Asian Star Smorgasbord

Mom/Margie's 80th birthday was coming up, and it was Wendy's idea for the six siblings and spouses to get together for a birthday dinner celebration- sans kids, just the grownups. Wendy was also the one who traveled the furthest (4+ hours, but she had a longer visit with the folks staying over at their house, and stopped to see kids and grandbabies). Friday, November 11 was the date that seemed to work out for everyone. Originally, Shane and Alicia had been scheduled to move that day, but it got bumped. 

With the need for gluten-free gourmet (Derek has now joined Dad/Lamar, Scott and Wendy) Asian Star was mentioned as a good choice. Scott is well known there (the staff know him by name, "Scotty") and arranged for a reservation for the family (13, as Rick was on a cruise and unable to attend).  Scott also had recommendations for the menu:

All Gluten Free, 1 of each:

Walnut chicken 

Walnut Shrimp 

Broccoli Beef 

Cashew Chicken 

Tangerine chicken 

Veggie stir fry/chicken

Ham fried rice 

2 Pon Pon chicken  (Not gluten Free)

9 dishes for 13 people

Jen (no dietary concerns, just finicky eating habits) and Chris did end up needing their own specialized meals, but everyone else thought Scott's recommendations were good, and it was served up family style, with everyone just taking a little bit of whatever looked good.

Due to the table seating, conversation among everyone was difficult, but the bottom half of the table talk consisted of Grayson and Scott comparing Peloton trainers, discussions of the Great British Baking Show, home improvement conversations and Tesla talk. 

The folks usually pick up the check for dinners out, but as it was Mom's birthday, this was split between the six siblings. Scott paid in full and then the others reimbursed him via Venmo.  Just a "did you know" moment ... Venmo was first brought up by Scott in an email sent July 2015. Looks like Jen's family was the last one to join (Dec2016). 

There was some teasing as Wendy pulled out an actual camera (those are still in use? Jen still uses a dedicated video camera for the boy's basketball games) and one of the waitresses snapped a picture, and then took another with Chris's phone. 

A smaller group went out to dinner at Asian Star back in 2014, that was also for Mom/Margie's birthday! 

Snow Fun and a Belated Birthday

The Jensen family lives in sunny St. George, so they don't see snow as often as the rest of the Utah crew. After Christmas, the Jensen's had a cousin sleepover with Shane's crew, and they woke up to snow! Derek's girls came out and the cousins had a fun time building snow creations and doing a little sledding over in the commons area.

 Jen's family made it out too ... and as Colton's December birthday almost always get's swallowed up in all the Christmas celebration, we had a little family birthday party with cake. Okay ... Jen (and Mom) really like the yummy white cake from Sam's Club, so maybe it was also an excuse to eat cake. One can't help but compare the singing and harmony with the extended Westra family to the singing when it is only the Blackham Bunch alone!

Cousins & Cake & Colton's Candles

Birthday Upside-Down Cake

 

In 2015, the Westra Clan was doing a good job of meeting each month to celebrate birthdays and just get together and enjoy each other's company. Westras and Waffles (you can see the waffles in the photos above). When there were birthdays, there was also cake. November birthdays are Adria, Margie, Jen, Calder, Grayson, Rick and Mitch. The cake from Sam's Club, white with buttercream frosting is a favorite of Mom/Margie's. Jen wanted to get a picture, and tilted it (just slightly) for a better camera view when, whoops! It slipped right off and fell upside-down onto the counter! You may have heard of pineapple-upside-down cake, which is something that it supposed to have an upside-down issue. The poor cake here didn't look so good ... but hey, it still tasted yummy ... ish. There was lots of laughter with the minor food fiasco.

Derek shared his view of the event ...

Mom had a couple other food mess-up memories ... she mentioned a time when she and Dad were living in Richland. She made a pumpkin pie and then accidentally dumped it upside-down on the open oven door.  Another upside-down upset had Aunt Lorrie's cheesecake right onto Grandma Norman's carpet (Mom/Margie had to claim responsibility for this one as well). 

