Avie's baby blessing!

Avie

Nick with Avie

Avie Rain Rasband received her baby blessing today.  She wasn't as content during the blessing as she is in the above picture, but Nicholas did a great job and said that he felt the spirit in spite of her cries.  I also felt the spirit very strongly.  As I looked up at the circle and saw Roy, Nick, Dan, AJ, and Matt, I felt an overwhelming love for my family.  I am so grateful for the relationships we have, for the love we have for each other, and for the love we share for the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
We saved a whole bench for Sacrament meeting, but Dan and Adrienne and their families came in late.  As soon as the sacrament was over, however, Roy and I were joined first by Finn, then by Dojin, then by Yuna.  Soon Gunnar and Ollie were by us, too. Ruby and Ori had been sitting by Jennie, but they also made her way over to us before the meeting was over. I am pretty sure I held Greta for a few minutes, too.  Being that the ward we were in used to be our home ward, it was fun showing off our sweet grandchildren.

Caitlyn and Crista

Matt and Ila

Dojin and Greta and others, dancing to K-Pop (Korean
singers/dancers)

Ila--I'm not sure who surrounded her with cars

Everyone here is dancing 

Dan and Jieun

Matt's company received an award for being one of the fastest growing companies in
Utah (I'm sure Matt's marketing skills have contributed to this).  It's called the MCWM Utah 100 award.

All the families in Utah came for the baby blessing.  I'm sure Elise would have loved to be involved as well.  Caitlyn came down on Saturday to stay the weekend, and Crista and Matt arrived shortly after her.  Crista and Matt had a fundraising dinner to attend so Roy and I (and Jennie) got to play with the girls for the evening.  The company Matt works for is heavily involved in helping the group Operation Underground Railroad, run by Timothy Ballard.  The tickets were expensive, but Malouf was given a number of tickets at half price, and then the owner, Sam Malouf, paid half for any of his employees that would attend.  Operation Underground Railroad or OUR is an organization that tries to save children who are kidnapped and sold into slavery.  Apparently the slave trade of children is a 32 billion dollar operation.  OUR raised $400,000 last night, which seems a lot, but you can see is small change for the enemy they are fighting.  I have read some things about the organization and the founder of it and have been impressed that anyone would/could take on something so huge. 

I had Ruby and Greta under great control.  When they started acting tired, I took care of all their bedtime needs, Roy and I read them stories, and tucked them into bed.  Crista texted and asked how they were doing and I said, "Great!  They are in bed and probably asleep."  I spoke too soon.  A little later I could hear something, so I headed downstairs.  Greta was crying and Ruby was sitting on the bed playing barbies.  I said, "Ruby, why didn't you come and get me and tell me Greta was crying."  She answered (a little indignantly), "Because I was playing Barbies!"  Of course, that is far more important than her little sister😊  I told Crista I made at least 2 mistakes.  1) I let Ruby take the barbies to bed, and 2), I left the light on so they wouldn't be scared. 

 Halloween:  We got to see everyone for a short while on Halloween night (except Caitlyn, Crista and family, and Elise and family).  They came over to trick or treat and show us their costume.  In the past I have made chili and fed anyone who wanted to eat, but the past couple of years everyone has done their own thing so I figured no one would want anything.  I wished I had made something, though, because I know at least some of the family hadn't eaten.  There's always next year. 

Ruby--Princess Sofia (she wore this to school but she was
a bumblebee on Halloween night)

Effie, a pink, unicorn princess fairy (She has a pink obsession)

Einstein and a Red Sox player

Family of insects (Crista, Matt, Greta, Ruby)

A pink halloween!

The Green Family

Bat woman, Cat woman, and Ninja girl

Hyeji, Dojin, Doyeon, Effie, Ori and Yuna

Max

Elise stole Andy's dinosaur costume and it was so
hot and humid he didn't even care.  Maverick wanted
to remove his costume because of the heat, but he had to leave it
on until they were through trick or treating

Maverick, Andy and Bev

Caitlyn--a bad fairy

The following pictures of Elise's family were taken in Huntsville State Park.

I don't know  whose dog this is.  Sara commented
that she loved the picture--of Beverly.  We are definitely
not a dog family (except for Elise's clan)

Maverick

Elise and Bevy

 Mav and Beverly on the swings.

I am not sure when these last 2 pictures were taken.  Caitlyn took them.  It may have been last week. 

Dojin, Yuna, Ori, Jennie, Effie and Doyeon

Hyeji, Dojin, Doyeon and Yuna--fishing in our fishless creek!

I love weeks where I get to see my family.  They are after all, the most important thing in my life.  I am incredibly blessed by my Heavenly Father.