get together

Just a few random scenes from Marcelle's house on Thanksgiving....

 

Hercules!

The Murray's have a new dog, Hercules! He is a miniature Australian Shepherd (red merle) and he was born in Axtell, UT on a ranch. They sent him to Seattle on a Delta plane and we picked him up at the airport on Nov. 5. Life has changed!! Everything revolves around the two hour schedule of when did the puppy last pee or poop! He is growing quickly--his coat is changing color (getting brown spots) and he is starting to chew more. But he's quite cute and cuddly so I guess we'll put up with him!

P.S. Anyone who gets a puppy should do it in the spring. You have to constantly take the puppy outside, and that is miserable in the cold and wet!

MDC News Nov 20, 2011

Dear Family,

October, of course, was filled with soccer and Halloween.  Phoebe had a great Mad Hatter costume and coordinated with friends as other Alice in Wonderland characters. Costumes have become easy for Calvin and Ethan, who just don their soldier attire, which they wear every couple of weeks any...so we don't have to go looking far. Bronwen was a ninja.  Graham enjoyed a movie at a friend's house.   As many of you know, this holiday is really the most pure of any for Ethan--no real meaning or other cumbersome traditions--just get candy.  On a side note, he came home with a paper crest made at church recently that said "I Stand for Truth and Honesty."  He had written in on the side "Candy is better than truthe and honesty."  He is not bashful about where his priorities lie. 

Graham was an enthusiastic volunteer worker at a local haunted forest on the weekends during most of the month of October.  (Some of you remember Brian Garff from Scarsdale Ward--he is one of the owners.)  He was an "scarer" in the forest, in the haunted bus (spook alley made in a gutted school bus) and the 'dark walk' attractions.  He also worked as a ghoul in "shoot the ghoul" (run around the hay-bales while customers shoot at you with paintball guns).  Phoebe helped a few times also.  I think she was a "scarer" some but mostly worked taking tickets.  I stopped by an apparent antique store in the little town where they did this one evening.  Turned out to be this old guy with a little front room store and then about 1,500 - 2,000 sq ft in the back with literal piles of junk collected over many years.  I found an old speed screw driver (spins the bit as you push and compress it) and a couple of other things...but I'm sure there are more treasures buried in there.  He was telling me his grand plans to turn it into a general store.

Rick took a weekend jaunt to NYC / New Canaan to see the fall colors.  It wasn't supposed to be a very good year but he reports it was still beautiful.  I would tell you how great it has been to have Rick here with us but I wouldn't want to make you jealous. I will say that many more of my household jobs/projects have gotten done, we've had lots of fun listening to music, and the kids have had a much better tutor and a refreshing perspective for their school work, which is good, because Megan and I were about burned out (and we're not half way through the school year!).

This past week was especially helpful.  I was supposed to be in China.  After digging through every back and jacket and file in the house I cancelled my flight for lack of a passport/visa!!  But I still on the hook for these meetings so I worked at the office from 8pm to 1am each night on conference calls (even did video-conferencing just through the webcam on my new work computer).  So Rick pulled through there helping with homework and everything else.  He even did the seminary drive a couple of times (happened to be our week in carpool!).  I'm still waiting for Megan to tell me where she hid my passport.

We will be having Thanksgiving with good friends the Browns (replacing our cousins the Browns!).  We were reviewing the menu with them after church today and it got us quite excited for the week.  It will be a nice day as the kids have a full three days off of school (and all of them...not just some!!).

We celebrated Bronwen and Ethan birthdays in October and have Phoebe this week!!

Love to you all,

Matt

(sorry, couldn't get pictures to post...see email)

For anyone who is planning to be near the vicinity of Utah for thanksgiving- the Clawsons are planning a grand dinner at thursday at 3:30 pm at Marcelle's in Sandy.  Contact Coleen for details!

MDC Family Letter

Hello Family,

This is what 's been happening with us since the reunion.  Miserable week getting Calvin and Phoebe caught up in school (missed the week of school for the reunion) but it was worth it.  Graham has started school (normal traditional calendar).  We survived the hurricane (minor impact here inland) but I went one Saturday to help cleanup trees in a town closer to the coast.

Calvin got his belated bday gift shooting an M1 rifle (WWII infantry rifle).  All the boys went and we had fun.  Next birthday for him may have to be Normandy.  He is most of the way through the long Ken Burns documentary on WWII.

We celebrated my birthday with good fanfare. 

(Pictures of above stuff attached in pdf file).

Rick arrived just over a week ago and we took him straight to the mountains and visited Asheville.  We went to Biltmore Mansion.  This is the 'largest residence in the US.'  Built by the poorest Vanderbilt brother (grandsons of the first Vanderbilt industrialist) in the 1890's.  Over 130,000 sq ft, indoor swimming pool and bowling alley, beautiful oak panels all over, large pipe organ, etc.  We felt most at home in the servants rooms....but I think I could adjust.  We walked around the beautiful gardens and greenhouse and also visited the barns/farm area.  In addition, we hiked Mt. Pisgah, donned our swimsuits and did sliding on a natural rock slide in a mountain river.  To add a little food in, we did some apple picking.  Couldn't help but come home with a few gallons of apple cider in the back of the car along with the box of apples.

Rick just happened to have come from visiting his friend in NYC who grew up in Asheville.  When he found out we were going there he called his parents and arranged for us to stay at their home for two nights.  They were very nice and Rick and I helped them clear some land up the mountainside they own our last morning there.  The old guy was climbing around tree branches with his chainsaw and I was pretty sure we were going to end the day by taking him to the hospital to reattch a limb, but luck was with us and no accident occurred.

The summer heat really broke just a week or two after you all left.  I wish you could have all come back for labor day to enjoy the mild North Carolina weather.  I hope you all a good fall and a cup of cider!

Love,

-Matt Clawson


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In breaking news this week

Stephen turned in his mission papers!  Let the guessing begin!

I (Coleen) am guessing New York..... something crazy speaking, like Vietnamese

Bjorn guesses Japan   (Japanese speaking)