OCTOBER~OBIDOS

OCTOBER~OBIDOS

I wish you could all see Obidos (pronounced OH bee doosh).  It is a tiny village completely surrounded by castle walls.  You walk through the castle gate and you're in Obidos.  The narrow, cobbled streets and two-story houses are picturesque and ancient.  Built in the 1000's and 1100's.  Now, of course, it is a tourist attraction with little shops on the ground floor of each house, and living quarters above.  That's how they make their living in Obidos...tourists.  I think the castle was made into a hotel at one time, but I don't know if it is still functioning as one now.

Here is Dad with the Elders on the outside of the wall surrounding the village.  Obidos is just outside our town of Caldas da Reinha and we could see the castle, on a clear day, from our street.  

When Joel and Jeremy came to pick us up, of course, we took them to Obidos.  It's like a fairytale and amazing to see in real life.  

Our October birthdays are amazing in real life too!

Shannyn turned 15 on the 9th.

Mary's birthday was the 11th.

Ryle turned 19 on the 15th.

Joel's birthday was the 19th.

~OUR OCTOBER~

October is usually such a glorious month, so sunny and warm, not hot, not cold, and the flowers show their appreciation by blooming like crazy.  These pictures are from last October.  I often say that October is one of the reasons people come to Arizona.

This October threw us a curve, however.  Near the first of the month, the 8th, in fact, we had a horrible hailstorm that stripped all the leaves off our trees and ripped all the flowers from our bushes. It also dented Dad's new pickup and ruined our fairly new roof.  Even though the weather came around and became more traditionally Octoberish, we are still without flowers and trees.

General Conference.  One (two) of my favorite times of the year.  Thomas and Rachel's family enjoying one of the sessions with us.

Dad and Luke dishing up ice cream for the Priesthood session.

Pine didn't suffer with the hailstorm, so both Thomas' and Esther's families were able to spend some time there when we had it reserved during a week in October.

While Mary was in Mesa with Ethan, we had her kids here for a little while.  It happened to be during their fall break and the "hailstorm break" for the Safford kids, so they got to spend some time together.

Alex holding on to his cookie no matter what.

Here is some of the hailstorm damage.  I don't know if you can see the dents in the truck, but you can certainly see the leaves from the trees all over the yard and Dad's ruined garden and grape vine.

We had to speak in the Spanish Ward in Central the day after the storm, so we took some pictures.  The top left is of the church in  Safford, the top right is at El Charro (which avoided serious damage) and the bottom one is at the church in Central.  They had no hail at all!  Neither did Thatcher or anywhere west of Safford.

FHE clean up.  Thanks to Thomas and Jenn and their family for all their help.

Relation street and Pat O'Donal's house.

Mary was able to come home and bring Ethan on his 1-month birthday, October 10th.  He had finally reached 4 pounds...the right weight for fitting into his car seat.  On the 11th, we had a sister luncheon/dinner at her house for her birthday.

She requested Rachel's broccoli soup and Rebecca's rolls and a rainbow-strawberry cookie dough-ice cream cake.

On the 12th, Allison and Harvey came for a visit.  He still isn't sure about his great grandma Susan, so Allison had to get him to laugh by tickling him.  He's such a cutie and I know, eventually, we will be friends :-)

On the 14th, Joel and Stephanie and Docker and Crew came for a Layton thing and an event in Pima and spent a little while with us.  The weather was great, so the kids went swimming, making it necessary for us to do our visiting outside.

The kids. after swimming, watching tv.

We had dinner with them at El Charro.  It was quite an honor to be eating with all the bosses...Joel, Stephanie and Thomas.

On the 16th, Sunday, after the Biggs kids' Primary program, (they were just great, by the way), we went to Rachel's for Rylie's birthday dinner.  She had stuffed pasta shells.  So so good.

We went to Mesa on the 17th, to be there when Daynen got home, and to visit Joel for his birthday.  Mary needed to take Ethan to the doctor, so she drove my car, and Dad drove Joel's truck which had been left here after the event in Pima.  I sat in back with Ethan and got to feed him and hold him for a little while before I had to put him back into his car seat.

When we got there, we went to dinner for Joel's birthday at Bucco de Beppi's (?)  The best thing, of course, was being with those handsome boys.

