Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving we invited Tom and Kathryn Neal over for dinner. They were here on two missions one in 2001 and one in 2007. Both times Marty and Tom worked together and became good friends. Marty is working on building a dressing room/restroom behind the pageant stage and was able to invite Tom to come help for a few weeks. The Neals came to dinner at Noon and then left to go visit Kirtland and we did the usual Set up of the Christmas tree and then we played some games and then we went to a movie. This year we saw "Breaking Dawn part 1" it was really great!! Then we went to the BLACK FRIDAY SALES!! They started at midnight but Marty wanted a Radiant Heater from Menards for $69 so he stood in line, 2nd in line for 7 hours in the cold to get it. I tried to spell him off and give him a bathroom break but he wouldn't even let me stand out there with him because he said the guys there were being to crude and he didn't want me around it so I stayed in the warm car. But when I did go there the last 1/2 hour they were all perfect gentlemen. Marty said it was strange how much different the conversation went. I think they heard him talking to me on the phone but whatever it was I was grateful. Well we got it and one for the Neals. We got home at 7 am and slept all day. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have the whole family there!! I am Thankful for so many things. Our Family, our home, our jobs and the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings so much peace and joy to our lives. Life is good and we are happy.

Halloween

So as you can see Marty and I dressed up this year. What started it was I was asked by the Nauvoo Betterment Society to drive a bus for this Cemetery tour they started this year. It was cool they had actors at the different cemeteries tell their life stories. Marty talked me into dressing up and I think the people liked it. Well that evening was the pumpkin walk so I left my makeup on and did Marty's up so we could hang out together. The only problem was every time Marty looked in the mirror it bothered him. He would say "I don't like how I look, it's scary" It made me laugh. It bothered him more that the little kids were avoiding him. He is such a sweetheart. He doesn't like being scary. It was kinda sad that our kids are all grown up and off doing their own things but I am glad to know that Marty and I can have our own fun even without the kids. We really had a wonderful time. Halloween in Nauvoo is the best!!

PIZZA!!!

Marty and I Love Pizza! Our favorite pizza is just a block away at Casey's. Our favorite was Pepperoni until they started selling Buffalo Chicken!! Oh it was soooooo good. Well a few months ago they quit selling it. Oh it was awful to crave something you couldn't have anymore. We really missed it!! Well tonight I decided to try to make it myself!!


It was wonderful!! I think it was just as good or better than Casey's!! LOL Well Marty and I love it and thats what counts and it's WAY LESS EXPENSIVE!! So there you go.

After work the girls PLAY!!

Lacey and Sage have discovered a new hobby!!



And they are actually pretty darn good at it!!


Marty couldn't be prouder!! :) Who says you need sons!!

See Nauvoo News

There is a new newspaper in town published by the Nauvoo Betterment Association. "See Nauvoo News"It is awesome. I feel like I really know whats going on in town and believe me there is a lot going on.

According to our new paper some of the pumpkins this year may be square. There is a shortage of large pumpkins this year because of the drought so there is going to be some major creativity going on and I for one am super excited to see what they are going to do. I LOVE our annual pumpkin walk.

There is also going to be "Spirit of Nauvoo" cemetary tour. It will be on the 29th of October (same day as the pumpkin walk) from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. They have asked little ol me to drive the bus that will transport people to meet "interesting spirits as they walk among the headstones and here stories of individuals buried there". I for one am very excited!! The cost is $10 and the proceeds will benefit the Nauvoo betterment association.

I also LOVE the walking tour. I grabbed the brochures from the Bank but you can download them at http://www.seenauvoo.com/ They have awesome old pictures of Nauvoo and it is really cool to see how Nauvoo has changed over the years and to hear stories about our awesome little town. That website has calendars and news about all the fun stuff going on here. Thats where I got my picture of the pumpkin walk too. I love Nauvoo and I hope you do too.

Remember, Remember the month of September...

September has always been my favorite month. Most likely because it is my birthday month but I love fall and this is the month where fall begins.

Sage and Lacey have been working at NRI together. They really seem to be having a great time. It is a lot of fun when they come home on breaks to hear all of their daily adventures with the missionaries.

This year for my birthday they cleaned out my flower beds. It was the best gift ever. It had been two years since I had been able to spend any time at all on my garden and that is hard for me because I really do love it. Unfortunately there are only so many hours in the day if it wasn't for my girls I am afraid those beds would have suffered from neglect for another year.

The biggest surprise of all was that they didn't stop at the little bed they did the whole front of the house. It took 3 days and they were some of the hottest days in September.They did it after working at NRI in that heat all day. I felt so loved. I am so proud of my girls. They are so thoughtful and such hard workers. 

