Now with Steve

Our Tahoe Family Vacation now comes complete with Steve Hughes.

Evan - if you want legs (or want to be wearing something other than a shirt and tie on the beach) then please email me a picture. I tried to steal one off your facebook but they aren't big enough. I think you on the beach wearing a beanie with ear flaps would also look good.

-Landon & Sarah

This is for Evan

Dear Evan,

Landon and I like you so much that we stuck you in the family picture.

Enjoy,
Sarah

Hope

Pres Thompson spoke at our Ward Conference yesterday. He told a story about Elder Clayton, our area rep. Elder Clayton said, "I feel impressed to tell you to tell your people that if they will pay their tithing, everything will be OK."
I guess that we already knew that, but it is reassuring to hear it from one of the Lord's servants.
It reminded me of this quote from Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley -
"Be faithful, be true, be devoted to this work. It is the only way you will find peace and happiness in your lives, and you will find peace and happiness if you will live the gospel. It is the way of truth and life and understanding” (3 Mar. 1996).
We can not afford to be casual Saints and do what is right just when it is convenient. I intend to be more anxiously engaged.

Christmas Memories 2008 - #3

We don't know if Piko was being loved too much by grandkids or being underappreciated by the Allred kids, or if she was just disappointed that Dog Santa did not visit. Tawna did bring some white chocolate covered dog biscuits. Tawna is now the nicest of the kids.



Jessica got this biking equipment from Bryce for Christmas. She was confused and thought she was a ninja.




Sooooo, Gma Great DOES love dogs!




This is the apron that Bryce made that has pictures of all the Allred kids as babies ironed on. The apron speaks for itself.

Christmas Memories 2008 - #2

This is Brielle being the guardian angel for the Nativity scene in the living room. Apparently, while Brady was singing "O Holy Night," Blake decided that Brielle should share the honor. Brielle disagreed. That is when our Christmas program took on a whole new approach - WWF Wrestlemania!




I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up, Santa had already been there, so I went to bed while visions of sugarplums danced in my head.




Ava decided that Piko is much more fun than baby dolls.




Brian admires Scott's new Christmas toy.

Christmas Memories 2008 - #1

Davin and Gma Great making some great goodies for Christmas




Davin, Kea and Evan working with Gma Sue to make frosted cookies




Brady leads the singing for the Christmas program while the, obviously, enchanted ladies of Jessica, Alicia, Laura, Tawna and Krista (hair only shown) participate enthusiastically.




THE PROGRAM - Well, it got off to a nice start. Russ was narrator, Kea was the angel, Brielle started out as Mary, then a co-angel, then a star, then a (I will show you later), Davin was Joseph, Alicia stepped in as understudy for Brielle in the Mary role, Ava was a wandering minstrel, Brian and Bryce were wisemen. Blake decided to be a shepherd by throwing the sheep between Davin and him. Who knows, maybe that is how real shepherds do it. Maybe that is the REAL DIFFERENCE between a sheepherder and a shepherd.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Utah with the Buchanans. I took the camera to be sure that the event was properly recorded. The camera never came out of the suitcase.
Alicia and Scott are exceptional hosts and a good time was had by all.

This blog documents another thanksgiving event. We are so thankful that Evan has completed an honorable mission and is home to start the next phase of his life.


The welcoming party, including Scott Starkey's girlfriend. Kea and Davin and their "Welcome Home" signs.

The triumphal return.

The soon to be ex-missionary and his grateful parents.

Elder Evan

Here are some pictures of Evan, taken yesterday. My friend has a class on campus every week, so I think she's seen him 3 times now. Why I love this picture- 1. He looks like he is Europe, not WA. 2. He is wearing a FILA jacket.

Miscellaneous Stuff

These are just some miscellaneous pictures that I wanted to share.


Downstream from Niagara Falls. Can you see the Maid of the Mist?

Evidence that your SUE is the one who painted Krista's room.

We are missing the one with her mouth open. Have you seen her?

This is the plant that pays the bills. Go see our new website mtposo.com

Niagara Falls & the Erie Canal

We did some other fun things while in western New York.

We met with thousands of our best Canadian friends at Niagara Falls, Canada.

Gma at the falls.

Sue is King of the World on the Erie Canal.

Gma and Sue - cruzin'

Other Sites

This is a reconstruction of the Joseph Smith Sr. home, where Moroni appeared 3 times to Joseph Smith.


