TRIP TO DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TEXAS & THE BYU VS. TCU GAME- Jan. 13-14, 2009

These next two shots are ariel views as we are leaving the airport & flying over Dallas.
Here we are ready to leave on Southwest airlines from the Dallas/Fort Worth airport back to Salt Lake City. We enjoyed our quick visit to Texas & hope to come again & maybe stay a little longer. Blair says the people in Texas are great...lots of southern hospitality, good morals & conversative values. Parents here really do want what is best for their kids.
On Jan. 14th as we were leaving for the airport, I got a picture of the Dallas Cowboys arena. I believe they are in the process of building a new one.
This plaque was put in the spot next to the road where the assissination took place, to designate it as a National Historic Landmark at Dealey Plaza.
Next Blair took us to where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated here in Dallas in 1963. I remember that day very well. I was in the 3rd grade in Mrs. Johnson's class & out for lunch recess on the playground in Lovell, WYO. Some girls came out yelling, Yeh, the President's been shot! I thought to myself, "What President?" After going back to class, the principal announced the news & our teacher started crying & school was let out for the rest of the day. Then we watched the replay of the event on TV, over & over for days, it seemed. Lee Harvey Oswald was in the upper corner room of this Library with his shotgun & shot Pres. Kennedy from behind as he came around this corner riding in a convertible with his wife, Jackie, at his side, ready to go under an underpass. Oswald was later shot by                      as he was being taken into jail.
There were some amazing bronze horse statues all over the courtyard of these buildings.
This is the area in Dallas in which Blair has his accounting firm. He has some wealthy oil barons as some of his clients, so he has been doing quite well over the years. This year has been of big concern though, with the recession & problems in the oil industry.
Janece & Jay Wood, & Blair Dance trying to carry on a conversation amidst all the loud excitement of the team.
In the left of this picture is Jay Monson, who is the sports commentator for the BYU games on BYU radio. More teammates & Coach Jonas Chatterton at the last table.
Some of the coaches (Dan Nelson, Stacy Jensen, Head Coach Jeff Judkins & little Dan, the media guy, Ali Bills with her back turned & finger pointing & other team members waiting for their food.
After the game, we went to IHOP to celebrate. The girls were quite hyper & loud, but I suppose they have a right to be when they came from a big win vs. TCU. Pictured from left to right are Dani, Haley, Jenteel, Keilani, Kristin, & Coriann.
Coriann waiting for a pass to come from Shawnee in the far right of the picture, just past the view of the referee. BYU beat TCU 62-46, & this was BYU's 10th straight win! Coriann played 21 min., had 3 points, 4 rebounds, an assist & a steal. A couple of video clips are at the bottom of this post.
     Here's Blair & Jay walking to the TCU basketball coliseum.
A partial representation of the old southern looking colonial style homes.
There were some really neat monuments made to represent the day of the big cattle drives.
Billy Bob's Saloon or bar is supposed to be the biggest in the world, I believe. It's quite a place if you're into that type of lifestyle.

        Some of the old cattle stockyard buildings & corrals.

They had some of the big old cattle driving stockyards turned into tourist areas for shopping & dining.
           This is an entrance to a huge rodeo grounds area.
This is supposed to be quite a good Mexican restaurant here.
Here's driving down one of the cobblestone streets with a lot of the old buildings.
This is Jay's & my first time to set foot on Texas soil. We have flown into airports before, but that's it. Here we are in old town Fort worth. It's full of cowboys with big hats, guns, the whole nine yards. I was trying to get pictures as we were driving, hence the blurriness. Jay's good friend, Blair Dance, originally from Blackfoot, ID, where he was good friends with Jay, & then also in college, came & picked us up at our motel in his BMW & showed us around a little,before we headed to the game at TCU.

         Coriann making a foul shot vs. TCU.