What other food fiascos are out there in Westra history? Jen forgetting about the toffee cooking on the stove and filling the kitchen with smoke. The gingersnaps that Shane made that didn't bake ... leading Mom and Dad to buy a new oven, just to try and bake the dough to the same effect (it hadn't been the oven after all!)  If you have additional memories, write them in the comments, or text/email them to Jen and they'll be added in an update. You KNOW there have to be more fun food stories out there!

... and Happy November birthdays, even upside-down!

Birthday Limo and Family Dinner

While we didn't get the whole Westra clan together for Jen's 36th birthday, Mom/Dad and the younger brothers made it for dinner ... and a ride there in a limo! Grayson arranged it all as a surprise. Here's Jen's journal entry from the day:

November 10 (Friday) Happy birthday to me.  Gray sent an e-card a two separate flower arrangements.  VT dropped off a gift, RS dropped off a card, Mom called. Then a third arrangement was delivered (3x12=36). The babysitter showed up at 6:00 as scheduled ... but no Grayson. Not a huge surprise, I knew he was planning something and it was taking longer then anticipated. Olivia had let the cat out of the bag a little, calling to wish me a happy birthday saying sorry she couldn’t come tonight (letting me know that it was a group gathering). Gray finally showed up around 7:00, with a huge limousine.  Inside were Clay and Courtney, my parents, Shane, Alicia and baby Rella, and Derek and Danielle. We drove to Ruby River for dinner, then dropped everyone off. Gray wasn’t overly impressed with the limo service, the ride was a bit jerky (Gray started to get a little carsick), one of the TVs didn’t work, it had a “Vegas” smell, and the driver didn’t know much about the controls (to heat or cool things down). Gray also gave me a new video-recorder as a gift. 

 

Memories of Dad for his 66th Birthday

I wrote Dad a list of memories I had of him through the years as a gift for his 66th birthday! 

Happy 66^th Birthday Dad  -  May 28, 2003

I remember when…

You were always in the Bishopric when we were growing up.  I remember you sitting up in the front during Sacrament meeting. You would always look at me and give me a wink!

You taught me how to ride a bike.  I remember riding my little blue two-wheeler with you running in back of me holding the seat.  I didn’t even know that you had let go until I turned around and you were far behind me!!

You baptizing me.  It must have been a Stake Baptism because I remember a whole row of kids dressed in white – each sitting next to their father.  I wanted to be really good after that and not do anything wrong!!

You came with us on a Youth Activity where we hiked the Uintahs.  It was a very long hike with those giant back-packs with our sleeping bags on top.  It rained everyday and we sat in rows by the fire with those big rain ponchos on.

We would go sleigh-riding at Murray Park and Mountain Dell.  One time I rode on your back and you really hurt yourself.

Playing basketball out on our driveway and playing catch with our softball mitts.

Looking for jelly beans hidden in all sorts of odd places at Easter.  Some of them were hidden so well we wouldn’t find them until months later!!

Finishing up our basement with Grandpa with the beautiful rock fireplace.

The big huge compost pile in our back yard and the beautiful rock fountain you made!

The drinking fountain in our back yard.

Pulling things up and down over our deck by a rope when we had outdoor dinners in our backyard.

Doing things with our club-group.  I remember camping and having different dinners and parties.

You taking naps in the sunbeam!

Playing tennis when you would hit the ball waaaaayyyy up high in the sky and we would try to return them.

You and I joined the Stake tennis tournament playing doubles as a Daddy-Daughter team and I think we did pretty well!!

You said we should become professional tennis players instead of running track and cross country – something about better pay!

You singing to us and later to our children….”Pretty baby, pretty baby, how I love my pretty baby how I love my pretty girl, pretty baby, pretty baby…” (I have sung this to my babies too!)

