Eric's birthday; Alex update; Arsenic and Old Lace; Andrew at his high school

Eric turned 28 on Wednesday. No photos. No candles to blow out. But we had a wonderful meal with ice cream and pie for dessert. Happy Birthday Eric!

So Alex will go out to his first area this week! Please keep him in your prayers. He leaves the MTC Tuesday morning, taking the train to Salt Lake with his companion and some others. I'm not sure if he spends the night in the Mission Home or goes out immediately to his first assignment. He's hoping to stay in Salt Lake for his first area so he can see the Christmas lights. I guess we'll find out later where he's spending Thanksgiving.

So when I've talked to Alex the last 2 weeks, it's been through Google Hangouts and Alex is using his phone and I'm on my Chromebook. Funny thing is, he's walking around (taking care of his laundry this last week) and so he's not paying attention to what I can see...and mostly it's just an eye or two, so I took a picture of him. Looking good, isn't he?

This week Glen and his students put on "Arsenic and Old Lace." Glen had a small part in it and nephew Ben played Jonathan Brewster, the evil brother. Both did a great job and the play was very enjoyable. So, that's another one in the books.

notice the wonderful set -- didn't get a tighter shot of Glen :(

curtain call

So I'm stealing this off of Andrew's blog. Fun stuff! It's a news report from his high school. His interview is from 11:00 - 13:00. Great job Andrew!

Alex's first week

I went on facebook last Sunday and a friend that used to live in Carson, Claudia, had sent me a picture labeled "Recognize anyone?" Sure enough, it was Alex!

Turns out the Elder in the picture, Elder VanWagenen, is the son of one of Claudia's best friends in Carson. When Claudia saw the picture in an email, she recognized Alex right away. Alex had met Elder W. at a scout leadership training camp in 2018, so when they bumped into each other in the MTC, they took a picture. Love it. (and Claudia says everyone looks short when standing next to a VanWagenen)

And here are some pictures you might have already seen since Alex sent them in his first email on his first P-day last Tuesday:

"Best Mountain District"

"Goofy Mountain District"

"Pink Tie Sunday"

In Alex's email, he said to guess which one was his companion, Elder Cordel. In case you weren't sure, in the bottom photo, he is the one in glasses on Alex's right in the left corner. Pink Tie Sunday was where the Elders on Alex's dorm floor wore pink ties. Alex had to borrow one as he does not own one.

Anyway, in his district, only Alex and Elder Cordel are going to the Utah Salt Lake City Mission. Six are going to the Idaho Boise Mission, 2 are going to Alaska Anchorage, and I didn't catch where the last 2 were going. Oh, Elder Cordel is from West Plains, Missouri which is below the boundaries of Thomas's mission.

I actually got to video chat with Alex a little Tuesday morning!  It's so weird to think that for my other boys we only get to talk on the phone twice a year and now I can actually video chat every week if Alex wants to. Love it. While chatting with Alex, I got to "meet" Elder Cordel. Alex says Elder Cordel is very funny and makes him laugh. Alex really likes his whole district. So, although he said he's had a few anxious moments, he seems to be doing well. I hope we get another good report this week.

Friday was Joy's 2nd birthday. Happy Birthday Joy! Hopefully we'll get some photos soon to post.

And it's that time of the year...I'm working on my Christmas cards. I love doing this every year, but I want to hurry and get them done so they are ready to go just after Thanksgiving. Now if I could just get the photos picked out and ordered then I'd really feel organized and on the ball.

And on a totally different note, the CCHS football team is going up against the Fernley Vaqueros in the State 3A championship next Saturday. Go Greenwave!

and he's off...

Last Sunday morning, Alex was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!

Jackie, David, Ben, Kathy, Gary, Beth, Glen, Eric, Alan, Alex, and Grandpa

Monday night, Glen, Eric, Alex, and I enjoyed Sarah and Luke's hospitality (and now I have another game I would like to own--Onitama. It's kind of like chess but rotating cards tell you how your pieces can move and since my birthday is coming up...).

Tuesday morning we drove to Salt Lake where we took in a live session in the Salt Lake Temple. It will be closing down at the end of December for major renovations and will be closed for several years, so we were really glad that we got to go. It is absolutely gorgeous on the inside.

Salt Lake City Temple Celestial room (photo from Church's website)

After our temple session, we were able to visit with Bobby and Lynda who are living in Salt Lake while Bobby undergoes cancer treatments. Bobby used to be one of Alex's youth leaders at church. He is very upbeat and it was wonderful to visit with them.

We then continued on the Pleasant Grove where we spent the night at Jacob and Susan's house, which is where Hannah and Kaellen live. The local missionaries were also there for dinner (which was a DELICIOUS spinach and cream cheese stuffed chicken breast recipe that Hannah makes). Alex got to help the missionaries share a message, so we were actually able to hear Alex give his first message as a missionary. It was so thrilling.

It just so happened that Ryan and Angeles were spending the night in Pleasant Grove at Angeles's cousin's house on their way down to San Diego, so they were able to come over that night and play games! And come over Wednesday morning with time enough for one more game.

Ryan, Alex, Jacob, Angeles, Hannah, and Eric playing "Wingspan"

Owen, Eric, and Alex 

Siblings!

Glen, Eric, Alex, and I then drove to Provo where we bought Alex another pair of church shoes (hard to find in Fallon) and then met up with Joseph on BYU's campus.

It was then time to drop Alex off (1 pm), which went very smoothly (after I figured out that Alex's missing wallet was in the church pants he had worn to the temple the previous day).

and he's off...

We drove home uneventfully and when we got home, we found waiting for us this email, titled "I'm alive" and sent 16 minutes after we dropped Alex off:

And they told me to send a message saying so.

I don't know what else I should say 

To email Alex use the following address: alexander.perazzo@missionary.org

He will only be answering emails once a week, but I think he can check his email more often than that. 

I thought I had photos of each boy walking away to go on their missions, but apparently didn't post the photos of Andrew and Eric walking away, so I will have to end with Ryan's, which was taken April 2013.

family visiting (Alex gave his farewell talk), Halloween

Last Friday night, Ryan and Angeles arrived from Idaho while Hannah and Kaellen came in from Utah so they could be here for Alex's farewell talk (and he did an excellent job). Uncle David also was a speaker (he also did an excellent job). Game playing and discussing Brandon Sanderson books were mainstays of the weekend. Poor Ryan and Angeles hit some snow driving back to Rexburg on Monday, but everyone made it safely home.

Five days and counting till Alex enters the MTC.

Eric, Ryan, Angeles, Glen, Alex, Beth, Hannah, and Kaellen

The ward's Trunk or Treat was Tuesday night. Alex was working at the temple, so it was just Glen (dressed as a teacher...hmm), Eric (as Teen Wolf), and me (in a qipao--traditional Chinese dress).

one of the activities available 

some of the cup cakes the Young Women made for the Cake Walk activity