Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving has come and gone for 2008 and we had a fun family time. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Grannie and Granddad’s house again. Grannie has probably put on about 50 Thanksgiving dinners over her lifetime, but always puts on a meal with flair and polish and this one was no exception. There were twelve guests at the table this year. Grannie and Granddad, of course, and Stephen and Steve; there were four Kerns. Paul and I and Peter and Erika, and four David Gates’, Carole and David and Landen and Crawford. After dinner was over, Emily arrived for some dinner, having just flown in from Colfax and much later, just as we were leaving, Merrick and Philip arrived, spending the night with their parents at Grannie and Granddad’s house.

Grannie put on a great dinner, with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, appetizers and condiments. Carole supplied the rolls and I brought a cranberry jelled salad, and pies. I also brought a chocolate cake because we honored those (Peter and me) who had November birthdays.

After dinner we engaged in a very competitive game of charades. It was the boys against the girls. Granddad, Paul, David, Crawford and Peter against Grannie, Carole, Erika, Landen and me. (Stephen and Steve had left earlier.) There were some very difficult titles, but there were also some very fantastic clue giving as well. David did a particularly well-done series of clues for Alias Smith and Jones, (a TV series from the ‘70s.) And the female team figured Origin of the Species done by Landen. There was much laughter and groaning between acting out the clues and discovering what horrible torture the other team was inflicting on the clue giver. We all had a very nice time.

I am particularly thankful for a family that gathers, for a matriarch who is willing to put on events like that, and for a family group that enjoys a competitive game of charades.

