The week after Christmas, and just before welcoming the new year, we headed to SLC to see extended family. On Thursday evening we threw a party for the Harr side of the family. B went up earlier with the kids, and I rode with L who was driving her own car, and had to stay until after 10 a.m. to have her T.B. test results read at the health department. Ugh! That was ok, it gave B time with his parents, and I believe the enjoyed having him there. I don't have to hold his hand all the time, and I thought it worked out great! He took all the little kids, I believe he needs to realize how hard it is to watch them at their house, and I was grateful to not be there trying to keep them out of the untouchables.
That evening, we rented a room at the American Fork Recreation Center, and J&B invited to the party. I am not sure who they really invited, they were worried it wouldn't be supported. Because we had not talked to anyone but them, it was a bit tricky planning because we had no idea who or how many to plan on! We had asked just after returning from our Indian project if we could plan this, and they were very hesitant, so we didn't do anything on it, until the week after Christmas when I got a call asking if I had made the reservations. "No." I had not. We pulled off the party in just a couple of days, and we all agree it was great! We pulled together about 20 "Minute to Win It" Challenges, complete with all the props we needed to do them. I wish I had a camera, but I was a bit preoccupied with helping to run the games! We reserved the room from 6:30 - 9:30, but we didn't start the games until 8! From 6:30 - 8 we had reserved two racquetball courts, one with a wallyball net set up. They were great hits! The little ones went to the pool for those couple of hours, and older ones mostly gathered either watching or playing on the wally ball court! By 8:00 we had about 30 people there. B is such a great MC, I am so grateful for him! He started with the cookie on the forehead, you have to put it there, and without touching it with your hands, get it to your mouth. He had everyone standing in a circle, and it wasn't optional to participate. The group was very varied from young to old, and included quite a range of extended family (to put it carefully). Then he moved to team games, and we played lots and lots. I don't know how many of the 20 we actually got to, more like 10, but I was glad we were prepared with that many as some didn't work at all, and others were more popular and so similar ones were bumped up and played earlier than planned. J.H. brought rolls, lunch meats and salads, others brought parts. We took a vegetable tray, but we weren't the only one so they overlapped quite a bit. Oh well. We had treats with several of the games, and overall I think it went very well. I was especially impressed that everyone stayed to help clean up. We started wrapping it up about 9, but people didn't just walk out, almost everyone stayed and helped stack the chairs and sweep the floors in fact! I felt it gave everyone a way to participate and not have to just sit and look at each other. B asked near the end if the group felt this was something we should plan again, and it was well received that "yes" they would support something like this again! My kids were a bit disappointed with the pool as the pictures online were of slides and water spouts, but those parts were not included in their winter bubble. Oh well!
Overall it was the best get together we have been to on that side of the family for years!
Then the next day we headed to Heber for the Paulsen side party! We took our 4 wheelers and the kids were so excited! There was no snow in Heber, so they didn't get to sled like in years past, but those machines certainly went round and round! M&D have about 4 machines as well, so when all the cousins got there, there were not enough machines for everyone, but they doubled up and shared and did pretty good. It is always a little scary to see young people I don't know real well on our bigger machines. I understand it made B a bit uneasy as well. Overall, no one got hurt, and they all survived! In the future I think we should set some rules about which machines which kids can drive!
Friday morning B got up quite early to have snow tires put on L's truck. He thought it would be quick "30 minutes" he claimed! Little S wanted a nap, so I put her down at Fox Hunt, and sent all my kids up the canyon with K&C and boys to play for the afternoon. We didn't make it up there until about 4 I believe. Of course they had the machines unloaded and were having a great time when we got there!
That night K&C and boys and K&J and family were there. W.P. made it, and M&D. We had a nice dinner and played the "Minute to Win It" games again since we had gone to so much work to round up all the supplies! That night we wanted to set off floating paper lanterns, but the wind was howling outside. We were grateful to have the nice garage to gather in! Most of us slept in the garage downstairs as a group. It was a great night!