SETH & JANICA'S 1ST APT. & SETH'S CITY LEAGUE BASKETBALL GAME- Jan. 12, 2009

                            Seth shooting up a foul shot.
Seth has the ball trying to go up for a shot. This game is being played at Provo high school.
Here's their bedroom with the temple quilt I made them for their wedding on the bed, which was an air mattress for a couple of months until they got a real bed. 
Here's their Ellsworth sign (that I made them for Christmas), which has Established in 2008 in tan over the Ellsworth. They wanted to put 'population 2' on it, but we couldn't figure out how to make it look right.
Another view of their living room. They later got a black couch to replace this one that wasn't very comfortable.
Jay is relaxing on a huge BYU pillow in their living room area, waiting for dinner. They have fixed up their tiny apt. really cute, I think.
Janica is making a wonderful chicken pasta type dish for us for dinner.
Here are Seth & Janica in their first married apt. in Provo, UT. This is part of the kitchen area, & Seth's office where he has a desk & computer to the left of where he is sitting.

A quick video clip of Seth making a foul shot.

MORE SNOW & BACK TO UTAH for BYU vs. COLORADO STATE- Jan. 10, 2009

Coriann throwing up a 3-pointer. BYU beat CSU 61-43. She played 18 min., had 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals & 1 block. Nice game Coriann!
Here's Janica talking to Jeff & Hawley Hawkins who came to support Coriann & the team. I believe Julie is sitting next to Hawley.
                     Coriann trying to grab the rebound.
                          Coriann shooting a foul shot.
We woke up Mon. morning Jan. 5th to more snow, then the sun came out to make it look like a winter wonderland. Jan. 9th, Jay & I left to go back to Utah to make the BYU vs. CSU game on   Sat., the 10th.

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     Here is a clip of Coriann making a foul shot.

             Coriann making a 3-point shot.

QUICK TRIP TO PORTLAND-BYU BEAT UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND-Jan. 3, 2009

Mt. Hood is in the background of this picture as we are leaving Portland.
             The arched bridge in downtown Portland.

Fri. night Jan. 2nd, Jay & I attended a nice wedding reception in the Columbia Basin church for Ryan & Sarah Davidson Davis. I can't believe I didn't get any pictures...I thought for sure I took some. That's not like me. The next morning we left for Portland about 8:30 a.m. or so to drive the about 4 1/2 hrs. for Coriann's game, which they handily beat 65-37. Cori played 16 min., had 5 points, 4 rebounds, a steal & an assist, which I have proof of in the video clip below. It seems that the stat keepers sometimes miss these for Coriann.                      

We left shortly after the game to drive back home, so it made for quite a long day. As we were leaving I got a couple of good shots of Portland & the bridge & one of Mt. Hood.

 This shows some good teamwork & passing taking place. Coriann makes an assist to Shawnee as she makes the 3-point shot from the side.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!-Jan. 1, 2009

We thought that both Basin City wards had planned a New Year's party together, but when we got there we realized it was just 1st ward's party, but we ate their food & stayed & watched some of their great entertainment which included Scot & Tamlee McGary doing this fun little skit as they are getting ready to go out somewhere. There's a video clip below. I meant to get a snapshot of this incredible painting of Bishop Davidson that was done upside down in a few short minutes by Sarah Montierth                 husband,               as we were all watching. I ended up with a 2 second video clip, which is posted below. Bishop Davidson & Nolan Empey sang some cowboy/Indian/bear song, but my picture is too dark to post. After the fun program, we headed back home for the countdown on TV, to hail in the NEW YEAR, & kissed our sweethearts & sipped some sparkling apple cider.

OUR DIFFICULT TIME GETTING TO CORIANN'S BYU GAME VS. ARKANSAS- Dec.30, 2008

                  Coriann is third from the left in this one.
                      Coriann is center back, sitting down.

Both Jay & I and Seth's parents, Scott & Annalisa Ellsworth were supposed to leave from Spokane to Salt Lake today, Mon. Dec. 29th. Our flights were cancelled due to the weather, so we weren't sure what to do. We finally got flights at 6:15 am. on Tues. the 30th & so we road together to Spokane, hoping the roads wouldn't be too bad to get there. They were quite snowy with ice, but we managed okay. Janica & Seth stayed at our home until we got back up Wed. the 31st, so that we could celebrate the new year together.

