pies, plus they also had pumpkin and apple pies and more cake.

Since I had made the corsages and boutonnieres, I was given the job of pinning them on everyone...except Lillian pinned mine on me.

It really looks great, girls! Just wait, your turn is coming sooner or later.

The Palmers were there, having just returned from their mission in Hawaii, and Brother Palmer is always saying how he helped us raise all nine of our wonderful children.  So, since 8 of them were there, we took a picture.  The first four children had him as a seminary teacher.  The last five had him as an institute teacher...also including Erika, Tony, Shad, Jennifer and Tyson.  Actually, Jeremy had him as both.  We really  missed having Daniel there, but he and Connie were busy getting Parker ready to leave to the MTC.  In fact, he was going to be set apart by their stake president the next day, so it would have been impossible for them to be both places.

A sparkling sendoff!

On the following Tuesday, Isabel had a choir concert where she sang, not only as part of the choir, but as part of the quartet.  I recorded the quartet number but it won't let me load it, I don't know why I thought it would.  It didn't let me load any of the fair numbers either. Too long. They wore togas and sang a medly from Hercules..she's the one on the left.

Brianna starred in her pirate school play as the girl who wanted to be a pirate.  She had 3 solo parts and did a great job.  I remember when Isabel did the same part at Dorothy Stinson when she was Brianna's age.  We had them sing one of the songs together and they were so cute.

After her play, we drove to Mesa and were able to go to Crew's baseball game.

The next day was "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in which Daynen played the part of Ichabod Crane and Tayte also had a part.

He was a "ladies' man."

Rylie had a choir concert...

...and she choreographed one of the numbers. I was too sick to go; I had the cold everyone else had last week, but Dad went.

Luke's fall program was the next night, the 30th.  I was still sick and Dad was at the Temple, so neither of us went, which was too bad because he had several speaking parts.

HALLOWEEN 

We had a Halloween party before trick-or-treating, with homemade chicken noodle soup, fruit and veggie plates, cheese biscuits and Rebecca's Halloween sugar cookies.

Here are Halloween pictures that you have sent.  Thank you! I love them.

I put Bridger in the above collage 3 times because I thought he was Harrison twice.  This one is really Harrison...I think.

I didn't get pictures of Jer & Er's kids in costume, but I took this off of facebook; this is after trick or treating.

Moms dressing up to help out at school.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

NATHAN AND SHAUNA

We are so thankful that Nathan could come for all the wedding festivities.  It made it extra special, having him here.  I told him to bring Shauna the next time he comes and he said, "I will.  In November to the reunion."  Oh yeah.  

Chillin' with the nephews, Soren and Hyrum.

The two who have entered Father-in-lawhood!

Bethany and Hannah at Hannah's choir concert.  Bethany wore her choir shirt in support of her sister.  Hannah is choir president, an elected office.  Her choir comrades have a lot of confidence in her.

JOEL AND STEPHANIE

Stephanie's grandmother, Bessie Layton, celebrated her 99th birthday in October.  Here they are at (where else?) the El Charro for her birthday party. She looks so good!

They took their boys to General Conference.  What good memories!  Here they are, just getting ready to go into the conference center.

Just before Priesthood meeting.   Amazing picture!

Joel's birthday was the wedding day and he willingly gave it up for Allison.  I think everyone told him "Happy Birthday," though.

Joel is in charge of the Gilbert Temple dedication and cultural celebration.  He spends almost every minute working on it.  Jeremy says there is more church work going on at the office than anything else!

The dedication is set for March.

He even sends his employees, including Daynen, out to the site to film.

DANIEL AND CONNIE

Their big news is that Parker is safely installed at the MTC for two weeks.  Then he will be leaving for Wisconsin.  The whole family drove him to Utah and Devynne, who is at BYU joined them for some family "goodbye" time. He wanted his last meal to be at the Red Lobster.

Shannyn turned 12 this month, and became a Beehive, in honor of which, her mother designed her special birthday cake.  The bees are frosting-decorated lemon drops!

Porter rock climbing

Shannyn at the corn patch with school friends

Albert with the steer they are getting ready to butcher.

Emma, selling her sticker-decorated dresser.

