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Our Santa Tree
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December brought with it a trip to help Dad and Mom in Bakersfield, a 50th wedding anniversary, and Christmas for which all our children came. It was crazy but so joyous as we were all together at Christmas time for the first time in a very long time.
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Our Russian Santa
hand carved and painted
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The first part of the month was spent getting the house ready for Christmas. Because of our mission we hadn't seen our Christmas decorations for two years. It was fun to put up all our Santas and to include our Santa from Russia. We decorated the downstairs with a patriotic tree and even had lights put up professionally on the eaves of our home. We looked rather festive by the time the holiday arrived.
About mid month, we got a call from my brother Dave saying he wanted to bring his special friend up to Heber to meet us. He had been dating Suzette for several months and she was flying in to meet a couple of his children. We invited them up to have dinner with us on Thursday before we were to leave for Bakersfield early Saturday.
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Dave loving his cake roll
dessert I made special
for him. |
We had a delightful time visiting with them and can see why Dave has fallen in love with Suzette. She is darling. Dinner was Marsala Chicken with rice pilaf, garlic beans and a green salad with orange dressing. Dave thought it was a good enough meal to be served at La Chai, a very exclusive and expensive restaurant in Salt Lake. Dave called a few days later to tell us that he officially asked Suzette to marry him and she accepted his proposal of marriage.
We had planned to drive to Bakersfield after the temple on Friday but at the last minute decided to fly due to storms coming in. We were glad we made that decision as the flight on Saturday was much more delightful than driving 12 hours over two days to get to Mom and Dad's. We went to Bakersfield to help Dad and Mom adjust to Dad's being home from the care center. He had spent his 100 days in the facility (of which Medicare would partially pay) and had made enough progress that he could come home as long as he had a full time nurse to help him.
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| Dad with his nurse. |
Our job was to make the adjustment of having another woman (a full time nurse) in the home a little easier. We were glad we were able to be with Dad and Mom to see how excited they were to finally be together again in their home. The nurse comes in at 8:00 and gets Dad out of bed and bathed and dressed. She then gets breakfast for them, cleans house, does laundry and whatever else is needed to be done around the home. She fixes lunch and dinner and leaves around 5:30. At 8:30 each evening, she returns to get Dad ready for bed and into the bed before she leaves at 9:00. This nurse is a god-send. She lives two doors down from Dad and Mom and is available whenever she might be needed.
We loved being with them in their home for a few days. We felt like we did some good and were a big help to both Mom and Dad. Deon and Gary came up on Sunday to see us and Mom and Dad. We loved seeing them and sharing Sunday dinner with them, along with Sam and Kathy.
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Dad was frustrated that his televisions wouldn't all get BYU TV.
Paul spent time with Dad trying to figure it out until it was finally
decided to just call the cable man to fix the problem. |
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Mom all decked out in her new outfit.
A gift from Deon and Gary |
We got to spend Mom's 95th birthday with her at Black Angus, a birthday tradition. Dad even managed to go with us in his wheelchair. Such an improvement from when I saw him in the hospital a few weeks ago. Dad is determined to be able to dress himself, take care of his bathroom needs, walk on his own with his walker, and sleep in bed with Mom again. Right now, he has his own bedroom set up with a hospital bed which is needed right now to be able to get him in and out of bed easier. We saw strength improvement every day we were there.
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| At Black Angus |
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Dad's great progress. It is amazing that he
is up walking with a walker.
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While in Bakersfield, we also had a chance to talk with Sam about the finances for Dad's care. The cost of this nurse will be about $3200 a month. Dad and Mom have an annuity but it has been decreased significantly during Dad's stay in the care center so, as his family, we have committed to help with the monthly expenses. Sam sent a letter to all 11 children asking for their help and, as of the first of December, only four of us had responded positively. A couple of my brothers and sisters are not in a position to help but we hope the rest will come through with the balance needed. Sam will send out another letter stating that when Dad and Mom's estate is settled, eventually, those who have paid to help them now will be reimbursed first out of the estate before the balance will be distributed. Maybe that will make it easier for others to feel they can contribute...Let's hope.
Our trip to the airport from Bakersfield was interesting. We were going to leave about 2:00 for the two hour trip to the LA airport for a 7:00 flight. We just happened to flip on the television around noon and found out that the interstate into LA was closed and would be until after 3 in the afternoon. It was decided that we needed to leave immediately and take the long way into LA through Tehachepee, a 3 1/2 hours drive instead of 2. Though a longer drive, it was without much traffic until we hit downtown Los Angeles. It took us an hour to go about 10 miles. At the advice of our GPS, we left the interstate and took lots of back roads to get to the car rental place to return our car. We had left Bakersfield at 12:30 and didn't arrive at the airport until almost 6. Our flight was delayed so we didn't arrive in SLC until 11:30 and, of course, it was snowing. We didn't want to drive home to Heber in a snow storm so ended up driving to Todd and Kailee's new home in Lehi to spend the night. A very long and frustrating day.
