My Joy

2/4/23

Strawberries are Lizzy’s favorite fruit so she was not going to turn down a trip to the strawberry picking farm with Mom!

Who wants some strawberries!?

1/28/23

Rachel declined going to the faire and went to a birthday party celebration with her friends, so Mom, Dad, Lizzy and Patricia went today. Mom was the only one who had ever gone to a Medieval Faire so this was a new experience for the rest of us. There were performances going on immediately as we entered the faire:

After that show we walked around and knife throwing caught Patricia’s eye:

You got this!

Great throw Patricia!

We stopped for another show:

We walked around and Lizzy and Patricia became royalty:

They are both queens!

Dad got picked out of the crowd for the next act:

He was knighted a king:

Then they made mom (who had been taking the pictures) go up and be his queen! It was very funny!

That was a fun afternoon indeed!

01/23/23

Mom, Rachel and Luna went a a little hike:

There were pretty flowers along the trail:

01/26/23

Mom and Luna can’t resist going on trails while the weather is so nice!:

We decided (Luna and Mom) on a combination of the two trails:

The farther in the more narrow the trail:

Luna was serious about not stopping for pictures!

01/22/23

Both Mom and Dad have been called to work with the youth
(Mom as YW President and Dad as YM Advisor) at church so we decided to hold the Annual Youth Meeting in our home this year:

We had about 25 people attend!

01/21/2023

We started off the day picking strawberries!

Later we pulled off a bit of a surprise party for mom!

We even invited mom’s best friend Keri Trosper and her family
without mom finding out!:

We opened some cards and gifts:

Dad got mom some dark chocolates she hadn’t tried before:

Lizzy and Rachel got mom a dehydrated desert for their upcoming Appalachian Trail adventure:

A gift from Keri too:

Later we opened cards and gifts from Grandpa Ed and Grandma Joyce and a few other cards from friends:

What an awesome birthday! The only thing that could have possibly made it better would be hiking on the AT
(Appalachian Trail).

Happy Birthday Mom! We love you!

1/1/2023

Sparkling Cider Toasting In The New Year!

We each made a toast for health, fun and wellness for the new year!

1/4/2023

On Wednesday we brought in the new year for our Wedensday night Young Women activity with a charcuterie board by Lizzy and more sparkling cider!

1/5/2023

The next day we got started on our new year wishes of health, well being and fun by playing tennis!:

Mom and Rachel played on the other court.

It was a very competitive game!

A fun-filled action packed family activity to start off the new year!

1/7/2023

Today we decided toto have a family fun activity mountain biking on a trail on a beautiful day in Turkey Creek Preserve:

Halfway through and Mom and Dad are leaving us in the dust!

The water is low, but it is still pretty as the sun is setting:

We visited “Mom’s Tree” the big oak that died when the flooding took her out last year.

We came back on the roads from the back entrance to the preserve. Mom raced back first, then Lizzy:

That was a fun and tiring adventure!

1/13/2023

We went to the temple with the youth. It was a chilly day but the temple is the best place to be!

1/16/2023

Mom discovered a local park that has a military/Ninja Warrior obstacle course. So we went to Reserve Park for some more family fun adventuring:

That was a very challenging obstacle course!!

We then stopped at the store and picked up a mystery item for a Chopped cooking challenge. Sullivan and Rachel went head to head and Lizzy and Mom were the sous chefs and picked the mystery item which was yucca. The 3 food items they were given were Tortilla Shells, Yucca, and Tricolored Peppers.

Time for the Chopped competition:

Time for judging (by Lizzy and Mom):

1/18/23

All that cooking the other day sparked a baking challenge for Dad and Rachel. This time they weren’t in competition with each other but decided to try to bake something challenging together:

12/17/2022

Mom gave us a little pre-Christmas gift for the car:

A place to hang up the phone on the back of the seat to watch movies:

We were all excited for the trip!

Pillows and blankets gallor!

Of course Mom remembered to get window clings!:

We stopped in Fayetteville, North Carolina and visited the Poe House, Home of E.A. Poe. Not the famous write Poe (unfortunately) but the Brickmaker/Businessman who made Fayetteville Famous apparently.

There was a nice lady who gave us the grand tour:

That was actually interesting but it’s time to head to our hotel. Mom and Dad decided to go to the newest Avatar movie in 3D. The Theatre was about a half a mile away from the hotel, so very convenient:

The next morning we headed up north for our planned 2 day and three night excursion in Washington DC! On the way we spotted a “flying saucer”:

We made it to our Airbnb in Bethesda, Maryland.

And go down to the basement:

There were two very nice rooms:

We had a good night’s rest and got up early to walk to the Metro to ride into DC:

At the Metro station we had to ride a very tall escalator and Rachel did not like it at all (and that’s an understatement!):

Selfies on the Metro:

We made it to DC and walked to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Time to walk the mall:

We walked over to the Air and Space Museum and fed the birds while we waited for it to open:

We headed back outside and had a little fun:

It got pretty cold outside:

Dad and Lizzy ran all the way up the stairs to the Lincoln Memorial!:

Dad made it to the top just ahead of Lizzy; good job both of you!

The Lincoln Memorial:

Sorry Rachel but we have to take the escalator in the Metro Station again:

We surprised the girls with a stop at a famous cupcake shop, Georgetown Cupcake:

That was a fun-filled day!

The next day we headed back out in the cold and walked to the Metro station:

Today we decided to go to the Smithsonian National Zoo!

We heard they had pandas here but….

There were several photo opportunities:

The Orangutans were awesome!

Yet another staged pic:

This guy was singing or screaming or scared?

We had fun at the zoo but it’s time to head back to the Airbnb for our last night’s stay. Tomorrow we head to NY.

