2014 Early New Year's Eve Party--Comet style.

We joined with some neighborhood friends and put on a Early New Year's Party for Jena's Special Olympics team "The Comets".  We enjoy this team and their families.  They are just good friends for Jena and the coaches and parents are awesome to be around.  This is our second year.  We played games and then danced the night away.  It was one fun party.

Kaitlyn and Jena

Craig and Jessica, two other team members

Our theme was "Moustaches"
Everyone could make their own or use some of
our store-made ones. 

The Comets know how to party and dance!

More posing at the photo wall

And of course, food!

 

Notice the large balloons hanging in the picture with the food.  Gary "inherited" them from the bowling alley.  They were part of the Christmas decorations there and they were changing them out for their New Year Eve decorations.  At the end of the party we counted down from 10 and Gary cut the string and dropped 12 of them to the ground.  For a few minutes they ran around like crazy bouncing and throwing the balls around.  It was lots of fun and no one got hurt (a win-win). 

Happy New Year Eve--just a few days early from us and the cute Comets.

Thanks to Sparrows, Pessettos, Miggins, Woodrows (for the lights--they missed the party for a wedding back east.), and a variety of dancing teenagers for your help!!!

More snow cave pictures

Ben took this picture of Jena inside the snow cave

some warmer weather "30 degrees" and down went the ice cave.

Fun while it lasted.

Christmas came ....it really did...

We had the snow for a couple of weeks and cold weather so we definitely had a white Christmas in Utah.  It was a good start to SEE "White Christmas" at Centerpoint Theatre on the Saturday before Christmas and then Jena and I went with her friend, Kaitlyn and her mom, Debbie on the Monday.  It is a sweet story about friendship and loyalty and the magic of Christmas.  It makes you love snow on Christmas just a bit more (even if you don't like snow much.)

We were fairly ready for Christmas so enjoyed the last few days before the big day.  Of course, I was mailing our Christmas cards on Christmas eve but that was before Christmas and my goal for this year (except for about 20 which got mailed after Christmas because I didn't quite finish on Christmas eve.

We had Christmas Eve at Mom Hall's house with much of our extended family.  I think there were 9 of the great grandchildren there this time which added a bit to the noise level (Not you--Wyatt! I didn't see you running around in new pajamas.)

Before everyone arrived

A picture of Jena not looking at me and
Mom Hall with her new Christmas apron
that Jena made at school with her aide, Julie.

Allan was able to join us and here
he is with his little grandson, Dallin.
Sporting his new 49ers hat from Charon and Mike

Christmas Day 2013---without Scott/Chantel (Florida), Tosha and Austen (Oklahoma City), and Elessia at work.

The line-up from youngest to oldest
Jessica came and joined us for Christmas morning
and it was great to have her.

Digging in her stocking

Gary's first "Grandfather" gift
A newborn shirt and pants outfit
which says I love my grandpa...
for the first granddaughter!
No we don't know yet!

Jessica passed out the gifts under the tree

Yes, Ralphie, Jena got a guitar!

Jena really likes guitar music.  When she was a preschooler, she would say "guitar" if she heard guitar music on a CD.  At four, she asked for a guitar.  She was so little then that I decided to get her a ukulele instead, thinking it would satisfy her desire for a guitar.  That Christmas night, she asked Gary, "Will get a guitar next time?".  Busted!!  This past summer we decided that we would get her a guitar for Christmas this year.  From the minute she saw the wrapped gift by the Christmas tree she had a big smile on her face.  She loves it.  Every day I hear her strumming on it.  I don't think we will try lessons until she is out of high school...too much else on her and our plates at the moment...but I love watching her enjoy it (and I hear that Tosha is learning to play in Oklahoma City with Austen as her teacher.)

We went and saw Allan for a short visit.  Then that afternoon we went up to Nordic Valley and played games with Vonette, Gary, and family.  I don't know if we have gone there enough to make it a tradition but we enjoy spending Christmas Day with them up in the beautiful mountains.

Busy few days and Jena and I enjoyed sleeping in the next few days.  I think even Gary slept passed 8:00 on Thursday and Friday.  He has been a busy guy for several months now.

