Monday, January 5, 2009

Eastman Family Christmas Bash 2008

Well, what a week. We had all gone over to Utah to be there with the others who lived there in a rental house on top of the ‘Point of the Mountain’ for Christmas, for the sealing of baby Ashton to Andrew and Deirdre and for the BIG WEDDING for Mike and Amanda. The bunch had finally gotten ‘all together’ for Christmas and to be together for the first time in about 15 years when Donovan came home from Alaska with me in 1993 because I don’t (yep, I guess I was wrong because we were all together at Stace and Shayna’s sealing in the temple sometime later than that in 2002 so first time in 6 years) (still a long time).

There was Me and Mother; Donovan and Mindy; Barb with Paige and Kaden; Stace and Shayna with Alec, Armond, Lily, Gabriel, and baby Holden; David and Kimber with Tyler and Madix; Jennifer and James with Sara; Deirdre and Andrew with baby Ashton; Michelle and Jared with Jaxen and Malie; Amanda with soon to be husband Mike. We also had come to visit for Christmas Eve and Day and to stay overnight one night, Enricka and Stella (Grandparents of Alec and Armond by Stace’s marriage to Andrea Vallota) because we were all caught in a blinding blizzard. Stace, Donovan, Andrew and Jared had to go out in Stace and Donovan’s 4 x 4 rigs to save them------so quite a bunch.

Let's count them. There were 17 adults but most of the time only 15 and there were ‘all of the time’ 13 Grandchildren. WOW ! ! ! For 10 Whole Days ! ! ! ! What a bunch. We had one snow blizzard whiteout with horizontal snow of 2 feet and a second one just a day later of horizontal snow whiteout with 3 feet. And I did most of the manual shoveling out the driveways-----which was great fun as I really do love doing that and it got me outdoors in the ‘peace and quiet’ and it reminded me of Alberta and Alaska which I always did and do enjoy ! ! ! ! ! so there----not a sacrifice for me at all. Next time I think we should get a house in the valley though or maybe Hawaii.

Words From Deirdre:
Our adventures started as soon as we arrived there and most came in the form of a whole bunch of white fluffy...no wind driven cold, drifting snow. From sledding down the side of the mountain to rescuing family stuck in the snow, our time there was cold and unforgettable. Stay tuned for one of the biggest adventures that occurred on a night of deep snow, blizzard, and 60+ mile per hour winds.



We had so much fun for Christmas this year, we were on the "go" for 2 weeks! As stressful and crazy as it was it was all worth creating memories for the cousins who rarely get to see each other. These are the ones they will remember! The best Christmas ever! Despite opposition we all came together during important times to celebrate the Savior, to celebrate Forever Families, to create lasting memories, to share testimony and to feel the spirit.

Ashton thought Michelle was his mom. The first night sleeping Andrew and I were so exhausted. Ashton was sleeping in a room next to ours and he woke up a few times in the middle of the night. Michelle and Jared heard him and took care of him. It was nice of them to help. Michlle came in and woke me up. Ashton was so content with Michelle. She tried giving him to me and he started crying. He than saw Andrew and went straight to dad.

We kicked it off by going to church! Yes, it was neat sitting in two pews with the entire family, even Barb came! Mom and Dad had most of their kids in church with them, a wonderful Christmas gift! We enjoyed a beautiful Christmas program. Very emotional day. I love my siblings! We than enjoyed cinnamon rolls and fruit in relief society.

Later that evening we met up with Dave and Kimber in SLC and enjoyed temple square. Watching 13 grandkids was a real chore, almost lost Gabe.

We had Eastman family photos and a bridal shower for Amanda and Mike on Monday. Emilie Campbell was so good to come up to Draper and took amazing inside shots of all 30 of us. The first time we have all been together, for a photo, since 2000. We than enjoyed dinner with Mike's family. The guys babysat the kids downstairs while the girls enjoyed a shower. Everything seemed so rushed but it was still fun. We didn't even let the nasty weather keep us from having fun. Mike's family even kept to the schedule even after being lost in the blizzard.





































