Christmas 2011

We've had a fun Christmas season.  Even though I have struggled to find the Christmas spirit this year, having Kris and family here for the holidays definitely helped get me motivated to at least put a tree up!  So, here's a brief summary of what we've been up to ...

Kaiya has been taking violin lessons, in addition to piano.  She is doing really well in both, though she now says that she would rather do the cello than the violin.  Mom says she'll need to stick it out for a few more months, especially now that she's really starting to get the hang of it!  Here she is performing in a recital recently.  P.s. the boy she is playing the duet with is 12 years old!  Kaiya performed in three numbers.

Kaiya and Steph and I were able to go to the Nutcracker this year, and that was really special.  I don't think I've been since Kris was performing in it, and that's been a long while.  The costumes and scenery have all been updated.  I asked Kris to come along as well, but she thought Sterling might be surprising her with it, so she didn't.  He ended up taking her to Las Vegas for second row seats at the Phantom of the Opera instead!  Well, we'll just have to go to the Nutcracker again next year so Kris can go with us. 

So, as I said, Kris celebrated her birthday this month - her 30th!  Having my "baby" be that old certainly does make me feel old!  But I told her (and in total sincerity), I think the best decade is the 30s.  You've figured out stuff, and you're still young.  Since Mickel also has a birthday two days before Kris, we did a joint birthday dinner at Little America (a favorite with Kris at least).  Mel and his other kids were also able to join us, and it was a lot of fun. 

Somehow my artificial tree got buried somewhere when Kris and Sterling moved in (at the back of the stair closet, I think), so I was kind of forced to get a cut tree this year.  Kris and Sterling were kind enough to buy it ... those things are expensive these days!  So we went to a tree lot on the corner of State Street and 90th South.  Now this tree lot is unique in that they had real live reindeer AND Santa AND they were selling hot tubs and frozen halibut.  Very strange. 

Atty wasn't too impressed with Santa ...

These reindeer were trying to eat out of the trough, but their antlers kept getting tangled together.  Neither of them was about to give an inch, so they just butted heads back and forth.  It was pretty amusing to watch. 

We went up to the Zoolights at Hogle Zoo this year (me and the Sharps and Mel).  I haven't been to this before, and it was actually pretty amazing.  I didn't get any pictures (too dark and cold), but here's a commercial version ... (no, I don't know who the people in the pictures are)

The kids came to my house on Christmas Eve, after a day spent visiting Grandma Pyne and Grandma Harward.  Sterling played and sang "Hallelujah" for us, which was a special treat ... as were Kaiya's violin numbers.  Hey, we're edging ever closer to the Pyne tradition of having a full-blown Christmas Eve program.  When I was a kid, we all had to do some kind of talent before we could open one present each on Christmas Eve. 

It was so much fun to have a child around on Christmas morning, even though Atty didn't really wake up until about 10:00 am.  He's a little young yet to get what's going on, but he was sure tickled about all the presents he got!  His favorites, I think, are his shopping cart and his blue basketball. 

Another special treat for me this Christmas was having my good friends Tim and Mark in town.  We went over to Mark's niece Shannon's house on Christmas Day.  It was quite a houseful!  I made a couple of new friends, was entertained by some very soap opera-type stories, had WAY too much good food, and had a chance to catch up with Shannon and her cute girls. 

This is Mark on the left, and Tim on the right.  They have been good, good friends to me over the years.

This darling little girl is Sophia (and her grandma Cory, Mark's niece).  Everyone wanted to steal her and her brother Dominique.  Even Tim.

Tim and Mark stayed with me that night, so we were able to hang out the next day.  We got up late, had a great breakfast, went shopping, and had a great lunch (did I mention that I have eaten entirely too much this month?).  Then yesterday we all (meaning me and my girls and their kids - plus Sterling - Shannon and her girls, and Tim and Mark's friend Mike) met for lunch at Zupas.  I'm sad to see them go so soon, and look forward to a visit in Tucson soon.

The Parkers Move In

Kris and Sterling were blessed to be able to sell their house in Layton.  They both work in the South Jordan area, and that commute was getting a bit old (times 2!).  They won't be getting into another house for a few months, so they're bunking with me in the meantime. 