We thought about all of our family and friends and hoped you all had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year.  I have lived enough life to know that we can expect some highlights and some challenges in 2014.  Regardless life is a great adventure and the source of hope and peace is and will always be the One whose birth we celebrate at this time of the year.  We celebrate his birth because of His Life, His death, and most of all His atoning sacrifice in our behalf.

Wintertime

I didn't grow up with much snow and despite my years at BYU and then married and living in Utah, I am still not a huge fan.  However, it is beautiful...........

800 West heading south

our street

our house

And snow can be fun for kids (even if your "kid" is 25!)

We got home yesterday to find this awesome
snow cave which Ben had spent a day building.
Noticed our "frozen" rain chain on the right.

This is Ben inside of it today.

This is one of my best Christmas gifts--I love the smile on that boy's face.
He reported he was having fun.  This is huge for him and I count it as a
great blessing.

Christmas Table

As I mentioned I don't normally volunteer for table decorations as I am not great at that time of thing.  So this might be the first and last time I do one that I am proud enough to display in my blog.  For Tosha's wedding she did a vintage collection of books, flowers, and other random stuff.  It turned out so darling.  I decided to do the same thing for my table but I added a game by placing 13 Christmas-related items around the table.

I set it up at home first:

Different views of the centerpiece
Can you see the items and know what
Christmas movie, carol, or event
it matches wit?
(pencils, flowers, books and candy didn't count)

The complete table at the ward party

We gave away two of the four flowers to the winner of the game and a new couple who sat with us and helped us clean up.  I decided that I could do a smaller version on our kitchen table, so here it is again.

a small nativity Jessica gave me a number
of year ago.

Christmas items: crown, red little bulb, nativity, snowflake, angel, yellow taxi cab, Santa Claus, Christmas tree, baby Jesus in a manger, bell, melting snowman, pocket watch, lantern  (We gave extra points for thinking of more than one movie, etc., to match the item.)

Christmas Fun

This is my brother-in-law, Allan, standing by his Christmas countdown calendar in his room at Chancellor Gardens.  He is settling in okay although of course he misses his wife and everything that has changed since he death.  He loves going places with us.  This day we were heading to lunch with some of the other Halls.  I think bowling with Gary is still the highlight of his life.

Now to be out shopping when you have learned that you will be grandmother next year is a very big temptation.  There are so many cute clothes, toys and books to buy for grandchildren.  I did hold back-- only buying a couple of these bibs (I am planning on other grandchildren).  Chantel is getting one for Christmas. 

Gary has been busy with five different bowling leagues--bowling on two and doing all of the paperwork for the others.  Jena is still bowling on Saturdays and working on Mondays.

I went to "Forgotten Carols" with three of my friends on December 12.  It was so fun that we decided that we were going to pick a concert each Christmas and get a group of women to go, especially those who have husbands who don't enjoy things like that.)  I had wanted to go for a number of years but never could work it out, so I just bought the tickets on an impulse and then found people to go.

We had a Adult Ward party (combination with the Relief Society party) that was very sweet.  Great food which was catered and a nice program.  I signed up to decorate a table on the event.  I usually avoid that type of stuff since I am not great at that type of thing.  However I decided to copy Tosha's centerpiece idea with our strength--games (I posted about it on the next post.).  I was happy with it and our table had no trouble talking with each other as we were focused on the game.

We gathered on Dec. 16th to attend a Voice Male concert in Salt Lake.  We had invited David and Dawn Dodson (David is Karla's son) and their three daughters in addition to Grandpa Giberson, Karla, Scott and Chantel, Grandma Hall, Jena, Gary and I.  Jessica and Elessia missed dinner but join us at the concert.  We started with dinner at the Olive Garden and that is when Scott and Chantel surprised all of us with an ultrasound of the newest little Hall.    They had originally scheduled their appointment on the 18th but they had had to change it and we didn't know.  It was very fun to be surprised again by this grandchild....who is now officially a "peanut".  Due date is officially July 24th.  And the concert was fun, as usual. 

Yesterday, we went with Gary's mom and his sisters and their husbands and went and saw "White Christmas" at the Centerpoint Theatre.  This was the first time we have been to a show there and it was great.  This is where Jena is taking her theatre class.  They will be performing on this stage next month in "Rouge of the Railway".  It has a sweet message for Christmastime and since it has been snowing for the past three days it was perfect.

