Earlier in the month we enjoyed traveling to Cathlamet and Centralia, WA, and to Astoria, OR, to visit our assigned service missionaries there. A special treat was visiting Meredith’s family in Graham for the weekend to hear her cute children perform in their Primary Program. We loved having the Doutre's come over on Saturday so we could be with them, too. We also cheered on grandson Asher in his playoff soccer game in west Beaverton.
One of the highlights of Thanksgiving week was going to the Portland Temple with our teenage grandchildren to participate in baptisms. Our two priest-age grandsons, Addison and Preston (Seth), did all the baptizing. They also baptized each other. It was Preston’s (Seth) first time to baptize and it was Evelyn (Meredith) and Asher’s (Seth) first time being in the temple. Tiffany’s mother, Janice Gee, rented Camp Currie, close to their home in Camas, WA, to celebrate Addison’s 18th birthday. It was great fun being with Tiffany’s family that evening with smores over an outdoor fire, dancing, shooting range, and playing games.
Emily & Bronson finished remodeling their master bedroom just in time for Thanksgiving (check out their amazing work on Instagram). They participated in a 5K race with Elise in a stroller on a snowy Thanksgiving morning, and hosted the missionaries later that day. As Primary pianist she participated in the Primary Program.
Crismon Jr. & Danielle were brave to take on hosting Thanksgiving dinner in their Manhattan apartment for some friends. A month ago the natural gas line to their apartment building was turned off due to a leakage, which meant they couldn't use their oven or stove. That didn’t slow them down, however. Crismon carted a turkey, sweet potato casserole, and a pie in a wagon down the street to a ward member's apartment and baked the goods in their oven while they were out-of-town. While Crismon tended to the oven, Danielle prepared a delicious meal on a two-burner portable hot plate. Pretty impressive as Danielle is in her last month of pregnancy. After that long day she announced, “I think we’ll order out for Christmas.”
Meredith & Bryan Williams celebrated Ivan’s 4th birthday on November 3rd. We enjoyed visiting the weekend of the grandchildren’s Primary program. They then ended the month with a whole week of hanging out with family in Vancouver for Thanksgiving!
Vivi and family - Daisy enjoys playing 7th-grade volleyball, and even likes going to 6 am morning practices. Clark is working really hard in school. He is taking a Baking and Dessert class and learning a lot of good kitchen skills. One of his assignments was to make a dessert at home by himself. He made cookies and they were a big hit with the family. Kaeley is loving 4th grade and going to school with her cousins, Isaac and Paxton Vance. Aunt Ondalynn was even her substitute teacher for two days. Vivi is enjoying her classes in her online masters program near to finishing her first term.
Alice-Anne & Gary Johns family visited for Thanksgiving; 9 of our 18 grandchildren got in a hike on a fairly clear day (that small bump in the background is Mount Hood)
