So Long Sweet Summer

 We had a little photo shoot and got some cute shots of some cute folks.

 Just because we got all of the Howard grandkids in one shot doesn't mean that we got all of them looking half decent.

 We went to the Weber State alumni  game which was extra special  this year because Damien Lillard was there.  The whole place was giddy as soon as he stepped onto the floor.  He is a good sport because even now that he is a big shot playing for the Blazers he still makes time to return to
O-Town.  He hasn't forgotten that Weber is a place he loves.

 We had a great time except Rosy had a phobia of Waldo the Wildcat.  She was afraid that he was going to come and get her.  She told me that she still loves the Oregon Duck but she thinks that Waldo has scary eyes.
She is wrong.  He is adorable.

Ike and Gray had a good time chillin' together.  These two cousins are going to be good buddies.

And that concludes our epic Utah trip 2015.   Rest in  Peace Summer.  You were the bomb!

Ladies Lunch

The Ladies Lunch took place at  the Greenery at Rainbow Gardens.  It was the perfect afternoon.

We had one last hurrah before we left town.  We went to Fat Cats and had way more fun than I thought we would.

The girls won a ton of tickets playing Deal or No Deal and then Jill went ahead and won the jackpot on that spinney game.  In the end they had more tickets than they could use.  Their little hands were so full of prizes that they could hardly walk out of there.

They also played a game with one of those little grabbers and they all won candy.  Daisy got something that totally blew my mind.  It was an individually wrapped Jelly Belly.  You heard me correctly, a single jelly bean.   Who ever heard of anything more ridiculous?  I really want to give them out for Halloween.

Best Picture Ever!

We topped it off with the grand finale at El Nuevo Amanecer and ate to our heart's content.  It was pretty perfect.

And if the girls hadn't already had the morning of their lives we finished it off with movie night and a cousin slumber party.

It was kind of a last minute plan, helped along by a crazy neighbor lady that stole all the guys for a marathon moving experience that Brandon will probably not want to remember.

Tomatoes

It has been a lot of years since I was around for the tomato harvest and the salsa making.   My parents have it down to an art and they each have their specific jobs.  They were nice enough to let me join in although I actually think I slowed them down if anything.

We did giant batches of green beans, salsa,  and tomatoes.   Even though canning heats the house up and is exhausting it is one of my favorite things to do.   It is probably just because I love  hanging out with my mom.

Brandon kept the girls busy by letting them use the tea set that he made with his grandma.  At first I thought that it was just too precious for them to use and then I realized that it was really just too precious for them not to use.

Little Isaac Grant

 Ike had his blessing day.  He was as sweet as could be.  We did it during the Snow Canyon Sacrament Meeting so that our families could be there.

He wore the little outfit that his dad wore all those years ago when he was blessed.  Kathy had saved

it and I thought he looked pretty handsome myself.

He was named after two pretty special guys.  

My grandpa, Grant is super friendly.  I remember one time when I was in high school he came over when I had a bunch of my buddies over.   He sat right down in the middle of the party and charmed everyone.  Some of my friends still ask about him.  He is a tough old guy and at   90 is still as sharp can be.

The name Isaac really represents my mom and her family who are all Isaacsons, but "Ike" specifically comes from Grandpa.

He was a soft-spoken and kind hearted man that worked hard all his life and would always go out of his way to help someone in need.  He always had a sense of mischief and every time we saw him  he had a new trick or game to stump us with.   I don't think he ever had a second of boredom in his whole life because any free moment was spent in exploring nature or learning something new.

I hope that our little Ike will be a little bit like both of them.

The  blessing was lovely.  He was blessed that he would have a special Christlike love for other people and that he would have the desire to serve others.

After the meeting was over  the party began.  We had a great time barbecuing at Mike and Kathy's and it was fun to have everyone hanging out together.
Brandon and I are so lucky to have two great families that support us and support each other.

Bonus Picture:  I have a premonition that although this is the first time this candy is mentioned that it won't  be the last.