When It's Falltime in the Rockies

Alright, I know the song is all about "Springtime in the Rockies," but I love this time of year best. On Saturday, 18 October, Emily, Max, Lizzie, Katy, Kris and I drove to SLC and went with Rob, Anna, and their family to Ledgemere picnic area in Big Cottonwood Canyon for a campfire dinner: hotdogs or tinfoil dinners and s'mores. It was a spectacular fall evening and we had a great time using up some of the wood left over from the Idaho reunion. This is the best time of year.

Waiting for the coals

Auntie Em, Clara and Anna

Sushi at a campfire? (from Harmons -- delicious!)

Lizzie and Lucy enjoying nature

Daring rock climbers Max, Tucker, Lucy and Anders

Lizzie got close to nature, but as I approached, she posed

Fall in Big Cottonwood Canyon

Rob, Lizzie, Lucy and Anna enjoy their delicious dinners

Auntie Katy regales the troops with a fantastic story

This is what people watched in the olden days before
television -- more entertaining in many ways

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Columbus Day Weekend

Alright. I don't have Jewish grandparents in Florida, so we didn't join in the Great Schlep, but we had a nice weekend anyway. On Friday evening we schlepped over to Freestone's for dinner with the group. The Freestones are nicely settled in their "new" home. Liz made some yummy Mexican stuff introduced to them by their mission adventures and we had a very pleasant evening.

Michael Gibbs also flew in from New York on Friday spent the weekend with us visiting Chelsea. Alison came down from Logan and spent part of the weekend, too.

Saturday we held another Don Jarvis campaign meeting. It seems to be going well and we are pushing hard for these last three weeks. Don has a magnificent garden and gave me some plums and pears from his orchard. They were beautiful and extremely tasty.

The family all came to dinner on Sunday evening, joined by the Gibbs and Meagan's family, so it was a fun crowd. Michael made a wonderful chocolate cake for dessert; it was a great hit.

Liz and Phil and their new home

Lots of good dessert and conversation:
Sharon, Liz, Phil, Stan, Allen, Nancy, and Kris

More of the same:
Vicki, Rod, Sharon, and Liz

Wonderful yellow and purple complementary colors
from Don Jarvis's orchard

Michael working his magic with chocolate

Sunday lunch snacking: Kris, Mike, Alison, Katy, and Chelsea

Digging into Michael's cake and Grammy's cookies:
Madeline, Lucy, Rob, Tucker, and Katy

These clever young folks made cookie sandwiches with cake filling!:
Max, Meg, Ollie, and Tucker

Grandmother Boynton is coming next week and her stay will be followed by a visit from Linda Gibbs. So we will keep you posted.

OXO

D.

Fête Champêtre

Sunday, 28 September, we met at Bridal Veil Falls for a belated birthday party/family dinner in honor of young Meg who turned 4 on 20 September.

Timpanogos showing some seasonal color

Waiting anxiously for rice, stew, and chicken katsu

Happy eaters: Max, Ollie, Lizzie, Anders, Tucker, and Lucy

Clara was happy to be there

Ollie with horns

Ollie took this very nice photo of the south side of the canyon

Meg blew out all 4 candles without a hitch

Tucker wading at the falls with Ollie and Phil

Some of the Hastings at the falls

Clara, Anders, Meg, and Ollie slick up the rice

It was a beautiful afternoon, the food was terrific, and we had a great time. Thanks Phillip and Meagan.

More later.

OXO

D.

"It's the Best School in the Land"

Friday, 19 September, Wasatch School held its annual Fall Festival to raise funds for needs not covered by the district. This year Emily was in charge and did a great job; they raised $16,000, the most ever. Way to go Em!

Because Emily was rather involved, she asked if we would hang out with Lizzie until Jayson arrived from SLC. So we spent the afternoon with Lizzie and others, enjoying all that the Fall Festival had to offer (including some yummy cupcakes).

This was taken about 6:30 when things were raging

Emily taking charge

Lizzy having her face painted

Maxwell broke away from his buddies for a photo

Phillip, Meg, and Ollie were there too

Max waiting for the water to fall at the ball toss

There ya go

Meg and Phil at the bean-bag catapult

Kris with the London ladies: Amy and Jennifer

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Happy Birthday Anna

Wow that year went fast! I hope you are having a wonderful day. I'm glad I have a kindred spirit who awakens at 1:30 to compose incredibly effective political ad campaigns.

I love you.

OXO

D.

Anna's Birthday and More

Friday night we met with our dinner-group friends at the Millers new condo. It is very nice and feels like their previous homes, so we were all very comfortable. They sold the other half of their unit to Sherm and Karen Sowby who retired from Fresno State and have settled in Provo. Our kids will remember them well, but for those who don't know them, we were associated many years ago in the BYU 79th Ward bishopric. Sherm is from Richfield and remembers my Grandma Hansen putting her pennies in the Primary Children's Hospital fund each year on her birthday.

Sunday the family gathered (joined by Rob and Mia Wai) for dinner at our house. It provided an opportunity for an early celebration of Anna's Birthday. Rob made a delicious cake and Anna blew out all the candles. I hope she gets her wish.

Ann, Sherm, Sharon

Kris with Karen Sowby

Allen, the Boyntons, and Sherm (sorry about the eyes, Allen)

Dinner was great

Sunday Evening, I was feeding Meg who then in turn fed Lizzy --
the plates were clean as you can see

Lucy, Madi, and Tucker

Anna et al. with the delicious cake

I hope she gets her wish

Thats all for now.

OXO

D.

Fall Fell

Over the weekend fall fell in several ways. The kids have returned to school, BYU is back in session, and Katy has moved to Alta Apartments for the year. The weather turned cool and the first signs of orange are showing on the mountain. So it all feels quite official: fall has arrived.

Mike and Linda Gibbs brought daughter Chelsea to BYU and they have been staying with us. Debby Gibbs came to town to help Alison get settled in at Utah State and they spent the weekend here as well. On Sunday the family came for dinner and we were joined by the various Gibbs families plus Rob and Mia Wai who have arrived on the mainland for school at BYU.

On Sunday after dinner all the kids went to the park and were caught in a furious downpour. They, quite naturally, thought it was the best thing ever!

Labor Day became Lethargy Day. We finished moving Katy's stuff and did some furniture arranging and picture hanging. Earlier I made a potato salad in anticipation of lunch at the cabin. By late morning, however, it was cold and pouring rain. So I sent the salad to Brickerhaven with Amy and we stayed home. Anna and Emily and their kids came and we spent the afternoon doing absolutely nothing -- complete lethargy. Millie came by and the sun came out (coincidence). At that point things became somewhat more productive as weed pulling was added to sitting in the sun, visiting and vegging.

P712 with Mike and Linda

Bombay House with the TX and NY Gibbs

"If we sit here and look cute, someone will surely take a picture."

Katy, Mia, and Rob

Anna and the Gibbs

The group enjoying blog photos of someone's baby

The rain drove them home from the park . . . thrilled

Lucy cracked us up

Pulling weeds on Lethargy Day

So all in all it has been a pretty fun weekend. That's all for now.

OXO

D.