Then in the morning we made scones and mountain man breakfast for everyone, expecting to have others show up for breakfast sometime mid morning. Others didn't make it until about noon. The kids played outside, the boys when shooting at the gun club, and loved it! The girls stayed and modge podged the same pictures of Christ and the children I had done with the Primary kids a few days before Christmas. Some painted finger nails, and rode 4 wheelers, played on the swings, and enjoyed the sunshine. It was a nice morning together!
Then about noon, everyone in the family showed up! We were all there except our Missionary - Elder Harr! That hasn't happened in a LOT Of years! It was so good to see T again and meet his wife P and their boys. They have three little boys 4,2 and 1 and she is expecting in April. They have divorced themselves from the family for years, and it was a treat to have them back! She does nails on the side, and so when she got there, no coincidence some were painting nails, and she fit right in! K&C brought a bounce house their boys had just gotten for Christmas and it was noisy but entertained all those little boys for hours! They loved being together, and it was good for all of us to just have time together!
I must have left the camera at Fox Hunt in the loading and unloading of the next few days, and so I don't have pictures to post today, but I will post them as soon as I can!
The party wrapped up about 4 that afternoon, and we returned to Fox Hunt. We were all pretty tired and welcomed a shower and nap, just in time to welcome the new year! We had left over scone dough, and so we made individual pizzas and the kids loved it! Then we watched Princess Bride - classic! B&I went for a drive and talked for about an hour, then we tried to crash the party at K&C's but they were out - not a light on at their house! We took our ice cream home, and found some of our own kids still awake and welcomed the new year in with the best group on earth - my own family!
Sunday morning we went to Snowbird, and then to Mom's ward for Relief Society. Then we packed up L and her truck :( and headed to Rexburg! B wanted to get on the road earlier, but I questioned why and it was not well received, but ended up being true. We wanted to walk around the campus at BYU-I but we didn't need all afternoon to do it! I was grateful I got to attend my meetings and hear a RS lesson before spending the rest of the day in the car! C&S chose to stay with M&D instead of come to Idaho with us. We left them about 2 that afternoon, and were on our difficult way! L was so excited!
So she is off! I will write about the meeting with President Clark another time, but it was great. She is in a good place, and I adore her! I miss her a lot, and kiss her bed frequently, thinking about her! I know it is where she needs to be right now, but that doesn't always make it easy! She is definitely flying!
That evening, we rented a room at the American Fork Recreation Center, and J&B invited to the party. I am not sure who they really invited, they were worried it wouldn't be supported. Because we had not talked to anyone but them, it was a bit tricky planning because we had no idea who or how many to plan on! We had asked just after returning from our Indian project if we could plan this, and they were very hesitant, so we didn't do anything on it, until the week after Christmas when I got a call asking if I had made the reservations. "No." I had not. We pulled off the party in just a couple of days, and we all agree it was great! We pulled together about 20 "Minute to Win It" Challenges, complete with all the props we needed to do them. I wish I had a camera, but I was a bit preoccupied with helping to run the games! We reserved the room from 6:30 - 9:30, but we didn't start the games until 8! From 6:30 - 8 we had reserved two racquetball courts, one with a wallyball net set up. They were great hits! The little ones went to the pool for those couple of hours, and older ones mostly gathered either watching or playing on the wally ball court! By 8:00 we had about 30 people there. B is such a great MC, I am so grateful for him! He started with the cookie on the forehead, you have to put it there, and without touching it with your hands, get it to your mouth. He had everyone standing in a circle, and it wasn't optional to participate. The group was very varied from young to old, and included quite a range of extended family (to put it carefully). Then he moved to team games, and we played lots and lots. I don't know how many of the 20 we actually got to, more like 10, but I was glad we were prepared with that many as some didn't work at all, and others were more popular and so similar ones were bumped up and played earlier than planned. J.H. brought rolls, lunch meats and salads, others brought parts. We took a vegetable tray, but we weren't the only one so they overlapped quite a bit. Oh well. We had treats with several of the games, and overall I think it went very well. I was especially impressed that everyone stayed to help clean up. We started wrapping it up about 9, but people didn't just walk out, almost everyone stayed and helped stack the chairs and sweep the floors in fact! I felt it gave everyone a way to participate and not have to just sit and look at each other. B asked near the end if the group felt this was something we should plan again, and it was well received that "yes" they would support something like this again! My kids were a bit disappointed with the pool as the pictures online were of slides and water spouts, but those parts were not included in their winter bubble. Oh well!
