Almost every minute of our weekend was filled with fun or uplifting activities and moments. My favorite kind of weekend!
On Friday morning, Carol and I were out and about early getting things done, then we came home and did a little Survivor Catching Up and were supposed to go to lunch and a movie. However, I was having a few issues and decided that I needed to pass. Two seconds after the decision, ZJ walked in from school early. She had half day and I was unaware of that until I saw her smiling face. We watched a Christmas movie and took it easy most of the afternoon.
Doug called at 4 and told me that Doug B, our friend from Indiana, who the kids, lovingly, call, "Uncle Herman" was in town. Doug took Doug and I and the girls out to Olive Garden for a very quick visit before we raced to the church for a YSA dinner/activity. I had 40 potatoes baking in my oven while we were gone. We love when Doug comes to town. My girls and Quayd go crazy gaga over him. Quayd was so sad to have missed out on the fun while he was working. But, we had a wonderful, short and sweet visit before he was on his way to Chicago!
The YSA activity was fabulous. 17 Nativity Sets were assembled, dinner was served and a program like none other. The musical talent of these kids never ceases to amaze me. They are truly delightful young adults and Doug and I truly blessed to be able to work with them! The decorations were wonderful. The food looked great, although I only ate one bite of a brownie, being that we'd just had Olive Garden.
I was taking a picture of Doug and Trace/Bishop talking but this shot was totally photobombed by Kyle. LOVE their personalities!
We came home and I was too exhausted to think. No hottubbing, which is a rare occasion, nothing. We just went to bed before 10! And I was so glad because I couldn't sleep from 4 on, for fear of oversleeping in the morning.
On Saturday morning, we congregated at 9 at the Logan LDS Institute, a tradition. as a huge family with all of Doug's siblings and their kids and grands for a family brunch/Christmas party. It was Alan and Jill's year to host and they did a fantastic job. We usually have this event in the evening and I really loved having brunch instead! The food was fantastic... great stratas, yogurt and granolas, fruits, juices and cinnamon rolls. I was up from 4:30. Oh well, I caught a fifteen minute siesta in the afternoon. (Quayd doesn't have his contacts in, can ya tell?)
Our kids love the present game that we do at home on Christmas night. Alan and Jill loved it last time we did it and decided to have it for an activity at the party. Good stuff!
My favorite niece, Jocelyn, texted this cute pic of my kids playing the game. I loved it. ZJ was going for the big hair 80's look...curls and all.
love this family!
After brunch, Doug went in to work for about six hours. The kids and I stayed home, doing nothing but watching Christmas movies and chilling together. My sister-in-law dropped by for a quick visit, which is always nice. After she left, I went to the kitchen and started preparing dinner. Alan, Jill and Jake joined us and stayed for a while after. We visited and laughed and solved the problems of the universe. After they left, I noticed that it was after ten. I had no clue that it was that late! BUT, considering that Grace had a Bella performance at 7 and had been home for a while, I should have connected the dots. Grace and Zee sang for us and kept us entertained.
In the middle of our evening, Zee had a tragedy... Richard Parker, the fish that Quayd had been given for his Sadie Hawkins dance proposal, which Zee begged to inherit and did, swam his last stroke and sank to the bottom of his bowl. I expected tears, but it was not nearly as traumatic as when they were younger and lost their fish. I hate fish, for the record. They live a week, then tears for a month. Ugh.
Alan and Jill made the girls laugh and sing for them, which took Zee's mind off Mr. Parker. The best moment of my day, however, was when my favorite nephew, Jake, gave me a hug before they left. I heart him! He's available and cute and as good of a guy as you could ever meet!
Sunday morning, I baked two more pans of cinnamon rolls for a brunch at the Bishop and Ann's home. Ann made two very delicious ham, cheese and hashbrown stratas. Breakfast was perfect. The YSA PEC (the ward leadership) had a meeting over a Christmas brunch before heading to the church. Ann and I gabbed in her beautiful living room while I oohed and aahed over every inch of her most beautiful home. It's fabulous anytime of the year, but her holiday home is over the top beautiful!! Better than her home, however, always, is the time together. We never seem to run out of things to talk about.
We raced home from the brunch and Doug raced back down to the church. The kids and I ran to our ward for Sacrament Meeting and then I left our ward and went to the second half of Doug's Sacrament Meeting, a musical program that moved me to tears. I was sad to have missed the first half, but our kids come before Doug's ward. My Sundays get kind of crazy between both wards, back and forth. But, it's worth it!
We came home from church and I was tired! I'd baked all weekend and felt like a simple dinner, so I got online and happened upon a Potato Soup recipe that was seriously the best potato soup I've ever made. It was divine! And super simple! We all went nutso over it. Of course, a pound of bacon makes anything divine, right?
While I was preparing dinner, Quayd came in from serving the sacrament to the shut-ins in our ward. He told us that while standing outside of a friends' home, another sister came out and asked, "Do you hear that?" and they heard screaming for quite a bit. He said, "Help" was what they heard. He told me that after a long while, it stopped. We live pretty near the mountain and a beautiful hiking trail is half way up that mountain. He was concerned. We decided to all dispatch and let them know that it may or may not have been anything but kids playing, but he'd heard this.
This was the beginning of a two hour drama. It was dark and cold and this storm was blowing in. (It's forecasted that we'll get 13" of snow today.) The police sent officers up on the trail with spotlights all over. They discovered an empty car, ran a check on it and contacted the owners, who were the parents of a young college age girl who was in town checking out USU. She had told her parents she was going to hike a bit. Her phone was not ringing and, even when they pinged it, nothing. There was serious concern. An officer came and took Quayd for a ride to check out where and what he'd heard. Two hours later, the girl was located with friends and all was fine and dandy. The end. There was no more evidence to be concerned about so, no need to keep looking, once the girl had been located. Quayd was pretty concerned that someone might still be up there. I'm glad that he was responsible enough to care.
We woke up this morning to this beautiful scene and Layne out snow-blowing the neighborhood. He's awesome like that! It's a winter wonderland outside and I'm praying it lasts till next weekend! Or even better, we get more!
Such a long weekend update... not going to talk Christmas today. But, I've got some fun things to share tomorrow. Life is good... exciting, busy, crazy, fun and good!!!
I want to hear about the nativities that were assembled...in details, px.
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