Grandma Rose's Birthday Party

 On November 22, 2015, we threw a 103rd birthday party for Grandma Rose.  Unfortunately, she couldn't attend.  We served the dishes Grandma would have served for fancy friends if she were here.  Camille brought the appetizers--hot tomato juice topped with unsweetened whipped cream and cream puffs stuffed with chicken salad.  The entrée was beef stroganoff with dill weed served over rice and accompanied by creamed corn (brought by Grant and Jamie Calder); green salad with fresh grapefruit, avocado, and poppy seed dressing; fresh fruit (brought by Scott and Jean); and Grandma's green jello salad (with crushed pineapple, nuts, evaporated milk, and mayonnaise).  Dessert was a slice of angel food cake served with lemon meringue and sweetened whipped cream.  After dinner, we watched a screening of Grandpa Grant's photographs.

 Mia enjoyed having the attention of her great big cousins, Grant and Spencer.

 Jono and Grant are good friends.

 The kitchen was packed with cooks and advisors.  Ezra stood back and watched the action.

 Spencer and Grant brought their friend, Callie, from Sammamish.  She was a generous helper.

 Scott and Jean came with their sons, Scott Jr. and Grant, their daughters-in-law Tara and Jamie, and with all the kids!

 Scott Jr.'s son, William, has a new baby sister, Phoebe Ann.

 Heidi is a great sous-chef.  She put together the grapefruit and avocado salad.

 Scott and Jean provided an array of fruit befitting Grandpa Grant's garden (or, just maybe, excelling it...)

 Steve has been doing a lot of traveling lately, and it was good to have him with us.

 Grant is a devoted BYU Cougar, but he's also thinking about what Eastern Europe will be like, on his mission.

The "Just Because You're Free" Party

Camille's family has many commitments on Sunday--Church, parties with the Eberts, events with friends.  I told Camille, "Let me know if you're ever free for dinner, and Dad and I would love to have you over."  Camille called me on November 7, 2015, and said, "We're free!"  Once I remembered what that meant, I was delighted.  We gathered for some Southern cooking, including pulled pork sandwiches and Camille's banana cake.  Dad was intent on pulling that pork.

 Mango juice added a touch of the tropics.

Annelise was the photographer for our dinner, and her family made more funny faces than if Grandma was behind the camera.

 

Camille's banana cake was just right!  We didn't have ice cream, so we served it with a cup of cold milk.

I spent the last week cooking and wrapping ten 9 x 13" pans of caramels in eight varieties--classic caramel, chocolate, chocolate almond, orange, cherry pecan, rum pecan, maple walnut, and licorice.  Even Ezra, a very particular eater, liked my caramels.

Grant's Mission Call

 Opening a mission call.  That is a major social event for a Mormon family, celebrated by gathering friends and family around.  On November 8, 2015, Grant Flindt opened his mission call, with dozens of friends and family celebrating with him in his dorm lobby.  All the grandparents were there, and many cousins.

 Derek is Grant's roommate from Sammamish, Washington.

 Spencer came with his roommates.  Logan Nielson (left) is a neighbor from Sammamish who was called to the same California Arcadia mission as Spencer, leaving the same day.

 A brotherly hug.  Spencer and Grant have always been close friends.

 Grant's buddies from BYU.

 Jonny listened in by Facetime.  Steve reported.

 Grant bought a gallon of ice cream and I brought cookies.  Mia tried both.

 Ezra.

 Grant with his mission call and Ebert cousins.

Zions in the Fall

The finale first--after a fabulous Saturday hiking in Zions Park, Mike and Heidi, Spencer and Grant, and Dave and I celebrated at the St. George Texas Roadhouse.  Mike invited Grant and Spencer to spend the weekend of November 7, 2015, in St. George with Heidi and him, and Dave and I asked if we could tag along.  The kids hiked the Hidden Canyon trail.  Dave and I moseyed a half mile up the trail, took lots of pictures of our favorite rock pile, and then rode the tram through the canyon.

Cat Woman and the Spanish Dancer

To have a great Halloween, you have to go where the kids are.  Dave and I joined the Eberts on Halloween evening for a chili supper and a look at some really great costumes.  That's Ezra, in the black Darth Vader suit.  Mia is a Spanish dancer and Sophia is Cat Woman.  Sophia and her friend will soon prowl the neighborhood for treats.

 Camille gave us some dinner and Steve gave us the eye.

The Eberts' friends, the Vincents, were visiting from Colorado Springs.  The Vincents were the Eberts' neighbors in East Milllcreek before the Eberts' Boston days.

 Dave's costume was his "idea hat", with light bulb.  It was a Christmas gift from the kids.

Camille adds fancy touches to her meals.  Our chili was served in bread boats shaped and colored like pumpkins, including a green stem!

 Jono and friends, all ready to roll.

Dinner and a Ball Game

Dave and I never forget how lucky we are to have Mike and Heidi live nearby.  It is a five minute drive from their house to ours, and they often join us for Sunday dinner.  They also drop by in the evening to watch a BYU football game or JAZZ game. 

Here it is Sunday evening, October 25, 2015, with football on the big screen and steak on the table.  Every once in a while, Dave cooks supper.  "I don't use recipes and I don't have a big pile of dishes when I'm done," David says, very pointedly.  Steak, potato, Brussels sprouts, green salad.  What more could one need?