Then on Tuesday, we had pizza at Mod Pizza with Jeremy and Erika's family.  We were very impressed with the Mod Pizza system of building a pizza to suit each customer.  It was especially great to see the family.  We haven't been able to get with them for a long time.  They were excited for Daynen's arrival the next morning.

The next morning, we went to Sky Harbor to greet Daynen upon his return from Brazil.  Oh, he looks so good!  His family was there, of course, as well as Joel and his family, Esther and Shad, Bethany, and some friends and home teachers.

On the Sunday when Daynen spoke in church, we were not able to go because we had a speaking assignment at home.  We spoke at the devotional for the Gila Valley Temple workers and volunteers.  Rebecca took these pictures from the back where she and Rachel and Tony were sitting.  See how Dad just stands out, above the rest, in his dark suit and white hair.  I had to search a little bit to even find me :-] 

That Sunday was also the Alder kids' primary Program and the Brown kids' Primary program. The twins were very good in their parts and songs, and I'm sure Soren and Brody were too.  I wish we could go to everything.

On Wednesday, the 26th, Connie brought Parker to Arizona to set him up at EAC where he will be attending school next semester.  They got him an apartment right behind the stadium, but until he can move into it, he will be staying with his Nevin grandparents.  She also brought Jonathan and Alonzo.  We had been working late that night, and exhausted, (Dad was sick) fell into bed (Dad) and into the tub (me) as soon as we got home.  I no sooner was sinking down into the warm water than Connie called and said they were here...right outside our door :-]  I got out and let them in and we had a nice visit.  Thankfully, the next day was our swing day off between 4 days of closing and 4 days of opening, so I wasn't worried about getting into bed early.  And it made it possible for us to go to lunch with them the next day at El Charro.  Rachel and Tony, Jenn and Thomas were able to eat with us.  Afterward, I was casually shooting everyone standing around and a guy (a customer) jumped into the picture and shouted "photo bomb!"

The next Sunday was Safford Stake Conference and the Richins' Primary Program.  We just stayed for half of Stake Conference before we left for the program.  We took Bobbi Layton with us.  She was impressed.  They have a huge primary and a wonderful singing lady who taught them not only the songs but the Spirit behind the songs.  It was a great program and I, along with all the teachers I could see in the choir seats, were wiping tears from our eyes during the last song.  That afternoon we had visits from the Biggses, the Richins and the Alders.  We have missed that for the last several weeks.  It was fun.  Too bad everyone had to go home early because we were speaking at a youth fireside in the Thatcher 8th Ward. 

HALLOWEEN

A Josh the Preservationist building...spooky!

Palmer carving their pumpkin

Stetson and Lindsay's FHE pumpkin carving activity.

Darth Vader and the Death Star

The Cat in the Hat with Thing 1 and Thing 2

Rootbeer floats and a rootbeer candy drop.

Bird watchers and a strange, new bird

Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and Tigger

Newlyweds' Halloween

Hermione and Hayden as Bill? Ted? Perfect! Or, as Devynne says, "Most Excellent!" Check the comments at the bottom :-}

Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy in Oz

Rylie and Luke at a Halloween party

Miss Esther's All Stars Preschool

Soldier boy and Star Wars Villain?

Batman, Harrison, Marlie at their neighborhood trick-or-treat potluck.

Magician and Cool Vampire

Pretty witch and barefoot Hulk

SunDevil cutie and Minnie Mouse with dead friend

BYU fans

Spiderman and tiny BYU football player.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

~NATHAN AND SHAUNA~

Palmer had his White Coat Ceremony this month, making his entrance into dental school official.  Nathan and Shauna came for the occasion.

While they were in town, they had a baby shower for Bethany.  I was working that day and couldn't attend, but I had given her my gift last month and she promised to put it out.  It is hanging over the TV next to Palmer.  Here is Shauna getting ready for the shower.

What a man!

Stephanie, Erika, Reygan, and Esther and Marlie all went to the shower in Glendale.  Esther took this picture, so she's not in it :-(

She received a lot of really cute things for her little one.

Here she is!  Isn't she already so pretty?