12/21/2022

On our way to NY we stopped at the first real snow and played:

We made another stop in Robert H. Treman State Parkin Ithaca, NY to go see a waterfall!

We were ready to get out of the car although it was a bit chilly outside:

We found the trail to Lower Falls:

We made it to the Lower Falls:

Mom and Dad enjoyed the upper part of the falls:

While we explored the bottom:

Dad found an icicle:

While mom enjoyed the beautiful waterfall:

Not too cold to enjoy this beautiful waterfall!

We decided to go see another waterfall a short drive away in Ithaca:

Although the sun was bright, it was cold!

We made it to NY! this year we found an Airbnb right across from the lot where Nana’s (Mom’s mother’s mother) house used to be:

Next stop was Grandpa Ed’s and Grandma Joyce’s house. As tradition would have it we had a pizza party to celebrate Lizzy’s and Dad’s birthdays:

Grandpa Ed brought in the cupcakes while we sang Happy Birthday to Lizzy and Dad.

Cards and gifts too:

We enjoyed celebrating our birthdays and had a great visit with Grandpa Ed and Grandma Joyce.

December 22, 2022

Mom and Dad took us to the Ice Skating Rink! It was just barely starting too snow:

Dad was the brave one to go first:

A good start. . .

That forward lean is getting bigger. . .

Lizzy, Rachel and Mom didn’t make it far at all so we asked for some assistance devices:

Even Dad had one! We slowly but surely improved and ditched the walkers and used the wall:

Even the wall was challenging:

We slowly even made it away from the wall (a little):

We had so much fun but it was exhausting!

After ice skating we went back to Grandpa Ed and Grandma Joyce’s house. We helped decorate Grandma Joyce’s Christmas cookies:

This is a very fun family tradition that we all enjoy!

We decorated A LOT of cookies:

December 23rd, 2022

Today we went to our favorite local shops and restaurants and visited with Grandpa Ed and Grandma Joyce. It was snowy and just a little cold:

December 24th, 2022

This morning we went to visit Uncle Ted and Aunt Alice in Stanley, NY.

They sent us off with some yummy homemade Italian Christmas cookies!

Then we drove to Canandaigua, NY to visit with our other second cousins:

Christmas Day, December 25th, 2022

We went to church in Fayette, NY at the chapel on the Peter Whitmer Farm. This is Mom’s “home” ward; where she was baptized and also where Lizzy was baptized.

After church we went to Grandpa Ed and Grandma Joyce’s house:

The entire meal was absolutely delicious!

After dinner we sat down in the living room and got ready to exchange gifts:

Handmade Christmas card time!

Gifts for all our pets too!

After Grandma Grandma passed Joyce took over the tradition and makes these beautiful towels every year:

After presents a spontaneous celebratory dance party ensued:

12/26/2022

Time to head back home to Florida!

12/27/2022

We made it back home!

On a sad note our cat Shadow passed away this morning so we buried him in our pet cemetery on the side of the house shortly after we got home.

We know we will see him in heaven some day and be reunited.

Later in the day after having a small service for Shadow and unpacking and putting away all of our trip items we had our family Christmas gift exchange.

As tradition would have it we start with the stockings filled by “Santa”:

Luna first!:

Now Lizzy and Rachel’s stockings:

Dad’s turn:

And Mom:

Back to the pets:

Miss Kitty!

Windy and Miss Kitty can share these treats:

We can’t forget Bunya!

And of course Luna has more presents!

Every Christmas we leave a present under the tree “for Jesus”. We open this gift before all of the presents under the tree. This tradition was started by Lizzy many years ago and she has added quite a few things to the gift box over the years. Each year Lizzy unpacks the gift box and describes the contents:

Thank you Lizzy for starting and caring on this beautiful tribute to our Savior Jesus Christ!

Time to exchange handmade cards:

Rachel’s card to Dad:

Rachel’s card to Mom:

To Mom from Lizzy:

To Dad from Lizzy:

To Rachel from Lizzy:

A gift from Grandma and Grandpa Beck:

A Gift from Lizzy to Rachel:

From Rachel to Lizzy:

From Lizzy to Mom:

An Appalachian Trail Poster!!!

To Dad from Lizzy:

A Gift from Mom and Dad to both Lizzy and Rachel:

Freeze Dried Ice cream Bars!!

A gift from Mom to Dad:

From Rachel to Mom:

Rachel to Lizzy:

Mom and Dad to Rachel:

Also from Mom and Dad, Lizzy got a humidifier that she wanted for her room.

Mom got Dad a new Cooler Backpack:

Dad got Mom a mew workout bodybar:

A gift to us from Mom:

Beauty supplies!

Rachel gave Dad a new kitchen pastry mat:

Mom gave Dad a mechanics under car creeper:

Dad got Mom an automatic vacuum (how romantic?). Mom was actually very very happy to have it!

Lizzy got a beautiful jewelry box and several sets of earrings!

Rachel got a laptop!

Wow it’s so nice!

Time to try the freeze dried ice cream!!

That was indeed a Very Merry Christmas!!

12/6/22

12/05/22

We went to the hospital Christmas lights for Family Home Evening:

Lizzy and Rachel HAVE TO roll down the hill!

Mother-Daughter pic!

Another mother-daughter pic!

11/25/22

We went to a new (to us) u-cut Christmas tree farm:

We searched for the perfect tree.

All the trees on the lot were on the short side, but we will make it work.

We get to cut it down now:

Rachel has no problem caring it!

Time to shake out the bugs and old pine needles:

Because the tree was a little on the short side we put it up on a box:

Sprayed some “Snow” on the branches:

Time to decorate!

Of course we can’t forget candy canes!:

Can’t forget the good luck bird and nest!

Decorations everywhere!

Later we even out up a small tree on the back porch!

We are definitely in the Christmas cheer!