Moving out ...

And - with most things in storage - moving in ...

From time to time I have thought that perhaps I should sell my place and get something a bit smaller.  Not that my house is huge ... far from it ... but I haven't used the basement in years.  Since the last time one of the girls moved in, as a matter of fact.  It is nice to have the space when the chickees come back home.  Plus, it forced me to clean out the basement! 

More Fun with the Grandkids

I didn't get to see Atticus on Halloween, but his mom brought him dressed in his costume the next day.  What a darling "newsie" don't you think?  Sterling took him out trick-or-treating, and said that Atty was pretty impressed with the whole idea.  Free candy, just for being cute?  No problem!

I went with Steph, Kaiya and Teague to the new Utah Museum of Natural History.  It's quite a place!  There's some "hands-on" types of things for kids, and lots of interesting stuff to look at.  I'd love to go again and really take the time to read everything!

Out on the deck, enjoying the expansive view of the valley (the museum is at Red Butte Gardens).  We left our coats in the car so we wouldn't have to cart them around ... if you can't tell, it was pretty cold!

Here's the kids in a dinosaur track, although it's a little hard to tell. 

October

So far, October has been a good month ... gorgeous weather for the most part, good family fun, a business that's getting busier and busier (more about that later). 

Steph bought a zoo membership, so we've been able to go to the zoo quite often.  Here's some photos of a couple of the most recent visits.

Kaiya and Teague had another soccer session, both on the same team again (probably for the last time).  They have both REALLY made a lot of progress in their soccer skills! 

Kris began her job at Nuemont University as an English Professor (the only one at this point, I believe).  Of course, her students absolutely love her ... as if that would ever be in doubt.  I think she gets a bit of kick of teaching creatively to a bunch of computer geeks.  You know, get them to use their right brains.  The head honchos have given her a VERY nice corner office that would make many executives I know green with jealousy.  I'm so proud of my darling baby!

My mom's 74th birthday was in early October, so we went for a drive up to Heber City for lunch and then over the Alpine Loop.  I was hoping for the fall spectacular that is found on this drive, but I guess we were a bit early in the year for it because the leaves hadn't really started turning enmasse.  Plus it was a bit cold and dreary that day.  Oh well, at least she got to go for a drive over the Nebo loop shortly before with my Aunt Ev and cousin Lynn, and I guess that was pretty good. 

This past weekend was the Las Vegas Ragnar relay, which Steph ran in.  We didn't go down with her, but Kaiya and Teague spent a few days at Grammie's ... which was almost as much fun. 

I picked up the kids on Wednesday afternoon after a couple of business meetings, and boy were they excited to go!  Steph and Mickel said they had been outside ready to go for an hour and a half before I got there.  I think part of the excitement was the fact that because Steph needed the truck for the Ragnar, the kids were going in Grammie's car.  This is a rare treat because of the necessity of transferring the car seats.  Now Grammie's car is nothing special, you understand.  It's just exciting for the kids to be able to ride in it.

On Thursday, I had my regular stint of watching Atticus all afternoon, so I had all three of them.  For some reason Atty was a little out of sorts (didn't feel very well) and then Kaiya and Teague were a little out of sorts that they didn't have Grammie's full attention.  Nothing serious - no brawls or anything - just not enough Grammie to go around. 

On Friday Kaiya had a birthday party to attend.  This was a Halloween-themed party, so we had to leave early enough to get her Wendy costume all situated.  But I think she's a dead ringer for Wendy!  Here she is, ready to fly ...

Teague got to go to lunch with Grammie at the restaurant of his choice (McDonalds, of course ... since they only get to go there on a VERY limited basis).  And we had the extra treat of Daddy being off work and joining us!

After lunch, it was time to go get Kaiya, and to get Teague into his Peter Pan costume since we were then going trick-or-treating at the Little Haunts at This Is The Place Monument.  I have to say that they received a LOT of compliments on their costumes!

This was the first time I've been to TITP, and it was a lot of fun!  Although there weren't really very many stations with treats AND when Kaiya and Teague went back a second time at a couple of them they made comments.  But otherwise, it was very fun and of course the kids were happy that Daddy was able to come with us.