Tuesday was our sealing
The 2 biggest events for the Davis Family, that occured during the week, were the sealing of our son Ashton to us in the Salt Lake Temple and Deirdre breaking her arm snowboarding. First, the sealing. It is difficult to describe how very special this day was for us. That morning when Ashton woke up, he was particularly happy and smiling, almost as if he knew that day was the day. Mom was with us the entire time, she was the one holding him during the ceremony. When we walked in the sealing room it was so neat to see all our loved ones and dear friends. A few of our dear friends were able to make it despite weather conditions. The Dittmar family (our bishop when we were in San Antonio), Kristina Brockbank (from Colorado),Rachel and her husband (a good friend from high school), and Briana Walker. When I saw her sitting in the room, in her wheel chair I started crying. She told me she probably wouldn't make it. We are good friends from the Saddleback Singles Ward in California. I left to NYC and a few years later I got a call that she was paralyzed. Read her story here.
The temple ceremony was so special, and little Ashton glowed he smiled and smiled. Well when they first brought him in, he was in his little white suit, in a stroller, peacefully asleep. That is when the tears came. He woke for a little bit and looked around and started crying. Mom picked him up and he went back to sleep. He was so content the entire time. He even smiled in his sleep. Words cannot describe how happy we felt. It made all of everything we have experienced in life worth it, and Ashton was so happy. He just smiled and cooed. After the ceremony he woke up and looked right at us and smiled so big and looked around at everyone and smiled. We looked into these mirrors and he just smiled and laughed. While we were in the temple, Ashton was more smiley and cooing then we have ever seen him. One of the temple workers said that in the temple with these special ceremonies, the veil is especially thin. I am sure Ashton felt this, and I know that we felt so close to the Lord. We will be eternally grateful for this miracle in our lives.
Afterwards our loved ones and friends came to hug us. We stayed a little while longer to talk with Briana. She said she drove through three blizzards to make it, she wouldn't have missed it. She said she literally thought the entire time "Jesus Take The Wheel." What a dear friend, all the way from California, paralyzed, she drove through three storms by herself. When she was 17 years old she did another courageous thing in her life she placed her baby for adoption. She was now coming full circle to be able to witness an adopted baby being sealed to his parents. She was grateful to be able to see what joy it brought us, again reconfirming to her the blessings she was able to give a couple.
We decided to invite everyone to Stacey's office building to give Ashton his first Father's blessing. A blessing where Andrew gives him his name. It was neat to have my brothers, our Fathers, in laws, and uncles participate. Andrew wept. What a day. His words were beautiful and meant for our little one. Once again I am so grateful for the priesthood.

Words From Grandpa Eastman About The Sealing:
Sealing of Baby Ashton:
Anyway, the sealing went wonderful on Tuesday before Christmas. What a miracle to be there in the SLC temple with most of the family to realize and recognized how much the ‘hand of the Lord’ had been in bringing this moment together. How many prayers and names into the temple were now being answered right here and right now. We all wept and laughed and baby Ashton just had a big smile the whole time as if he really knew where he was and what an amazing miracle of the sealing blessing was occurring for him and his own family now. It was such a blessing to be there and to see and all went perfectly well until the sealer kind of chided Amanda for taking notes-------but she had taken notes and many of the others had in so many other temples-----this was the first time someone got on her case for doing so but it did all work out in the end because Amanda offered to give the writings of the sealing talk back to the officiating Brother but he told her just to put it in her purse so we do have it today and I am sure it will be in Deirdre’s Book of Remembrance now for all time and especially for Ashton and I am sure they Lord will not mind. We took pictures outside at the temple and it was cold but it was wonderful.














Andrew's family than went to Cafe Rio's for lunch and we were able to visit some more. I enjoyed visiting with Briana. I love her personality and humor she always makes me laugh. I loved catching up.









Wednesday was Christmas Eve, and some of the family went snowboarding, with the Barbers. I was able to take lessons with Sarah and Shayna for the first few hours and learned a lot and had so much fun. We than all regrouped and met for lunch and decided to all go together for a few runs. I was just excited to finally see my bros snowboard. I hear all the hype but have never seen them! Dave ended up helping Sarah down the mt. so I didn't get to see them. I took myself through some difficult trees. Andrew stayed with me. I was having so much fun. Than right towards the end, so close to the lift . . .







































































Armond told everyone they had to wait for me before they could eat. He was so sweet always asking how I was feeling.

We all had dinner and fun together for Christmas Eve. We read Christmas stories, the kids set out sugar cookies for Santa, and we all opened our new PJ's. The Cousin Gift Exchange was priceless. The kids went down stairs to watch Polar Express, while the adults got all the stockings together. It was so fun seeing all the stockings. I was so drugged up on morphine. Shayna, Jared, Michelle, Stacey and Jen stayed up late with me. We had so much fun being silly, making videos and laughing. Goodtimes.

Christmas Day . . . Ashton's first Christmas. He loved opening his gifts. Dave came down with the 24 hour flew. Ashton's first tooth came in so he was teething and Holden got sick. We gave 3 blessings that night. The cousins acted out the nativity while Grandpa read the story and Stacey was Samuel from the Book of Mormon who prophesied of the Savior's birth in the America's. They did such a good job. Jared than shared some thoughts about the passover meal and symbolism and shared his testimony. It was a very spiritual evening. We even sang Happy Birthday to the Savior.