We got home from Bakersfield just in time to prepare for our family coming in for our anniversary and Christmas. Saturday was a day of baking and delivering tea rings to our neighbors as we wanted to get that all done before everyone arrived.
Ryan's family was the first to fly in on Monday. Of course, it was snowing so Paul and I had to leave for the airport very early to be sure we would be there on time to help pick them up. It literally snowed all day so the trip home was very long. We decided to go through Provo, longer but safer then through Park City. We hit commute traffic, too, so the trip home took 3 1/2 hours. By the time we all got to Heber there was at least 8 inches of snow on the ground.
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Nathan throwing snowball
at Grandpa and Grandma |
Ryan's children were so excited to see that much snow they didn't even make it into our home before they were running through the snow, throwing snowballs, and making a snowman. Needless to say they were excited for morning time so they could really play in the snow.
Andrea and Casey arrived at the airport about 10:00 Monday night and decided to drive only to Lehi and spend the night at Todd's home. Of course, it snowed another 8 inches overnight so by the time we woke up in the morning we were in a winter wonderland...beautiful but difficult traveling. Provo canyon was requiring chains in the early morning hours. Casey and Andrea waited until in the afternoon to attempt the canyon roads to come to Heber. They finally arrived about 2 and were glad to finally be in Heber.
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The children waiting to assemble
their pizzas |
That was the day of our 50th wedding anniversary so Todd and Kailee and Jon and MIndi and family were all in Heber by early evening. We left all the children (except Grace and Nathan) here at our home to fix individual pizzas and play, while the adults went to dinner at Claim Jumpers, a restaurant in Heber complete with buffalo heads on the walls. The food was good and it was fun to be together as a group of adults for a moment. It would be the only quiet, relaxing time of the next week. The children had our mission blog published into two hard bound books as their gift to us. Such a cherished gift.
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At the restaurant after dinner
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When we arrived home there was another surprise there for me. I was called into the dining room and found our table set with ten place settings of beautiful red and white Spode china. Fifty years ago I had purchased 4 place setting of this Spode china when I was in England, thinking that we would someday complete the set to 8. Well that never happened and 30 years ago the design was discontinued. Through the internet and Ebay, Mindi and Jon were able to find 6 more place settings .They had told Paul what they wanted to do months ago and he agreed that if they could find the place setting, he would reimburse them. What a surprise. It sets a most beautiful table, especially in our red dinning room. An absolute dream come true for me after 50 years. For the next couple of day I left the dishes on the table and would tear up every time I walked by the dinning room.
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| Our dining table set with this amazingly beautiful Spode China. |
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Sledding down the driveway until Todd
was ready to take drive them in his truck
to the top of our hill. |
That night everyone but Jon and Mindi spent the night so we had 24 sleeping all over the house in beds or on mattresses on the floor. Thank goodness for borrowed air mattresses. Breakfast was a Millar tradition of sourdough waffles and strawberries and then the day was spent outside in the snow. Jon and Mindi brought all the snow clothes they had at their home so the Oregon girls were able to bundle up properly to play in the snow. Everyone loved sliding down our big hill. Todd would pile everyone in the back of his 4 wheel truck and drive them around to the road just above us. They could then sled down the hill without having to climb back up.
During the days to follow there was baking, playing games, watching movies, dressing up, and just having fun together as cousins.
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| Imitating Kailee's pregnant tummy |
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| Dressing up was fun for these two |
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| Nathan loving Jon and Mindi's dog |
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| A woman's spa time - painting fingernails |
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Playing games.
Ticket to Ride was a big hit with the other grandchildren. |
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| Cutting out sugar cookies |
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Frosting and decorating the cookies
with lots of candies |
And then it was Christmas Eve.....
In the afternoon, the older children went with their parents to the blockbuster movie, Star Wars 7. It was playing at our local theater. The quiet was nice as it gave me time to set the three tables for our Christmas Eve Dinner
Before dinner, a group of us went caroling to our neighbor and our Bishop's family. The three older Westover girls and Casey sang a couple of beautiful songs and then the rest of us joined in to sing 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas.' The music was appreciated by the families and we all felt a little more Christmas spirit.