Today (Sunday) I should be doing my Christmas letters but wanted to try to catch up on this blog.  After all, I want you to get a chance to hear about our grandchild without reading about it first in our Christmas letter.

Tomorrow Jena and I will be going to see "White Christmas" with her friend and her mom. Then we will be caroling in the evening.  Then it is Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  It will be quiet for us with Scott and Chantel are going to Florida with her family; Jessica and Elessia have to work on Christmas Day and Tosha and Austen will be in Oklahoma City.  But we have fun things planned and we will talk to everyone at some point during the day.

We hope this week is great for you and your family as well.

The famous White Elephant "Lizard"

I wrote about this Lizard last year so if you can't remember what a flatten lizard with a red bow around his neck looks like check back in December 2012 blog posts.  Any way, this lizard has traveled from house to house since it first arrived as a white elephant gift in Hong Kong over 20 years ago.  The tradition is if you get the lizard you get a certain invitation to the next year's party.  It works great IF we remember WHO has the lizard.  Since living in Syracuse for so long it is a little hard to remember exactly who has it.  So last year, I took a picture of who took it home to serve as a reminder to us.  That was to avoid the embarrassment we had to deal with last year calling people to find it!

Good plan....... (you know what could happen with plans, right?)

In September sometime, we ran into some good friends who live in another ward but often come to our Christmas parties over the years.  They reminded us that they had the lizard and they were looking forward to coming to the party that year.  I was surprised as I had thought another couple had it, but they were so confident that I just assumed they had it.

A few months later, we saw him again and he talked again about the lizard.  They were in the process of moving out to his childhood home he said but they definitely would be at the party with the lizard despite the move.  We were fine with that and again didn't worry about it.

We set the party for the first Saturday of  the month and were busy with planning,  We couldn't get them a physical invitation due to their move, but sent them an email and hoped they would be there.  The day of the party Gary heard from them.  They were coming to the party BUT they couldn't find the famous LIZARD.  She was sure that she had packed it carefully when she packed up their master bedroom.  They had spent Friday evening checking all of the boxes with no luck.  They would keep looking but they wanted to know what they should do.  Gary laughed and then said that he was sure they would find it, but a picture would be fine as a replacement for the night.  We got a laugh about that....that would be a fun story to add to the history of the lizard.

Four hours later, I got a call from the wife (I am leaving the names off so they won't be tormented by the neighborhood :)  ).  She asked me if I had a picture of the lizard.  She said that she had spent time online trying to google any descriptors she could think of and although she had seen a lot of "yucky" stuff, nothing that looked like our lizard.  I could only imagine what  "Chinese flatten lizards" and different similar words would bring up in online searching---I have lived in Hong Kong and been to China!

Anyway, I remembered that I had posted a picture on the blog one Christmas so I search for it (found it in 2012) and then went to my photo files to find it.  The plan was for me to email it to her so that she could print it and wrap it for the party.  As I looked through my folder, I found the lizard and right next to it a picture of the couple who had taken it home last year.....and it wasn't this couple.  They had thought they were the ones but they weren't.  I was laughing so hard I could barely tell Gary.  We called the other couple and sure enough they had it (luckily we had invited them this year since we didn't actually remember that they had it.).  We debated for a minute whether we would call the other couple and let them off the hook but decided we would.  We didn't want them to waste time looking for it.  All four of us had a great laugh about the whole situation.

Sidenote:  We didn't mention it to the party at large and our friends said they spent all the party wondering when we were going to share their silly story.  They ended up sharing it themselves with some of the people at the end of the night.  They said it is their new strategy to be invited each year---just make the Halls THINK you have the lizard.

The party was fun as usual.  We played "Reverse Charades (Christmas phrases, songs, and movies)", 'Getting to Know you " game, and the clapping game where each person is a different "action" representing something related to Christmas, in addition to the white elephant game.

Landi's wedding

The day after Thanksgiving, Jena and I headed off by plane to Arizona to spend the weekend with my sister, Valerie, for the wedding of my niece, Landi.  We are so excited to add Lance Johnson to our family (a new cousin is how Jena counts it.).

