December on the Ranch

December just seems to get out of control and this year is no exception. December 2nd was Grayson's 2nd birthday, but we celebrated it on the 1st with a family dinner, i.e. both sets of grandparents, Aunt Laura, cousin Bayer (17 mo), and the Welling family, who are family by choice not birth!



Grayson and his "Cars" cake.



The ranch Christmas party was held on Friday, Dec. 2nd. For us that meant spending the morning at the rodeo grounds cleaning up and decorating. The party began at 5:30 P.M. with a choice of steak, ribs, or hamburgers for dinner, entertainment by some of the talented people on the ranch, inflatable slide for the kids, and, of course, Santa Claus! What a fun evening!

Natalie & Evelyn Wright talk to Santa.

On Dec.5th for Family Home Evening, we decorated the Carroll House. The men worked outside putting up the lights. (CK doesn't like doing this so he loved all the help!) The women worked inside putting up the tree and other decorations. Wish we had all this help at home! On the 12th, Joe Snider (Housing Foreman) let the elders spend the day at the Carroll House doing some overdue maintenance, i.e. pressure cleaning the porch ceiling and soffitts, and putting edging and mulch on the flower beds. The men also spent a day at the Jacobsen's getting their landscaping ready for "the wedding".

Yesterday, Erik and Renee Jacobsen's oldest child, Jessica, was married in the Orlando temple to Randall Raban from St. Johns, AZ. (Erik is the ranch's GM) The missionaries helped with a brunch before the wedding and a dinner after the wedding for family and close friends from out of town. We also helped with the reception which was held in a huge white tent on the Jacobsen's front lawn. They had a perfect day weather-wise. Sunny in the mid 70's. Everything went very well, especially considering it was their first wedding. One down and three more daughters to go! Temple Marriage We are relaxing and recovering today! Don't think we'll go caroling with our ward this evening. However, the ward Christmas party on the 14th was great.




Randall & Jessica Raban

  

Today my Primary children were so tired from the dancing and the sugar!