And it turned out amazing! :)

Meanwhile my amazing husband finished my pantry!

On the inside and...

The outside!! It looks better than I could have even imagined!

Chelsi and Jason finally got their little girl after three boys. This makes grandchild number eight for Marty and he couldn't be more tickled. 

Alexis Mercedeez Hollobaugh born 9-10-11 

Amber and Marcus are doing well. Amber got a job at Menards in Scottsbluff, Nebraska where Marcus goes to school. He has been sick quite a bit this month but is sounds like Amber is doing a good job of nursing him. I really think she loves being married!

My cousin Forest came to visit this month. He brought his cute pregnant wife and his adorable son. It was really fun to see them and to talk to them and hear all the updates on the family.

This month was the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.

I was surprised how emotional the day was. So many things happened that day for so many people. I think it hit home hard. Having Zachary and Erick deployed right now changes the way we look a things. I though I was patriotic before. Now it's our lives and loved ones. I love my country and our freedom. I am so grateful for the men and women so willing to fight for our freedom.

It was this month 10 years ago when we made the decision to move to Nauvoo, Illinois and start over. It was the best decision we ever made. Our life has been so full of love and growth. I love my Family. I love my home. I love my friends and I love my jobs. I love my life.

Remember, Remember the month of September

when lives were changed

the way we think rearranged

It's a time we will never forget.

Steen Summer 2011

It's been an exciting summer for the Steen family this year. So much has happened and I have not blogged since the school year ended so here is an update.Lacey is an only child! Not really but is seems that way since Amber left to go live with Sage. Zachary joined the National Guard and went to basic training so Sage would be all alone. Amber and Sage had quite an adventure together cut off from the rest of the world in Cedar City , Utah.

Lacey started working at NRI doing Grounds Keeping and she loves it just like her sisters did before. I don't think she minds being alone with us too much.
While living with Sage, Amber was set up on a blind date with Marcus Johnson. Marcus was in Tracy and Steve Collings ward. Steve was his bishop when he left on his mission and his stake president when he returned from his mission. Great references! They hit it off from the start.

And were engaged a few months later.
Meanwhile Zachary came home to Cedar City, Utah from basic training and AIT just to be deployed a few weeks later. Sage and Zachary have been married for 2 years but have been apart for almost a 1/4 of that time. It looks like his deployment will be one year.


His unit 2-222 (the triple deuce) were sent to Kuwait and then on to Iraq. So Sage moved home with us after spending some fun time with Zachary's parents and family. She is a real trooper. It is hard for her to be away from Zachary but she is so proud of him and Zach really loves what he is doing.

In the meantime we had a reunion in Washington to attend. So Lacey got to fly in an airplane for the first time. The Dickson Family reunion was a blast. It was Grandma & Grandpa Dickson and their children Lynn, Jack, Doris, Vivian and Roy and all of their spouses and children. What a group!! What a fun time!!!
We ran a 10K, a 5K and a one mile for the kids.

We ate crab and lots of other wonderful food. (Marty loved the crab best.)
I tried to eat right and drink my green smoothies with my dad....tried is the key word.

We slept in tents and camped around Grandma and Grandpa's house.


There were so many fun activities. We went to dorrells house and played on the water slide, pool, trampoline and zipline. We went on a beautiful hike. We had a family Olympics. It was soooo much fun!
I know my family is big but its crazy when we all get together and you get to experience it.
This is the Vivian Dickson Wright family. The ones that could be there. We are missing Tera and her family. Erick is deployed and Tera didn't make in until the day after the reunion. Sage is with Zachary in Indiana saying goodbye. Amber is working hard to save money for the wedding. Jessica Collings Hoskins is due to have her baby any day. Steven Collings is on his mission in Germany and Kaylea is at a leadership camp. So we are short a few.

Two weeks later we were in Utah at Ambers wedding. She was sealed to Marcus Johnson in the Salt Lake temple for time and all eternity. I cried like a baby. While I was in the temple I had kind of a flash back of Amber when she was little singing "I love to see the temple, I'm going there some day..." That's all it took. I am so proud of her and the wonderful woman she has become.

Its really funny that both of our son-in-laws are from Tooele County Utah. Marcus is fom Grantsville, Utah and Zachary is from Stansbury Park. They actually went to the same High School.

The wedding was a lot of fun. We had a reception in Granstville Utah and then another one a week Later in Nauvoo. Marcus and Amber will be living and going to school in Scottsbluff Nebraska.

Well summer might be over but our adventures have just begun. Stay tuned for more NEWS FROM NAUVOO.