November Trip to Branson, MO

3 Neighbors met every other week for 2 months planning this great adventure to Branson

Home of Great Entertainment
From when we would leave, airport lay overs, flight times, cars and where we would stay.
Len & Kris Hoffman, Dennis & Carla Hammond, and Tim & Syd Crockett

We flew out November 8th......Kris McIntire was our shuttle service to and from

the airport. Service to help pay for his Madegascar Mission Service coming up!

We landed in Kansas, rented cars and drove straight to Branson where the boys went

grocery shopping while the girls went to see the Oakridge Boys Performance

Early the next morning, we were off to see the comedian, Kohov

Out to eat was a common event.........I mean you need to feed the hungary!

And of course ....... one must have fun! Right, Conheads!

7 full days together...........can we still be neighbors and friends after 7 days?

How wonderful to meet up with our Park 1st Ward Ward clerk.....Arnold Knudsen

You learn in Branson.....never to get down in the mouth!

Which snow man is Tim?

Visiting Silver Dollar Cit gave us a completely different angle on things!

And finding a cute bear for our "Bishop Hank" at Grand Village, helped us from going off our rocker!

One time fee gave us two days in Silver Dollor City where the lights are
beautiful, the shows inside are great & the hot chocolate keeps you warm

Inside the bar where we were entertained while cracking peanuts
and drinking "Snowball Hot Chocolate" This is what having fun looks like!

Talking with the delightful Brett Family after their show

Mother Brett wrote the most tender tribute to our Military Service men

Ready for the show to start at the Moon River Theater where we got to hear 82 year old

Andy Williams who still has a golden voice!

Driving north 30 minutes to LAMBERT's.......home of the "throwing rolls"

Whether they're close or far away, if you want a hot roll, you hold your hand up

and they chuck it clear across the room to you!
Delicious Prime Rib to go along with it! YUM!

M-m-m-m good company.......and Good rolls!

Visiting with the 12 Irish Tenors

Happy and Gay! Now to the best show of all......."SIX" alias the Knudsen Brothers

Four generations of Knudsen's

"Fred & Susan" socializing with the brothers

Powerful voices and magical rhythms

Jack embarrassed us in the audience

Attending the "Miracle of Christmas" theater

Wonderful Stephanie........Arnolds friend

Let the show begin!

Flying into the Great Salt Lake........There is no place like HOME!

Especially when Candice had cracked all the buckets of nuts for us!

WOW! Now that is pure love.

The Christmas Tree at Silver Dollar City

Halloween......Whoopie!

I try to be a good mother and grandmother........its the center fold of my life! Children over look and forgive you quickly and make every little thing you do MAGIC. Since the children were young, I've tried to take the "GET & GO" out of Halloween and try to make a tradition memory. Allie wanted Grandma to paint a butter fly a pretty as Aunt Julie's!!!!! Now the holding still power of a 30 year old vs a 4 year old is W---A---Y different. But Allie was very patient and once again, anything and everything I did for her was perfect. But the real magic of Allie is how much she loves her little brother Cooper......the Halloween Pirate

This vibrant, attentive, mature, and very smart little butterfly can talk you leg & sing your leg off.......but put her in front of a group of strangers.........she is still and motionless!

Princess Sydnee Sage tried on more Halloween Costumes this year most adults this year.

And her mother made her the Treat of Everyones Eye! This little princess is ready to walk!

And then Travis & Julie Kaye will know the real meaning of her BEEZY BEE costumn.

Because Sydnee Sage is curious about everything and loves to use her hands as much as her parents. HONEY! It's going to BEE a little sticky around the Gardner home soon!!!

The Crockett kids took their little ones to "TRUNK or TREAT" to satisfy their need to gather candy. Then it was over to Grandma & Grandpa Crockett's for the annual Halloween party.

Treasure Hunts, pin the mouth on the pumpkin, chicken enchilads with Hauni's delicious savory Strawberry, spinach & bacon salad...........the party was underway!

Max was handsome Incredibles "Mr. DASH" It was the perfect outfit for this handsome brown eyed Prince! Sensative, tender, and FAST!

Pretty Samantha Michelle, has been really really sick, but wasn't about to miss this special dress up night! And for a moment, even her Dad allowed her to enjoy Halloween activities and treats.

And all the funny faces that go along with it! Don't I have darling Grandchildren?

As for the adults........Well the fatigue that surround this annual activity this year was more than evident. Hauni Lynn is early in pregnancy, David & Becca are on burn out having pushed themselves building & moving into a new home, Scott has made more overnight trips to Colorado, back again, Phoenix, back again, California and back again driving U-Hauls and moving furniture, while Candice has been battling sick children, supporting neighbors by baby sitting, and getting little rest herself. Tim attacked his MAJOR Box Marathon and MADE his dead-line......but it was very stressful the last few hours and tension built up between us......so my spirits weren't in the highest sort. (But Hallelujah! The garage is a garage again!) Julie & Travis have been to more Halloween parties this year than EVER before......Sydnee Sage was tired and Travis took her on a 45 minute ride, trying to get her to fall asleep. Shauna is always up for a party and it felt so good to have her around since she has been a very busy full time school teacher as well as be nanny to the Bishop family for the previous 9 days after and before school!

Need I say more! Fatique seemed to loom over.....However this scarey witch was the Queen of Energy......but Abby is much like her Aunt Shauna and loves to party!

I'm just happy to have the family around, and they love to talk and be together so I just go with the flow. I really missed having the giggles & life that Mary Ann & Ryan have always brought to our annual affair. Halloween pictures have had to be our connection with Alan & Karen's family for the past 9 years. I have no doubt that Sam, Chase, and Connor could have done some serious damage to the pinyata. Let alone little Elle who thinks she's as old as Sam.