Overall it was the best get together we have been to on that side of the family for years!
Then the next day we headed to Heber for the Paulsen side party! We took our 4 wheelers and the kids were so excited! There was no snow in Heber, so they didn't get to sled like in years past, but those machines certainly went round and round! M&D have about 4 machines as well, so when all the cousins got there, there were not enough machines for everyone, but they doubled up and shared and did pretty good. It is always a little scary to see young people I don't know real well on our bigger machines. I understand it made B a bit uneasy as well. Overall, no one got hurt, and they all survived! In the future I think we should set some rules about which machines which kids can drive!
Friday morning B got up quite early to have snow tires put on L's truck. He thought it would be quick "30 minutes" he claimed! Little S wanted a nap, so I put her down at Fox Hunt, and sent all my kids up the canyon with K&C and boys to play for the afternoon. We didn't make it up there until about 4 I believe. Of course they had the machines unloaded and were having a great time when we got there!
That night K&C and boys and K&J and family were there. W.P. made it, and M&D. We had a nice dinner and played the "Minute to Win It" games again since we had gone to so much work to round up all the supplies! That night we wanted to set off floating paper lanterns, but the wind was howling outside. We were grateful to have the nice garage to gather in! Most of us slept in the garage downstairs as a group. It was a great night!
Then in the morning we made scones and mountain man breakfast for everyone, expecting to have others show up for breakfast sometime mid morning. Others didn't make it until about noon. The kids played outside, the boys when shooting at the gun club, and loved it! The girls stayed and modge podged the same pictures of Christ and the children I had done with the Primary kids a few days before Christmas. Some painted finger nails, and rode 4 wheelers, played on the swings, and enjoyed the sunshine. It was a nice morning together!
Then about noon, everyone in the family showed up! We were all there except our Missionary - Elder Harr! That hasn't happened in a LOT Of years! It was so good to see T again and meet his wife P and their boys. They have three little boys 4,2 and 1 and she is expecting in April. They have divorced themselves from the family for years, and it was a treat to have them back! She does nails on the side, and so when she got there, no coincidence some were painting nails, and she fit right in! K&C brought a bounce house their boys had just gotten for Christmas and it was noisy but entertained all those little boys for hours! They loved being together, and it was good for all of us to just have time together!
I must have left the camera at Fox Hunt in the loading and unloading of the next few days, and so I don't have pictures to post today, but I will post them as soon as I can!
The party wrapped up about 4 that afternoon, and we returned to Fox Hunt. We were all pretty tired and welcomed a shower and nap, just in time to welcome the new year! We had left over scone dough, and so we made individual pizzas and the kids loved it! Then we watched Princess Bride - classic! B&I went for a drive and talked for about an hour, then we tried to crash the party at K&C's but they were out - not a light on at their house! We took our ice cream home, and found some of our own kids still awake and welcomed the new year in with the best group on earth - my own family!
Sunday morning we went to Snowbird, and then to Mom's ward for Relief Society. Then we packed up L and her truck :( and headed to Rexburg! B wanted to get on the road earlier, but I questioned why and it was not well received, but ended up being true. We wanted to walk around the campus at BYU-I but we didn't need all afternoon to do it! I was grateful I got to attend my meetings and hear a RS lesson before spending the rest of the day in the car! C&S chose to stay with M&D instead of come to Idaho with us. We left them about 2 that afternoon, and were on our difficult way! L was so excited!
So she is off! I will write about the meeting with President Clark another time, but it was great. She is in a good place, and I adore her! I miss her a lot, and kiss her bed frequently, thinking about her! I know it is where she needs to be right now, but that doesn't always make it easy! She is definitely flying!