The Sister missionary who was our tour guide at the Grandin Publishing House, where the Book of Mormon was first published.

The Hill Cumorah.

A reconstruction of the Peter Whitmer, Sr. house where the church was organized on April 30, 1830. There were over 50 people at that meeting but I don't think they were all inside.

Sue at the top of Hill Cumorah. The grass below is where the audience sits for the Pageant. Parking is across the street.

The Grove

"Oh, how lovely was the morning..."



From Joseph Smith, Sr. home looking toward the grove.

The Palmyra Temple from the grove.

Sue and Roger at the temple.

Gma, Roger, Russ, Tracy at the temple.

The visit to the Sacred Grove was exactly what I had imagined. I will never forget it.

The Tomlinson Inn

We stayed at the Tomlinson Inn. It was the place that Samuel Smith sold a copy of The Book of Mormon to Phineas Young. Phineas gave it to his father John, who gave it to his son, Brigham. All of them joined the church.

This is us recreating the meal before Samuel arrived.


This is the special "water feature" that I ordered for our stay. The toilet leaked and was collected in a trash can below.

This is the tour bus that Gma invited to "come on over to the house." We were visiting the grave of Brigham Young's first wife when we met.

The revival that Gma held with the tour bus.

The un-modern side of the kitchen.

It was a wonderful place to stay because it does have historic significance and we were together, alone. The only down side is that we played Crowns and Gma cheated all the time.

Roger's Reponse to Teresa's Tag

I am hopelessly devoted to Sue.

I miss my youthful health.

I think "the moral majority" is neither moral nor a majority.

I know that all will be well if I do my part since the Savior already did his part.

I want to be a better person than I am.

I have enough time to do lists like this.

I search for low-sodium food.

I wish all of our family could live closer - like in Bakersfield.

I hate it when I lose something. It drives me crazy.

I am scared that our country has become so wicked that we deserve all of the sorrow that comes our way. "God bless America" is just wishful thinking.

I fear socialists, extortioners and unions, which are all about the same.

I always eat sweets.

I love my family and friends.

I feel sad when I think about children who are not loved by their parents.

I hear the sweet music of Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groben and Michael Buble whenever I can.

I don't control what I say and how I say it as I should.

I wonder what the next 10 years hold.

I care about my family & friends, church and country.

I regret not leaving my comfort zone more often.

I am not good at overcoming pride.

I believe that only the gospel restored by Joseph Smith has the power to give me peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

I dance only to embarass Sue.

I sing for my own enjoyment. I don't enjoy singing in choirs.

I write thousands of emails.

I win about half the time.

I dream of a lot of things. I just don't remember them when I wake up.

I lose the other half.

I never want it to be said of me that I did not take care of my family.

I listen to Sue, even though she doubts it at times.

I read almost anything that is non-technical. I love biographies of people I admire.

I am happy with my life.

Christmas Gift Exchange 2008

Merrrryyyyyy CHristmas!!!! It's never too soon to get shopping. Krista and I just did the drawing.

Alicia-- Landon
Scott- Laura
Teresa- Scott
Steve- Krista
Laura- Evan
Brian- Sarah
Jessica- Steve
Landon- Bryce
Sarah- Tawna
Bryce- Jessica
Evan- Alicia
Tawna- Teresa
Krista- Brian


We made sure that the names drawn were different from last year and the year before. Happy shopping.
COmment that you've seen this.

Steve & Teresa's Hawaiian Vacation

Steve and Teresa went to Hawaii. Sue went to babysit in Georgia. Krista went flitting around town. This blog documents what I did.



Put the pillow in the middle of the bed to make believe that Sue was sleeping next to me. (The pillow did not try to take all of the sheet.)



Tried to figure out how the food was supposed to get from the cold box to the table in an eatable condition. I would have starved without Jolly Cone.



Exercised.



Had Piko sleep in my bed...until she pooped in the closet. She now sleeps in the laundry room.



Tried to remember that her smiling face would be home within 2 weeks.


It was the longest that we have been apart in 34 years. SO, GIVE ME A BREAK!

My Tahoe Memories

The other members of the family have posted their favorite pictures from our Tahoe vacation. These are mine...



Aunt Jessica enjoying Sesame Street with the munchkins.



Brandon waiting patiently for his turn.



Grandma enjoying the grandkids.



Reading lessons



Brielle and Kea waiting for the downpour.