I felt bad for Scott & Annalisa, because it was their anniversary the day we were stranded, so I made them a nice candlelight dinner with our china & gave them the 'Letters of Joseph & Emma' book that came out this year. 

Coriann had a successful game on Tues. the 30th, which is also my father, Ray Moody's birthday. He's been gone since June 16, 1966. He would be turning 91 if he were still alive. Cori's team beat Arkansa, 49-39 & she played 20 min., had 7 pts., 6 rebounds, & 3-3 foul shots.   

Since I didn't get any pictures, I am going to post pictures of her teams posters. The first one above is from last year her freshman year & the second one is this year, her sophomore year.

JANICA & SETH'S RECEPTION IN BASIN CITY, WA- Dec. 27, 2008

The end has come, time for the shoes to come off of the sore feet & be put away & become a reminder & memory of a wonderful occasion, never to be forgotten. The planning, the shopping, the creating, sewing, decorating...all the hardwork has paid off for two beautiful days & evenings of celebration with wonderful family & friends. It's wonderful to have this blog to document it all & be able to revisit all the fun pictures to help us replay every moment in our minds.
As we are cleaning up & putting things away, Coriann has to take time to pop the bubble wrap with Kiana Holst. Coriann knows how to have fun...I hope she never forgets when she has her own children. You can see Cori's scraped knee from a tough basketball game.
Who wants some fisheys to take home...we sure don't want them all.
Time to gather the gifts & have another Christmas-like celebration, as they are opened. Many thanks to those who are helping Janica & Seth with things to set up their home.
     Another memorable time for the Ellsworth family as they are working on their life together, forever.
Time to carefully put away all of the special pictures & artwork.
                 Time to say goodbye to the photographer.
          It's now our turn to try out the scrumptious food. A cute BYU shirt picture of Janica & Seth is on the TV screen in the background left corner.

                  Time for the tradition of cutting the cake.

We shake hands with the last of the guests. Here's Jay shaking hands with little Eastyn Holst.

                              

                            A pose in the garden scene.
A clearer picture that has Madison Empey taking video for us, of the evening. Katelyn, also helped out I believe.
A little blurry, but the table to the right has many of the Hawkins children & the center table is Bishop Rick Nielson & his wife, Lana, & Bret & Teresa Gledhill.

Jim, Ann, Danny Stoker & Megan, their daughter. Bart, Susan, & Jeff Hawkins, good friends & members of our ward.
Wade & Nancy Schultz & their sons, Travis (his girlfriend) & Eric (Farva), who are good friends of Janica & Coriann, & always were at our home for every party our girls had. Coach Wayne Riner & his wife, Janae (our girl's loved him for track, weight training, etc.) & Danny Stoker, from our ward.
             Guests mingling & enjoying the yummy food.

Janica & Coriann greeting, Ken Benson, who is a great man of the older generation in the Basin.
Tim & Stacey Taylor, Beckie & Chris Eskildsen & son, Bergen & Leonard Marble, whom our girl's love.
These are the only family members that were able to make it to this reception. Seth's parents, Scott & Annalisa E., Janica's parents, Jay & Janece W. & Janica's sister, Coriann, the maid of honor. There were other relatives that were going to try, but the weather made it too difficult.

             They seem so happy & perfect for each other.

The beautiful bride & handsome groom are ready to greet their guests.

Guests are arriving and signing their congratulations & best wishes. Here we have Scott & Tamlee McGary.

