Gearing Up In Mesa

Our daughter, Stacy, has always exemplified this mantra

that is written on her chalkboard-painted walls of her laundry room:

And it manifests itself in everything that she does.

Stacy has style. 

You can see it the way she dresses. 
It shows in the way she serves others, in her callings in the church and in raising her kids.

And it shows in the way she decorates her home.

These are the sights that greeted us when we arrived at the Young's home

to help them get ready for Sydney's wedding and to spend Christmas with them.

They put their Christmas tree on the second floor balcony, overlooking the great room this year 

so it wouldn't hinder passage in and out of their back Dutch door during Syd's reception in their back yard.

Over 500 people attended.

Their music room

Stacy lives this mantra in the way she jumps eagerly headlong into supporting, nurturing and loving 

her husband, children, friends and even strangers. 
She lives her life, loving every moment of it.

No matter how challenging and difficult things get, 
she smiles and offers upbeat aid.

Sooooo, Stacy's detailed and delightful plans

for the  BEST.  WEDDING RECEPTION.  EVER.

did not surprise anyone who knows her.

Roger and I were glad we had come a couple of days early because 
there were myriads of things to do to help her get ready.
Roger and Stacy washed windows, cleaned outdoor furniture, 
hung giant pics of the couple outside, moved furniture.
They put up and set up, and tied up from morning until night.

I cooked.

But before I could do that, Roger and I shopped for food,
loading up at Costco and Fry's. 
I cooked for the family in the days leading up,
making shrimp and asparagus lemon linguini one night and
 cheesy veggie soup (Syd's favorite), a big salad and Londyn made homemade breadsticks 
for when Syd and Jake flew in from BYU after their finals. 
Next day we were thrilled to go through a session in the Mesa Temple for Syd to take out her endowments.
Jake graduated from BYU in December and accepted a job in Carlsbad, California, 
where he and Syd moved to in January.

On the day before the wedding,
the groom's parents, Joe and  Lorraine Walker, flew in from London;
they live in a town north of London and near Cambridge.
Stacy had friends offer their lovely home while they would be out of town for them to stay in, 
and Stacy had it decorated with welcome banners and stocked with some breakfast foods and snacks.
 Roger and I made granola for them and for our family, when they would all stay over for a few days 
after the wedding to celebrate Christmas with all of us together.

On the day before the wedding, there was a big crew of friends and the Walkers 
and some of their friends to help set up and to feed.
We made a big batch of Sham's ham sandwiches, Stacy's friend, Alison Bench, brought over a hot artichoke dip and a delicious cake for that night, 
and we had veggies and dip and sweet goodies.

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Another proof of Stacy living that mantra,

she had purchased movie theater tickets to the premiering Star Wars 

because all of her family and the Walkers are big fans. 

So off we all go, that afternoon, to see Star Wars. 

We didn't get home until dinnertime, 

so we had planned a menu that could accommodate fast prep. 

The day before I made two big pans of Funeral Potatoes and we had bought fresh salmon at Costco, 

which Roger grilled outside when we returned. 

Sydney made her homemade bread and I made a large avocado and citrus salad, 

using some of the delicious oranges that grow all around Stacy's home.

Stacy and Tom wanted the dinner the night before to be casual and in their home, 

so their family could get further acquainted with the Walkers on a more intimate level. 

Tom and Stacy had previously met Joe and Lorraine briefly when they were in Utah last summer, 

but none of the others had met each other.

Joe and Lorraine are in the middle, standing next to the groom, Jake's, only sibling, Luke, holding his son, William

Luke and his wife, Rachael

After dinner, we hurried over to Ryan and Emily's,

where Jeff and Mindy had just arrived from Highland, Utah, for Jeff to DJ

Pete's 16th Surprise Birthday Party out in their backyard.

Jeff is the real deal when it comes to DJ-ing;

he took a class in NYC when he worked on Wall Street from some famous DJ guy 

and he bought the pro turn-tables, etc.

 He used to do it on the side and he had more time to do it and had lots of gigs, 

but because he was bringing his stuff to Mesa to do Syd's reception, he DJed Pete's party. 

He had those kids rockin'!

Ryan and Emily's house was also all decked out beautifully for Christmas!

It is so great to have two kids's families to visit in Mesa.

Every trip we get a two fer!

Our other kids's families arrived throughout the evening, and as each guest arrived, 

he received one of these welcome boxes from Stacy and Tom, which contained 

all kinds of Syd's and Jake's favorite things to enhance our stay: snacks, treats, lip balm, etc.

our welcome box in our guest room

And here are a couple of other mantras that are on Stacy's laundry room wall:

I think this girl has got life figured out.