2012 IS HERE! - January Happenings

As the sun set on 2011, 

a great new year was ready to begin!

I am starting the new year by beginning my own blog 

so I can share our news

 with my nieces, nephews, friends, etc.!

I plan to continue to post in Stratford Scoop, also.  Soooo . . . 

2012, here we go!

I thought this was a great way to use Roger's pic he took a couple weeks ago off of our back deck - 

a beautiful January St. George sunset.

We drove home on New Year's Day from Rick and Jodie's (We had such a wonderful week with all of our kids in their home for the Holidays!).  The next morning, we drove through Las Vegas to Mesa to help Ryan and Emily move in to their gorgeous, newly re-modeled home.  We returned home three days later, tired but so glad we went.  Roger was able to help Ryan a lot with a lot of grunt work and I helped watch kids and did some cooking.

Our first event of the year was to attend the St. George Chamber of Commerce Awards and Installation Gala.

It was fun to get dressed up 

(thank you, Joan, for the St. Thomas jacket for Christmas!) 

and among those honored and in attendance that night were Jefferey R. Holland and Paul Anderson of thepianoguys.com (of John Schmidt fame).  Check it out!

Patty and Hal decided to get a little R and R after their mammoth task of moving in to a new home. Among all their hard work, they unpacked boxes that hadn't been opened since they moved from their first home in Caldwell. Their daughter, Jessica, was a huge help and their home is beautiful.  Hal, a new branch president at the MTC, had a break from receiving new missionaries and we were delighted that they came to stay with us in St. George!

They arrived Monday afternoon and we had a late tomato basil soup and panini lunch, then I made beef burguignon, a salad and individual peach (from Kay and Ken's peaches) crisps for dinner.

Next day, Hal, Roger and Bill Gordon golfed together.

Patty and Hal served with the Gordons on CES missions in Russia and the Gordons live in our branch.

 Kay, Patty and I met at Sakura for a yummy lunch in bento boxes.  I don't know exactly what it is about bento boxes, but I absolutely love them! As we were finishing, Dad and Hal, having completed their golf game, came strolling in with a camera, popping our pics.  I think everyone thought they must be paparazzi and wondered why we were famous. We then went shopping at Urban Renewal. Sister lunch and shopping is THE BEST!

Then Patty and I went for massages; I had a gift certificate from last Mother's Day and April, the cute lady who has given me a few massages, had surgery on both of her knees, so someone else gave me mine.  She wasn't as good, but it was still wonderful and Patty said the foot part was the best ever! 

We met the Gordons, Bill and Barbara, for dinner at Paradise Bakery.

Ken, Hal and Roger golfed next day, then we met for dinner at Pancho and Lefty's.

We then met back at our house for cherry pie and ice cream (Jeff, you would have loved it!).

Patty and Hal left Thursday morning, then Friday morning we left for Mesa to be there for Ben to be baptized.  Friday night it was the Pinewood Derby and it was fun to see Ben's rainbow car that he designed all by himself compete on the professional track.  It may not have been the fastest one, but it sure was the best looking!

His cousin best bud, Maddy, came to watch.

Saturday morning we worked on fruit kabobs for the Open House at Ryan and Emily's after the baptism.  Another boy in their ward was baptized, too, so the two families combined the get-together, which had about 130 people attend.  Ryan and Emily's gorgeous home was the perfect venue; I think about half of their ward came as it was kind of a house-warming, too. 

At noon, we went to watch Peter, Jake and Brad and Cynda's son, Cooper, play the Diablos in basketball.  Ryan is the coach and Tom is the assistant coach of their great little team, and they are such great coaches, so positive and building to the boys.  The Diablos play basketball year round and thought our team was just a scruffy little push-over. Were they in for a surprise!  What an exciting game!  We were behind at the half, and the Diablos actually pulled away for awhile, but boy, did our boys come roaring back! They won by 3 points!

Hustling Pete

Super shooter Jake

Jake, Cooper and Pete with their victory smiles!

The coaches with part of their super team

The baptism was at 4 pm. Ben was so excited!

Ben's family and friends who could be there

Ben's biggest supporters

Priesthood

Ben's grandmas and grandpas

Sarah Kate's cute little mug

We gave Ben our iron rod box that we make for each grandchild. 

Becca Sue and Grandpa

The Open House after the baptism was so nice- their home accommodates many people inside and out. There were four kinds of soup, bread bowls, appetizers and the most delicious decorated cupcakes ever! Roger was so busy guarding the uncovered pool (the pool people were supposed to get the cover on before, but didn't, and we were all very worried someone would fall in the pool) that he didn't get any pics of the lovely event.

Cute little sisters

Sunday after church, Stacy had us all (Ryan, Emily and family, Grit and Sherry, Brad and Cynda and family and us) over for Tom's birthday dinner. We had a great meal, including Stacy's home-made bread sticks, orange rolls, three kinds of soup and a big Texas sheet cake. The twins were busy helping us cook; they love to be chefs!

Maxwell Roger's talents are many!

Emily, Tom, Stacy, Cynda, Brad, Roger, Mom and Ryan

Luke almost always has a smile on his face!

Cute little twinners!

Monday we went to a great restaurant for lunch with Emily and Stacy, walked through Stacy's new home, then headed home.  It was a cram-packed, fun-filled weekend!