Selvie as we are waiting for our plane

Both Landi and Lance had been married before and of course the hard times they both have had in the past makes this even more sweeter for each of them and for us.  Lance is actually also the name of Landi's dad. When they first started dating, Landi told Lance it was too odd to date someone with the same name as your dad so she was going to call  him "LJ".  Most of the Ipsons call him LJ even now although I think Landi and Lance sounds perfect together.

Landi and Lance dealing with their questions
at the "Newly Wed" game.  Kristen and Megan
are acting as the moderators.

Their wedding was very nice and the reception was fun.  Again I didn't spent any time taking pictures while in AZ except for a few at the wedding breakfast prior to the wedding and reception.  It was fun to get to know Lance's family.

Lance is the 7th boy of the family
with one younger sister.
Here Landi is lining up with the
sister and sister-in-laws for a picture.
I loved watching them all interact with each other.
I loved the laughing!

Evanie Ipson
Jarom and Starla's daughter
Valerie's second grandchild
Sitting with Kylie

During the setting up time, I found Morgan
sitting under a table hiding!

Valerie's oldest granddaughter, Morgan May Willford
sitting on her dad's (Tommy) shoulders 

Jena and I enjoyed the wedding and then a quiet few days just hanging out with family members.  It was a great change after three (or was it four?) crazy months.  We got home on December 2nd and of course had to "hit the run running" as it was time for CHRISTMAS!

Thanksgiving 2014

Somewhere between the wedding and Thanksgiving, I did decorate for Thanksgiving.

Using the wedding flowers and a jar Tosha
made for her reception

The dining room table with my "cornucopia", family picture, and
 the picture we received from our neighbors after Valerie's (Gary's sister) death

There was so much to be grateful for this year despite some of the very hard things as well.  Even in the middle of the hard stuff, there were so many blessings and little tender mercies which surrounded us.  I heard a great talk once by our Stake President, Pres. White.  Sharing pieces of his journal he talked about that even during terrible times our Heavenly Father provided compensatory blessings to strengthen us.  The trick is to stop and look around and see those blessings.

2013 will go in the record books as one of the best of times and the worse of times.....although each year probably is the same.  2014 will be amazing but I am sure there will be hard times, too much busyness, and grief, too.  We can do it, all of us, until "our work is done here on the earth!"

Happy Thanksgiving!  I love this sweet time to be grateful and to count my blessings privately.  I hope you did the same.

Thanksgiving morning Gift

We don't think of Thanksgiving as a time of getting gifts but we got an amazing one this Thanksgiving.  Dinner was scheduled at Grandma Hall's for 2:00.  However around 11ish in the morning I got a call from Scott saying that they wanted to stop by since "they were just driving nearby and wanted to stop in."  Of course, they are welcome anytime, although Gary and Jena were gone somewhere when they first arrived.  They just talked for awhile until Gary and Jena got home. 

Then Chantel went and got something for us.  She started by saying that she had been working on some crafts and she made us something:

And she handed me the "cupcake"  (that is what I called it although Chantel and Scott had not seen that until I called it that.)

After we admired it for a bit, they encouraged us to open it up.  Then I knew even before I opened it up and now all of you will know as you read it. 

Our own little egg to represent our first little grandchild! 

 

 

 YES---WE ARE GOING TO BE GRANDPARENTS! and we are excited about it.  (although I have to admit I have also been worried about things--how Chantel will feel, what about miscarriages, what about ....what about...etc.  More than I was when I was pregnant with Jessica.  I think it is because I am older and have seen more.  Also it is overwhelming to know how much I am going to love this little one.  As a mom and now as an expectant grandma, I have had that experience with my five children and now with our in-laws.  Love comes so strongly for your family members as they come into the family.  All of that will be multiplied by this and additional grandchildren who will then bring in new in-laws and then great-grandchildren.  And it continues and grows forever.

Aren't we so lucky that our Heavenly Father allows us these grand adventures!)

 

And for the record, Jena is going to be an aunt!!!

Thanksgiving at Grandma Hall's

It was a fun Thanksgiving to share with the extended Hall family where Grandma Hall got to "reopen" the egg and share the news with the Halls who were there. 

After eating dinner at Chantel's grandmother's, they spent some time
with us at Grandma Hall's when they shared their news.
Then they cuddled up on a chair and fell asleep.
Not the best picture, but it was just a sweet moment to gaze at them
and think of the big change in their lives that is happening.
 

