Manti Temple Trip for Heather & Scott's Wedding Dec. 16-17-18, 2010

Robyn and I, with Stephen Davis, took a whirlwind trip to the Manti UT Temple, to help Heather and Scott celebrate their wedding. We drove up Thursday, December 16, 2010, with Grandpa Steve and Grandma Marion, in two cars. We stayed at the Historic Manti Inn, right across the street from the Temple. We managed to dodge the bad weather, enjoyed our own temple session in Manti. We especially enjoyed seeing Jill Adams, Clark & DeeAnn Robinson, the extended Henrie clan, and many others!

Stopping briefly to pick up lunch in St George, on the way up to Manti on Thursday.

Heather and Scott arranged for a lovely wedding brunch at the Historic Manti Inn for the bride and groom' s extended family plus friends . Here, the Father of the Bride holds forth on how much he loves his daughter Heather, how great his new son-in-law-to-be Scott is, how wonderful Scott's family is, and so forth. Erin did a fantastic job arranging seating, etc.

After great talks by the wedding party, Brian honored Heather and touched the entire group by singing a song he composed for the occasion. Here Brian introduces the song, pointing out all the portraits Heather had painted on his guitar years ago.

Brian's Ballad: Drawing on his experiences with Alaskan wildlife, Brian sang of the beautiful white Alaska swans who nest and pair for life. Everyone was brushing away tears when he finished.

Heather and Scott

The Boys in Blue, taking care of Heather's nephew Andrew--just outside the Manti Temple.

Robyn and Jeff
In front of the Manti Temple, immediately after the wedding.
Warm on the inside--freezing on the outside!
It was about 15 degrees in the morning!

All in all, a wonderful trip.

Thankful Thanksgiving Weekend 2010

Thanks to Mom and Dad for the wonderful Thanksgiving Day activities at the PV Homestead.

Here are some of the fun things this weekend.

Record Setters at the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot
Austin with the new family record 21:30
(Thanks to AAR for correcting the original number I posted)
Eric Nolan with the new Family Ringer Record (20:20)
Eric was running with his "Team Princess" T-Shirt after our family doggie.

Jeff & Robyn and Family at the Turkey Trot
First Race "run" by Grandson Bennett (in the 2nd Seat of the jogger).
Second Race run by Dylan (in the driver's seat of the jogger).

Crossing the finish line at the Turkey Trot...
How many family members can you count?
(I spot 8--Scott T., Brian, Mike, Andrew, Katie, Christian, Heather, Rachel.)
Did I miss anyone?

Decorating the Christmas Tree, two days after Thanksgiving

Helping Babysit Bennett.
He went to sleep after he spit up on my shoulder! Until it was time to eat again.

Looking up funny stuff on the Internet.

Ryan visited with Dylan every chance he could.

Austin and Rachel make it look easy with Baby Bennett, borrowed for a few minutes.

Mom gets one more hug from Ryan, just before he heads back to the Y.

Choo-Choo with Dylan

Dylan took Grandpa Jeff and Grandma Robyn on a train trip.

We boarded at Irvine station, went north through Tustin. At Santa Ana Station we disembarked and waited in the beautiful station courtyard for the return train home. Round trip about 1 hour. We all loved the sights and sounds of a Saturday train ride in sunny Southern CA.

Dylan was impressed at how BIG and LOUD!!! the train is when it pulls into the station.

Dylan loved the scenery as it went by: tunnels (freeway overpasses), street crossings (ding-ding-ding!), and cars whizzing by.

Grandma and Dylan enjoying a quiet moment --on the third level of the train car.

Waiting in Santa Ana for the return ride home.

A nice hug for Grandpa Jeff.

October Birthdays Plus Bon Voyage to Mike & Erin

Jillair and Greg put on a great party tonight. We gathered at the Hemingway Hideaway to sing Happy Birthday to the October babies, then wish Mike and Erin bon voyage as they head off to KL (that's Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) for a stint at ex-pats. They leave tomorrow and will be gone for two years.

It was a great occasion for the cousins to get together, and for cousins' kids to meet and play, and for Great-Grandma Marion and Great-Grandpa Steve to meet their new great-grandkids.

Marion outdid herself with Five Cakes for the five October Babies--Andrew, Erin, Jillair and Stephen L., plus a cupcake for Bennett's first birthday cake--and he's not even a month old.
(Not shown, a SIXTH cake, which was extra and yours truly got to take home to savor this week.)

Marion and Steve holding Bennett Frasier Robinson

Grandpa Greg showing off Grandson Joseph Gordon Featherstone

Mike and Erin at the table with Stephanie and Matt
I couldn't fit everyone in, but Austin and Rachel, Christian and Katie, were also there with us.

The hallway became a play area as Andrew shared his blocks and toys with Dylan, with Grandma Jillair and Mom Katie looking on.

Even the big cousins got together-- Stephen and Nathan.

Cousins' kids meet for the first time:
Bennett, Dylan, Andrew and Joseph.

Art starts early in the finest Henrie tradition.
Dylan and Andrew are trading crayons and coloring tips.

A short video of coloring, while the grown-ups drone in the background.

Trains and Pumpkins with Dylan

On Saturday, October 09, 2010, Robyn and I took Dylan to visit the train station and the pumpkin patch.

The Amtrak to San Diego came through...big, loud and impressive...

Our train, the Metroliner to Santa Ana, was held up.... Broken... due to a faulty signal...
Even Grandma Robyn couldn't fix it. So, we'll come back another day to ride the train.
In the meantime, Robyn said...
let's go to the PUMPKIN PATCH!

Dylan picked out his very own pumpkin.

Fun and games.

Robyn took this picture of Dylan and me.

Robyn did such a good job that the single mother of the boy in the background asked Robyn to take their picture together. Robyn did so, and that boy's mom thanked her, saying that now her son will know that she was there with him when they went to the pumpkin patch.
If you want to feel a lot of positive family energy and love, go to the pumpkin patch on Saturday morning.

Pirates in arms.

Pumpkin Jeff with Dylan

Tuesday Oct. 5, 2010: Grandson Bennett Born

Baby Bennett arrived in our life, safe and sound, on the evening of October 6, 2010 thanks to Katie and Christian!

Robyn held Bennett in her arms for the first time.

Another handsome guy in the family. He's going to fit right in.

All packaged up, with his little fingers showing.

General Conference and The World's Smallest Pencil

My favorite quote from October 2010 General Conference:
We don't discover humility by thinking less OF ourselves.
We discover humility by thinking less ABOUT ourselves.
Dieter Uchtdorf (Sat. Priesthood Session) (paraphrased)

With Christian and Katie, Dylan came over to visit during Sunday General Conference. Robyn got out the box with coloring pens and pencils for him. After coloring for a few minutes, Dylan picked out this pencil and said quizzically, with concern in his 2-year voice, "Broken???" Its the smallest pencil I've ever seen: complete with eraser, wood and sharp point. (The yellow and green is the metal which connects the eraser to the shaft.)