Amelia's birth, Thanksgiving, Pie Fest, November 2014

Welcome little Baby Amelia Zaidee!

1. This news bumped everything out. She was born at 12:24 on Sunday, November 30, 2014. She weighs 7 lbs. 4 oz. and is 20 inches long. Here are the pictures taken in the hospital tonight.

2. Zander meets his new sister

3.  Newest family picture. Back: Chris, Josh, Cierra, Zander
Caleb, Colleen holding Amelia, Noelle, Mallory.

4. Yeah, now we get to go to concerts again. Here is Josh in the the Jazz Band.

Caleb took the picture for me:)

5. The day before Thanksgiving we went to the Ogden Temple with my brother Ralph and Melony

with Danny, who leaves for his mission on the 3rd of Dec., and Amanda, who leaves Dec. 31st.

We had a wonderful time. Danny goes in on my mother's birthday (and Sophi's)

6-7. Not sure if I'm ready for all of this. 

Newly weds, Daniel & Ellen, on one end of the table and an engaged couple, Mike & Emily, on the other.

8. It's Thanksgiving Time. Spencer really went out setting the table.

9. Time to make the rolls. Steven and Noelle were the helpers who did a great job!

10. Zander is getting used to us, slowly but surely.

11. It wasn't full, but this is how we cooked the potatoes for mashed potatoes.

12. Making deviled eggs together.

13. At the end of the rolls, I told Steven and Noelle they could use the dough scraps

however they wanted. I should have told them earlier. They were very creative!

14. Brad stopped by with his wedding gift for Ellen and Daniel. The picture was beautiful and a CD with so many fun pictures from the wedding that he took.

15. Grandkids at their table. Cierra got to sit at the big table this year. But notice the kids still got the crystal goblets, so they were happy.

16. Skit time with new costumes from Lindi Call. Isaac is in an Elmo costume, Caleb is in a Optimus Prime (a transformer), and Kaden is in a Harry Potter scarf, tie, and cape.

17. Daniel had to go to work from 2-8, so Ellen joined the rest of the family and they were watching something on the internet and laughing like crazy. I got some good pictures of their laughing.

18. Happy Birthday Steven! He got his birthday breakfast, opening of presents, and then a pie fest all afternoon. It made for a fun birthday. A backpack that he wanted.

19. Pie fest pictures. There were so many groups who were all having a great time. 

The church really gives us plenty of room to spread out.

So much pie!

20. We are speaking at Belmont 2nd Ward on Sunday, and Liz wants us to have a musical number. 

Josh is playing the piano, Mike, John, Spencer, Emily, and Noelle are singing.

It was good to practice in the chapel. They sounded beautiful.  

21. Move festivities when we got home. Jared is the new shoulder angel.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. It really is good to be home. 

And it really was so good to be able to go.

Thank you again for all the support you gave us so we could go on our mission to New York.

Home from our Mission and Ellen's Wedding

1. Starting with the latest - We went up to see David as Charlie Brown in

You're a Good Man Charlie Brown

It was amazing - all the characters were so good, and David did such a good job.

I forgot how much I liked this play. It was a little different than when he was in 6th grade!

2. It was a whirlwind trip home and we got to Evanston on Monday night and stayed the night with David & Amanda. It was so good to see family again.

3, We immediately plunged in to the final decorations the next few days. 

Here we are Modge Podging all the leaves we brought back.

4. Although we picked out the wedding dress while I was in NY, I got to go with her to pick it up and see the final try on. I'm glad we didn't wait. 

5. Thank you Emily for waiting to have her Bridal Shower when I got home. It was so much fun, and the grandgirls had a wonderful time.

6. Although this was originally made for Mike, it is now Ellen's, and it seems to fit them better.

Mike will get his in January!

7. We never could have done this wedding without all the help we have received.

Tammy Capener did so much for the decorations. Ellen was very excited to see the big 'T' for Taylor

8. I got to go with Susan and Ellen & Daniel to take pictures the night before the wedding.

I had such a wonderful time. It has been so good to get to know him, although I already felt I knew him and love him. I'm glad he is part of our family.

9. So good to have Tom's family  here. Thank you all very much for all you did in arranging schedules and come in for the wedding. It means so much. 

10. My favorite - visiting in the living room.

11. I can't wait to see all the family group pictures from Susan. Some on the wall are kind of outdated:)

12. The grand kids had so much fun decorating 'George' the car. And we have a big supply of popcorn to prove it. Thank you grand kids for helping so much at the reception. It was a lot of work, but you sure looked like you were also having a good time. That is what I wanted everyone to  have.

I have had so many people tell me how much they enjoyed seeing all of you.

13. Yeah! Mike and Emily are next - January 2nd 

14. Thank you for all the help on Sunday. It was so wonderful to have the whole house and yard filled with family. These came to me and said, "Grandma, there is no place for us to go to have our privacy and we are making a Harry Potter club." I gave them permission to go in our bedroom.

It was for sure a full house.

15. Daniel and Ellen came back on Monday and opened present. They sure received a lot of nice things.

16. This is one of my favorite times. After the wedding, no more saying goodnight and parting.

They sure look happy about that!

17. Time for ballet. Both Danny and Kirsten did their ballet performance they will do in their recital.

My heart is so full. Heavenly Father has blessed us beyond measure. Sometimes I don't know if I can hardly contain all our blessings. I love you all very much. We cried when we left our mission and cried when we got home and saw everyone. It is almost like a dream, but we will be forever changed.

We can't wait until we can come around and see you individually, so call and tell us when it will be good. We have the next two Monday nights taken, but we can come anytime. 

Today was Danny Capener's farewell. He is U. Ralph's son. He is going to Ft. Worth, Texas. He is leaving on the 3rd of December, my mother's birthday. She would be so proud. She passed away in 1986 and still has grandchildren going on missions. Amanda, his daughter, has her call to Indiana, Indianapolis and leaves December 31st. It seems like they were all just kids not long ago.

As long as life seems sometimes, it goes so fast. I'm so thankful for my full life and the many blessings we enjoy. We are so thrilled to have Cory, Daniel, and soon Emily in our family. They have each brought such joy and happiness to our children. And now we are ready to welcome the next batch of grand kids coming very soon! 

I love you all so much.