Reagan's Birthday Bird and the Hurricanes.

 Sunday October 25, 2020

After Church and a baby blessing we changed clothes to travel home. I sure did enjoy spending time with my baby sister Sandy.

We also celebrated Reagan's 9th Birthday. Reagan had raised two turkeys this year and was sad when they had to be butchered and put in the freezer. Any kind of cake would be great for her birthday, but if they served Turkey it would be bad.

Her Auntie Clarissa, the cake master and master joker, decided to make Reagan a Turkey Cake. This confection was an amazing feast for the eyes and the palate. 

The Leg caps, peas and carrots were made from fondant and the stuffing were diced cake croutons. I can't describe how scrumptious and rich this whole creation was.

When Reagan realized it was a cake and not her bird she said, "I want a drumstick". 

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Hurricane Zeta makes landfall in Cocodrie, Louisiana in the evening with winds of 110 miles an hour. The storm turned east pummeling the Gulf Coast with rains and high winds.

Suffice it to say that the dome we were building did not survive the hurricane.

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Biloxi, Gulfport and Pascagoula took quite a beating from this storm. Below is Popeye's chicken and the Joanne Fabrics, Harbor Freight and At Home stores looked much the same.

 Most of the cities were without power. I drove into Biloxi on Saturday Morning and turned down the highway. At first I thought I had accidently turned onto the beach, but then I started seeing pavement and realized the beach had moved onto Highway 90.

Friday October 30, 2020

Darryl and made another 7UP soda machine for the ward's Trunk or Treat.

Saturday October 31, 2020

🎃HAPPY HALLOWEEN🎃

We set up the soda machine at the house and I was so excited that we actually had 5 kids and 2 adults come by to Trick or Treat.

We had only been working on the dome here in Pascagoula for a few weeks and had only been spraying shotcrete for a few days when the hurricane blew through and destroyed it. We are so grateful no one was onsite at the time.

Saturday November 7, 2020

Darryl and I were asked to go to New Orleans to help clean up hurricane damage there. 

We were truly blessed to be able to serve these 5 households. It changed my attitude that day and how I look at where I am called to served.

These trees were huge and the were spared destruction to their houses, although the fences and out backyard sheds didn't fare as well.

Finally, as we were clearing brush I thought I saw our cat Toulouse. It sure did look like her. What's that they say about cats having 9 lives?

I found this depiction of Moroni mourning the loss of his father, the great prophet and military leader of the Nephites. It gave special meaning to my scripture study of Mormon 1-8.

And my crazy "Celtic Warrior Woman" hair was driving me batty! It wouldn't hold a curl and the Mississippi humidity just made it go Frizzy, so I had about 4 inches of it cut off and it feels great!

November 17, Fitness update.

Since the 1st of August I have now lost 16 pounds and am walking several miles 5 days a week, I can hold planks, even one arm planks and do Chaturangas Dandasana in my daily Yoga practice.

I am feeling healthier and better than ever!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Best Halloween Party Ever!

 Darryl and I have always loved Halloween Parties. We used to host some great ones many, many years ago in Texas and Idaho. But I've never hosted or been to a Halloween party like this.

So a couple of hours after our little graduation party we dressed up and had a wonderful time with lots of family and friends eating and visiting and enjoying this grand Halloween bash!

The Frankenstein Meat holder on the buffet table was the highlight of the table.

Oh my gosh!! Donna and her Daughter's and all their friends made such wonderful treats!

They were delicious and so fun ...

Not only was there plenty of food and great conversation but there were plenty of activities for the children. From making crafts and playing games to Trick or Treating and watching "not so spooky" movies outside on the giant, inflatable movie screen.

*****

And the costumes!

Little Ballerina Princess Izzy.

Shark-Boy-Hula Girl Jonas

Wesley as Jack Jack from the Incredibles with Grandma Cindy as a Caribbean Fortune Teller.

Hermione Granger Lydia and Woody Emily

And Marshall Doc as Forky..

Look Forky, Aunt Sandy is young again! No white hair!

Aunt Sandy found Frodo Baggins looking a lot like Adam.

And our beautiful Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, Miss Reagan.

It was such a delightful day all the way around. We are truly blessed!

Graduate at Last - Congratulations Skye

January 2006 Skye starts college at Southern Virginia University. 15 years of study at two additional universities, BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii, 13 years of marriage, 3 daughters and many late nights of study later she has graduated from Southern Virginia University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics. 

Skye played on the LaCross team back in 2013-2014 when the school colors were Green and white. They changed to the Crimson colors in 2017.

Skye at the White house in 2018.

Skye was so excited for her graduation that she asked us back in October of 2019 if we could come to her Commencement Exercises in May. BUT....... COVID-19, and the world wide pandemic made them postpone the ceremony until October of 2020. BUT ..... Still COVID-19. The virus caused them to postpone the graduation indefinitely. Skye was heartbroken. She worked for 15 years for this and now she doesn't get to enjoy her collegiate Graduation Ceremony. 

What do you do?

🎓🎓🎓🎓

You plan a surprise Graduation Ceremony. 

Skye's mother-in-law Donna called me up and said she wanted to put on a graduation for Skye at their home. She made arrangements with Ryan to make sure they could come down that weekend, then we planned a real Graduation.

I sent out invitations and made a program for the event.

And Donna and Doug made a podium, bought the banner and planned a great day for Skye and it was all done in secret. It's amazing that between the 67 people in our two families we were able to keep her from being suspicious and surprise her.

So on October 24th while getting ready to go out to dinner and celebrate her big achievement, when she peeked out and saw the chairs, banner and podium she thought to herself, "aww.... how cute. They are going to have a little graduation for me."

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I had purchased a cap and gown for her and when Ryan brought it out and had her put it on she thought "Okay... this is fun". But she still had no hint that Shiloh and all her kids, Cami, Jacob and their family and Darryl and I were there to honor her and join the Lowry's to celebrate her big day. 

Doug started playing "Pomp and Circumstance" and Ryan brought her outside. She looked over and saw Emily and realized that her family was here. She was very surprised when she saw Darryl and I, but the look on her face at the sight of her Aunt Sandy, Dr. Sandra K. Shawver, in her full Doctoral Regalia, stopped her in her tracks. We were clapping and cheering and she was so overcome with emotion it was quite a few moments before Ryan could get her moving forward again to her seat.

Sandy gave an amazing commencement address just for Skye and then presented her with her diploma. We sang "O Shenandoah" just like they do at the end of graduation at SVU. It was a wonderful ceremony and worth every bit of time and money spent to be there for her and share this special moment with her.

Her sister-in-law, Clarissa, made this delicious cake the yummy cake pops to celebrate!

And how do you finish off your graduation in October in South Carolina? You go for a swim!

Now, I know this seems like a full day, but wait until you see what the evening had in store for us!

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