Another Late-Year Fortnight Gone By

Mike was out of town for the last time this semester last week, so we’re playing catch up again. We closed out November and began December with a flurry of activity. Here are some highlights.

Week ending December 3:

Mike went out to California to advise his doctoral students and visit with family. Part of his adventures included a trip to the LA Auto Show and a Sunday drive in the country. His trip included a drive up to Ojai and by Thomas Aquinas College. He was shocked to hear that the very next day the same area he had driven through had been scoured by a massive fire.

In Springville, the kids started on their advent calendars. 

Ferg has found a new favorite perch.

Landon got a new competition haircut.

And he received his new competition singlet in the mail.

Plus he was student of the week at school.

The kids missed Mike, so they added candy canes to the tree.

Here are some fun pics Mike took at the Auto Show. Alie made a great travel companion! 

And here are a few from his Ojai/Thomas Aquinas College road trip: Landscapes and a Hopper-esque vibe. 

In Utah, Hallie had her own art encounter.

A very pregnant Emily, Mike, and Laura came by for a visit to Mike's parents on Sunday afternoon. Emily brought Mike a blast from his past, a snowman area rug that’s some 40 years old!

In Primary back in Utah, the kids reenacted parts of the events leading to Jesus’ birth.

Week ending December 10:

Mike helped out as a WatchDOG at Westside, we watched the Lower Lights sing Christmas songs, and Landon had his first gymnastics tournament of the season.

Mike returned Monday from LA.  A happy reunion was had by all!

Eliza kind of broke her new glasses, and Mike got new glasses. Woo hoo!

Mike updated his assumed heraldic arms drawing on insights from people he has corresponded with online who are much more in the know.

Blazon: Azure, a chevron burst Argent between in chief three bees in fess proper and in base a beehive Or. Crest: the sun in his splendour. Slogan: "Organize Yourselves."

Later, one of these anonymous online co-enthusiasts took Mike's updated arms along with those of others in the same group to create a drawing of a period-era knight. Pretty generous of whoever it was! 

Here are a few of the others this artist has done:

On Wednesday, he volunteered as part of the WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students) program. This meant that he spent the school day helping out in classes, roaming the halls, having lunch, and playing with Landon, Eliza, and the other students. Fun day! He appreciated the work the staff and faculty at Westside do to make school a great place. He also got some shots of the kids' artwork. 

Mike and Eliza had fun earlier this month making the Kiwi gingerbread man. 

Eliza delivered her butter braids to happy families in the neighborhood.

On Thursday, we drove up to the University of Utah’s Kingsbury Hall to watch the Lower Lights Christmas concert. So much good stuff! Eliza might have been a tad young and squirmy, but getting up and moving was exactly what was in order!

We drove by old places we’d lived. The stained glass vinyl cling Mike hung in the transom of the big picture window at the McClellan St house is still there, some 12 years later.

On Friday, Hallie and Eliza went to a local craft bazaar after school while Landon practiced.

On Saturday, Landon had the Cold Turkey up at USA Gymnastics World in Bountiful. We took Israel, Landon’s teammate, up too. We made a multiple stop fun day of it. The boys did pretty well for a first tournament of the year. We look forward to continued improvement.

It was too cold in the gym for Hallie to show off her momma pride, but she wore it well!

Afterwards we went to the only McAllister’s Deli in Utah (we first discovered it in Waco, Texas, 11 years ago) for sandwiches, soup, and giant stuffed baked potatoes and then to Trader Joe’s downtown. Saturday at the only TJ’s in the area can be pretty darn crowded.

We came home and the kids played into the dark hours with the neighbors. 

On Sunday, we enjoyed family time and church. The kids got a little too wound up when Diamond and Caleb called after church, and then Hallie lost her crown at dinner. Bummer.