Alicia's Birthday Family Dinner

Gayle labored tediously all day on the 21st to prepare an awesome, delectable birthday meal for Alicia. Here are some photos to help you appreciate the spread:

Sweet potato souffle. Some like it with pecans, some don't. So Gayle prepared it both ways.

And here's the yummy broccoli casserole.

You've got to have fresh dinner roles!

And a tasty ham ties it all together

What's a nice Utah family dinner without Jello? Fruit in it makes it even healthier.

Alicia's favorite cake is a pineapple cake using a recipe handed down from her maternal grandmother, Martha.

Jared enjoyed the gathering, and assisted with the babysitting duties. You can tell how comfortable McKel feels in his arms.

Another of uncle Jared and McKel

The proud parents (and birthday girl)

Chatting with the other uncle - Shelby, aka "Chubs"

Grandpa Bryan at Avril's beck and call

The truly great grandparents. We also enjoyed the company of Robert, Kristen, Carly and Brandon Crockett, but lamentably did not capture them in any photos.

Avril really gobbled up the food on this occasion, much to grandma Gayle's satisfaction.

Granddad Spence lighting his daughter's birthday cake candles

Ali, pondering what to wish for

Success! Of course we didn't include all the candles this time.

McKel and December So Far

Much happened in December. Here's an early Dec. photo of Avril sitting on our sofa.

Nice tails, girl.

December 10th, a day later than the due date, Alicia was induced into labor.

The two moms.

It took a lot longer than expected, even after being induced. And Jesse had worked all night the night before this long day.

I didn't work the night before, but it was still long, so I rested when I could.

It was worth the wait. Here's McKel moments after birth.

Alicia and McKel united shortly after delivery.

The parents and newborn.

Grandma and baby

Great grandparents and the new addition

Avril, Jesse, Bryan, and McKel on the hospital sofa

Uncle Jared with McKel

Proud grandma Gayle

Shelby, showing his baby holding skills

The three Yarger men

Ali, Avril, Gayle, and McKel

The two Yarger sisters!

Bundled up for her first car ride, in this case home.

Carme gave Avril a tent, which I put together for her. It includes a sleeping bag and inflatable chair.

After a recent snow, Avril watched me snowblow from the garage steps. Gayle wrapped her up to stay warm.

I'm sure glad for modern snowblowers

We finally donated our flocked Christmas tree, which we purchased after it was used as a store display at Lumber City in Burbank in 1983. We got a screaming deal because it came with all the decorations as well. So it served us well for some 26 years or so. In its place this year, Gayle simply took our all-purpose evergreen tree that she uses year round (e.g., with seasonal decorations such as for Halloween and Thanksgiving) and turned it into a Christmas tree as well. The above shows it in its current incarnation.

Here are some decorations in the entrance area of our home

More decorations near the front door

As one goes up the stairs to our second floor

And the nativity set in our living room

Thanksgiving 2010

It's been a pleasant Thanksgiving season. Here are some shots and commentary...

Avril was thrilled to have the Muncy family come for a visit (family of Brandon and Nancy, my sister, from Elk Grove, CA) because she developed a real attachment to Lizzie, Nancy's youngest. Here they are playing dolls downstairs at the great grandparents' home.

Here's Alicia between her father-in-law, Brian, and Jesse, her hubby.

Tuesday night during the wee hours of the dawn I came down with some virus (even though I had my flu shot this year). So I spent Wednesday lying in bed with the chills and aches and pains. Today is Saturday and my strength is not fully back, but I'm much better. The above shot was on Thanksgiving day as I read John Adams (a great read, by David McCullough) while resting at the LSP residence (my folks).

Jared also rested on a nearby sofa while I read. Turkey tends to do that to you.

Here is a shot of Gayle's sweet potato souffle and some of the decorations.

The family patriarch enjoyed all the company.

