Callie's Eleventh Birthday Party - Friday November 1, 2019
Color Me Mine - Provo Utah
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| Clockwise: Callie, Allie, Lily, Logan, Raylie and Ellie. Logan is the only without a E sound at the end! |
Mallerie had her birthday at Color me Mine in Park City when she turned twelve, Ava had her eleventh birthday party at Color Me Mine in Provo when she turned 11 and now it was little Callie's turn. It makes coming up with the guest list easy because only so many people can fit in the van. It was very important that we left room for my party assistant, Ava.
I did a tea party theme and the spread was delightful enough that the host wanted in on it: a fruit tart, lemon ricotta scones, pesto cheese sandwiches, mini hotdogs and piƱa colada shots;)
Our host had the party room set up so cute and she even gave us a tour of the kiln.
That sucker gets up to a couple thousand degrees. Matt came over from Provo Beach Resort for the tour. He had Graham and Tyson over there - they were having a good time.
Ceramics before being fired:
After being fired and glazed:
Can't you just tell from the pics that it was such a delightfully sweet little party?
Preference - Saturday November 2, 2019
The very next night, Ava hosted a waffle bar for eight couples before Preference. While they were off somewhere taking pictures, Callie and I set up. The roles were reversed as she became my party assistant.
For the day date the girls took the boys to a chocolate making factory. Guess what? Ava's date doesn't like chocolate! More for us!
Ava found her cute dress online. She's a doll. I recently got to know Josh's mom from working in the temple. She's a doll too.
As soon as the guests started arriving, I left to Walmart with Callie. I told Ava to make sure she snapped some pics.
Callie was happy to help herself to leftover waffles when we got home.
Her actual birthday was the next day. Callie helped make her own cake.
She also picked out her birthday dress.
Sunday - November 3, 2019
Can you try and guess who the hooded figur is? Yes, I meant to type figur.
As I pulled into the driveway after church, I realized I had a flat tire. Since Matt wasn't home, Grayson offered to help! He only needed a little bit of assistance and it was a good learning experience for both of us. I am sure Matt was glad that it was all taken care of when he got home.
Papa Murphy's pizza made for an easy dinner. Thanks again Gray!
This dense strawberries and cream cake is to die for (it has fresh strawberries in the frosting!)
The boys pitched in and got her a gift bag from Bath and Body works. Grayson loved the peppermint spray so much that he came out wearing it the next day...and the day after that...and the day after that...
Can never go wrong with the heel pop:)
It made it very jolly to have Grandma and Grandpa join us for the birthday dinner.
Oh, how we love our little cherry on top.
The day ended with watching Toys Story 4 downstairs cozy as a family.
Eleven, what a sweet age.
Callie had her annual physical, which included blood work this time. I told her it was optional but she wanted to do it! She seemed to be getting along just fine till afterwards when the nurse asked how she was feeling. I saw all color drain from Callie's face, "I feel hot and dizzy." She laid down with a cloth on her forehead for a while. I got her some breakfast in the hospital cafeteria to try and perk her up.
Grayson really is indeed becoming a mature guy. He said he wanted a new suit. Being so close to Christmas, I didn't think November was a good time for this! However, he wanted it right away and said he'd even pay for it. Suit shopping feels foreign to me so Matt took him to the mall one Saturday. Grayson bought a new suit and shirt, which Matt said added up! The alterations wouldn't be done till the next week and he was very anxious to have it. I picked it up after my Temple shift one day and felt the need to tell the employee that my son had paid for it all by himself with his Papa Murphy's money.
Look how sharp?! Thanks Papa's!
When Katrina saw these photos she said, "Grayson looks so old! He's a good looking kid."
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| November 12, 2019 |
He wore his new suit to the temple the following week. I volunteered for a Saturday shift and kept checking in the baptistry because I wanted us to have lunch together. However, the wait was so long that after a couple of hours the guys had to get going if they were going to make it to the BYU game. They changed and ran down to the stadium, just making kick-off. We met at Granny Woolf's afterwards and got to see the Shafers! Eliza has worked her heart out over there and it looks great outside and in.