You would always sing silly songs and I would always ask you if they were really real songs or whether you were just making them up!

When we were in the car together you would grab my knee and say, “whoops!  I thought that was the gear shift!”

Shooting flies with rubber bands!

Something to the effect of if you shot rubber bands at us then Mom told you that you wouldn’t get your treat!

Making peanut butter and butter graham cracker sandwiches!

Daddy-Daughter dates all the way through Primary to Sorority!

Going camping and fishing.

Receiving Father’s blessings when we were sick or before school started.  I received wonderful Father’s blessings before I went on my mission and before I got married.  What a wonderful blessing it was growing up with the priesthood in our home!!!

Driving with you to work when you couldn’t take the bus for some reason. It was nice to get that time to talk.

You broke your wrist roller-blading!

I was stressing out over marriage decisions and you said that in your day you never did all this stuff liking going to the temple and praying and praying and praying and everything else – you just chose your woman and got married! 

When we interviewed you on video tape.  Your testimony and words of wisdom really meant a lot to me and still do.

Passing a sewer grate and saying that there were “Heffalumps and Woozles” down there!”  My kids say that every time they pass one!

When watching TV we had to hurry and do our work during the commercials.  I remember you turning off the TV during Disney and us kids all started crying and throwing a fit (I’m sure it wasn’t the only time)!

Having to work on Saturdays cleaning the house and doing other chores.

Our star job chart and scripture reading chart.  If we read scriptures everyday we got a scripture treat at the end of the week.

Rootie toot toot, rootie toot toot, we’re the boys from the Institute.  We don’t smoke and we don’t chew and we don’t go with girls who do!!  I heard this phrase from President Hinckley in a General Conference talk but I had already heard it long before that from you!!

I was the first one to graduate from the same University as you! (Forget BYU! J)

You have always loved to work in the yard – often to Mom’s chagrin!

Janika wrote this about you in her history last year: “My Grandpa Westra likes to collect snails and we help him.  He has a whole bag full of snails in their shells.  He has brown hair and he likes to take naps all the time.  I like to collect snails and feed the fishes with him!”

Thanks for everything Dad, hope you have a Happy Birthday – I love you!!  Wendy

Happy Holidays ~ 1998

I've noticed that the majority of pictures from family gatherings come from my/Jen's camera. For Christmas 1998, I was pregnant with Callahan and wasn't feeling great. It was a little earlier in December when I'd passed out in Sacrament meeting. Grayson was shifting jobs (had quit K&B, went Pentalon, but then got the Hamlet Homes offer) - so life was a little crazy and I didn't get pictures of Christmas Eve ... or at least I thought I hadn't, as I didn't find the usual ones at the Havenmoor Home. I was keeping a journal at this time (the memories from above and some of the dates below) but didn't mention much about Christmas Eve ... except to say that we were late (as usual). Wendy consulted her journals and was able to add some details. We'll have to check out Dad's journals to see if he has more memories from December 1998.

At the end of November, Jensens were in town, and stayed at the Blackham's. On November 28, we had a belated Westra Thanksgiving at the Havenmoor House.  There were several pictures of the grandkids with gifts in December Dropbox that were labeled "Christmas 1998", but you can see the corner (bottom left), and the tree isn't there. Some years though, the tree was at the base of the stairs instead of in the corner.  Landon and McKenna are holding gifts, so it would be easy to think it was Christmas ...but this was the dinner and "December" birthday celebration (photos of Jase, with a second pink cake for Janika). 

Wendy had a little bit of video from the day ...

https://youtu.be/cQiD_QunEPQ

Thanks to Wendy's journal entry, we now know that Christmas Eve 1998 was actually held at Scott and Amy's house (on Rosewood Park Lane in Draper). Note the different decor and couches in the three photos (Christmas Eve 2012 would also be hosted by Scott&Amy). At the Westra home, I'm sure another little stocking was added to Scott&Amy's with the addition of little Kemery this year.