Josh and his former girlfriend, Lisa, at a concert.  Yes, former.  He's still looking.

Bethany, looking cute and pregnant, at the airport with Ellie, Reygan and Daynen.

~JOEL AND STEPHANIE~

Their family went to SLC for General Conference.  Oh the memories.  I've never been in the Conference Center, however.  We always went to the Tabernacle.  Actually, Dad always went to the Tabernacle.  I only went once, with Nathan, our first time.  After that, I stayed in the hotel room and watched with whatever kids we brought with us...actually, I watched and the kids usually played in the elevators!  What a horrible mom!

Docker on the plane to SLC, on his birthday the 30th of Sep.

Joel celebrating his birthday.  At Bucco's, they sang to him.  See the sign pointing to the birthday boy?  Then on his very day, his family went to Falcon Field to a restaurant where they bring steak on a stone, still cooking, to your table.

Stetson and Lindsay are loving California, I think.  On Conference Sunday in their apartment.  Their conference watching looks like all the rest of us.  

They went to Disneyland, just around the corner and down the street from them.

And got to eat at the Blue Bayou, a very popular restaurant that is almost impossible to get into without a 6-month reservation.  They just lucked out.

At Daynen's arrival at Sky Harbor.

Joel and Stephanie hosted a rally in their back yard, against proposition 205, which is trying to legalize recreational marijuana.  Governor Duce, along with others, including Matt Salmon, Jeff Flake and East Valley mayors and other political types were there.  Behind them is the replica of the USS Arizona that Joel had made for his Pearl Harbor 75th anniversary commemoration parade in December. 

~DANIEL AND CONNIE~

New farm vehicles for their wilderness.  Ok.  I have to start calling it by its name instead of wilderness.  It is Kommenheim, which in German means "come home."  What a great name.

Aila LOV is truly LOVed by everyone.

Syrina Jordyn Joyce Biggs was baptized on October 1, in the morning before Conference started.  She was baptized by Porter and confirmed by Parker.  With them in the vehicle is a friend who was converted by them soon after they moved to  Colorado.

This is Shannyn with her volleyball team in the homecoming parade.

Triple bunks

Shannyn's amazing Connie cake was a brownie cake.  It featured a girl, soaking in a mud bath and having a facial.

Beautiful Devynne and baby boy Bennion.  She is due in November.

Connie threw a baby shower for Brock!  Lucky guy to have such a mother-in-law!

Analynn got her ears pierced and Shannyn got hers reopened.

Devynne and Brock's first fishing trip in Missouri, at an immunology retreat in the Ozarks.

Emma's school went for a train ride field trip as part of their methods of transportation unit.

More wilderness (Kommenheim) life.  The chicken likes to roost on the warm hood of the car; a front-loading tractor; Alonzo on the bridge over their stream.

Daniel has been studying German with these people via youtube and when he saw that they were going to tour the US to meet some of the schools using their system, he invited them to come to Glenwood and he would treat them to dinner.  They got along so well that the man invited Daniel to come to Germany and then he said he would also take him to Poland.  The man had escaped from Poland during the Communist persecutions and lived in Germany.  Daniel said that Aila was the star of the show, keeping everyone entertained.

In Daniel's words, "How could this be anything but my favorite thing?" He loves having his granddaughter fall asleep on his shoulder.

A princess photo shoot involving the whole family. Her t-shirt says "The cutest pumpkin in the 

whole patch."

~REBECCA AND SCOTT~

After Conference on Saturday.

A new addition to the Evans family.

Parley is crawling...Harvey is eating pictures.

Rebecca has started a hiking club which meets once a month and goes on hard hikes.  She picked the first one and nearly killed everyone!

At the fair

Her sunflowers...before the hailstorm!

After the hailstorm

Polly had friends over that night and when the hailstorm started, Rebecca wouldn't let them drive home, so they stayed until late, many until the next day...thank goodness, because they were able to help with the flooded playroom.

DeWitt and Deanna with the Eady brothers at an ASU game.

Dallin went to Boston with his architecture team to view the amazing, varied Boston architecture.

Parley wants to get his mouth around those French fries, I think.

Meeting Allison and Harvey at the airport.

Visiting the great grandparents; the grandparents; and the newest cousin.

