Autumn Colors and Family Updates

 Autumn officially began on September 22 in 2020.  We always enjoy driving in the canyons to see the foliage colors, which were nice this year even though not as vibrant as last year. 

 

September 24th, Sam and I enjoyed seeing the autumn colors.

 

 

We went with our good friends, Hal and Christy Smith.

 

A couple of days earlier, Sam had taken a friend, Kim Berrett, on a drive
to see the fall colors.  Sam has had some other nice sightseeing drives with our friend Kim who has finally been able to be at home after his fall from a scaffolding last February. 
In mid-July, Kim was released from the hospital where he had been since his accident;
and during most of that time, he had been in isolation due to the Covid pandemic.

 

Sam took Kim's picture on their trip to Promontory Summit where the 

First Transcontinental Railroad was officially completed in northern Utah.

They enjoyed the lecture at Promontory Summit.

The transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 when the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in Promontory, Utah, and drove a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connected their railroads.  

This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history.

 

     The Brigham City Temple was on their route.

 

Here are some autumn pictures taken on these recent sightseeing drives:

 

 

 

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We appreciated Jeff, Kate, and Miles coming for a visit on their return home to Arkansas after taking Zack and a friend to BYU-Idaho in Rexburg;
and we were pleased to have members of our family living nearby
come to enjoy a pleasant evening at our home while Jeff's family was here.
Ryan and Tani came from Eagle Mountain
and Beth and Todd's family were here.

 

Part of our family group left before I remembered to take a picture,
but the children had been enjoying time in the pool while
the rest of us had a good visit.
Beth and Todd had brought food for us to enjoy earlier in the evening.
(back: Jeff, Brynlee, Shannon, and Doug;
front:  Miles, Rebecca, Kate, Mason, Corban, Jacob, and Isaac)

 

We were pleased to have a visit from our nephew Trevor and Megan and their darling children Sadie and James, who were here from Arizona where Trevor is doing his internship.  Our visit was in our backyard as we try to respect the Covid restrictions. 

 

Paul, Trevor holding James, Megan, Haley, and Sarah

 

Trevor and James Curtis Smith (born 9/10/2019) 

 

Paul, Anna, Max, Sadie, and Rebecca

Megan and Trevor with James and Sadie

 

Beth took this photo before we had to say our goodbyes to Trevor and his family.
Trevor and Megan with Sadie and James;
Sarah with Max, Paul, and Anna (in the purple shirt);
Rebecca, Haley, Grampa and Gramma 

 

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We now have the locks added to our marriage tree for our granddaughters, Megan and Amanda, who were married this summer.  We missed getting the photos taken on their wedding days, so I appreciate their coming this month to take each other's photos
as each sister and husband added their lock.

 

 

 Amanda and Alex, married August 8, 2020

Megan and Gabe, married June 6, 2020

 

Happy Father's Day

We always enjoy sharing times with family, and Sam appreciated those who were able to come to celebrate Father's Day with us and those who called to express their love and messages. Three of our seven children were here with family to celebrate the special day:  Scott, Ryan, and Beth; and we know the other four would have been here had they lived closer.  All seven families went together in the giving of the gifts for their dad.

Sunday, June 21

   A gift all ages will enjoy, a large wooden stacking game.

This was one of the gifts from our 7 families

along with special insoles to help relieve pain caused by

Sam's current Plantar Fasciitis

and a Roku attachment for the TV 

so we could watch "The Chosen" on vidangel.com.

They ended up, however, connecting to vidangel.com with my iPhone 

and using the Roku downstairs in the family room

where it can be enjoyed by those watching on that TV.

Joshua carefully adding a block.

Jared watches as Alex decides his next move.

Beth shared with us the special "Olive Garden-style" soup she had made

along with two desserts from their family dinner.

Sam is displaying the four creatively painted ties

that came in the mail from Brittney and Matt's kids in Texas

to wish Grampa Sam "Happy Father's Day." 

Saturday, June 20th

Ethan and Johusa posing with their dog, Peggy,

whose curls are beginning to show again after the recent shave she had.

We were invited for hamburgers and the trimmings

on Saturday in the Graham's backyard. 

Rebecca showing her agility.

Some petunias displayed in the Graham's backyard.

Friday, June 19th

Friday afternoon we stopped by to wish Empty Nester friends

Paul and Ginnie Snyder a "Happy Anniversary."

Prior to several ward boundary changes, we had been in the same ward,

and Ginnie was a regular coming to our choir practices in our downstairs.

 This is a picture of Paul and Ginnie Snyder

that was taken on their recent mission in Florida.

Monday, June 22

Sarah and Derek's Family came swimming for FHE

Monday evening about 7:00 on June 22nd.

(Paul, Max, Sarah, and Anna;

Derek hadn't gotten in the pool yet.)

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The storage room now holds the items we chose to keep

following the refinishing of the floors in the garage and storage room.

 I should qualify the statement indicating "we chose to keep,"

as Sam would gladly have gotten rid of most items

on the first three floor-to-ceiling storage shelves,

since they are the current home for the holiday decorations

(with the first two for Christmas decorations,

and the third one for the other holidays).

On the opposite side of this wall is the air hockey table,

and we also have a ping pong table currently folded up.

Continuing on down from the five floor-to-ceiling shelves 

are file cabinets, folding tables,

and a good drier if anyone would like to have it.

 

Sam's tool cabinet is on the opposite side,

with additional shelves for other storage items.

On the corner shelves at the end are

items currently being stored for three granddaughters.

This is our garage with its new floor finish.

We're liking how this all turned out.

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As we celebrated fathers this weekend, I posted the following picture on Facebook paying tribute to all fathers who have blessed my life.  Although the photo does not include my father or father-in-law, they were very much in my thoughts also.

This is the caption for my photo on Facebook:
Happy Father's Day to my husband Sam and to all the dads

who have blessed my life.

Today I am remembering with loving thoughts my father, my father-in-law,

my sons and sons-in-law, my brother and brothers-in-law,

my grandsons, my nephews,

and also my dear friends who are fathers and have a special place in my heart.

The photo was taken at a Nelson Reunion in 2002 at our farm in South Dakota.

I am grateful for all the happy memories

and times shared with the fathers in my life.