The picture of the Jensen family (bottom center) is back at the Havenmoor House right around Christmas. You can see the card holder decoration there in the background. The group of grandkids on the stairs?  Another journal entry indicates a belated Christmas dinner at the folks on December 28, so maybe it was from then (found footage ... video from this event below), or another time before when everyone was together (different outfits than any of the other photos). 

THIS video was uncovered after this post went up. All the indications (ages, # of stockings, placement on the video between 1997 and 1999) are that this is Christmas 1998, but if Christmas Eve was held elsewhere, perhaps this is from the post-Christmas party on December 28th.

https://youtu.be/PVj_ZGX1UcQ

Lots of detective work required for this year. What have we learned?

Keep journals. Take photos & label photos. Add personal pictures to the family Dropbox.

A Birthday FOUR Scotty

At the end of 1967, little Scotty turned FOUR years old. Looks like there were at least nine kids there, plus little Chris. Mom is there in the picture helping out with some craft, and it looks like there was another woman assisting also (I'm sure the extra hands were needed with that many young kids!). Lots of balloons, and probably a homemade cake (this was a little before Mom got into her Creative Cakes, although the one pictured is pretty cute!)

You can read more about When Scott Was Small and get a peek a some live action birthday party (when he was six years old) ... back when video was just coming on the scene!

When Scott Was Small ...

 

Scott squeaked into 1963 ... December baby. The next few years he got to be the center of attention for his folks. Small Scott pictures dominate the Dropbox folders for these years. Mom/Margie was good at keeping up with the baby book and recording milestones and memories. Here are a few ...

• Turned over alone at 23 days old
• Started smiling at 5-6 weeks
• Turned from back to stomach at 4 months
• Crawled at 5½ months
• First tooth at 6½ months (8 teeth by 13 months)
• Walked at 8 months
• First words (11+ months) mama, dada, ball, woof-woof, nose
• Taken off the bottle at 13 months 
• Favorite toys were balls, pop-beads, chatter-phone, push-chime
• At 21 months, could count to ten (usually leaving out 1, 5 and 8)
• At about 1 year of age you became very interested in animals. You loved to see them and point them out in books. One of your first words was woof-woof. At 13 months you began to like stuffed animals; your teddy bear, monkey and clown. At 17 months you started taking your monkey to bed with you every night. 
• When you were 16 months old, your mom and dad both got bicycles with a cute little seat on the back for you. You loved to go bike riding every day and would ask "Go bye-bye on bike?" Daddy would ride his bike to work and we would ride to meet him every day.
• You were an excellent talker, pronounced words well and had a large vocabulary. At 26 months you could recite the Pledge of Allegiance" all by yourself. 
• By age 3, you knew many songs, nursery rhymes and finger plays. You started Junior Sunday School and enjoyed it very much. Mommy was your teacher.
• Shortly before you turned four, we moved into our new home on Saint Street. You started nursery school and had your first "friend" birthday party. 13 children came. You were four when you went to the dentist for the first time. You were very good at the checkup, but had two cavities. You were so good and tried so hard to be brave. But when we went back for the second one you bawled and wouldn't let the dentist do one thing!
• Your first plane ride was December 1968 when we flew to SLC for Uncle Merrill's wedding. You had your 5th birthday while we were there. You thought the plane ride was great. After boarding the plane, you asked "When are we going to Blast Off?" We went on five round trips by airplane during that next year, and lived in Los Angeles, California for two months. Started Kindergarten at Spalding Elementary. You rode the school bus, which stopped right next door. 
• April 1970 (age 6) ... lost first two teeth. Bottom center (these are preserved in the baby book!) Started 1st grade at Sacajawea School, there was team teaching in 3-class clusters (there is a big newspaper feature about it). We bought a moving picture camera and our first pictures were taken at your 6th birthday party.

Here's footage from that event!