On Monday, I was sitting in the parlor and noticed that the leaves over the north window had turned red ... I went out to see this glorious view. I don't always catch when they turn because the ones on the front of the house turn later ... glad I caught it this year.
As I was gathering things to take to We-Can, we are making ornaments, Dad was ripping the aluminum windows and aluminum trim from the south windows of Becca's old room.
Then I was off to We-Can to make ornaments for our Bee Tree, we are doing. B is Ben ... we are dedicating the tree to him at the Festival of Trees
These are some of the ornaments we're making.
Dad meanwhile had joined with the community to fill 17.000 sandbags.
How amazing is this? We were expecting heavy storms, as the result of a tropical storm in the Gulf of California. City officials were particularly concerned because of the burn scars in the hills.
Doug Welton, a city councilman was teamed up with Dad, and they worked hard and consistently, deeming themselves the most productive team there.
Dad even set a few sandbags by the head of the stairwell at Payson Cottage, we've had flooding issues there before, as Emily may recall.
I spent the rest of the day putting out Halloween decor. Dad hauled up several of the bins as well, just to support me.
Some of the stuff had been packed away for years and it was fun to see stuff I didn't remember having.
This year's new addition was the jack-o-lantern wreath made of old trick-or-treat buckets I'd collected at DI. In the end I had to buy a few new ones, you can tell, they have square, instead of pointed, teeth.
This ghost I made for my first grave yard, 6 or 8 years ago, got to see the light of day again.
Dad got the last of the north side windows painted.
So that all the windows and doors on this side match. Doesn't it look great?
Back in the house I am adding a few spooky touches.
I was thrilled to find this little antique display case at a local thrift store for $7. Its perfect for a little Poe-ish Fun.
Here's the expanded scene.
While walking on Wednesday morning with Ginny, I saw this pallet of adobe bricks that we'd given to the man who's renovating this old house up by Peteetneet.
Its easy to see where he's going to put them. It was his taking out the adobe bricks and messing up our stacked wall that motivated Dad to do the pillars and the iron gates.
I got off work early that day so I could meet Dad, who had picked up the Spanish Fork grands so that we could all go to Jaker's Jack-O-Lanterns in Springville where Becca and Keller Williams was hosting a customer appreciation day. We knew we needed kids along to really enjoy the activity.
There were lots of activities,but the kids spent most of their time in the corn pits.
The petting zoo was a hit with the girls.
It was fun to see Spencer, Brittney and Van.
Mac got buried.
Madi had fun too.
Nenna can fly.
and land gracefully.
The corn at the base of the slide had a special attraction.
We even saw Lily and
Her family
Elias had fun walking along the top of the kids maze walls.
We ran into Hannah and her nieces.
Everyone is picking out their pumpkins, hey where Titan's pumpkin?
Van's pumpkin is just the right size.
Elias can hardly decide.
Hannah found some hocus pocus witch's brew ... actually creme soda, which she said was a favorite of Ben's. We know where he got that, since his Dad loves it ...
Mac liked his donut a lot ...
Here's the rest of his family.
While Dad was taking Davin and Bri's kids home, I stopped off at the cemetery to leave a pumpkin for Ben ... While I was there a young widow who husband is near the foot of my plot was bringing a pumpkin for him. We spoke briefly and hugged. Crazy.
Then while I was at work on Thursday, Dad put up our own 'cemetery' for my witches party that's coming up. He still needs to hang a couple of ghosts from the tree. One of the activities will be finding silken bags (thanks Spencer) of Halloween goodies hidden here, we're calling it 'grave robbing'.
After work for me, and the temple for Dad, we headed up to Pleasant Grove to hang out with these awesome people, while there folks went out for Nell's birthday.
Scott is such a great big brother.
Eva showed me the skeleton she decorated at my witch party several years ago. That's fun.
When we got home I hung the wood carved women, I had bought from another dealer at work, next to the fire place, I've always thought I needed a third carving there. Unfortunately Dad hates it, so I'm not sure it will last.
On Friday I took this shot of how the light comes more brightly through the windows now that Dad has taken off the aluminum windows. It's hard to tell from this picture but its so pretty.
Dad got the swamp cooler out of the dining room window, then we took down the dining room curtains and got them washed and rehung.
I got busy and made some sugar free cookies to take to our mission reunion that night. Then we got dressed for the reunion and headed out to do some errands including getting our passports renewed. We then met up to ride up to the reunion with the Vests.
We got there early as we were in charge of the food, and ran into Sharon Eubank who was to be the key note speaker. She served a mission to Finland in the 80s and gave an amazing talk, probably the most compelling talk I've ever heard at one of these reunions.
After setting out the food, we sat behind Bruce Monson, and Forrest Mottishaw and their wives. Both Dad and Forrest (Who I went to high school with) had Bruce as a companion.
Here we have Elder Gigena and Elder Parsons, flanking Elder Parsons' fiance, who is in Brittney Okada Perkins' home ward in Wyoming. Elder Parsons is also in her home ward.