Katie and Aaron's Wedding in Las Vegas

We have been home for over a week and I have been meaning to write a report on our experiences in Las Vegas during the festivities of Katie Kern and Aaron Neely’s wedding. It was a very nice event and we were very glad that we were able to attend.
We left Sandy in the late afternoon, and headed south for Las Vegas. When we were well out of Utah County, but not yet to Cedar City, Paul realized that he had forgotten his temple recommend. I called Erika and got Bishop Cannon’s number and we called him. He told us to get in touch with the temple and ask them what their procedure was. I called the Church’s main number and asked for the Las Vegas Temple’s number and then called them. They told me what I needed to do and gave me the appropriate number at the Temple. I called back Bishop Cannon and gave him the number and he called them and got Paul approved to go to that Temple the following morning. We were very appreciative that Bishop Cannon was willing to work with us.
Before leaving Sandy, I had gone onto Google Maps and had gotten driving directions to Carole and David’s house (where we were planning on staying) and the directions from the Gates’ house to the Temple and from the Gates’ house to the address on the wedding invitation. So we had maps and directions on how to get around somewhat in Las Vegas. However, when we arrived at David and Carole’s place at around 10:00p.m., they weren’t at home. I called Erika again and asked for Landen’s number and called her to see if I could get a cell phone for Carole or David, but she didn’t pick up. Carole and I hadn’t spoken at all about this visit, everything had been done through email and I had only sent a confirmation early that day. So, we figured there had been some kind of mix-up and left and went off to find the location of the temple that evening and then find a motel. (Carole and David had thought it was next week and were in Arizona.)
The next morning after a hasty breakfast in the hotel, we headed off to the temple. We arrived about an hour before the wedding—we were supposed to be there a half an hour earlier than the scheduled 10:00 a.m. wedding, and with our problem of no recommend we needed to be there a half an hour earlier than that. When we arrived, Paul explained our situation and the man at the recommend desk called the Recorder’s office and apparently everything was in order. Paul was invited to show his driver’s license to verify that he was the man who he said he was, and they admitted us right in. (Paul commented afterwards that this was the first time that he had ever been allowed to enter the temple with a driver’s license.) We now had about an hour to wait, but we were duly escorted to the waiting area. Some of the relatives from Ann’s side of the family arrived quite soon after us; we waited for the Kern family members to arrive. Finally Rob and Cindy and her daughter and son-in-law (Ashley and Ryan) arrived having just picked up Holly at the airport. We asked after Marilyn and Howard, but they had turned back because Marilyn had a medical difficulty and they needed to return home. So the Kern’s were not numerous, but we were very happy to be there.
In time we went into the sealing room and then Katie and Aaron arrived. She looked lovely, and was wearing her temple dress and not a wedding dress. The temple president was the officiator and did a very nice job. It was a little sad though, that Grandpa Kern was not performing the ceremony, as was originally planned. Aaron has recently joined the Church and none of his family was present. There were quite a few Las Vegas people of one kind or another, members of Katie and Ann’s ward and King family members of various generations. (King is Ann’s maiden name.) Rob was one witness and the Grandpa King was the other. Following the ceremony in the temple, there were pictures in the temple gardens, well organized and planned in advance. Aaron’s family didn’t come to the temple as a ring ceremony was planned later in the afternoon at Red Rock Nature Preserve.
Rob took the family members who were from his family to a very nice Country Club on the same side of Las Vegas as the park and we had a nice lunch together. Present were Rob and Cindy, Ashley, Ryan and Cindy’s youngest daughter Chelsea, Paul, Holly and me. Later an old friend of Ashley and Ryan joined us for lunch. We had a nice meal and visited in a relaxed way—I’m sure that at Ann’s house where a light lunch of cold cuts, and the like was being served there was more stress involved. After lunch, we followed Rob and Cindy’s car to the park where the ring ceremony was to take place.
The ring ceremony was a consideration for the family of the groom and I thought that it was lovely and certainly would have been satisfying for the other side of the family who hadn’t been to the temple earlier in the day. The park had a big open nature area laced with boardwalks, and at one stretch there was an independent trail leading to a landing. The wedding was to take place on the landing. Ann’s nieces and nephews had ferried out chairs, a small sound system and a table with plastic champagne glasses. There was a center isle dividing the bride and groom’s guests. Family members busied themselves with details, and everyone who had been assigned some responsibility did it so that at the right moment the sound system was turned on and down the boardwalk into the landing came the wedding party. There were three bridesmaids, Aaron’s sister and Heidi and Callie in rust and brown dresses and on the arms of the best man, a groomsman and the father of the groom. And when they arrived at the landing the music changed to here comes the bride, and Katie came down the pathway to the landing on Rob’s arm.
The bishop of Katie’s Las Vegas Ward presided and did what was essentially a full blown wedding ceremony. He gave some preliminary remarks and advice to the couple, read a scripture from 1 John that the couple had previously selected and then helped them exchange vows. They exchanged rings and then the groom kissed the bride. It was very nice. Then the assembled group was invited to get a glass of champagne or sparkling cider and we all raised our glasses to the happy couple, following a toast made by the best man.
People milled around and visited and the two sides of the family got better acquainted. Paul and I left sooner than most because Holly needed to be taken back to the airport. She was not staying for the evening festivities, but was present for both of the ceremonies. After Paul and I dropped Holly off, we had a couple of hours to kill until the reception began and so we took a trip to the Las Vegas strip. We parked in self-parking outside the Luxor and went in. We walked around some and ultimately visited the Excalibur, the MGM Grand and the Tropicana. Then following my Google map we headed off to the King residence (Ann’s parents home) for the reception.
The King’s live in a planned senior retirement community on the bench of Las Vegas in a circle with the backyard providing wonderful valley views. It was an outstanding location for a backyard reception. They had decorated the yard with thousands of twinkle lights, they installed a small dance floor, brought in six heaters, so that the chill in the air would not be uncomfortable, and catered in a wonderful light dinner. The guests came in a lump between six thirty and seven and then stayed for the evening. It was very much an intimate party. There were probably about 80-100 guests. Tables had been set up and Paul and I joined Cindy and her children for a nice conversation, and eating. Sometime before 8:00 Katie and Aaron cut and distributed the cake. Then there was a performance by Aaron and Katie; they sang It Only Takes A Moment from Hello Dolly!; then there was the bride and groom dance, and then various other configurations of dancing couples—the bride with her father and the groom with his mother, then other family members. In a very classy moment, the best man took Ann out on the dance floor. And all in all, it was a happy time. The best man had created a large pencil drawing/collage with illusions and references that Katie and Aaron could appreciate and he presented that, but no other gifts were opened.
At about eight thirty, Paul and I departed and headed back to Salt Lake, we made it to Mesquite before becoming too tired and finished the rest of the trip early in the morning. We arrived home safely, glad to have been able to attend, glad to be home.

New Archive for Peter's MTC Pictures

This is quite random for my blog, but I have had these pictures on my computer at work for the last two years and have never gotten them off this computer and into some family archive of some kind, so I thought I would move them here.

These are pictures of Peter in the MTC in June of 2006. He is with some two of his Brighton High School friends, Alex Stoddard and Jake Lyman.

It was tradition in the Missonary Training Center to take pictures of all the young men currently in the MTC who attended Brighton High School--regardless of where they were going to serve on their missions. So this is the Brighton Boys picture as well.

Peter actually went into the MTC without a camera (sent to him later) so these pictures were given to me by Allyson Stoddard (now Hanks). She thought that I would enjoy seeing Peter in the MTC surrounded by familiar faces. Peter wrote such great letters from his mission that I never worried that he was lonely or disconnected--as if that were possible with him. But it was fun to see him with other faces that I recognized.