Cooper was so tired and just couldn't understand how come he didn't get to just hit that candy queen all the time with the others swinging. Really! His Dad was pulling the rope and it was "HIS" Dad.......not everyone elses. Scott had made the pinyata dance for many many years. (We're glad he made it back safely from California!") Julie Kaye cracked the pinyata, but in his total exhaustion, David took the bat and beat that thing until it exploded........he wanted to go home!

Dad's garage seach treasure hunt almost took Hauni over the edge.....but he had made it really difficult because Travis solved his last year one too quickly. Problem was, Travis had taken Sydnee Sage home to bed!

Well the night ended with glee as there was plenty inside the pinyata for everyone.

Julie Kaye said, "It's really something when you leave with more than you brought!"

I was just more than grateful that Shauna, Julie Kaye and Candice stayed around to help put my house back together for the Sabbath! Happy Halloween Everyone!

Lucky Mother-in-law

Now ask anyone, "How many women have their son in law call and ask to go with them to celebrate their #4 Anniversary Date!" But that is exactly what Travis, Julie Kaye's sweetheart did to me. This wonderful young man, who loves my daughter without measure, wanted to treat her to a special experience on their anniversary. Not only had he taken the day off, but he had arranged to take her high in the air! My daughter is treated like a Johnny Lingo 10 cow wife! He loves her! He adores her! And she means the world to him, so he took her high enough to see it.
On a cool brisk October Wednesday morning, they helped fill the balloon, and then assisted me in climbing in & we took flight.
And I was pleased that my daughters first visual was the morning sun brightly shining down on the Timpanoges Temple. Her eyes have been steadfast upon the temple her entire
life. She married her sweetheart in the very same room, I was married in....in the Maniti temple and these two creators have created more in 4 short years than many do in an entire life time.

Her first special love was her Grandpa Price and she looked long hard until Travis came into view. He is tender, patient, supportive and her best friend. There love is filled with spirituality and vision. What more could a mother hope for or want for her daughter?

With God nothing is impossible and this flight high above the earth helped all of us to realize the power that lies within us.

And time flys on wings of lightning and we can not call it back. So why not use our time here on this earth to be creators! This life is all about joy. My children have filled my heart with so much joy. And I couldn't be prouder of each of them. All spiritual educated inspiring leaders, they go forth in life and in their families believing that they have much to give and much to learn.

Oh if every landing could be a easy and calm as ours was that brisk Wednesday afternoon. Sometimes they will be, other times, we will face adversity that causes life to seem difficult.

But I hope all of my children look up and remember the power within. I hope they remember the vistas they have seen and how tiny things look when you rise above them. Adversity comes to us as a gift and if we look within the walls of the adversity to find the "GIFT" and the learning knowledge that we are getting from the adversity, we will thank the Great Creator for placing that adversity in our path.

Thank You, Julie Kaye for marrying wisely. And Thank You, sweet Travis for loving my beautiful daughter. For taking such good care of her and helping her to rise above this world so she always remembers who she is and what special powers she has been blessed with.

The Lord has much for you two to do in this life. And I will always be happy......just to ride along

WITCH RETIREMENT

I received my first call to serve when I was 12 years old. Now I'm 60 and find that changing callings has it's ups & downs. Ups....because new blood is always refreshing & downs because you have to stop close associations with the people you have come to truly love & appreciate while serving. But this old "Levoy" night gown my mother gave me when I was a senior in high school, has served as a comfy night gown for many years, and as a witches costumn for even more years.

An ugly face is often helpful, and mine fills that bill perfectly, especially covered with green paint.

When we lived in West Valley, Catherine Eldredge asked me to come to her home during a Halloween FHE for the seniors in our Jordan Stake. That was over 25 years ago, and I have done a program for senior saints every year since. Just goes to show that people never tire of laughing and having fun. Over the years my daughters have often accompanied me to be my assistant and I never tire of that.
Monica Martins along with her family jumped into join the fun. Her fun & lively personality along with her exciting children, bring joy to these older saints. At the Seville Relief Society Enrichment isn't isolated to just women......the men come too.

The Beast & the Beauty

Even when she's Green, she's absolutely beautiful.......and the greatest part

about Julie Kaye is that her beauty reaches into every area of her personal life.

Jordan Ericksen, Monica, Andrea, & Thiago Martins (Caveman Thiago brought his bride to be)

Kris Hoffman jumped in at the last minute......she knows many of these Saints because of her call in the Humanitarian Projects. We had to laugh at this one dear sister. She had been so connected with our party that she wanted to be apart of our group picture. No one objected......we all just smiled.

Caryl Davies is the Couselor in the Relief Society Presidency that I've accounted to each month. Thanks to the internet, Caryl has been so kind and good to me over the years as our schedules have demanded our attention & disconnected time, we've totally communicated via email.

Surprisingly enough, we've only made one GOOF! Not bad for two ole geezers!

Julie Kaye has always been drawn to older men! Her Grandpa Price was her first real love.

But she remembered how much attention Ben Gould gave her Grandma Price when she lived at

the Seville. So she took this opportunity to thank him for his love.

Kris Hoffman & Andrea Martins are too beautiful for Halloween

Pumpkin Basketball, singing Halloween songs, rolling dice while trying to unwrap a Mummy surprise, and of course our favorite "Sound Story" are some of our activities.

Everyone just loves to be apart of a party!

The future Mrs. & Mr. Martins!

Twin Witches!

Monica Martins & Julie Kaye Gardner

Thank You Seville Saints for allowing me to serve you!