Other November stuff - non-wedding - including Thanksgiving!

November was so busy that we blinked and it was over.  Among the many things going on were more activities with the Primary girls.  One involved practicing for a Christmas program.  We have no shots of that, but below are some from the missionary-writing activity.

 Penning thoughts to the missionaries from the ward.

 More writers.

Rehearsing with chimes after the letter writing.

 Relaxing up in Logan - Alicia and her future husband.  Aren't they cute?

 A recent shot of Gayle.

And Gayle took one of me.

 Another November picture.

 The girls both got their hair trimmed this month.

 Here is McKel's head of hair after the trim job, and she's not even 3 yet!

 Avril got hers clipped a bit too.

 And she's only 4!

 Also this month, Dan Nelson (kneeling with me) and I mentored our InTech 9th grade team in their science project regarding sustainability (theirs related to biofuel using switchgrass).

Right after the science fair, held at one of our Thermo Fisher Scientific buildings, I snapped this shot of the sunset over the Wellsville mountains.  This photo does not do justice to how spectacular it was.

And here is a brief piano piece improvised by Avril!

 
 Driving a car in the Deseret Industries store while the newlywed parents are on their honeymoon.  McKel had recently bumped her eye and had a scab next to it.

 Two sister princesses at the grandparents' house.

 Although I'm no good at it, I'm always elected to carve the meat at these gatherings.  I'm wearing my glasses as safety goggles.

 This shot shows the crowd gathered - sans me, who took the shot.  And later Robert and Brian Parkinson came over.

 The triplets and their parents who do a herculean job trying to keep up with them!

 Mom and her oldest kid.

 Half of the round table.

 The other half.

And the family group who went and visited with grandpa Spencer (Joyce had been there earlier).

Alicia and Mike's Wedding -- 11/12/13

The 2nd weekend in November we headed out for San Diego with two carloads of family members (not counting Mike's side).  Here's McKel, with Mike in the back, catching some z's in our Odyssey during the exodus.

 Cutie.

 Meanwhile, big sis was engrossed in a video.

 One of our stops was at the alien jerky store in Baker, California.  McKel and I checked out the alien's vehicle.

 The day before the wedding was crystal clear and blue skies.  We went to the beach early to check out the place (Imperial Beach).  Here we are with Jared (aka JJ).

 The sisters are enthralled by the ocean, just like their mom and grandpa.

 
 A clip of sheer kid glee.  (Note: you can use "Full Screen" viewing by clicking on the symbol in the bottom right corner.)

 
 This one has Jared playing a cameo role.

 Imperial beach was a nice place.  At one little cul-de-sac area next to the sand we found this unique sculpture - a dolphin with a seagull tail.

 Gayle did Alicia's hair (waterfall braid).

 Side shot.  Gayle had to go online to learn how to do this.

 Lots of the photos were taken the day before the wedding, such as this one right at the hotel.

 Later that same day we took the girls and Jared again to the beach.  Once you get wet it gets cold in the breeze, so I'm warming up McKel here.

 An artsy shot of Nana and the two little ones, with the Imperial Beach pier to the south.  I jogged down the beach and could see Tijuana's skyline beyond the refuge area (sloughs).

 You gotsta play in the sand at the beach if you're a kid.  And you hafta pick up seaweed!

 Still a kid at heart, I'm holding up the usual kelp.  Beyond the small jetty in the background you can see San Diego, and to the left in the shot is Point Loma.  Just beneath Point Loma you can make out a guy standing on a paddle board coming down the coast.

 Jared at another beach-side sculpture.

 Gayle had to "install" these "Curlformers" in the little ones' hair the night before.  "Do we have to do this to get beautiful for the wedding?"

I"m glad I didn't have to sleep in the Curlformers!  Gayle and the three in this photo occupied this same bed.

 An angel.

 With Nana.

 After the curlers are taken out.

 Arleen and Brit were invaluable in dealing with the girls and all the preparations going on.

 Another flower girl.

 The curls are now in place.

 With cousin Brit.

 We got to the beach and the wind was howling - even though it hadn't earlier and stopped right after the wedding.  But the reverand said that if they could weather this, it was a good sign that they could withstand the trials of life.  The date of this special occasion is easy to remember: 11-12-13.

 Unfortunately, sea wind and curls do not mix, and within moments the entire curling efforts evaporated.

 Both girls took their flower girl tasks seriously.  Note the white rose petals on the beach.  The wind really blew those around!
 
 Mike, awaiting for me to walk the bride down the aisle.

 The ceremony starts.

Here's a brief clip to give you a feel for the ceremony (and also the wind).

 Afterwards the girls and Bret helped their parents pour green and light colored sand layers into a bottle to represent the blending of the two families. 

 We next braved the #5 then #405 freeways to get the happy couple up to their flight to Fiji for their honeymoon.  Mike bids farewell to his new brothers-in-law.

And the happy couple is off to their Fiji adventures. You can check their photographer's blog to see more photos from the wedding.  If they're not the first post on his blog, just scroll down.  Here it is:
http://pacephotography.blogspot.com/  (You could also check Alicia's or Mike's Facebook pages for more.)