I also got permission to share the news with my sister Valerie when we went to AZ the next day.  However Grandpa Giberson and the rest of the Gibersons are getting the news later on.  Chantel and Scott are sharing the news with her family with their own little "egg" on Christmas Eve when they all gather together with her grandparents in Florida.  Two more days for them! Then there will be an official Facebook announcements to the world.  Exciting times for all of us.

Ben

It is not often that I get a picture of Ben, especially with a smile, but here is one during the latter weeks in November.

After living in apartments for the past 16 months with varying levels of success, it was decided by Ben and the entire treatment team that it was a good time for Ben to move back home.  Hopefully by easing off some of his anxiety he will be able to build some more skills for the next time he is ready to move out on his own.  He is doing better at home even though transportation is more difficult.  The bus is about 1 mile away and only comes once an hour or so.  It doesn't often work out very convenient for him but he is managing it fairly well.  We give him rides when possible, but we have other commitments as well.

He is on a fairly low dose of medication as we are trying to not have major impacts by side effects.  This creates a situation where he must tolerate certain symptoms and still managing his life.  So far it is okay but he is in a very low stress situation.  He is working about 10 hours a week at DEO doing janitor work at night at the CRU.  We are all looking forward to him trying some additional tasks like school or more hours at work.  We will see what life brings for him.

Jena is thrilled.  She was not happy to see Tosha gone and to be the only Hall at home.  She likes her siblings around as much as possible.  I don't think anything makes her happier than that.

Traveling to Oklahoma City

Austen and Tosha sent this picture with a text.  They spent their first night in the Denver area at his Aunt Stephanie's house.  She took this picture for them at dawn as they prepared to head out.

Later I asked Austen if he learned a lot of random things about Tosha during their trip.  He said not really...."they sang almost the entire way".  I loved it.  For Gary and I, talking was perfect; for the two of them, singing was right.  I am so glad that Tosha fell in love with someone who is very musical as well.  Watch out world, their kids will be amazing (or they might love football--you really never know about kids.  :)    ).

Tosha's Moving Day

After spending some time with Tosha and Austen, Tuesday came way to fast.  A small moving van pulled up Monday night and then it began to feel real.  They were really going to pack up and move to Oklahoma.

Back story:  During the past few months people would often say things like "How can you let him take her to Oklahoma City?"  A weird question for me.  After all, we have lived much of our lives in different places from our families and I have never lived closer than 8 hours from my mom.  Why would you tell your child they "couldn't" move?

And actually, Gary and I packed up the day after we were married in Provo and started our drive on much of the same roads Tosha and Austen were traveling to move to Springfield, Missouri, where we lived the first 9 months of our married lives.

Despite all of that preparation and intellectual understanding, it was very tender to actually live through it as the mom.  Tuesday morning Tosha told me not to cry and then later told me I could cry.  I assured her I would not cry..."until after she left."  For her, I was very happy and excited.  She had married a sweet guy who is crazy about her and they were going to have a chance to build their family like we did with only each other to rely on.  Plus I knew the road trip would be amazing!! Gary and I learned so much about each other during those three days of driving cross-country and I knew they would to.

They got everything loaded about 11 (except for one large box of stuff I found later and some wedding gifts which arrived after they left).  I was so glad when Gary invited to feed them lunch before they headed up to Mountain Green to get a few more things packed from his dad's house.

Austen and Tosha
all smiles during lunch
Their adventure was really beginning now!

Scott came over as well to visit with us and say good bye to them.  They were hoping to be able to come home for a week at Christmas time but that has been changed.  Now we are hoping to see them in May.  Austen's brother gets home from his mission and his sister graduates from high school then.

After a long lunch, they headed on their way and we headed home.  I took these two pictures. 

I do miss her but I love sharing her life through phone calls and cute pictures with texts.  We are hoping to do FaceTime with them on Christmas if we can get it worked out on Jena's IPad. 

I don't know about the future but I feel very peaceful about this movement in Tosha's life.  I know that God's timing is perfect and He moved Tosha so that she was open and ready to meet Austen and I think Austen was prepared as well through some hard times.  They know to treasure each other and both have a firm belief in the importance of marriage and families.