Happy Thanksgiving

We had a "Happy Thanksgiving" and appreciated having family come to enjoy the turkey dinner with us:  Scott & Kristine; Shannon; Ryan & Tani; Kyle, Koryn & Dash; Brady, Kortney & Hadley; Carson; Marisa; and Eden & Maren.  

Scott and Kristine arrived on the 19th and had visits with their family in Utah before Judd & Amy and Jenna & Josh left for Idaho where both couples had separate invitations to celebrate Thanksgiving. 

Doug & Shannon's original plans were to come here the day after Thanksgiving, but Friday Doug called to let us know Corbin was not feeling well.  If Corbin feels okay they may come on Saturday.  Doug also shared with us that he has had another AFib episode that resulted in Shannon taking him to the hospital at 2:00 a.m. very early Thanksgiving morning where he was treated once again to get his heart returning to regular rhythm.

Here are some photos taken on Thanksgiving:

Dash with Kyle & Koryn and Grampa & Gramma Ireland

Hadley with Brady & Kortney and Grampa & Gramma Ireland

Ryan & Tani and family

(Ryan, Tani, Carson, Marisa, Dash, Koryn, Kyle, Hadley, Brady,  & Kortney)

Eden & Maren

Bring on the turkey!

Kristine and Shannon in the kitchen, Eden and Maren at the counter, and Kortney on the couch.

Marisa and Gramma Narene

Visiting together took precedence 

over watching football games until the end of the day.

(Scott, Ryan, and Hadley)

Scott checking the Christmas lights.

Todd & Beth's family bought a permit for a Christmas tree they picked out before cutting down and taking home to decorate.

(Irene Graham, Rebecca, Megan & Gabe, Joshua, Jared, and Todd - Beth took the picture.) 

We are grateful for family and our many blessings.

October and November

It's almost Thanksgiving and I haven't posted anything on my blog since October 10th.  The following are some photos and memories to share since that previous posting.

Recently, I have created a Shutterfly book featuring my blog entires posted while serving on our mission in the Europe East Area and living in Moscow, Russia. This second book differs from the first book I made in 2009 after coming home from our mission.  The 2022 book contains copies of my blog entries posted while serving the mission and was called "Ireland's Mission in Russia," which was a public blog, whereas my current blog, "Irelands Here and There" is a private blog. The book created in 2009 was my very first Shutterfly book, the first of many to follow through the years.

Here we are standing in front of the 

Echmiadrin Cathedral in Armenia.

We were in Armenia for the Area Humanitarian Conference in Yerevan, Armenia in April 2009, 

shortly before the end of our mission.

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Ready for Halloween featuring the broom we bought

at the patriotic Independence Day event in Orem.

Beth invited us to their traditional supper on Halloween Eve featuring soup served in bread bowls that look like pumpkins. 

 

Beth has carried on my tradition of making glazed "spud nut" donuts

for neighbors.  Rather than doing it on Halloween, it works better for their family to do the donuts earlier in the month and deliver to the neighborhood friends while the donuts are still warm.  We have been invited to the Grahams for their annual donut treat.

Megan and Alex made glazed "spud nut" donuts for their trick-or-treaters this year.  I'll bet that was a favorite stop on the neighborhood route! 

Joshua's pumpkin creation.

Rebecca's "Care Bear" costume for Halloween.

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Scott & Kristine's family (in Colorado, October 14, 2022) 

Jessica and Trent with Annie and Smyth

(photo taken in Colorado during their visit from Ireland)

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Brady & Kortney with Hadley, born January 25, 2022

Koryn with Dash, born July 11, 2022 in Nebraska

and adopted by Kyle and Koryn.

(Kyle had to work and wasn't here.)

Dash and Hadley

Grampa Sam & Gramma Narene with Hadley and Dash

Rochelle's sister Angela and family stayed with us November 3 & 4

while being in Utah for the wedding of their oldest son.

We enjoyed their visit.

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Part of the entertainment at the Palmyra Stake Relief Society

dinner and activity, November 11.

Enjoyed having Alex and Amanda here

for a visit from Arizona. (November 13)

On Sunday, November 20th, Gabe prepared the delicious meat-and-veggie meal cooked in our fire pit with an apple pie for dessert.

(Beth, Todd, Joshua, Gabe, Megan, Rebecca, Jared, and Sam)

Fall colors in the front yard (October 17).

Sam rototilling the garden on October 17th.

How our backyard looked on November 3, 

but the snow only lasted a couple of days. 

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Scott and Kristine came late Friday night (November 18) and will celebrate Thanksgiving with us.  Shannon will join us, too; but Jenna & Josh and Judd & Amy will be spending Thanksgiving in Idaho.  Ryan and Tani's family will also be here for Thanksgiving, and we welcome any other family members who would like to join us.

Happy Thanksgiving!