We than had a talent show , where some of the family members "did their stuff"...Michelle played the piano with Jaxen, and Maile sang, Andrew and I sang all four verses of Silent Night, Andrew sang it in all parts, he than sang it in German, Paige, Sarah and Lily did a liup synch and dance, Amanda played her guitar and sang and did a slide show from the Beatles "Let it Be" Jenny, James and Sarah did a little dance and lip synch with a puppet, Stacey and his adorable family sang and performed, like a band, a song from the joseph smith's CD, Dad told a Big Foot Story, James ended by telling a Story with his puppet, so funny! It was fun to watch!

Jen and James put together a slide show of family events over the past couple of years, a family tradition we love watching slide shows. Of course food food food, and CANDY!! There wasn't anything left out!












































After the events of the evening Barb, Amanda, and Mike took off in the storm. We did get snowed in up in the Draper house where everyone, except us had been staying all week. All roads were closed, 70 mph wind and snow blizzard blowing all over the state!

Thanks to Donovan and Dad who were constantly digging everyone out. Friday was a day to regroup, after digging ourselves out of the "neighborhood" some of the snow spots were deeper than my legs could reach to the bottom of!! We were still snowed in. I came down with the 24 hour flew with a broken arm. Dave and Stacey gave me a blessing. I am so grateful for the priesthood. Andrew went to take family photos with his family, I will have to be photoshopped in. Later that evening everyone went swimming and got pizza. We than stayed up late and played our favorite card game Arm and A Leg.

Saturday was Mike and Amandas wedding, and of course all that goes along with that day! They took pictures at the SLC temple and than we headed over to the Hardward Building for the reception. It was a beautiful wedding. Amanda made a beautiful bride! Mike was so handsome. They are a great couple. The toasts were amazing and special, very emotional. The food was spectacular, the dancing was stellar and the company was superb.

Words From Dad:
THE WEDDING:
Then on Saturday after Christmas and the ‘Big 2 Storms’ (we were praying for better weather for Amanda’s and Mike’s wedding) and sure enough our prayers were answered again. We all had to rush, rush, rush around that Saturday morning to clean the rental house from top to bottom as we had to leave out of the house that very day, (and that was no ‘small task’) then race to the temple for pictures with them and all our family.
It was a bit chilly and David had to wait outside at the East temple doors so he could catch an opening in the 1268 weddings (well almost) that day with continual (pick a number for a spot for pictures at the East Temple doors----well almost) and we did appreciate that as we were nice and toasty warm in the visitors temple entrance until the very last moment when David gave us the warning then we all rushed outside to get the most desired pictures of the day. At least there was no wind and no snow that day (answer to prayer and another miracle by the ‘hand of the Lord’)-----and you would believe it to (diary or anyone reading this) if you had been in the two blizzards the two previous days------
Then we all went over to the wedding/reception area in the old renovated SLC red brick industrial warehouse building next to the Amtrak train terminal to set up for the wedding. That was a bustle, bustle, bustle as well having to set up more chairs and almost running out of food for more people than expected. I walked my last and wonderful, faithful, loving, kind, generous, very happy, daughter down the isle with little Mylie throwing rose pedals out of a little basket in front of us and even though Amanda lost her vale halfway, it all went well. She had her favorite Bishop marry her and Mike as she was not able to get her ‘temple divorce’ in time for this wedding but it will give us ‘all a chance’ to get together again for the temple wedding shortly from now.
Sitting there in the front row watching the wedding transpire, I had to give thanks to the Lord for the answers to many, many, many, many prayers that had been offered in behalf of Amanda Noel for this moment and the many, many, many, many times we had put her name into the temple to plead with the Lord for such a day and here it was right in front of my eyes and truly a miracle of miracles to see such a thing. I said to Amanda and to Mike in a toast what a miracle this had been for all of us but especially for me and that I could truly see how the ‘hand of the Lord’ had been with Mike to move him in ways unbelievable to find Amanda and for her to find him to bring them together in this treasured moment.

We all knew how very much they are spiritually and ‘silly, silly, funny, silly’ alike in so many ways from watching their hilarious video they put together for all of us for the reception. I nearly fell off my chair and found myself giving thanks even in these hilarious moments knowing how the Lord truly brought two people together that were sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much alike. It amazed me. Then goodbye kisses, flashing, burning sparklers (we had to light twice out in the cold waiting for Amanda to ‘fix herself up’ in the bathroom and somebody had told us------‘here she comes’----way tooooooooooooooooooooo soon) then they were gone and off to Cancun----at least to somewhere warm----------and the story book meeting, courting, wedding and reception and their life now goes on and on and on and on and on and on and----------------------------------------------------(FOREVER-----LIKE IN CAMELOT)-------------------------------(“The Beginning”)

Tyler and Madix on the Longboards

Cousin Nativity




All the boys
Silly Girls


All the gals


All the cousins













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