Here is a fun picture. Elder Sisco, and the six sister missionaries he was with in the MTC. They are Bren Parker (Sister Wade's granddaughter) Katelyn Kunzler, Anna Wilson Brown (now married to Elder Cameron Brown) Phillip Sisco, a faithful and exacting elder we came to love. Sarah Barrus who was one of my friend Jenn Reed's stage management students ar BYU (Jenn only has 8 at a time), Karissa Capps, who it turns out is my friend Kim Holmes' (whose not even a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) cousin. Then Elise Peterson, who was the sweetest sister in the mission. We met her when we went to help her companion who was ill, and Sister Peterson, was taking such good care of her, that I asked her if she planned to be a nurse, and she said Yes.
On Saturday, I took off with my friend Wendy to go to an antique show in SLC. Dad meanwhile spent the day doing things like taking the car in to get the tires rotated, and fixing the toilet on the second floor (Sam will be glad to hear about that) and replacing a cover on a sprinkler valve. After the morning session of conference he fertilized the lawn, then watched the afternoon session before replacing the furnace filters. If I could clone him, I bet I'd make a bunch of money.
It was fun to see my parents' listing in a 1946 SLC phone book at the show. Wendy and I enjoyed visiting with the dealers we've known over the years, of whom there were many. Then we headed to Wendy's favorite place for lunch, the Spaghetti Factory and enjoyed walking around the stores at Trolley Square.
Davin and Bri and their family, along with Hannah were also doing fun stuff ... like me. They spent the afternoon at the Aquarium.
I didn't know they had a butterfly house there, but how great is this picture of Hannah?
Look out for that pink shark that got out of its aquarium.
I got home in time to put together a veggie tray, while listening to conference, then Dad and I headed to Dallas' house in Saratoga Springs for BBQ.
There were munchkins there too, Titan, Elias, Adi and Reagan.
Nenna just loves babies ... Mac seems ok with it though.
Here is Becca's Nanny Gabby, who we met for the first time.
Thanks for the great picture Davin.
Today was General Conference, again. Dad and I watched it in our room, breaking for waffles and eggs. Of course we are loving all the energy President Nelson has, and marvel at the wonderful ways he is being guided to advance the administration of the church. I'm not gonna lie, I'm looking forward to two hour church. Of course this change comes with a charge to do more gospel study at home, and fits right in with Dad's and my continued study of the gospel as we try to keep up missionary habits. Dad got us each a copy of Saints, and he's already more than a hundred pages into it. I hear its very readable.
Van's blessing was that night. Here is the bishopric member who presided, then Brady,Trevor, Dad, Spencer, Van, Peter, Brittney's Dad, and Spencer, Brittney's brother, who stood in the circle.
Dallas and Darby
Brady, Mac and Dad
Adi, Titan and Eleanor
Hannah, Darby and Becca
Peter and Angela Okada, Spencer and Van
Brittney's sisters Angela and Chrystal.
I thought this was the sweetest detail, the ribbon holds the ring on.
What a nice nod to his heritage. Brittney found this sweet kimono style outfit on line. Her mother crocheted the sweet blanket.
So which is the cutest van?
How cute are these ''van" cookies, Van's Aunt Chrystal brought?
I thought the center pieces were adorable,
There were also family baby pictures laid out on the table. How cute are these two?
A few if us played a little pick up basketball.
Van gets some cousin time, as he is held by his grandmother Okada.
Sweet Madi directs me to the rest room ... such a cutie.
So that was our week. We had lots of time with people we love, which always makes for a great week. Conference was amazing and it was good to put the rumors to rest ... we were pretty sure the two hour church was coming, as we've known of wards that have piloted the program.
Our adjustment to Ben's mortal absence continues. So many things remind us of him. Dad went out and got a case of cream soda, after Hannah told him Ben likes it. I think he just wants to drink it and think about Ben liking something he likes. I also made the California Pizza Kitchen soup that Ben liked so much for the baby blessing, cherishing the fact that Spencer loves it too. Several times a day things remind me of Ben, like men in blue plaid shirts or the fan sprayer he gave us when he and Hannah came to our cousin camp circus, Whenever I see a sterling silver item at the shop, I think about Ben. Dad says whenever he goes to the back driveway, and sees the trunk from the catalpa tree Ben cut down for us, he remembers the adventure it was to see Ben so masterfully taking down the huge trees. He also said whenever he walks by the sidewalk on the south side of the house, that was broken out for the sewer, he remembers that Ben offered to come help him repair it, but Dad never got around to it. I think thinking of Ben is becoming more joyful and less painful, I feel gratitude that he's my son. Not that he's prefect, but that I love having him as a son, and look forward to being with him, and our other children someday.
I did however, cry when Spencer blessed Van Benjamin Clark Perkins, that he would be like his Uncle Ben, that he would have a desire to help others, the way Ben always did. Davin, who must have been peeking, came over and put his arm around me, which I thought was very sweet. I do have such wonderful children, I'm so grateful that I was able to have children. I'm thankful that my trial was not to be childless.
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