Shaun's Choir Concerts - December 16, 2009

Orem High School
Holiday Choir Concert
December 16, 2009

Shaun is a member of Orem High School Chamber Choir. We attended the concert and they did an awesome job. I love to listen to Christmas music, especially live Christmas music that my kids are part of.

The choir borrows hand bells from Orem Community Church each Christmas season and uses them for their concerts. The trade off is that the choir will perform at the Orem Community Church. The bells add a lot to the performance.

Shaun is on the back row just to the left of the harp. He has some of the hand bells.

Shaun is on the back row the 4th person to the right of the tall guy on the back.

All of the Orem High School Choirs

Shaun and the Chamber Choir performed at Orem Community Church that week also. They sang Christmas carols for about an hour in the church, and the church had a live nativity outside. People would come to see the live nativity and then come into the church to hear the Christmas carols. At the end Mr. Keyes the choir director asked if anyone in the audience had a request. There were a few requests, and then a little child asked for a lively, fun song (not generally a choir song), so Mr. Keyes jokingly told the choir he wanted to hear 4 parts when they sang it. He got some parts happening - even though they didn't always harmonize. It was a touching night.

Jennifer Goes to the Temple - December 12, 2009

Jennifer Turner
goes to the Temple
December 12, 2009

My niece Jennifer went to the Timpanogos Temple and invited family members to attend with her. It is great to watch the next generation making choices that lead to the temple. After the temple session the family that attended the temple session went to lunch with Jennifer to celebrate this special day.

Christmas Party - December 5, 2009

Cabin Christmas Party
December 5, 2009

We went up to my dad (Harold Little) and Sharon's cabin for their annual family Christmas party. We went up early to be in time for breakfast. As always it was great - Sharon is a wonderful cook! It is tradition for the kids to go sleigh riding at the Christmas party, but this time there was no snow!! So we played games, watched a few movies, had good visits, and made gingerbread houses. Dad and Sharon had bought gingerbread house kits for everyone, so we each put together and decorated our own house.

Rachel, Shaun and Emily working on their houses.

Shaun and Emily when their house still looked like a house.

Lisa helping Rachel on her house. Shaun, Scott, and Emily after a tornado hit their house they were building as a team. (the house is the second one from the front)

In the afternoon we watched our traditional movie "Christmas Vacation" - we watch it every year at dad and Sharon's party, and we always fast forward the same scenes (the fast forwarding has become tradition as much as watching the movie). Sharon had collected some awesome prizes, and we played BINGO to win the prizes. Ray won a Disney Mickey Mouse Christmas throw, I won a white Santa decoration, Shaun won some money. After BINGO Sharon gave everyone a ticket for a drawing to win a beautiful Swedish weaving blanket she had just made. Ray was the lucky winner! Later we had a delicious dinner, like always, Sharon was a great cook. Then it was time to give Dad and Sharon their presents.

It is hard to come up with ideas for them, because they don't need anything, and they don't have room to store what they don't need. So we gave them a Christmas centerpiece that they could use and enjoy it during December and then get rid of it.

Their cabin is always decorated for Christmas. Sharon spends days and days decorating the cabin and making it full of Christmas. We enjoy going up for the Christmas party and appreciate the time and effort it takes to plan such a great weekend.

Thanksgiving - November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving
November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving was very different from our usual tradition of going to mom/grandma's (Louise) with the whole family and usually a few other guests. We had Thanksgiving dinner at her house last year, she was still with us under Hospice care. We all brought part of the feast and had our last Thanksgiving with our mom and in her house. She passed away 2 days later. So it was now time to start some Thanksgiving traditions with my kids and their families instead of with the whole extended Little family. (The extended family was in California, we couldn't go because I had school.) Heidi and Scott and their kids came up from Henderson, Nevada, and Ryan, Brittania, Braxton, Emily, Scott and Shaun were all there to celebrate with me and Ray. Since it was time to start our own traditions I decided that instead of cooking a whole turkey and having it stuffed with stuffing (mom insisted on having the thanksgiving dinner home made) we would get one of the large turkey roasts from the turkey farms in Moroni and cook that for our turkey. They seem more flavored and seasoned than a regular turkey. Well, since we didn't have a whole turkey - there was nothing to stuff with dressing. Our solution - Stove Top stuffing. So, I think since I am now "in charge" of the Thanksgiving feast that there will be a few short-cuts. (but I still wish mom was here to be in charge and to have her great Thanksgiving dinner).

