Get ready for pictures... Cider Festival and Homecoming!

But first, let me post just some ordinary day pics:

Somehow they ended up sitting on the bar altogether.  Guess it's time for a picture!

Mary and Libby took a selfie at the Temple.

We have a monster chicken!  What in the world?  And at least one Aricana.  Cool!

Now, to the Cider Festival! 

 Cindy, Lorraine and Karen - some of my angel helpers with the donuts!  We made about 250-300 donuts.  My dear friend Sharon came over and helped me get started on making the dough.  Jesse and her friends Peter and Stephen, and Chet and Mary rolled all the dough out and cut them out, ready to fry.  They were yummy as ever!

 Parker is almost as tall as Karen now!

 Friends gathered to visit and enjoy the donuts and fresh apple cider.

 David said he came over just to see Jesse.  He is her "second Dad".  He also listened to Jesse, Peter and Stephen play the piano.  They love to perform!

 Bruce's friend from work, Jonathan, and his wife came to the Cider Festival for the second year in a row.  So fun to see them again!

Sister missionaries, returned missionaries and other friends, hanging out in the shade on the front porch.

We had a wonderful turnout for the Cider Festival and really enjoyed all the wonderful friends who came by.  We drank apple cider tonight at the dinner table.  It was delicious!!

After the Cider Festival was over, I got to sit on the couch and listen to Jesse play the piano, along with her friends Stephen and Peter.  Stephen is a Composition major at BYU, and Peter is a fellow Piano Performance major at BYU.  So can you imagine how heavenly it was to sit and listen and watch them play?!  

Peter and Jesse goofing off.  For BYU piano performance majors, this means playing Listz' Consolation No. 3 with one hand each.  Lovely!

 After they all played, then Peter sight read every song that was put in front of him (as in sight-read it perfectly - it was phenomenal), while Jesse and Stephen sang.  They are both in Concert Choir (and Peter in Men's Chorus), so they sing beautifully.  You could have just floated me right up to heaven, to listen to them sing for probably two hours.  I lost track of time.  Thank you for playing and singing!  It was unforgettable!

The only missing element was wishing Joshua was there to sing with them!

It was Homecoming week at Mary's high school!

Nic, Mary and Chet met at Costco to buy pies for dinner before the Homecoming dance.

 Day date: Cameron, Allie, Chet, Mary, Jenna and Nathan

 Mary at the shooting range for the day date.

Chet picking Mary up for the dance!

 Group shot after the dinner.

 After the dance.


This morning Mary woke up and saw this sunrise, and went up on the roof to take a picture.  She loves sunrises and sunsets.

 PS This was not part of the dance date!!  That was over before 1 am. and they were with a wonderful group of friends the whole time.

After a very eventful week, we were glad for a quiet Sunday.  Church meetings this morning were wonderful.  I cried through all three meetings.  I cry when I feel the Spirit - tears come easily to my eyes.  Bruce bore his testimony today, and it was wonderful.  He testified of the wonderful truths that are found in the Book of Mormon.

I am so grateful for the wonderful Spirit I felt today.  I add my witness to those testimonies borne today that our Heavenly Father is real, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by our Savior Jesus Christ through his appointed prophets and apostles.  I am grateful for that knowledge and witness that the Spirit has borne to my soul.