Fun and Games

Yesterday it was Phillip and Meagan's turn to provide dinner for the family so everyone met here to eat homemade chicken noodle soup and sandwiches. The sandwich maker was a great hit and we enjoyed panini-like creations. The evening was filled, again, with several rounds of Pit (I won, I won!) and a game of Ticket to Ride. Meagan made her famous ginger cookies. I don't generally love gingerbread, but these cookies are WONDRFUL: soft and mild. It was another fun-filled evening, thanks to Meagan and Phillip.

The sandwich maker

Homemade soup and sandwiches

Lizzie, Max, and Ollie

Meagan rolls out the cookies -- literally

So incredibly ono!

Gavin makes his move

Ticket to Ride -- Meagan won

The Hastings are home today and the New-Years activities are starting to unfold, so stay tuned.

OXO

D.

Christmas 2008

On Christmas Eve the family, except for the Hastings who were in Hawaii, gathered for dinner, a reenactment of the nativity, a talent show, and story time with Grammy. It was all most enjoyable. By the end of the evening the youngsters were very excited for Santa's visit. After the cousins had gone home to their beds, Grammy, according to longstanding tradition, read the Story of Christmas and the Polar Express to Finn, Harry, et al. As the reading wound down, we all heard the distinct sound of sleigh bells -- really! (Possibly bottles clinking to the vibration of the fridge -- unplanned and very convincing whatever it was.) That was enough to send everyone scurrying for bed.

Christmas day, Maren had to wake the boys. I had time to shower, shave, dress, and shovel the snow before opening presents. I was excited for Kris to open her surprise: a beautiful custom-made pendant of jet. She loved it, but the coup de grace was the present from the kids: a book of photos and remembrances prepared by Katy with everyone's contribution. Kris couldn't contain her tears. Later in the morning, we proceeded up to the Ringers for their traditional Christmas brunch, walking in the beautiful freshly-fallen snow. We spent the rest of the day visiting with family, eating, relaxing, and then in the evening, playing games. It was a splendid day!

CHRISTMAS EVE

The Ensigns

The Youngs

Ollie, Katy, and Grammy

The rest of the Taylors

Prime rib, horseradish sauce, stuffing, potatoes, gravy,
rotkohl, brussel sprouts, cranberry salad, and Kris's rolls

Chrismas carrot pudding with lemon or
butter sauce for dessert

The navity, planned, costumed, and well-rehearsed
by Meagan, was seriously great

The talent show included a Hawaiian version of the
Twelve Days of Christmas

Story time with Grammy

Grammy reads The Polar Express to the boys before bed

CHRISTMAS DAY

The little guys unstuff their stockings

Kris's jet pendant (you can see the true scale
in the next photo, on Kris)

Plenty of good stuff to go around

Jeff and Amy on Christmas morning

Katy, Tom, and Zoe at the Ringers

Christmas night filled with games of Pit and Apples to Apples

The mad round of visiting, shopping, eating, and games goes on unabated. It appears there will be more even tonight. Anna, Rob, and all the little Hastings, we miss you.

The lead-up to Christmas is in the post below -- keep reading.

OXO

D.

Almost Christmas!

On Friday, 19 December, the Youngs rolled in from Arizona. They didn't hit any snow until Utah County, where the snow had been falling nonstop. With their arrival, the fun began: cousins, family visits, snow, snowmen, sledding, movies, games, food, Temple lights, and all kinds of fun.

Fresh arrivals from the Valley of the Sun

Finn and Harry show Grammy how the game is played

Winnie, Finn, and Maren with Lyler the snowman

Visiting while the second pan of baklava bakes

Finn and Max, home from sledding

The snow hat was good to Max's hair

Dinner at Greek Souvlaki in SLC before
visiting Grandma Lynn and seeing the lights

Harry, mesmerized by the Jazz game on the wall screen

The troops descend on Grandma Lynn

Temple Square

Katy took all the light shots with my nifty
mini tripod from the MTC Lost and Found

Assembly Hall

Little Harry and his dad

The man with the wild eyes!

Elevator to the top of the JSMB for a view

Voila, the view

The view from State Street as we head back to
the cars parked on Second Avenue

It was all very fun, but it was just the beginning!

OXO

D.

Yup, It's Winter

It looks like it will be a white Christmas. The snow just keeps coming. Uncle Stephen, Millie (yes, she and Emily have the snow-shoveling gene), and I have a running battle with the snow-plow guy. We clear the street in front of our houses and he plows it back. We throw it back in the street and he comes by again. He actually came by three times within about a half an hour. Of all the nerve!

Well at least it will be beautiful for Christmas and Finn and Harry can enjoy playing in the snow.

The piles are growing

With Millie in the neighborhood, she and Holman Hunt join in

The snow covered mountains behind Uncle's house,
early evening a couple of storms ago

There's more snow on the way. Enjoy the beach Anna and crew!

OXO

D.

The Week in Review

On Wednesday evening, the 10th, we had supper with the Taylors. Meagan made a great batch of ham bone and bean soup. We took a loaf of bread and shared a delicious meal.

Ollie, Meagan, and Meg

Meg, Phillip, and Kris

Meg and Ollie doing a bit of art

Thursday was Madeline's excellent choir concert, but alas, no photos. Perhaps her mother will get over her blogging malaise and post a few digital snapshots.

On Friday evening we went to P712 with "the group" for a Christmas fling. It certainly was not an overnight at Timp Lodge, but it was fun, nonetheless. Vern and Jerry, we thought of you fondly.

Colton made us some great food...

including my favorite braised shortribs

Ostergars, Freestones, and D. Taylors

Boyntons and S. Taylors

Exchanging white elephants at the
Ostergars after dinner

The genial hosts + Martha

On Saturday, Suzi Stratford Hines, of 1984-London-Study-Abroad fame, came by with her family for a short but very fun visit. She is another of the kind of friends that you can pick up with right where you left off many years ago. It was good to see her again.

Suzi and D.T.

Oh yes, and winter arrived on Saturday, too

Sunday, the family came for dinner joined by Chelsea Gibbs and Mia and Robby Wai. That's always good fun.

Emily, Chelsea, and Mia

Katy Kathryn finishing off the applesauce
with a flourish of some kind

That brings us up to date. Stay tuned for more fun when the Youngs arrive from Arizona at the weekend.

OXO

D.