April Activities

We love being together with family any time and like spending holidays with those who can join us.  It was another enjoyable Easter this year having family members come representing five of our seven children.

The Easter eggs were hidden in our backyard

by Trent, Jessica Smyth, Beth, Jared, Brady, and Ryan.

As far as I know, all the colored eggs were found;

and the younger seekers enjoyed the fun.

Table ready for the Easter feast.

Yummy and also pretty were the four kinds of specialty cupcakes

made and decorated by Shannon.

Sam and I shared a lemon one; and it was so tasty,

that later when choosing, I opted for the lemon again.

The other three kinds were just as popular.

(Shannon)

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

We were pleased to have Sam's sister, Phyllis,

come for a visit, April 28-29, before returning home to California.

(Phyllis, Sam and Narene) 

Sam and Phyllis

Narene, Sam, Phyllis, and Beth's Rebecca

There were large crowds who took advantage

of attending the Payson Temple open house April 24 through May 23.

(If you look closely, you can see the back of 

Rebecca's head by the pool in front of the temple.)

Sam and I attended the temple open house on April 24th,

helped on April 29th with the open house,

and enjoyed a second visit to the open house on May 21st.

The dedication of the Payson Temple will be June 7th,

and Sam and I will begin serving there on Tuesdays starting June 9th.

Picture taken prior to Beth and Rebecca going with

Sam's sister, Phyllis, to the Payson Temple open house;

and Sam and I were also going there to be helpers

at the open house.  My assignment was to assist

with wheelchairs, and Sam helped at the entrance to the

chapel where the video was shown before going into the temple.

(Beth, Rebecca, Sam and Narene)  

 Rebecca with Phyllis at the Payson Temple open house.

 Rebecca 

and the temple in the background.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The Prairie Fire Crabapple trees in brilliant color

on the island in front of our house.

The Sistina Plum shrub in bloom near our front entrance.

Moving Into the New Year

We enjoyed having family come to share Thanksgiving and Christmas with us, and I have included these final days of 2014 in a "Year In Review" Shutterfly book I have just completed.  

Here are some pictures from November and December: 

 SAM'S BIRTHDAY, NOVEMBER 9th:

 

 Grampa Sam reading one of the birthday cards

made by the grandchildren.

(Sam, Mason, and Rebecca)

  

Watching Grampa open his presents.

(Sam, Rebecca, Isaac, and Brynlee)

Great-grampa and Anna

Grampa with part of Ryan and Tani's family.

(Carson, Maria, Marisa, Grampa, and Brady)

With Doug and Shannon's family.

(Sam, Jacob, Mason, Isaac, Doug, Brynlee, Shannon, and Corban)

With Todd and Beth's family.

(back:  Todd, Beth, Sam, and Jared;

front:  Ethan, Joshua, Amanda, Rebecca, and Megan)

Representing Scott and Kristine's family.

(Judd, Amy, Sam, and Trent)

With Curtis and Marla's married children.

(Derek and Sarah with Anna;

Sam and Narene,

Trevor and Megan)

THANKSGIVING:

 

A table set upstairs and another one downstairs.

(Marisa, Maria, Carson, Brady, Koryn, and Kyle)

 Grampa Sam and Rebecca

with the turkey wishbone.

Whose wish will be granted?

 Koryn and Kyle

Maria and Carson

Sam with Ryan, Kyle, and Koryn at a
Jazz vs. Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game
at the Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City.

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES:

 Rebecca's dance recital.

(Rebecca was in the center of the lineup.)

 

Haley sang a solo at "Up With Show,"

Mitchell High School's show choir event in December.

We wish we could have been there. 

Nativity Pageant at the church.

 Sam and I were asked to be in charge of the

Christmas dinner and party for our ward

and appreciated the good help we received from the committee.

Our collection of nativity costumes were

supplemented by three animal costumes,

the manger was built by our neighbor,

and the stable was built by a member of our committee.

The stage and hall were decorated, and

the applewood ham (from Costco) was delicious

along with rolls, salads, and a variety of desserts

including BYU brownies.

As part of the entertainment following the dinner,

Sam had volunteered me to read "The Cobbler and His Guest,"

which has become part of our Christmas tradition. 

December 22nd

Our toilets downstairs would not flush!  

 

Monty Bingham came to help Sam.  

After digging down to the pump, 

it was determined we had a short in our electrical line.

 (Jared is on top by the ladder, Monty is in the backhoe, 

and Sam is down in the pit.)

Fortunately, they were able to fix it 

before more family came for Christmas.

 

Doug and Shannon's family were here, 

and their kids thought it was fun to have 

to use the toilet in the pool shed.  

(Isaac and Brynlee)

 

 Decorating Inside and Out:

 

 Jared on top of the house replacing some of the

red bulbs that had lost their color.

(Jared and Sam)

 

 Welcome to our home.

Our entry way decorated for the season.

We had snow for Christmas!

The table is ready.

Christmas Eve with Family:

Our Nativity Pageant on Christmas Eve.

Jared, the narrator; Haley and Anna as shepherds; Joshua, a sheep;

Rebecca and Ethan as Mary and Joseph;

Amanda, an angel;

and Megan, Curtis, and Maren as the three wise men.

 

Amanda, Maren, and Megan

  Rebecca's hair got a fancy look for Christmas Eve

by Amanda, who has posted on Instagram numerous of

the hairdos she has created.

We opened our gift on Christmas Eve

from Curtis and Marla, Todd and Beth, and Doug and Shannon.

It is a pickleball set for the sport court.

 Opening the gift from Amanda and Megan.

They made three aprons for the

grandchildren to wear when playing with Play-Doh.

Enjoying family on Christmas Eve.  

It was nice having Curtis and Marla, Haley, and Maren 

here from South Dakota joining some of our Utah family members.  

(Anna, Ethan, Rebecca, Megan, Joshua, Derek, Sarah, 

Maren, Marla, Haley, Curtis,

 Amanda, Todd, Jared, Narene, and Sam) 

  

 Christmas Eve by the tree.

(Sam and Narene)

 Todd and Beth's family

(Todd, Beth, Jared, Amanda, Megan;

in front:  Joshua, Rebecca, and Ethan)

Christmas Morning at the Grahams:

A Kindle from Sam

(Narene and Sam)

More Christmas Family Pictures

We missed those family members who were not here,

and enjoyed those who were.

 Curtis and Marla's family

(front:  Sarah with Anna, Haley, Maren, Marla and Curtis;

back:  Derek, Megan and Trevor)

Ryan, Marisa, Brady, and Tani

Judd and Amy

Megan and Trevor

 

 Derek and Sarah with Anna

Anna

 Playing pickleball in the sport court.

(Joshua and Amanda)

 Resting and visiting after eating:
Sam, Marla, Ryan, Marisa, Brady, Tani, and Narene.

  

 Barefoot in the Snow Challenge:
Amanda, Haley, Megan Smith, Megan Graham, Maren, Trevor;
front - Joshua and Ethan were the winners!

 Monty, Matt, Brittney, and Joseph 

at a church Christmas party in Phoenix 

before being in Denver for Christmas 

with Scott and Kristine's family.

 

 Lighted tree we saw on a drive

in Hobble Creek Canyon

with Hal and Christy Smith.

 We wish all our friends and family a

HAPPY NEW YEAR

and look forward to sharing more memories in 2015.