Snow Angels

 Friday morning at Fairbanks in Provo -we woke up to a wonderful snow falling - Dan and Lindsey left before 6 and none of us were awake!  We enjoyed shoveling and playing in the pretty white fluffy stuff.

 Three Snow Angels!  - so cute and fun.

 More Snow Angels.

 Georgia eating the snow.

 Olivia followed her.

 Cute Sadie - loved playing in the snow - although it wasn't the packing kind to make a snowman.

 Sadie grabbed my snow shovel when I went in to check on sweet Millie.

Georgia also wanted to 'help' - such darling girls.

Kate is Great!

 Monday, Jan. 11, 2016 - Kate passed her oral exam with flying colors!  We are so proud of her and are thankful for all your love and support and prayers - We took her out to lunch to celebrate!

 Aren't those happy smiles?

We went to an Italian Restaurant that we had never gone to before -us or Kate.  Lunch was good and being with Kate was better!

rest of the house

 The upstairs bathroom.

 The other half of the sewing room - this little button bear was at a thrift store in Montana when I took one of the girls I was mentoring ...she was all dirty and looked like she wanted me to take her home and clean her up  - so I did!  Now she watches over my sewing.

 The guest room - just waiting for guests!!  The beautiful flannel quilt Emily Laurel made - was too hot for Dad!  So now it resides in the guest room - come visit everyone!

 Our orchid found  a good place at the new house - still blooming after almost two years.

 The basement storage room - right hand side - why do we have so much 'stuff'?

 Left hand side of the storage room - all the boxes I had stored in the stair well of the other house!

 Laundry room - so nice to have full sized washer and dryer - not the small stack ones - that we were grateful for - beats going to the laundromat!

 Downstairs bathroom - kind of Dad's and the up stairs kind of Mom's - but can be used by all.

 This is our bedroom - the south side of the big downstairs family room.

North side with our dressers, book shelves and the clothes racks that Sam put together for us.  We are very comfortable here - except for feeling that we are living in the Mortensen's house!!

Tour of House on Jane Street

 Now that we have most of the boxes unpacked I wanted to give you a tour of our house.  This is the front window facing west - the plants like it!

 This is the other half of the front room - Dad working at his computer - Granny's old table and chairs that the Fairbanks used and then gave us.

 The entrance hall way - do you think we have enough books?  Dad does, I don't!

 One view of the kitchen - flowers ready to be taken to Church on Sunday - we have two chapels in our Stake Building - we leave the flowers and four wards enjoy them.

 Joel's old bedroom is now our pantry and storage room.This is the left side.

 This is the right side - including our small chest freezer - it is convenient right across the hall from the kitchen. All the boxes have my scrapebook and family history materials that I will get working on someday - can't die before I get it done!

 Another view of the kitchen.

This is Kate and Ben's old room - now my sewing room and craft room - view toward the south.

Institute Dinner

 On Friday, Jan. 8th we were invited to the Institute Kickoff dinner.  All the Ward reps and Institute council were there and we had good meetings to get organized for the new term - starts tomorrow Jan. 11th.  Here Brother Bob Stokes is telling us what happens next.

This is one of our Institute teachers - Bro. Eric Bacon.  He worked in the Anchorage Institute for 7 years and knows and loves Derrell!!  I told him I loved him first!  He was so happy to connect and told us to tell Derrell and LaNore hello from his family.  Granny Grams admonition to always be your best - you never know who you will be neighbors to - coming true again!  I am so happy that ALL of my relatives I can be proud of when others say they know them!!

Beautiful Fromm Girls

 On Tuesday, Jan. 5th we drove to Rexburg to take Sydney's car back to her - after a temple session we took these beautiful Fromm girls out to lunch - Chinese - good food, better company!

Sydney was hours away from heading to Provo to spend the night at Lindsey and Dan's then on to Las Vegas and her Student Teaching Adventure - love those pretty smiles - love those girls!!

New Quilt and letter's from Annabelle

Annabelle sent us letters - we love them and her!  I'm so glad I rank right up there with glitter for her - sweet girl!  I actually gave her the glitter pens for her birthday in November - thanks so much Annabelle!

Here is Grandpa's loving green heart!

 Dad gets cold in the middle of the night - so he has been putting this old green fleece blanket on his side of the bed to keep him warmer.

Emily made us this wonderful flannel quilt for Christmas - and brought it to the airport in Denver when she saw the Pike Family - when we opened it Dad said:  Now I have have a beautiful quilt to keep me warm!  Thanks so much Emily and family - we know how much time and effort it takes to make these - and we love it!  and all of you.

Joel's Ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood

 We drove a U-Haul Van to Hyrum with the rest of the Mortensen's belongings on Sunday, Dec. 27th - and Dad was able to ordain Joel to the Aaronic Priesthood...very special event.  It made me laugh at this decal on the dashboard of the truck - remember the little boy holding a big box labeled "Sammy's Stuff" - funny.

 Two handsome men - okay , one High Priest and one Deacon!!  I was sitting by Joel in Sacrament meeting and told him I wished I could come back next Sunday and watch him pass the Sacrament for the first time.  Then at Sacrament he passed it to me and I said -yes!  Joel passed me the Sacrament!!

 Three handsome men!!  The whole Deacon's Quorum was reorganized - with four of Joel's best friends and neighbor's at the Pres. 1st and 2nd Counselors and Secretary - all their father's and mother's were in the Bishop's Office with us - very special event.

 Here's the family group - everyone in their ward is very happy they are back - so nice to have the love and support of friends.

Here is the cover of the program on that Sunday morning - Anna pointed out to me that Harold B. Lee's name was the same as Grandpa's - Harold.

New house - Mortensen's old one! Julie visits

 We are getting settled in the Mortensen's old house - our new one!  It is nice to have two levels and lots of places to put things.  Nice welcoming snow storm also!

 More of the pretty snow - Sydney's car in the driveway and our truck in front.

 The new front porch - kind of crowded with both flower pots - last house had a big front porch! I put up the wreath while Sam and Dad were still unloading the rental U-Haul truck - I asked them if they liked it and they hadn't noticed it!  Too busy working I guess.  Our only Christmas decorations - since it was Dec. 23rd!

 Close up of the snow on the plastic flowers - pretty!

Pretty Julie stopped on her way to her Dad's in Utah ... glad she has a big, heavy, safe car to drive!