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| All three tables set and ready for dinner |
We decided to serve tri tip steak and chicken breasts with bernaise sauce and crab, instead of the traditional ham or turkey. It was a big hit as were the sugar plums at the center of each table. After dinner, it was time for our traditional Christmas program. We all went downstairs to enjoy a special video that Katie had prepared for our 50th wedding anniversary. While in Yellowstone, she had video taped the grandchildren answering questions about us....our courtship, wedding, honeymoon, profession, etc. She had then video taped Paul and I answering the same questions. Little did we know it was for this presentation. Some of the grandchildren's answers were so funny. A darling tribute to us and fifty years of marriage. It was then time for the Christmas story, read by Casey, who included the story of Christ's birth as recorded by the Nephites in America. During our singing of some Christmas carols, the door bell rang and the children found a big box on the doorstep with packages for each child and a letter from Santa. Pajamas were in the packages and as soon as they all donned their new PJ's, the letter from Santa was read. In rhyme, each child and adult was spotlighted and promised a special gift from Santa. It was so fun to see the excitement in the eyes of the little ones who still believe in Santa. Jon and MIndi took their family home to celebrate their own Christmas morning there and, after settling down all the children here, Ryan, Katie, Casey and Andrea busily got their own Christmases ready for their children.
Christmas morning brought children's delight as Ryan's children headed into the theater where their Christmas presents had been set up. A volleyball net for Aubrey, American Girl dolls for Julia and Grace, and a mammoth car garage for Nathan. It was fun to watch them unwrap their gifts to each other, too. We, then, went upstairs to be with Andrea's family as they unwrapped their Christmas surprises. The excitement was big when the 4 younger girls received Ipads. They have had only one at home and it was old and cracked. After our traditional Christmas breakfast, we watched Todd and Kailee unwrap their gifts to each other. The rest of the day was spent playing with toys and each other. Jon and Mindi took their children to their former spouses' homes so they could enjoy part of Christmas with the children. They then opted to stay down in Lehi for some quiet time while the rest of us enjoyed the afternoon and then a traditional ham dinner with all the trimmings. By Christmas night, we were all very tired and ready for bed.
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| The decorated downstairs |
The celebrating wasn't over, though, as the next day we all celebrated Kailee and Todd's new little baby, due in a couple of weeks, with a baby shower. During the week all the girls got together and planned the baby shower - decorations, food, and games. The little girls were especially excited as we started frosting cupcakes and making chicken roll ups on Saturday morning. By one in the afternoon, the decorations were hung in the family room, the cupcake table filled with frosted cupcakes, games were set up, and food ready in the kitchen.
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| Making the chicken roll ups |
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Decorating the cupcakes for the
cupcake table
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When Mindi and her girls arrived, Paul, Jon, and Ryan took the boys and went to Dairy Keen for lunch while we enjoyed a lovely lunch at home. Kailee wanted Todd to be a part of the shower so he and Kailee ate lunch at the little girls table while the rest of ate in the dining room.
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| Lunch all set out |
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| The Guest of Honor |
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| At the table - Todd and Kailee with all the young girls |
When we were done we went downstairs to play games, open presents, and eat cupcakes and frappe. We first guessed the length of string that best fit Kailee's pregnant tummy. Then it was a competitive game of Skatergories followed by all of us writing a story about Todd and Kailee, using candy bar names as part of the sentences. It was then time to open presents. Kailee and Todd got some really cute and needful things for little Aria. As we were finishing up, the boys came back just in time to help us eat the refreshments. A fun day.
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| The finished story about Todd and Kailee and their baby |
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| Some darling outfits received |
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| Mindi's clever treast for the shower - popcorn balls |
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| The reflection pool |
That evening, two families decided to go to temple square to see the lights so we met Andrea and Casey and Ryan and Katie and their families at temple square. It was a really cold night so, after a few minutes, we ended up at the food court of the mall across the street from the temple. It was warm and the food filled our hungry tummies. We had to say good bye to the Westovers there. They were staying in SLC that night in order to be at the airport early the next morning to catch their flight back home. It was sad to say good bye as it meant this wonderful time of all being together was coming to an end.
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Where Ryan and Katie
lived right after they were
married while going to BUY |
We were privileged to have Ryan and Katie spend another three days with us as Ryan and his three youngest didn't have to fly out until Tuesday afternoon. Sunday was church. Dinner was prepared for 17 of us only to find out that Jon and Mindi would not be coming up with their family. Both Jaron and Jaiden were sick. Monday, after cleaning up some of the messes in the house, we decided to go to Provo to see the Provo City temple and some of Ryan and Katie's old hang outs while at BYU. That afternoon we went to lunch at Cafe Rio in Lehi and then to Todd and Kailee's new home so Ryan and Katie could see it.
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In the aquarium's tunnel where we could see all kinds of
sharks and other fish swim all around us. |
The day was still young so Todd suggested we go to the new aquarium up in Draper. Going on his recommendation, we went and were so glad we did. It is one of the best aquariums we have ever been, too. It was complete with penguins from Antartica, every kind of fish you could imagine, and a tropical forest....So well done and worth the price of admission. Ryan's children were enthralled even after spending 2 hours there. It was then home for a quick dinner and bed.
