Hyde Park Highlights

What a great family we have! I can't think of anything more delightful than the noise, mess and constant motion we experience when we have everyone here! Well, almost everyone... We were very sorry that T&T were too far away and that 2/3 of the Mannings were too sick to come for Thanksgiving. Other than that, the holiday celebration was perfectly wonderful.

Ruth and Garrett truly saved our lives - well, at least our sanity - by coming last Sunday and spending all day Monday installing our baseboards. Ruth worked her head off on Tuesday and Wednesday touching up paint, caulking every place a spider would even consider coming in, getting our mound in the front winter-ready, and every other thing she could do to help. We are very, very grateful!

Jenn and Scott pulled in Tuesday evening and also helped us get things put together on Wednesday - getting food purchased and prepared, changing the kitchen light fixture and helping me simplify and not stress about things.

Harts arrived on Wednesday and, as usual, brought the party! We are still scolding them for waiting until they were in Smithfield to eat dinner, at the exact time we were eating at our house. They brought the finishing touches for our Thanksgiving dinner, which made it extra-special.

Emma spent several days making delicious pies and came on Thursday to help put things all together.  We enjoyed visiting in the morning, playing football at the park to build up an appetite for a lovely meal in the early afternoon. It was fun to FaceTime with Joe and Thomas on Thanksgiving day and see Thomas' new hair color (hope it helps make him millions!).

The ladies bravely ventured out early on Friday morning to see what deals they could help each other find. They had great success and were glad they went. Elise went with Emma to offer support and encouragement when she had her hair cut short (which is very cute). We were overjoyed when Joe and Lori's family arrived on Friday morning.

Playing games, visiting, eating, holding Millie, shopping for Christmas books, holding Hope, watching the epoch 4th Annual  Cousins Christmas Concert, the darling Nativity program and Christmas games, watching Mr. Kruger's Christmas... I just can't choose what my favorite part of our time together was! It was all so wonderful and joyous. Too good to be true!  Dad continues making notes and putting together the thoughts generated by lively conversations with Alex and Garrett about ways to help struggling members of his stake. That was a bonus for him.

Then... everyone went home. Nilssons left Saturday morning when more of their children woke up sick. Emma, Bellistons and Harts left Saturday night. It was eerily quiet and still. Jenn and Scott left this afternoon. It was so lonesome after they took off that I went up to our church to sign up for tithing settlement and see if anyone was there that I could talk to! I visited with a few ward members, then drove around looking at building lots before finally going home to keep Chester company. I know I will eventually get used to this stage of life, but it may take me more time than most folks.

Thanks for making the effort to come and to connect with each other. There isn't much that is more important in this world than family and building those sweet relationships. Thanks for the pains you take in order for that to happen! You are the best family around and I love you all!

Special thanks to:
Emma for getting off work early to be with us!
Menfolk for visiting with Dad and giving him some great ideas to implement!
Womenfolk for helping prepare, serve and clean up meal after meal after meal after.....!
Addy for cleaning up the basement and organizing the toy closet - over and over again!
Grant for the wonderful hugs you always give me!
Joy for letting me hold you at the book store!
Hope for smiling at me whenever I talk to you!
Eliza for doing your best to not touch the babies so they wouldn't get sick!
Jack for willingly participating in whatever is planned without complaining at all!
Henry for figuring out how to open the gate by yourself!
Ian for producing the Cousins Christmas Concert and including all of the cousins!
Jake for making me laugh and always liking the food!
Millie for sleeping so well at our house!
Peter for reminding me to make second food so no one would be hungry!
Emerson for hanging in there when you felt so sick!
Grace for inviting Grandpa to speak at your baptism - he's very excited!