It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Deanna with the dentist she works for.

There was a huge tsunami in the Philippines right over Lillian, so the missionaries were given specific instructions for their safety during the storm.  Lillian said they hardly noticed a difference because this is already the rainy season and it just seemed to rain a little more.

Polly and Ethan.                                   Skeleton Parley

Rebecca's famous Halloween cookies

Look what the Richins kids found when the went trick-or-treating at Rebecca's.

~JEREMY AND ERIKA~

Perfect General Conference Scenario.

The roof on their new house was horrible, so Jeremy, handyman that he is, tackled it and fixed it like new.

Then they repainted the house.

They are doing such amazing things, one little step at a time to their house.  They've got enough projects to last them several years!  This is good because they love projects :-)

One of their projects, to get ready for Daynen to come home, was to build a bunkbed suite for him and Hayden.  Erika built these from scratch!  The drawer steps, the beds, the headboard/shelves/bookcases.  Amazing!

Ellie went with Thomas and Jenn's family to spend a few days in Pine.

Reygan drove her to meet them in Globe, then she and  Tayte picked her up after her stay.

Ok.  Jimmy Eat World.  What can I possibly say about a band named Jimmy Eat World? Crazy.

Waiting for Daynen to arrive.  Lots of family and friends.

He's here!  Oh Mom! Oh Dad! Oh joy! See the same scene going on behind them with another missionary and his mom?

Amazed at how tall Tayte had grown!  Greeting all his brothers and sisters.

And grandparents

A happy family, all together again.

Daynen posted this collage after he got home.  See any similarities?  Both skinny, eager, happy, handsome.  I told him that hopefully he would be as handsome an old man as Grandpa is :-)

They traditionally show a Halloween movie.  Daynen has missed it for a couple of years, but he's enjoying the Halloween ambiance again.

~RACHEL AND TONY~

I bet you can't tell this is General Conference morning.

This is what they did to each other...back art...to help stay awake during conference.  Except Isabel, who took notes.

Watching the Priesthood session with us.

Luke's orchestra concert.  He is first chair.

At the fair.

Anna came for a visit and they played with cousins at Roper's Lake.

While they were at Rachel's house, they heard a whimpering, and upon investigation, found it was a German Shepherd stuck on broken glass after trying to climb out of a window.  They tried to free him but needed extra help, so they just held him, bleeding the whole time, trying to relieve the pressure on his wounds.  A Border-patrol neighbor finally came and helped them get the dog free.

Rylie's 19th birthday at Nonny's house.

Then her birthday dinner the next day with us.

Brave Isabel, responded to a "snake alert" given by their little dog, Daisy.  She shot it with a bb gun, "to wound it" and then chopped off its head with a shovel.  Her parents were at the Temple Workers' devotional (Rachel is the nursery coordinator) so the kids were on their own.  Rylie took the pictures:-] Good girl.  Protecting her family.

With Whetton Reed, a sealer in the Temple with whom Dad has become good friends.  He opens his pumpkin farm to all the kids at Halloween.  He is in their ward.

Making yummy things to eat.  Luke likes homemade bread, so he decided to learn how to make it himself.

Rylie making her boxing robe costume

Brynlie and Camille with Sara Konopnicki

With the Hulk

And with the grandparents.

~ESTHER AND SHAD~

Esther with Mary and Jared at Banner Desert while Ethan was still there.

Marlie with a friend when they were staying at the cabin; Soren and Brody on the porch swing.

They saw a big bull elk walk across the road from Wimpy's.

They took the Brown grandparents with them and took them to Natural Bridge? East Verde? Anyway, it looks fun.

Marlie and her friends did a photo shoot.

Marlie's choir concert

Waiting for Daynen.

Miss Esther's All Stars Preschool

Winter formal invitation...perfect for Harrison.  She knows him well.

His answer.  A stuffed owl and balloons.  How Potterly cool!

Harrison really dressed up for the Halloween party... :-|  His friend must have had a Hollywood makeup artist do hers!  And her eyes!  Pale, pale blue.  Contacts? Natural?

Brody's Halloween progression from Eyore to some scary guy...from morning to night.

At their cul de sac trick-or-treat potluck party.