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| Petting the sting rays |
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| Nathan's complete fascination with the fish |
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The group getting ready to watch
a 3-D movie |
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Aubrey working on her quilt
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Ryan left with the three youngest children Tuesday afternoon while Katie and Aubrey stayed for another week. Katie had a reunion with some of her college roommates and Aubrey stayed with us for her 12 year old week with grandma and grandpa. During the week we made a quilt (a BYU one in navy and white), went to a woman's basketball game at BYU, ate lunch at a Japanese restaurant with Jaron (for his birthday), and watched a comedy stage play at the Hale Theater. There were a lot of football games and movies watched also during this week. It was so fun to have Aubrey with us. She is a special young woman.
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We watched all three early Star Wars
with Aubrey as she was obsessed with them
after seeing Star Wars 7 |
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| At the Women's BYU basketball game |
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| With Jaron at the Japanese restaurant |
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| The finished quilt |
When Tuesday came around we were sad to see the last of everyone leave........ but it was nice to get back to our quiet life once again.
One more thing about this month - at the beginning of the month, Mitch Davies' film was premiering at the Megaplex Theaters in Utah. It is called Christmas Eve and is about six different sets of people who get stuck in elevators on Christmas Eve in New York. It was a delightful film. We met a group from our ward at the theater so we could all see it together. The funniest part of the whole movie was when Mitch's son, Parker, made a cameo appearance as a tapping clog dancer. All who recognized Parker roared with laughter. On our way to the theater, we drove to the Draper City park to see an amazing 'tree of life'. A fun evening that followed a beautiful day working in the temple.
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| The 'Tree of Live' |
An amazing and joyous month.....especially as our family celebrated Christmas and our Savior's birth together.
Our month began with my brother, Dave, getting married. He and Susette finally tied the knot on a Saturday morning in Pleasant Grove. The simple wedding was held in the club house of their condominium unit. She looked beautiful and Dave was ecstatic with this amazing woman now his wife. The wedding was performed by Susette's brother who is a stake president in Arizona. Only Dave's two boys, Andrew and Taylor, could be in attendance but thanks to modern technology, they were able to Skype in the other children of both Dave and Susette so all could witness the event. We were glad we could be in attendance. Kathy and Kurt Morgan were also able to come so we had a nice visit with them after the ceremony. We are so happy for Dave. 
The very next day, we flew to Texas for a 5 day cruise out of Galveston. It was a 'free' cruise until we upgraded our room, booked airline tickets, and paid for two shore excursions. It was nice to get away but the cruise itself was a bust. We flew out on Sunday morning, landed in Houston, rented a car, and drove to Galveston. Our hotel was down by the dock and, when we arrived in that area, we realized there was a Mardi Gras parade going on. It was impossible to get to our hotel so we just parked the car and walked to where we could see the parade. Every float and group that went by threw out lots of beads into the crowds. We even caught our fair share of them. As the parade ended we walked to our hotel where we checked in. The hotel was housed in a lovely historical building and was very nice. We loved the old fashioned decor in our room, especially the high ceilings and crown moldings. The excitement of the night was watching the super bowl on the TV in our room and walking to Fuddrucker's for a quick hamburger during half time. 
The next morning we checked out of our hotel, parked our car in the cruise parking lot, and walked to the Carnival cruise line terminal building. Check in went pretty quickly once the ship was ready to be boarded. We did have to wait a couple of hours for our room to be ready so we ate lunch at the ship's buffet. We had high hopes for this cruise but were quickly disappointd when we were greeted by a letter telling us that our shore excursion to Tulum was canceled. That was one of the reasons we had booked this particular cruise. Luckily, they didn't cancel our tour of the Mayan ruin at Chitzenitza. 
On Wednesday, we went to Provo to meet Todd and Kailee to find a blessing dress for Aria. It was an easy shopping trip as Kailee fell in love with one of the dresses in the first shop. With time to kill before going to lunch, we decided to go to a couple of hot tub stores to check out prices and styles. Todd and Kailee would love to put a hot tub in their backyard so they were interested in going with us. We got some ideas but decided we best check with the spa place in Park City, where we had purchased out last hot tub, to compare prices. We had lunch at a favorite Mexican place of Todd and Kailee's.
The rest of the month was filled with basketball and a beautiful blessing. The BYU basketball season wound down this month with the big game between BYU and Gonzaga being the the last Saturday of the month. Jon was able to secure tickets for his whole family as well as court side seats for 4. He invited Paul and I to take Olivia and Carli to the pre-dinner event and then sit in the court side seats for the game. We were delighted as they were wonderful seats. The game was an exciting one even though we lost. During half time, the girls and I went into a special area behind the court where tons a treats had been set out for all those in the court side seats. The girls were in heaven as they piled their arms full of soda pop, pop corn, candy bars, ice cream, and brownies. It was a fun night.