First Snow of the Season

When it works out in a satisfactory way, Paul drives me up to work and then I walk home. Today when we went out to the car it was snowing, but I had hopes that it would warm up and melt by the end of the day. It snowed pretty much all day long. I kept looking out through the media center and it was always snowing. I stalled going home after the bell rang at 2:25 for almost an hour, visiting with Linda D. and doing some odd work that was still outstanding and then I put on my wool walking sweater and my Nike walking shoes and my stretch gloves and got out my umbrella for the walk home. But to my surprise when I walked outside the snow had stopped and I walked home with no falling snow. Since it had been snowing all day, there was not one sidewalk all the way home that was shoveled and I mostly walked at the side of the road. I continued to hope that speeding cars would not splash up dirty slush, and I made it home reasonably dry.
When I got home, there was about six inches of snow on the front walk, the driveway and the sidewalks. I began shoveling snow immediately, it was about 4:15, and I finished up about an hour later. It was a lot of snow to move, but it eventually was all removed from the surfaces that are expected to be clean. The amazing thing about this storm was that it wasn't that cold and miraculously the geraniums have survived. We have taken them down for the night and covered them on the porch. We should be getting a few more days in the 40 degree range before cold sets in permanently so I will enjoy the big flower baskets hanging from the hooks on the porch for at least a few more days. (Last year it was November 17 when the plants were frost bitten enough so that it was apparent that they would not recover--I think it will be just shy of that date this year.) We have enjoyed them and they are large and beautiful plants now--with their final days approaching rapidly.

Returning from Colorado

It was a tender event that brought our family together this weekend. Paul left on Wednesday evening to fly to Denver and on to Loveland, Colorado. K.C. flew out of San Francisco on Friday. Erika left Rexburg, Idaho with Uncle Ralph to drive to Salt Lake City on Friday morning. Friday afternoon Philip and Peter met with us in Salt Lake City to drive to Loveland together. We gathered in Loveland to participate in a celebration of the life of Reese Kern, our father and grandfather, at a Memorial Service held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.
It was a lovely event. Holly, Ralph and Paul were the primary speakers and wonderful musical numbers were provided by Marilyn's daughters, Kjirsten and Brigette, and by Rob's family. Prayers were offered by Rob and Richard. The meeting house was full of family members and friends who came from both near and far, and most of Grandpa's 39 grandchildren were present. The ward put on a luncheon following the service in a most gracious manner. Saturday evening family members gathered at Holly and Michael's home for a dinner and a chance to share our thoughts and memories. It was touching and heartwarming and comforting to hear about the way he had influenced lives in different ways, and to know of everyone's love for him.
As I returned from Colorado this afternoon with Peter and Philip, I continue to sense with gratefulness, what a treasure it was to have had Dad a part of my life, and how dearly he will be missed, both now and into the future, by Paul and I and by our children.

October Family Birthday Dinner

Once again Grannie has outdone herself with another family birthday celebration. There are many birthdays in the family circle in October, but only one member of the family was at the table in Salt Lake City on Sunday, October 26, 2008. While we celebrated all the birthdays, we actually feted Stephen Randall Gates' birthday.
There was an especially large turn-out this month. There were thirteen family members present: Grannie and Granddad, Stephen and Steve, Paul and Kathie, Philip, Camille and Peter, Emily, and Merrick, Philip and Landen. Grannie put on the usual outstanding spread, the groaning board including: Imperial chicken, brown rice with dried apricots, a tasty acorn squash dish with prosciutto and maple flavoring, crowd pleasing seasoned green beans, a tossed green salad and bounteous orange rolls, with cherry chocolate pound cake and ice cream for dessert.
Following the meal, we adjourned to the sitting area, where Stephen favored us on the piano with three of his own compositions: Tim's Piece, and unnamed piece from about 1984, and a composition he composed when he first began dating Nancy. These were lovely and impressively played pieces, received with appreciative and lively applause. Then Granddad provided a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" which we all sang to Stephen, followed by some gifts for Stephen. Serious visiting continued as various family members departed.
I acknowledge with gratitude the efforts that Grannie goes to, to keep family members connected and celebrated.

The Lauper Ladies Luncheon

Saturday, October 18, was the annual Lauper Ladies Luncheon, hosted by Georgia Gates, mother grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, niece and in-law to those present. It was remarked that this may have been one of the best attended luncheons to date, with more than twenty-five ladies in attendance. Those present from our immediate line, were Georgia Gates, Kathie Kern, Liza Dailey, Emily Dailey, Robin Dailey, Merrick White and Landon Gates.
One of the primary functions of this gathering is to keep acquainted with one another, and to catch up on the various doings of family members. There are also some standard elements. We sing the Lauper Family Song, composed by Aunt Paulie Hutchings, and awards are given to people in various categories. Liza and Robin were recognized for the distance that they came from to attend, as well as Wilma Stocker and Karen Talbot. There were about six of us, including me, who were recognized for never having missed a Lauper Ladies Luncheon, and prizes were given to first time attendees.
Mom put on a great luncheon including a fluffy tuna salad, fresh fruit tray and a tossed green salad, with season bread and various garnishments. Desserts included brownie squares, lemon bar squares and banana cake with peanut butter frosting squares.
The afternoon concluded with family members reporting on their activities over the last year and much chatting and laughing.
We were all glad that this gathering exists and that we were able to attend. Our thanks to Mom/Grannie for putting this significant event together, keeping it going and being the superlative hostess.