The guestbook is open & ready to be signed. Pictures of the bride & groom are on the left side & places to sign on the right.
We have wonderful help in the kitchen. Here are just a few that helped. Karen Eden, Walt & Patricia Lowe, Maria Holst, Susan Hawkins, & Michele Casper.
        The sign directs the way for guests as they arrive.
Kevin Salisbury, the photographer has arrived & has started to take pictures.
                 The candy dishes are full are ready to go.
The fish are put in the bowls & the lights turned on under the bowls.
             The lantern lights are being turned on ready to go.
Janica & Seth's shoes patiently waiting for them to put them on their feet, for the reception.
We're getting our corsages & boutonnieres pinned on. I'm helping Jay with his.
        Here I am getting Janica cinched up in her wedding gown.
This is an overview from the opposite direction of the last picture. You can see the big screen TV that I mentioned below, in the far left corner of this one.
This is when we were playing with the lights to get the right effect & ambiance for the reception.
The Salt Lake temple quilt I made with the help of sisters in the ward, & the picture displays are to the left of the guestbook & opposite from the cake & food tables. to the left of this in the corner was a big screen TV with a slideshow of pictures from dating & the wedding being played.
The guestbook table is to the left of the gift table & there is a little fountain with pink rocks, & a battery candle. A double white lamp post is to the left of this.
This is the gift bench, which is to the left of the stage. The white basket is for cards. I got most of my fabric, ribbon & tulle from JoAnn's & Walmart.
This is the stage which is to the left of the food tables & directly across the gym from the backdrop. Lights were wrapped up in the bottom of the green tulle which is resting on the stage.
This is the chocolate candy table as it is being set up, not everything is on it yet.
To the left of the cake, is Kathi Eppich's serpentine table. We don't have everything on it as yet, in this pic., but we served tomato basil, clam chowder, & vegetable beef soups, rolls, a green pistachio salad, a pink strawberry salad, a vege tray with carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, olives, pickled asparagus, etc. Dessert was suicide chocolate, mint choc. chip, & strawberry icecream flavors, assorted chocolates from our Country Mercantile store,  & hot chocolate, & lemon water to drink.
The flowers were all made by Annalisa, Shandiin S. made the three layer cake, strawberry with cream cheese filling. The Salt Lake Temple was machine embroidered by Doris S. & I filled in some stitches & gold angel Moroni, by hand. I added the pink & white daisies & the mat & frame.
To make up this garden scene which is to the left of the backdrop below, I brought the white wicker furniture from our gazebo at home. The white fountain & lamp post was rented, & the follage was some from our home, Lana Nielson, & the church. 
Kathi Eppich did a beautiful job of setting up the backdrop curtain & lights, & greenery. We rented the column pieces, & urns form Sun rental in Kennewick. I had the glass vases & purchased the huge light pink gerbera daisies, & the medium-sized white & dark pink ones.
Janica really wanted a false ceiling look & I was really worried as to how we were going to pull it off, but it actually ended up looking pretty good, thanks to lots of people helping out.

Scott & Annalisa are doing some finishing touches with the lanterns, & some of the Empey's who also helped are sitting at a table, with their backs to the camera.

  Seth's parent's flew into Spokane on the afternoon of Dec. 26th, so Seth & Janica drove the 2 hrs. to go & pick them up. I went into town to pick up last minute items & food for the reception. Later in the evening Jay & I attended a reception for Severin & Haley Wells Bergeson. On Sat. morning, Dec. 27th, the seven of us (Seth, Janica, Coriann, Scott, Annalisa, Jay & I) packed up stuff to take to the church to decorate. We met several ward members who were ready & willing to help us set up things & decorate. We started around 9 a.m. and the last of us left the church around 3 p.m. It sure was nice to have a lot of helping hands, since we didn't have family there to help us, other than the seven I mentioned. We also were concerned because the weather was horrible with icy, slick roads & there had also been a basketball tournament in Yakima, I believe. 

This is a picture of the table centerpieces. The bowls had a big pink daisy & 3 smaller white ones, later on a light was put underneath to shine up through the bowl, which was set on some green floral foam, in some live wheat grass, which I grew for about 11-12 days in a green flower pot saucer, which is resting on a 12" square mirror. The round tables were covered with a moss green cloth, a brown runner, which I made, & a wide pink ribbon.