Each year we take pictures by the Thanksgiving turkey, but the effect is not quite the same with a turkey roast.

Brittania, Ryan and Braxton Walker

Claire, Heidi, Scott and Meghan Christensen

Scott and Emily Mason (somehow we missed a picture with Shaun)

Ryan got elected to carve (or cut or demolish) the turkey. The net that was wrapped around the turkey stuck to the meat and it didn't look very good when we finally got it off. Hopefully it will work better next time.

I think Braxton is done being in the high chair before we ever start eating.

Meghan is coloring while she waits for dinner. Emily brought Thanksgiving pictures for the kids to color.

Claire is ready to eat.

Mom/Grandma (Louise) started the tradition of playing BINGO after Thanksgiving dinner. I hadn't even thought about that until Emily asked if she could take care of finding BINGO prizes. So Emily found prizes and we all played BINGO. I will be better prepared for it next year.

From Left to Right: Brittania, Shaun (in the background), Ryan, Meghan, Heidi

Ryan, Meghan, Heidi and Scott playing BINGO

Scott, Scott, Emily playing BINGO

Braxton taking a shortcut to see the prizes

Anastasia and Shaun playing BINGO

Shaun, Anastasia, and Meghan looking at a photo album of when Shaun was a cute little boy

Me and Ray gave the grandkids new Christmas pajamas on Thanksgiving. That way they had the whole month of December to wear them. Claire and Meghan in their new Christmas pajamas (Braxton had gone home before PJ time)

Claire in her new Christmas pajamas

Meghan in her new Christmas pajamas

Thanksgiving weekend we went to Red Robin to celebrate Ray's birthday and get his free burger and fries. Meghan and Claire have new winter coats and hats. Shaun is watching them.

It was a nice Thanksgiving but it is always hard when you are missing loved ones.

Ray's Birthday

Ray's Birthday
November 20, 2010

Ray turned 51! I am sure it was not his favorite birthday since most of the day was spent preparing for his dad's funeral the next day, and taking care of and being at the viewing on his birthday. We needed to still celebrate his birthday even if there was a viewing for his dad. We ended up inviting the whole Walker family and the Little family over for cake and ice cream (and pumpkin pie) after the viewing. Even though it was a sad day for us, it was nice to have family over to support him on his birthday.

Heidi in chair, Jack, Ray, and Scott on the couch

Wendy, Eva, Leona, Gordon, Rachel & Claire in front

Jack (facing back), Laurel, Scott, Ann & Weber

Lisa, Jim, Claire and Heidi

Our family (at least most or them) - Charlie, Shaun, Scott & Emily, Braxton, Ray, Ryan & Brittania, Heidi, Meghan, and Claire

Ray, Scott & Heidi, Meghan, Claire (Scott missed the last picture)

Ray, Raymond, Loa, Jack in front

Scott & Emily, Shaun, Ryan

Weber Read Walker's Viewing - November 20, 2009

Weber Read Walker's
Viewing
November 20, 2009

Dad Walker passed away on November 14, 2009 at the age of 93 after having many medical issues during summer and fall. He moved into Ray's oldest brother, Weber's house in the fall because it became unsafe for him to stay in his own house. On the morning of November 14 Weber gave us a call and told us that "grandpa" wouldn't be with us much longer. So we immediately went to Weber's house to be with him. He passed away about 45 minutes after we got there.

His viewing was held at the Walker-Sanderson Mortuary in Orem on November 20, 2009 (Ray's 51st Birthday).

Some of the cousins - Angelyn (with her 2 kids), Misty, and Brooke.

More cousins - Jeremy and Angela Jensen


Cousin Tammy Walker and her daughter

Cousin Mark Taylor and his new wife Amber were able to come from their military assignment in Korea.

Andrew & his baby, Ann, James, Joseph

Braxton with Shaun

Braxton, Shaun, Ryan

Braxton's checking out the cute girls

Mark, Andrew and baby, Braxton

Emily, Dana - dressed opposite

Ray with his sisters, Loa & Laurel

Eva, Leona, Raymond, Gordon

Shaun

Flowers given to us from my Dad Harold and Sharon Little

Walker family

There were lots of beautiful flowers. Dana and Ray gave the other siblings each one of the poinsettia plants.