Friday, November 28, 2008

Blessing & Baptism


I am finally ready to tell you all about the baptism of our oldest child and the blessing of our youngest (it has only been a month!). Abby was very good about having to postpone her baptism due to the fact that the baby was due around her 8th birthday. So we decided to have a double event since all the family was coming anyway. It turned out beautifully, despite a few glitches. Abby and I made programs (I designed, she folded), a member from each of the families participated, both her grandfathers spoke and the grandmothers said a prayer and played an instrument. Her aunts played the piano, led the music and said the closing prayer, while two of her uncles were the witnesses. All the grandchildren and young uncles sang "I Am A Child of God". Abby and Allen sang a duet "If The Savior Stood Beside Me", it was my favorite part of the whole thing. Allen sat in a chair and Abby stood next to him as they took turns singing. It was so precious to see them in their whites singing together, Abby sang strong and true with her testimony shinny through her eyes, Allen was so gentle as he watched her sing and then sang with her. Everyone cried!
Abigail is now part of that elite group of people who had to be baptized twice! Allen stated his authority in the prayer and had to do it all over again, he felt a bit sheepish, especially since the words were right there in front of him on the glass. The confirmation blessing was beautiful, I have noticed a real difference in Abby since she was baptized & confirmed, She is such a special girl, we love her greatly.


The baby blessing was so sweet and little Esther Truth didn't cry once... hurray.


Afterwords we went to our old 2nd ward building and had lunch.



I made four different kinds of soup and three different breads.


Then we had cream puff, cookie & ice cream for desert.


I love having my family and Allen's family together, it rarely happens but when it does it is the greatest feeling to have the people that you love so much all around you interacting with each other. There are three baptisms and two baby blessings in Allen's family, including Abby and Esther Truth, within five months of each other. The Levie family is definitely growing, there were 22 grandchildren born in 11 years and there are still three siblings who haven't married yet.

Jesse with his niece Esther Truth.

Grandma Levie

Grandma Harsh

Esther Truth

Abby with cousin Adalyn

Two silly uncles, Lem & Jeff

Uncle-in-law David playing vacuum monster with Paul, Morgan & Hyrum

The other Uncle Jeff with the twins Halle & Kierste


We were so grateful for all of our family and friends who sacrificed to travel so far to be with us on that special day. There is nothing better than that.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Girls Rule & Boys Drool!

I have always hated this saying and the attitude that goes with it, that is why I was taken back when Eve came up to us last Sunday and said very adamantly
"I don't lite boys, I lite girls!"
Allen and I tried to hold back our laughter at her very serious statement. I think she had just discovered that there was a difference between girls and boys and that she liked the girl way better, that is just our guess - who knows what goes on in the mind of a very dramatic two year old. The video below is a dialogue about her decided opinion and a look at her new hairdo.



I am happy to report that after talking with her she came to us a day or so later and said "Mom, do you lite boys?" after telling her that I did she said "I lite boys too." I'm glad that is resolved for now.

Tonight at dinner Dennis said
"Eve is getting smarter every day."
To which Paul replied
"She's smarter then we are."
Affronted at that remark Dennis had to defend himself
"No, she can't say Chess."
Eve, who of course was listening to all of this, looked at Dennis and said with perfect pronunciation
"Chess"
We all died laughing, it was the cutest thing. I wish that I had been recording it. Kids really do say the darndest things!

Beautiful Fall


My sister took this picture, it's a field near our house. Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year (along with winter, spring and summer... I can't help it they're all my favorite).

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Evela

A little while ago Allen began calling Eve "La" because she was always singing "La, la, la" to herself with either a melody that she created or one she had heard (and she only needed to hear a song once and she had it learned). So we all started calling her "Ev-e-la". We love her merry heart that always has a song in it. She has two current favorites right now, If The Savior Stood Beside Me and Tomorrow from the movie Annie. In this video clip she is singing Tomorrow, note the enforced vabrado.


Saturday, November 1, 2008

Halloween Adventures

He had a marvelous Halloween day.


First we carved our home grown pumpkins, very excited to roast the pumpkin seeds, then we had Stew in a Pumpkin for dinner (our annual Halloween dinner).

Then we went of to our wards Trunk-or-Treat, we met my brother there and made the rounds.

Abby - Ballerina
Dennis - Legolas (from LOTR)
Paul - Jedi Knight
Eve - A Fairy (you can't see her cute wings)
Esther - A sleepy Penguin
Allen - A Scottish Gentleman
Me - I was the doctor of five children

Lem & Chiya like "The Office" I guess there is a character that dresses up as a Scythe Lord and his girlfriend was a cat, so that is what Lem and Chiya were. Baby Faith was a beautiful butterfly.
My Handsome Scottish husband wearing my kilt, there is no end to what you may do for Halloween!

Allen Does a mean Scottish jig.

The children very seriously inspected their loot at the end of the day.


This is such an odd holiday, dressing up and walking from house to house getting candy so that you can go home and gorge yourself for the next week.