Fall Break Up North = Fun Break Down South

Roger and I love it when our kids come visit us in St. George.

I think all five of them are happy we moved here.

None now live where they grew up,

and they would rather visit us here than there.

Rick, Jodie and kids arrived Wednesday evening, October 16,

after school let out in Salt Lake for Fall Break.

They headed straight to Brickey's class, 

dropped Rick and Jodie off,

then Josh drove the other four kids to our home.

When they heard that Wayne Brickey 

was teaching Wednesday night

(he is teaching about the life of Christ this year),

they burned rubber to get here in time.

After all, Jodie is one of the Brickeyettes!

I don't have many pics of our weekend together,

but the boys golfed (Rick golfed with them at Sunbrook)

and Grandpa and Josh golfed at Red Hills 

(Josh is on his golf team in high school and very good) . . . 

 . . . the girls swam, rode scooters, shopped and chatted . . .

. . . we all went out to Tuacahn 

to see a darling production of Mary Poppins, 

 and I cooked a lot of food that we ate and ate until . . 

. . . the stomach bug roared through six of us

(Katie looks a little peaked in the pic,

and Blakey, Josh Rick, Roger and I 

each took a turn with it).

Despite that little setback, 

we had fun together 

in the perfect sunny St. George weather.

The following weekend, on Saturday, 

we attended our annual Sunbrook Dinner.

We love our community

and the nice people who live here.

On Sunday, our INSTA-CHOIR began our new season,

after a long summer break.

I was a little worried if we would have much of a Core Group,

as several members have moved or are on missions, etc.

Twenty-three came to rehearsals,

and with the visitors who came up, our choir was around fifty.

I directed them in, "Be Thou Humble," 

with our wonderfully-talented Beverly on the piano 

and our sweet Natalie on the violin,

and the sound was full and wonderful.

I love my church calling!

Bless-ed Claire!

What is sweeter than a Baby Blessing?

It is when a loving father is inspired to express 

the hopes and dreams the new parents have for  

their sweet, new, innocent baby,

newly departed from His presence,

and be a mouthpiece for the Lord of promises and blessings 

He has in store if this new little person is faithful.

Roger and I have been privileged to be present at all but one 

of our twenty-four grand-childrens' blessings.

(We missed Peter's, in Chicago,

because I was recovering from my auto/hand accident.)

We look forward to these sweet paybacks of parenthood.

We drove to Ogden, October 11, and stayed overnight 

with Grandma Stratford.  She was excited to drive to Boise 

with us and attend Claire's baby blessing; 

After all, Laura Claire Smith is her little namesake!

As luck would have it, Stacy and her daughters, 

Londyn and Maddy, who live in Mesa,

were also at Missy's, 

helping her with the new baby.

I love that my girls do that for each other!

It was pure excitement when we arrived mid-Saturday afternoon!

Great-Grandma Laura Lois

Stacy and her girls had arrived on Wednesday night.

The cousins were having a ball being together 

and Stacy and Missy had been decorating up a storm!

That is what Missy wanted help with the most 

and she and Stacy had been planning, 

moving things around, cleaning and shopping.

In the midst of all this, 

we made Stacy's chicken and mushroom pasta, 

Caprece salad and she made homemade breadsticks.

Cute little restauranteurs, Maddy and Ellie

It was so fun to be together!

The other Grandma Pam and Wendell arrived a little after we did,

and we all took turns holding the Guest of Honor.

We were happy that my sister, Joan, could join us for dinner 

and catch up with all of us.

A Girl Shot - all of the girls, including the newest one

Church was at 9 AM, and Jedd's baby blessing was inspired.

After we returned to their home, the picture-snapping began!

As you will see, 

we took almost every possible combo!

The Smiths

A cousin shot

Priesthood power

Girls and Grandmas

Grandmas

I love this shot!

Grandma Pam with her Grand boys

Two Lauras

Grand and Great-Grandparents

Pam and Wendell

Pam and Roger

Claire and her proud parents

My girls love babies!

Sister love

Mother/daughter love

Father/daughter love

My kids love their Grandma!

Stacy's girls got lots of turns holding their new, little cousin.

Missy fixed a delicious brunch for all of us - 

Mountain Man (eggs, hashbrowns and sausage),

overnight cinnamon French toast, and 

fresh fruit and dip.

The little Star of the Show slept on.

Quick pics with the Smith kids

We drove back to Ogden Sunday afternoon,

and watched the World Series play-off games.

Grandma is one of the biggest sports fans ever!

She loves it all-

football, baseball, basketball, soccer, ice hockey-

she even watches the World Little League baseball games.

Roger took this pic on his iPhone 

of the familiar sight of her cuddled up in her jammies, 

watching a ball game.

We drove Monday morning from Grandma's 

to help Mindy move in to her new home in Highland, 

then drove to St. George Monday night.  

She and Jeff drove over two days from Houston 

in the largest rental moving truck, 

their SUV and pulling two trailers.  

A big crew of friends and relatives helped them unload 

and set up the beds. Then Jeff had to turn around 

and catch a flight back to Houston to be at work 

on Monday morning.

Mindy had to go buy a washer and dryer, unpack, 

arrange all hook-ups and other countless minutia 

when moving in to a new home and state, 

get her two kids in school 

and care for their 18 month old, Charlie, 

and their aging, blind little dog, Marzi.

And Addie got the stomach flu last Wednesday.

The new washer will be installed this Wednesday.

(Thank you to Rosemary Lind 

for hauling dirty/fresh laundry back and forth!)

Mindy is my new hero!

And the Linds, having helped her in countless ways, 

are on my Hero List, too!