A Halloween sunset over their church.

~THOMAS AND JENN~

General Conference coziness.

Keeping Alex while Jared was in Mesa with Mary and Ethan.

Fun at the cabin.

Maya got her finger pinched in the door as they were going into Denny's in Payson, so they gave her a free kids' cup.

They saw a bunch of elk? deer? Also, they said these little caterpillars were everywhere!

They, like us, also had stripped trees and flowers from the hailstorm.  But they also had some major roof damage that fell into their foyer.

Thomas even raked up the pine needles in the neighbor's yard...from our pine trees :-/  Helping Grandpa and Grandpa clean up after the hailstorm; 

Kirtlyn and Brianna did a photo shoot one afternoon when they were here while Ethan was in the hospital.

Jenn is a Scout leader and took the kids to Mike Peterson's courtroom where they were cautioned about the dangers of drugs and allowed to pose in his robes.

At a Knudsen family reunion

A Knudsen Family "Box costumes" party with a barfing jack-o-lantern.

El Charro catered the tailgate party for the EAC boosters.  Thomas hired, Isabel, Polly and Kirtlyn to help, along with Adriana, his assistant manager; Rylie also stopped by for a picture with the Gila Monster and the El Charro van.

Walking into stake conference.  Rachel was right behind them and took the picture.

They, too, show a movie on the side of their house.

~MARY AND TYSON~

When Ethan was finally allowed out of his isolette, his siblings got to hold him.  Alex was at either Jenn's or Melody's.

When the kids had to go back to school, Jared stayed with his mom in the condo and went with her to the hospital every day.  He was so patient, just to play on the computer and be hospital quiet.  Very unusual for a five-year-old boy.

He loved eating lunch in the hospital cafeteria.

Going home day.  Finally 4 pounds so that he could legally fit in his car seat.  See the back of the seat at the top of the picture to get an idea of the scale.

After spending a lot of time at Jenn's, Nana's and Grandma's, Alex finally got to go home and see what all the fuss was about.

The day after homecoming day was Mary's birthday, so we all gathered there for a birthday dinner of Rachel's broccoli soup and Rebecca's rolls.

Brianna's pictures from her and Kirtlyn's photo shoot.

Mommy glad to be home with her baby boys.  Reminds me of Nathan, Joel and Daniel.  Only I didn't have 3 other kids then and Nathan was not 3 yet and Joel was only 16 months when I had Daniel. And I didn't have the stress and worry of a preemie...Daniel was 9lb 8 oz.  But similar, at least; Alex with his Dora match cards; And a freezer full of gold!  They even had to buy another freezer to store all the valuable milk.  He hasn't had the strength to nurse, but Mary is determined that he get breast milk, including all the immunities and other important ingredients made just for Ethan.

One morning when Mary and Tyson took Ethan to Mesa to the doctor, Rebecca came to get the kids off to school.  And you know Rebecca, they had to exercise first!  See how Thatcher didn't suffer from a hailstorm??

By his due date, he was a 6lb. baby!  What a difference!

FHE pumpkins.  No carving :-)

See the little football?

Mary takes her kids trick-or-treating at Walmart.  They can choose any bag of candy they want!

After Walmart, the Grandparents' house.

~MISSIONARIES~

Last pictures of Daynen in Brazil

He's home! Where did the time go?

Hannah in Hawaii...Cold in Hawaii? 

Lillian in the Philippines

Shadrach in California.

~SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT~
Look at her expression...look at Daniel's.  He's loving grandfatherhood, isn't he?

So Stetson is going to a prestigious, high-ranked law school and this is the paper he uses?

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."

~LAST WORDS~

This is a quote from President Sanders at Stake Conference this month.  We were at the Richins' Primary Program so we didn't hear him, but Jenn took notes...thank you Jenn.  

He said, "No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless future."  I love the hope embodied in that statement.  We all have checkered pasts.  None of us has lived a perfect life...not even Dad.  But we all have spotless futures.  We can make decisions and choices today that will lead us to a more loving, more faithful, more generous, more forgiving, more repentant, more obedient tomorrow.  I'm just listing the qualities I need to work on :-}  Whatever your list would include, you can start now.  Doesn't that fill your heart with hope?