We did the cutest thing for my mom's birthday. I told each of the kids to draw a portion of her. I was only going to get out the black crayons but figured I'd let them fish around. Surprisingly, none of them chose black! We stuck some clip-on earrings in the ears and mailed it off.
I hope it made her smile as much as it made us smile.
Thanksgiving 2019!
How fun it is to fiddle with table settings! I ended up with six layers at each place: an appetizer plate, a dessert plate, a napkin, a dinner plate, a charger and a place mat.
Pies! Pies! Pies! Apple, pecan, pumpkin, chocolate silk and pecan bars. Oh my!
The flow of the dining room works much better now that the buffet is in front of the window and the accent table is out.
I spent all day Saturday, November 23rd in the kitchen and loved every minute of it. On Sunday Grandpa Mike and Grandma Donna were the guests of honor. We asked Grandma if she wanted us to dish up for her. "Nope! I want to look at everything."
Best. Meal. Of. The. Year.
Every now and then between bites Grandpa would say, "I like coming here."
Mallerie was celebrating Thanksgiving in Hawaii that very day and we kept swapping dinner pictures. I thought she would enjoy this one of the brothers.
She wrote back, "Who's taking the picture?"
"Dad."
We feasted on delicious leftovers for the next three days.
Jackson Hole!
Matt and I had a dreamy get-a-way that began Wednesday,
November 27th thru the 30th.
Dreamy.
We took a road trip up through Wyoming. We stopped for gas in Cokeville and then looked up where the Elementary is. I took a picture for the kids since that is where Cokeville Miracle was filmed.
Jackson Hole is not terribly far, in fact it is just as far away as St. George, but in the opposite direction. Why have I not been there? I do not know!
It was snowy and charming and perfect.
Outside our hotel was vertical herb garden.
On the actual day of Thanksgiving, while our babies were with cousins, we had a quiet meal of...Mexican food! Why? Because we are the Bocanegras... and... that was the only place that was open. There was a sign that read they would be closing early though. I saw people bringing in a cake and bouquet after bouquet of red roses. As we left, I asked the lady at the register what they were celebrating. She beamed, "Me!"
We went to a movie every day while we were there. Though a small town, they have upgraded all seats to luxury seating. Matt said, "Heber could totally do this." We saw A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Knives Out and Ford vs. Ferrari. We were lucky that it was a win, win, win blockbuster weekend. Though by the last movie, we both passed on the popcorn.
Black Friday
I wasn't sure how much shopping we would be able to do but we shopped all day! We walked the square into quaint shops and also went to some favorites like TJ's. We found one of the last living Kmarts and took advantage of the blowout deals. Three-dollar jeans??? None of the stores bag anything and so the back of Matt's car looked like a storm had blown in.
Literally, I bought a flocked tree at TJ Maxx.
Callie is learning "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" for her piano recital. I took a photo of the General Store so she could have a visual for that part of the song that goes, "Take a look at the five and dime..." When I showed her, she clarified, "It's 'Take a look at the five and ten..."
Well, close enough.
As we walked along the boardwalk I heard, "Abby Bocanegra!" I wondered who, WHO was calling my name?!? I turned to see my former first counselor and her husband approaching us. Their story was very similar to ours; they had also celebrated the holiday early and were there in Jackson while their kids were at home. What are the odds? The only difference is that she was there with the adult couples in her extended family - they were even staying at the Marriott.
There was a tree-lighting on the square that evening. This place is straight out of a Hallmark movie.
I was texting back-and-forth with Mal who was on her own get-a-way in Maui! We showed her fresh snow falling; she showed us black sand beaches. At the end of her trip she said, "Well I guess it's time to head home." I reminded her, "Home to...Oahu!"
Though even if given the opportunity, there was nowhere else I'd rather be.
Heel pop;)
We timed our trip perfectly weather-wise, and only saw that a storm had indeed rolled in by the snow-packed roads on the way home.
We made a stop at the beautiful Star Valley Temple.
It's a tiny thing but so lovely.
And just like that, it was Christmas.
"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Soon the bells will start
And the thing that will make 'em ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart"
How true I found this to be š.
