Christmas Eve 2009

On Christmas Eve the family gathered for dinner. We had prime rib again, which was delicious, but the day after there is no left over turkey -- go figure. This year after the talent show, at Jayson's suggestion, we shared DVDs made by each family. It took about three hours, but for inveterate slide watchers that was nothing. They were most enjoyable. By 8:00, everyone was on the way home for individual Christmas Eve traditions. At our house Maren and Kris read some stories to the boys, who were soon off to bed in their new pajamas and quickly asleep.

Rob, Anna, and Katy

Gavin, Maren, Emily, and Jayson

Finn, Anders, Tucker, Clara, Harry, Lizzy, and Lucy

The dinner

Katy made Anna laugh until she cried

Finn also made his cousins laugh in the talent show

Anders played carols for his talent

Lizzy went for the big finish after her songs

Tucker played, too

The multitalented Tucker also did some magic tricks

Watching the family DVDs

Kris read the Christmas story before bed

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Christmas 2009 Part Two

On Tuesday 22 December in the midst of framing and wrapping, we finally got around to making baklava. It is a time-consuming process, but the end result is beautiful and delicious. Wednesday we delivered most of it and continued with framing and wrapping projects. The little guys and Gavin managed to escape for a little snow play in the park. Today we get ready for Christmas Eve dinner and tie up all the last-minute loose ends. I actually love going out one last time on Christmas Eve day. Everyone will gather here this afternoon. Should be crowded, noisy, and very fun. The cousins love getting together.

The house is all aglow for Christmas

The baklava begins to emerge as the layers of filo
are slathered with melted butter

About four hours later you see the finished product

Max is standing on a small igloo

Finn and Lizzy seem pleased

It's pretty hard to get a picture of Max
these days, but he's lookin' good

Harry shares some snow with his daddy

There's more to come.

OXO

D.

Christmas 2009 Part One

High Dickie Days are underway. Maren and Gavin arrived on Friday 18 December and Saturday was Carrie and Grant's wedding (see previous post). That morning, dark and early, I took Phil, Meags, Ollie, and Meg to the airport for their flight to Hawaii. We have missed them, but are quite certain they are having a good time.

Gavin springs Harry after a long ride

The Taylors ready for a Hawaiian getaway

Sunday we celebrated Madeline's fourteenth (crazy, huh?) birthday. Emily made a delicious Brazilian dinner and the family gathered here.

The birthday girl and the founder of the feast

"Money is always the best gift"

Some people just can't help themselves: they
have to be silly

Last night, Monday 21 December, we all went to Anna's for a warm and wonderful soup dinner. On the way we made a stop at IKEA to buy some picture frames for various Christmas gifts. Mille and Holden joined us for supper and a visit to Pioneer State Park for the annual Candlelight Christmas. Unlike last year, it was very crowded. We should know better than to go so close to Christmas and on an FHE night. It was fun, nonetheless. The highlight was the dance in the schoolhouse; the binkers and their parents are enthusiastic dancers. (Thanks to Katy for help with some of these photos.)

She's a lumberjack and she's OK . . .

As I said, some people just can't help themselves

Pioneer Village is wonderful at Christmas

The Pine Valley Chapel aglow in the snow

Holden and Millie

Gavin, Harry, and Maren

David and Kris

Brigham Young's farm house

The binkers rolling bee's wax candles

Rob helps Clara with her bee's wax

Auntie Katy and young Anders cut a rug

More rug cutting (photo by Anna)

There are still many more activities to come and we will keep you posted.

OXO

D.

Carrie and Grant

On Saturday, 19 December, niece Carrie Boynton and Grant Gebhard were married in the Draper Temple. I took Phillip and Meagan to the airport for their very early flight to Hawaii and then met Kris and Katy at the temple a bit later. It was a beautiful but very cold morning and the breeze blowing out of Corner Canyon made it feel even colder. Because the temple is up in the mountains, it sits above the level of a nasty inversion in the Salt Lake Valley. So along with the cold, the air was fresh and clean. Carrie was a brave soul, taking pictures without the benefit of a coat.

The newlyweds emerging from the temple

Katy, Kris, and Vic braving the bracing weather

Rod and Vic with all their offspring, minus Andy

The Boynton siblings: Tom, Steve, Rod,
Ellie, Carrie, and Margie

The reception was that afternoon. Our family gathered to wish the couple well and enjoy the wonderful refreshments. Later in the evening all our kids gathered at the house for supper and visiting.

Anna, Clara, Ellen, and Kris

Anna greeting Carrie with a hug

The Gebhards

Jayson, Liz, and Max

Max and Anders

Clara had no problem eating alone

It was a fun day of celebration.

OXO

D.

Poetry Rocks!

Today Katy, Alison, and I drove north to attend a poetry recital presented by the fourth grade students at Navigator Pointe Academy, the Hastings kids' school. Lucy was a star participant. It really was a great event with choral recitations of works by Carl Sandburg, Shel Silverstein, Edna Saint Vincent Millay, Christina Rossetti, and others. We had a wonderful time and appreciate the invitation.

Alison, Katy, Anna, and Clara at NPA

Lucy et al.

Lucy, a narrator

Well done, Lucy Jane

What mom wouldn't be proud?

If we bend down, Clara can be in the photo, too

A less-familiar view of Mighty Timpanogos from
near the Navigator Pointe Academy

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

So, Now It Begins

We awakened to a surprise: 3" of soft, white, lovely powder snow. Ian posted pictures of a snowstorm in Houston this week and I told him to send some snow our way. It appears that the request was granted.



That's all for now.

OXO

D.

The Halls Are Officially Decked

Yesterday evening we threw an intimate party and decorated the tree. It all went according to tradition and we are mostly ready for Christmas.

The traditional supper

The traditional lips

It's a lonely job
(because they believe that if the ornaments aren't
hung in the right place, they will be moved
and consequently don't want to risk helping)

Voila

This last photo is bonus from Sunday evening:

Lizzy and Clara

That's all for now.

OXO

D.