REBECCA AND SCOT

What a month this has been for the Evans family!  Allison and Taylor's wedding and all that accompanies that event, including her shower, endowment, wedding, reception in Safford, reception in Oregon, gaining a new family member and missing DeWitt for the festivities, were just part of the events of this month.  They had a leisurely, long drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Oregon to attend the reception there, stopping along the way to see beautiful scenery.  Then on the way home, they skidded on a patch of ice in Montana, slid off the embankment, barreled through a barbed-wire fence, over a frontage road and came to rest in front of railroad tracks where a train was coming.  Fortunately, the tracks were up another rise, so their car stopped before the tracks, but it was nerve-wracking nevertheless.   

They were not hurt, but their car's radiator was ruined and the tow truck could only pull them up as far as the frontage road where they limped along the 4 miles to the next little town. They poured all their bottled water into the radiator, which got them a few feet, then had to flag down passing cars, begging for water so that they could go another few feet.  It took them 45 minutes to go 4 miles. 

When they got to the little town, they met a couple at the diner (which was closing) who kept them warm in their truck until another tow truck could pick them up and take them to Missoula to get their car fixed. This couple had actually lived in St. Johns for a few years while the plant was being built!  We are glad they are safely home, ready for November's adventures.

JEREMY AND ERIKA

On Presidents' Day, their family took a field trip to Meteor Crater.

They definitely are a field-trip family.  This one was to Eden.  By the way they're dressed, I'm guessing it was after the wedding and before the reception.

I debated about whether to put this in Jeremy's or Thomas' section because it was bought by Jeremy for Thomas' restaurant.  But Erika's strength to resist the temptation of one of her favorite candies when when she is off sugar leaned the balance in their direction. :-)

RACHEL AND TONY

Their kids enjoying the fair with some Alder cousins

The whole first half of Rachel's month was focused on getting Allison's wedding ready.  She knew she had the big dinner for stake conference coming up almost immediately afterward, but she couldn't focus on that until the wedding was over.  Then just before the wedding, they found out that Tony's grandmother had passed away and that her funeral was to be held on Saturday afternoon, final decorating time, and that Tony's brother's baby was born that same day.  Rachel had a good attitude about all of this and some good help from her siblings to make her plans all come together.

I took this off of Instagram.  Read what Rachel said.

She put on her last big dinner for Stake conference.  Tony was released from the High Council at the Sunday meeting.  He has been called to be Ward Clerk, so she won't have so many responsibilities connected with his calling:-) She had a lot of help, and all the leaders commented that she would be a hard act to follow. Not pictured is Rylie who held down the home front, going to soccer games, keeping kids and being a substitute mom for the day...making the whole thing even possible.

The Alder family got a new dog...I bet you can't guess her name?

ESTHER AND SHAD

Some of their activities centered around their visit here for the wedding, but here are a few more.  This is Harrison making cotton candy for the ward's harvest festival.

Harrison had a jazz band concert this month.  It is an honor for him to be in the jazz band.

Soren and Brody are playing soccer.

Bridger got the same cold we all had and it went to his lungs.

THOMAS AND JENN

The first time I went to their new house, I wasn't sure of the way, having never driven through Quail Ridge before, but it turned out to be easy to find...I wonder why?

The kids had "camouflage" day at their school

Maya's joy school still meets here as her classmates are all from this neighborhood.  In this picture, taken at their Halloween parade, she was telling the other girls to move out of the way so they didn't block her for the picture.  You're never too young to be a diva!

Thomas had a visit from my first cousin, Dilworth Brinton Jr. at the El Charro.  He was in town for the wedding of his niece, also the niece of Cameron McKay, who had been Thomas' Bishop in Mesa.  Bishop McKay recognized Thomas and introduced him to Dil, who recognized the name and began telling him Brinton stories.  Bishop McKay is married to Paula Layton's sister, so there is another connection.  He is the brother of Dilworth's wife, Joan.

This is a horrible picture, I know. But it is of Thomas' movie night on Halloween, following in Jer & Er's footsteps.  He showed "Hotel Transylvania on his wall and thousands of trick or treaters stopped by as they canvassed his neighborhood. I've never seen so many trick or treaters before!

MARY AND TYSON

They started off this month with the bright idea to celebrate their 10th anniversary by going on a trip. Tyson found a good price for flights to South Dakota, so that is where they went, never dreaming that the first week in October, usually so beautiful in  South Dakota, would be the time of a freak snow storm.  Also never dreaming that the government would shut down national parks that week.  Anyway, they got there with high hopes for seeing Mt. Rushmore, but were soon made aware that it probably wouldn't happen before their scheduled flight home.  So they took this picture, thinking it was the closest they would come to the famous mountain.

