Anders' 10th. Etc.

Conference weekend was the first time all ten kids have been home together since Abe and Daisy left for BYU. Daisy has been home for a weekend or two (I think she recognizes -- more than Abe, who has spent most of Starling's life out of the home -- how miserable it is not to see that little soul for any length of time! And of course she likes her other siblings well enough ... :)), but Abe currently works every Saturday so coming home is a bit more tricky for him. 

Abe's absence is a thing Jesse and Anders in particular occasionally grumble bitterly about. "It's like Abe didn't even come home from his mission! Now he's probably just going to get married soon and we'll never see him again!" I don't know that he will need to abandon us permanently once married ... but I suppose I see their point. Surely two years of no brother at home is more than enough. He is having a good time though. He's busy. And sometimes feels that he can only just keep up if he gives all his time to homework and work and abandons all else. Still, what he does manage to fit in is unarguably good!

Here he is at the temple with two friends who served in Las Vegas with him:

And here he is biking with a second cousin he has only met since moving to Provo:

And climbing with a friend from his dorms and the kid he ministers to (who had expressed interest in learning):

(Doesn't look like Abe worried too much about starting the kid out on an easy course!)

But! Conference weekend was a good weekend to have everyone here! Not only because it never seems right to not have everyone here, but also because it was ... ANDERS' 10th BIRTHDAY! (Anders has discovered a wonderful thing. Even though his birthday falls at the beginning of the month, he never has to worry about having it land on a Fast Sunday. Haha. If it lands on a Sunday at all, it is always Conference Sunday -- which is a perfectly lovely thing to have your birthday land on.)

It was a good weekend. (Even if Abe and Daisy did have too much homework to join us for the hike we took Saturday before the evening session started.):

And here is the birthday boy:

(Jesse's acquisition of a 3D printer means he has no trouble with gifts for his siblings' birthdays. Above is a guy he designed from some game Anders likes.)

And, speaking of Anders, there was a Book Fair at school last week. Look at this sweet email I received one day from him at school:

And, just because they don't have a spot in any post of their own, a few photos:

Feeding llamas on a Sunday evening walk:

The younger crew:

Some kids in a van:

My mom drove up with us to Logan one evening:

Goldie in her Homecoming Dress:

(Lovely expression Goldie. Hahah.)

A few photos Megan texted me after having come down from ID for a Sunday dinner at my mom's:

And last, but far far from least, this little picture Summer left on the table before departing to bed the other night:

(thume = thumb)

Also last but not least: Hans thinks an eclair is called a declare, as in "I declare!" I love when he requests a declare. I declare there is little better.