Here are the Muncys, less Stephanie who is on a mission in Alabama. Left to right: David (Freshman at USU), Ben, Chris, Nancy, Brandon, Lizzie, Jessica, and Tanner (Jessica's husband). We also had Brian, Jesse, Alicia, Avril, Gayle, Jared, Patricia, Kelly, and me at the feast. The next day we had a birthday celebration (Jesse, Brandon, Tanner, and Chris all had birthdays in November). Sam and Spencer (two of Robert and Tracine's sons) also came by for the festivities as did Brandon's brother Kelly and two of his kids, Raquel and Tony. In fact, Ryan and Melanie Crockett came by for a visit as well, but had to leave before the main event. Jessica made a variety of yummy barbecued chicken options as part of the spread. Brandon, David, and I played guitars afterward. Ping-pong and other activities also ensued.

Sam and Spencer (the youngest Spencer) Parkinson getting attention from the matriarch, Joyce Parkinson.

Nancy, Gayle, and Joyce on Thanksgiving Day.

I should mention that a blizzard blew in on Tuesday evening. Wednesday, while I was laid up inside, Gayle took lots of family shots for Jesse and Alicia. Here's one out back of our house showing our "White Thanksgiving." Temperatures went below zero mid-week at night.

Here's one of the indoor shots. It's hard to tell from this photo, but Alicia is due in less than two weeks.

Alicia and Jared. We also called Adrian, Arleen, and Brittney and they all enjoyed Thanksgiving at Adrian's home in Azusa, with Ray (father-in-law) and Rachelle (Arleen's sister) coming over for the feast. Arleen cooked the whole meal!

November Pre-Thanksgiving

Well, even though we took very few photos, it's been an active month so far. I'll mention a few of the events. It's always difficult to try to reconstruct the schedule after the fact (given minimal effort to do so). Therefore, here are some of the items I recall:
* On the 5th I took a half day of PTO (vacation day) to attend a USUCCU (chartered credit union) extended board meeting - lunch, a few hours of training and strategic planning, and then a dinner with wives at the downtown Iron Gate Grill. I serve as a volunteer member of the board of directors of the credit union.
* The following week I launched a new product - a 2000 liter single-use bioreactor. This entailed two webinar sessions (training over the internet and phone) to our field personnel, and on that Friday a launch party I hosted at the company, complete with a presentation and a drawing for some prizes.
* Gayle and I got to tend Avril for two days while Alicia took Jesse on a trip for his birthday. I always enjoy time with the granddaughter! I took one of those days as PTO and spent the whole day with her.
* Last week we had another very well attended ward Temple Night. We've emphasized temple attendance and doing it as a ward lately, and the spirit there has been great. The next night we had the Young Women in Excellence program and afterward we (the bishopric) took the wives along to go visit Patriarch Lowell Jenkins at Sunshine Terrace where he's recuperating from a series of strokes.
* I took another PTO (as you can tell, I have too many left at year-end and the policy is use them or lose them - and last year I lost some) on Friday the 20th. That evening Gayle and I had Ralph and Marian Stephenson and Robert and Janice Lamb (two neighbor couples) over for dinner. We had fun just talking about nearly everything.
* Yesterday was a big day at Church. We changed bishoprics. The former bishopric (including yours truly) and wives met with the stake presidency before sacrament meeting for a testimony meeting. Then in sacrament meeting the ward sustained Casey Isom (plastic surgeon) as bishop, with Eric Eliason as 1st counselor and Ben Haynie as 2nd counselor. It is a great bishopric and we look forward to serving with them. Craig Mortensen and I dropped by Cris Lewis's house after church to give him a priesthood blessing (he has had some health issues of late). Later that same afternoon Eric came by and already called me to a calling (can't divulge it until I'm sustained).
--- So here are some photos:


Avril learned what a belt is and wanted to try mine on. Then she had to test out my sneakers too.

Here are Robert and Janice Lamb (left) and Ralph and Marian Stephenson (right). We had Gayle's great chicken crescent rolls (with gravy) and her squash casserole. I made my specialty - cabbage salad. The ladies wanted the recipes so I took those by today (Monday) in a heavy snowstorm.

Here's a shot sent by Leisa Firth of the new bishopric - Ben Haynie, Casey Isom, and Eric Eliason

And here's a photo from August of 2008 - on the day Bart and I were set apart as bishop Firth's second set of counselors.

In order - me, bishop Firth, and Bart Griffiths.