They woke up on their first day to knee deep snow and roads closed with no hope of their opening for a couple of days at least.  They camped out in their hotel room and ate gas station food.

Then on the day they were supposed to fly home, the airport was closed and so they had an extra day, beautiful and clear, to see the sights.

Does anyone know what movie this landmark is from?

Mary has always had a rainbow cake for her birthday, but this year she was trying to be so good and so only had a rainbow piece of cake, thanks to Tyson.

Mary just found out that Lindsay was Thatcher Primary School's October student of the month.  Today was Scarecrow day.

OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS

ERIKA

While she was here, she had the opportunity of shadowing a PA at the Graham County Medical Center for a day.  Here she is with him and with Clay Hargis, the ER chief and Rachel and Tony's Bishop.

Then in Mesa, she went along with the fire department ambulance and had a great time helping people and identifying dead bodies!

JOSH AND NICOLE

serious pumpkin carving

Josh has become a genuine Omaha activist, trying to save the historic buildings that developers are too hasty to tear down for parking lots, etc.

There was a "Zombie Parade" in downtown Omaha, which Josh and Nicole fit right in.

Shades of "WWZ!"

ALLISON AND TAYLOR

Taylor at the Taylor Freeze

A dream wedding

A perfect Hawaiian honeymoon...a beautiful car, a beautiful girl and beautiful ice cream treats!

Home from the honeymoon to Taylor's parents' house in Oregon.

Showing the poplar forest to  Rebecca and Scott.

Even though she didn't have as much expert help getting ready for the Oregon reception, I'm sure she still looked beautiful.

Love that car!

They are living in a 5th wheel in Salem, where he is bossing a Christmas-tree-cutting crew. Looks pretty spacious for a 5th wheel.

 

On Oregon's Pacific coast. She looks so cold. It's going to be an adjustment for a desert girl, but maybe Idaho prepared her somewhat.  It wasn't wet there but it was cold.

DALLIN

Dallin went to Monticello to visit Thomas Jefferson's home.

Here he is with the great man, himself. If Dallin is 6'3", old TJ must have been at least 6'1".  Very tall for those days. I don't think he's standing on a pedestal because their knees are at the same level.

At a tennis team party

They even decorate for fall at Southern Virginia University.

STETSON

At the Graham County fair with some college friends.

I don't know if he was in a barbershop quartet or if he's playing a barber at a Halloween party, but he's a cute one whatever he is.

DEVYNNE

Devynne and Brock, with his brother, Devin (who, by the way saved her life) in Washington? Provo?

BETHANY AND PALMER

Enjoying Halloween fun.  They both have to work on Halloween, though.  They both work at a local grocery store, he as a butcher and she as a "grocery lady."

OUR MISSIONARIES

DEWITT

He is having a very good and very hard experience in Argentina, learning lessons all missionaries need to learn about agency of the people he is teaching and about disappointment as well as joy and fulfillment.  

He definitely was at the wedding...in spirit and in our hearts and with the family who knows they aren't complete without him.

In an art class, Dallin had to do a portrait of someone, just using shapes of shadows...no lines. So, who does this look like?  I know you know it's DeWitt, but who else does it look like?

LEVI

Levi with his companions.  He is also having a learning experience in Argentina, and loving it.  He says he is seeing miracles happen.

PARKER

He entered the MTC on the 23rd for two weeks.  He told his brothers to exercise more, pay attention in Seminary and cut the word "guy" out of their vocabulary.

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT

Guess who?

No picture, but a couple of funny things: 

Camille was with her mom, driving to our house and she saw a new house being built on the property behind our lot, across from the Emerys.  She said, "Oh no! Someone is building a house there! I wanted to build a house on that property.  I should have put up a sign!"

Carson told his mom "Don't ever lose your pencil.

Because if you lose your pencil you get bad grades; if you get bad grades you don't get money; if you don't get money you don't get a house; if you don't get a house you don't get a wife; if you don't get a wife you're single; if you're single you're a hobo; if you're a hobo  you get sick; if you get sick 

YOU DIE! 

Don't ever lose your pencil."

On that happy note, I will close this October Odyssey.  Thank you for being patient with my constant begging for pictures and for being willing to share them with me.  I means a lot to me to have a record of our family's activities in my journal/blog books.  Just continue to be patient because November and December are going to be big picture-taking months.  We will see you all at the reunion at Thanksgiving.  I can hardly wait.  Dad and I love you all very much and we are so proud of your continued efforts to live righteous lives.