We’ll Sing All HAIL!
Oct. 4, 2025
Catchup
Graham,
I enjoyed your last letter! How does one even go about carrying 60 lb canisters?! Wow. Seems like if that were an Amazing Race challenge, you would rock it. That bike ride through the Spanish orchards seemed dreamy. All of your photos do.
When you said you learned about Zion at a recent Zone Conference, I remembered when you were in Primary, and you said you would help gather Israel by building Zion's BANK. Haha. I loved the talk today that said, Zion isn't gathered in a day, but with a smile. Something like that. Elder Gong? It has been a great conference.
Cross Country Regionals
Callie ran in Regionals for Cross Country this week. She is so fast! The third fastest on Varsity. The coach arranged for us to stand outside the gym and cheer on the team as they boarded the bus. One mom had gone the extra mile and had a bunch of signs for us to hold. I was glad I got the one that said You are a Beauty, run like a Beast! Rather than the one that said Run now, pee later, never trust to fart.
From the meet in Spanish Fork, I took Dad to Payson for the WHS football high school game, then back to Spanish Fork to pick up Callie for our big night out! We were so excited to go to Taylor Swift's launch party in theaters, Party of a Showgirl. It was a good time celebrating her 12th album. We sat next to some fun gals with whom we stayed and chatted afterward.
From there, we drove back to Payson to pick up Dad. Wasatch laid an egg! They were up 33-0 at halftime and still managed to lose the game 33-37! It was Payson's homecoming game, though, so Callie and I enjoyed watching them rush the field with such joy. We were happy for them. Plus, we were able to move a katydid off the main path, saving its life no doubt;) When I had dropped off Dad at the game, the rain and lightning were having a heyday. I said, "Oh shoot, it looks like you'll be getting wet." He said, "No, I sit in the box." But when we went to pick him up, it appears that wasn't so....
We awoke to such a hailstorm in the night! The hail was still visible on the lawn when we got up this morning. I was worried my pumpkins would be pummeled, but they made it! Their leaves were a shredded mess, though. Fall is here! It was nice to spend this Saturday cozying up at home and catching up on things, such as writing to you!
I love you!
Love, Mom
PS: I chuckle when I remember that Dad announced from the pulpit once, "We will close with, "We'll sing All Hell to Jesus' Name."
Let's Give Her a Hand!
October 12, 2025
To combat all the sitting I did, I went up to them there hills on a walk three times this week. We have started including the trails around the temple site, so instead of a four-mile walk, it is five. Dad and I were feeling it when we returned yesterday! We still had the strength to rip out the pumpkin patch and put the yard to bed for winter. Our pumpkin haul this year is delightful. I will have to find happy homes for all of them.
My days were looong this week. I got home on Tuesday just in time to head to Strengthening Families till 9 pm. After the conference on Wednesday, I stuck around and went to the temple in Taylorsville, which was just lovely. I had missed a call from Callie, and when I called her back, she said, "It's all goooooood, DW." (A quick goole search led me know Don't Worry.) At home, I asked her what that was all about. She said that she and a friend wanted to go to the Benson Boone concert at the Delta Center, but it wasn't working out. Minutes later, Luke's mom was willing to take them. I thought, "I'd go to Benson." So she called Luke and said, "My mom is measuring her purse to see if it will work for the arena." So then the other mom said that if they had a ride, she didn't need to go. So now I was the driver. We were doing it! I appreciated the fact that even though both of them have their licenses, they knew navigating Parley's and the SLC freeways on a dark night was out of their leagues. Soooo, the three of us randomly drove down on a Wednesday night to see Benson. My second time to Salt Lake that day. We were able to secure decent seats for a decent price, even last minute. It was a great show! He has some pipes...and flips! I know you can picture the high-pitched screaming that was going on all around us, haha.
On the Other a Hand...
Dad and I went to the play at TVT, The Adams Family, yesterday, and the HAND was all I could pay attention to! I was having a hard time staying awake, honestly. As Dad had warned me, when you are pushing 50, you can't get by with so many late nights. Woof. I wanted to watch the BYU game last evening with him, but fell asleep and woke up in the fourth quarter. However, with double overtime, I still saw plenty of the game. Callie was even back (she had gone to the evening performance of Adam's) and finished watching the game with us. Callie and us. That is our jam these days. The two of us were watching Dancing with the Stars this week, one evening when Dad got home. She scooted over, and the three of us watched it. Watching from the floor, Poe was totes jelly. Jam and jelly.
Cougars to Cats
Speaking of cats, Callie and I were cheetahs for the Halloween party. We took a picture in front of Lindsey's mantel, and the garland looked like our tails. It was perfect. I have so much animal print stuff, I told Dad he could be a cheetah as well. He put on one of my cardigans but felt uncomfortable. I had to agree. I was uncomfortable just looking at him. He put on his Mexican hat and shirt instead, which was very him.
We missed you! I have thought of you a lot this week and prayed for your peace of mind. I love and wish all the best for you! Mom
All things Halloween!
My work had a booth at the Sheriff’s Carnival, which I helped with for a couple of hours in the late afternoon/early evening on Halloween. It was my second tabling event of the day. It was college day at WHS. BYU-I reached out and asked if I would represent as an alumnus. I took Callie’s Poe pumpkin as a decoration and some of Matt's candy from the garage.
Pumpkins are easy. Stick the seed in the ground and forget about it. I love the way the vines go crazy and look pretty. Then you are left with a fun surprise at the end of the season. I grew them for us and my ten primary kiddos.
Callie and her friends came trick-or-treating to our door. When we pulled out the trick-or-treat bags, they looked so tiny! And vintage! Speaking of tiny, Callie and Jack were dressed as Maid Marian and Robin Hood. Callie couldn’t believe he forgot his hat. He said his grandma made the costume out of 1 yard of fabric (as he struggled to find coverage;)
Not too many trick-or-treaters this year. When I got back from the carnival and asked Dad how many had come by, he said, “Zero,” (I guess he was Zander for Halloween). The kids started coming a bit later. Some were our primary kids, so that made me happy. The rest were mainly Latinos. Mal said we should have given out Mexican candy.
The Sadie Hawkins dance was the next day. They had used trick-or-treating the night before as their group activity. Callie's group came to the house afterward for games and gummies. Callie was looking online at dresses when I said, "That is almost exactly like Mallerie's senior prom dress." When she was looking at headpieces, I said, "That is almost exactly like what you bought at the Renaissance Fair in Austin." We never have to look far! I was glad to have them worn again.
Ava said she was going on the Provo River Halloween Cruise. I informed her that while she was on her mission, I told Dad and you babes that I was taking us on a surprise outing. You had no idea what we were doing. We all thought it was pretty hokey, but we had a good time. I told her, “Good attitudes and courtesy laughs will enhance your experience.” I was trying to remember what it was about the teen staff that had us laughing! Oh yeah, was it something about them just playing like they had a business, and then it turned real?
Callie ran her final race at Sugar House Park. Again, I was pushing it time-wise, and parking was no joke. It was done on an app that wasn't loading, even though I had paid. I finally just said, "I can come back and show you when it loads, but my daughter is racing, like right now." They let me through. I was practically at a dead run to get to the starting line. I noticed footsteps behind me. An out-of-breath lady said, "You seem like you know where you are going, so I am just following you." She didn't even have a child racing, just one of her young women. That is dedication. After the first lap, she followed me to the next lookout point. I was glad when she spotted her people.
It was a triumphant moment when Callie finished the race. A season of being able to race strongly after a previous year of injury. Callie #2696!
