Christmas Eve 2015

Tradition is strong stuff. We gathered with the SKT cousins for a nativity prior to dinner so they could join us. Dinner was then followed by a talent show and some singing. Grammy read stories and suddenly it was time for bed.

 Pippy narrates the nativity

 Evelyn was not interested in playing baby Jesus

 Baby Jesus objector with her auntie

 The entire cast

 Rib roast, spuds, gravy, dressing, rotkohl, Yorkshire puds, and rolls

 Grammy and "Elevyn" (as per Beck)

 Binkers

 Adultos

 Encore de adultos

 Jingle Bells

 Tiny dancer

 Clarinet solo (missing photo of Ollie's drum solo)

 Star Wars jokes and riddles

 Gavin's rousing 12 Days of Christmas

 Christmas songs with Pippy

And then it was time for dessert!

The good times kept right on going, but this is all for now.

OXO

D.

Christmas is Coming 2015

The lead up to Christmas was filled with decorating, cooking, cousins' breakfast, concerts, dinners out with friends, church Christmas programs, birthdays, temple preview tours, MOA visits, dinners out with family, sledding, Ann's stout cake, cousins' sleepover, and daily walks.

 An encounter with Santa at La Casita in early December

 Cousin Millie and SKT at cousins' breakfast in SLC

 Such a beautiful mountain

 Sunrise on a morning walk

 Downtown Provo on a morning walk

Baklava is fussy but delicious

 Timpview High School concert

 Most of the Ensigns at Max's concert

 New photos all carefully hung with a 13th addition

 Dinner at La Jolla Groves with the Group

 Meeting every month for almost 50 years

 Riverwoods all decked out for Christmas

 The infamous bonding bib made a hilarious reappearance

 Maxwell sang in a quartet at the 5th Ward program

 Madeline left her teen-age years behind this year

 The contractors turned the new temple over to the church and

the fences all came down

 The Ostergars gave us a sneak preview

 We visited the MOA to see the work of Norman Rockwell

 Group selfie at the museum

 Dinner that night at La Casita

 We almost filled the entire back room

 Madi and Max keeping Gavin entertained

 A beautiful morning snow storm that turned into a

freezing blizzard on a morning walk

 Sledding at Rock Canyon Park

 The sledders

 Gavin caught the crazy old man at work

 Finn and Holden just centimeters from a dangerous crash

The Taylor cousins enjoying Ann's stout cake

Phillip and Meagan hosted a sleepover for all the cousins

Good times with more to come. That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Last Fling in Reno

Sunday was our last full day in Reno. Rob and Anna took me on a brilliant hike up Thomas Creek to Timberline. Rob had to return to take care of business, so Anna and I completed the hike with Bella and Piper, the Montez's little dog, in tow. That afternoon we went to the Mannheim Steamroller concert at The Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Reno. It was very enjoyable and brought back many memories of Christmas. We had a late supper of turkey stew with dumplings. This morning, Monday, we headed back to Utah. On recommendation from Rob and Anna, we stopped in Elko at B. J. Bull, makers of Cornish pasties. They were delicious and we bought some frozen ones to bring home. With podcasts playing, the miles from Reno to Provo just whizzed by.

Up the trail with Mount Rose looming in the distance 

 

 The temperatures have been COLD in Reno and the water has responded

 The sunshine felt good

 Our destination: Timberline Bridge on Thomas Creek

 These hikers got a little bit of sun

 Back down the trail with Bella and Piper

 The gang outside The Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts

 So many memories

 Great company

 Some of our favorite photo bombers

 Exciting!

 These were a treat

Beef and mushroom: I actually liked the filling better than some I

have eaten in the Motherland 

We are home now and I am feeling a bit melancholy. We had such a great time and are missing everyone. Thanks to Anna Rob for hosting. The inertia with a large group is crushing, but Anna kept things moving in a delightful way. We will be getting ready for Christmas and a visit from the Youngs now. It is always nice to have something to look forward to.

OXO

D.