Family and Yard Work...

Wednesday, November 5th, in an effort to be ready for winter with the lawn work and to make spring a bit easier to set up the yard, Claude trimmed this dinner plate hibiscus. It grows taller than him and is prolific with blooms. We wanted it all in the garbage can so it could be picked up Thursday morning. That would leave us room to finish up the yardwork with an empty trash can on Thursday. Whew! Timing is important. 

Katelyn sent me this cute picture of Raelyn and Emelia. They were at the dentist office. While they waited, the made a puzzle. Look at the puzzle they chose. Turtles!! I was so happy to see this. They know I love turtles. 

Thursday, November 6th, our final flower bed project was completed. We have two enormous decorative grasses growing in the front flower bed. They have to be trimmed back. Claude uses his tiny little chainsaw and cuts them back while I gather and fold them up to put in the garbage bag. It never ceases to amaze me that I can get all that grass into that one big garbage bag. Very nice to have the flower beds all ready for winter. 

This was Hayden's 21st birthday. I posted this on our family Facebook page: "Someday, we will watch a film directed by Hayden Marx. Today, we will celebrate the day he was born. All things in good time. Happy Birthday, Hayden! May you finish this year, your senior year, in great fashion. Enjoy every moment. We love ya bunches!"

We also received word that a new Apostle was called to fill the vacancy in the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. His name is Gerald Causse. He was born in France. He has been serving as the Presiding Bishop of the Church for the past 10 years. His experience in this calling will certainly prepare him to serve as an Apostle in this day and age. I love the order of the Church. The scriptures say "The Lord's house is a house of order." It truly is. 

Claude and I sat at my laptop and, after speaking with Kris, made our plane reservations to fly to Las Vegas to visit with Cordell and Kris. We also purchased tickets to see Potted Potter. This is all seven harry potter books covered in 70 minutes. Should be fun. 

Friday, November 7th, I practiced the organ for the second time during the week. I love playing the organ. Never had real lessons but I love it nonetheless.

While I was practicing the organ, Claude was cutting the grass one last time. Bad weather was on the way and he finished cutting the grass just as the thunder and rain rolled in. 

I spent the afternoon wrapping Christmas gifts. I did was the next episode of Northern Disclosure. 

Saturday, November 8th, would find us out and about. Bailey's final home football game at Campbellsville University took us to her campus to cheer on their team and to watch Bailey perform with the marching band. 

The first thing they do is call TMB (Tiger Marching Band) Huddle. This is done on the grassy area in front of Bailey's dorm. They warm up their instruments and play pieces of music. The flags are practicing with them. Lots of energy.

The band them marches over to Findley Stadium for Party on the Plaza. This is basically a pep rally before the game. The cheerleaders are there and perform with the band and flags. They are led on the march over by their school mascot "Claws". We were surprised that Party on the Plaza was moved to right in front of the stadium. Bailey explained later that the building across was having a basketball game. The are where the band usually performs in on the broad walkway between these two buildings. It was hard to identify Bailey in these tight quarters. 

We purchased our tickets and found our seats for the afternoon. While the temperature was around 60 degrees, the sun was blazing down on us and we found it much warmer than we anticipated it being. These are the pregame 

The game started with a touchdown. This was exactly what happened when we went to the other game. I took a picture of the scoreboard each time a score was made. 

The band sits in the end zone.

Half-time is a busy, busy show. The band moves a lot, the flags are all over the place, the batons are twirling. I can't keep track of where Bailey is in the videos. But she is one of the trumpets.

After their half-time performance, we hurried down to treat Bailey to a snack before she had to be back with the band in the bleachers. She opted for a hamburger. She was kind enough to take these pictures of us for me. I am simply awful at selfie stuff. 

We didn't stay for the 2nd half of the game the other game we attended. It was miserably hot. This time we were their for the second half. The concessions are outside the stadium. Your had is stamped on your first entry to the stadium so you can exit and return at will. As we returned, we noted that the tables to even check to see if you had a stamp on your hand were gone. Hmm... The other things we learned was the concession stands close up before the end of the game. In that third quarter, they started coming to the stand with bags of popcorn they were giving away. Then they came out with big trays of burgers and hot dogs that had not sold yet. They were all free. Lesson learned...come to the second half. You don't have to pay and you just might get a free snack!

There was a ladybug infestation. They were everywhere. I first noticed this when one landed on my sunglasses. I thought it was a bee at first. Then realized it was a ladybug. This one sat on my jeans for a long time and then went for a stroll.

The game continued with Campbellsville having a significant win in terms of score. Claude noted that it was really a well matched game which did not reflect the score.

After the game is finished, the band plays a hymn. I do not know the name of this hymn. Bailey told me and I can't remember. I am sure it is very familiar to protestant religions but not in our hymnal. It is beautiful. I loved that the football team and their coaches come to the band as they play. They all link arms and sway as this hymn is played. It is very moving. I love that the football team and the band support each other. 

This is the horn section of the marking band. Baily is second from the right end. 

While we were watching football. Drew and Katelyn were at the Detroit temple for their first time there together. They ministering brother took them. His wife watched their four children. Steve, my brother-in-law, helped provide family names for them to take. So happy and grateful this happened. 

Sunday, November 9th, I was able to play the organ for Sacrament meeting. Elizabeth, the regular organist, let me pick hymns I wanted to play. I had not played the organ in two years. I opened my hymnbook when Elizabeth asked me to play and whatever hymn it landed on, that is the one I chose. All were old favorites of mine, which was very nice.

I received a text from Elizabeth Sunday morning explaining the program for Sunday had the wrong hymns in it. These were not the hymns I had selected and Elizabeth had turned in. Before leaving our home, I quickly wrote out two cards with the hymns I selected. When we got to the church, Claude posted they hymn numbers on the two boards at the front of the chapel. I gave one of the lists to Julianna, the chorister. The other I placed on the pulpit for the bishopric member who would conduct. I told Claude to watch for the bishopric and make sure they knew that it really didn't matter what they said as they conducted, these were the hymns I practiced and the ones I would play. When Bro. McCleod arrived, he said hi to me as I was playing prelude. I turned to him and quickly explained the need to change his conducting to the hymns on the card on the pulpit. He agreed. I did not know that Claude also wrote on the bottom of my list that I was playing the hymns on the card no matter what they announced. Such silliness. It went well.

Meanwhile in Muskegon, Drew gave his first talk in sacrament meeting. Katelyn snuck this picture. 

She also sent us this picture. This is Kennedi, their two year old. She is quite the daddy's girl. She wanted to do what her daddy did. So, in the Primary room, she stood behind the pulpit for a minute to be like daddy!! Oh be still my heart!

Claude and I would both take a nap. Then we gave in to a movie evening. It was nice to just be together snuggled up as the cold front moved in.