Father's Day Party!!

  (Posted by my sister, Jen. Thanks, Jen!!)

The annual Westra Father's Day gathering ... Scott and Amy hosted at the Old English address from 2006-2022 when they moved ... to the Hermitage House! 2023 Father's Day was held there. Check out all the Father'sDay Blog Posts!  For 2024, the group gathering shifted to the Highland House ...

Here's the email invitation ...

Hello Family!

It's that time of year again...time for the Westra Father's Day Party! Due to the renovation of Scott and Amy's yard, this year the party will be held at the Westra/Westra Headquarters in Highland:  Sunday, June 16, 5:30 pmYorkshire Ct

As always, the theme of the Father's Day Party is Food, Fun, & Family (insert audible "awwwwww" here.)

Let's talk about food:

BBQ: chicken, hot dogs

Sides: chips, fruit tray or fruit salad, veggie trays/salads, baked beans, pasta salad

Desserts: assorted variety of gluten free and gluten full goodies

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOUR FAMILY IS PLANNING TO BRING! You can reply to this email, text me (801-503-5024), hire a skywriter, send a carrier pigeon, or even *dramatic gasp* call me on the phone. 

Let's talk about fun:

9-square

Spike Ball

CanJam

Ladder Golf (aka golf shoes)

Axe Throwing

Trampolining

General Socializing

Let's talk about family:

PLEASE make sure your grown kids know the details! This is one of the 2 times a year we get a good sized group of us together...we'd love to see as much of the posterity of LaMar and Margie Westra as we can. We will be taking our Annual Father's Day Party Photo at some point during the evening as well.

FAQ's

• Where should I park? In the driveway or on the street in front of the house. 
• Should I come through the front door or around to the backyard? Either!
•  Do you need people to bring the games listed above? Nope! These are all games that we have here at Westra/Westra Headquarters.
• Can I bring an outdoor/card/board game that isn't listed above to play with extended family? Of course!
• I'm a single pringle...can I bring a +1? Only if you are willing to be responsible for any & all speculation that happens afterwards. 
• Oh no! I have tickets to see Taylor Swift that evening! Should I go to the concert or come to the Father’s Day Party? The obvious answer is to bring Tay-tay as your +1.

Excited to see you all on Father’s Day!

Love, the 2024 planning committee (aka Alicia & Shane)

**************************************** 

 There was yummy food ...

... and lots of games and socializing 

Here's a little LIVE action

https://youtu.be/90OhN2z_xbk

... until next year!

Happy Father's Day!

 (Copied from Jens Father's Day Post on our Family Blog):

Sunday, June 19, 2022 ... the final group gathering and family photo with the back patio of Scott and Amy's home on Old English Road in Draper as the backdrop. Change is in the air, and the house was on the market and sold in the months afterward. 

Scott sent out the annual invitation June 2 ... "Hey Family! You are all invited to the annual Father’s Day extravaganza at our home on Sunday, June 19th. We will probably start around 6:00 pm if that works ok. I will fire up the BBQ and the Treager if Grayson can provide me some smokin’ tips. Please bring the 9 square game. Let everyone know what you can bring and pass the invitation along to all your family members."

On June 19, the day of the party, Scott sent an update ... "Happy Father’s Day! It looks like a cold front will be blowing in early afternoon and the evening temperatures will be on the cool side. Who would be able to come if we moved the start time to 5:00 pm? Please let me know and if that doesn’t work for everyone, we can keep it at 6:00 pm. Please let me know and I will send out a definitive plan early afternoon. I will be smoking some tri-tip on the Treagar and will have our traditional Sprite chicken on the Weber. We will also have baked beans and fruit. You are welcome to come earlier to visit and help. I know many of you will be disappointed to not see me in my short-shorts and tank top but I still hope to see as many of you as possible. Bring a sweater. "

The change in the weather was ironic, as just last year (Father's Day 2021) a heat wave hit the holiday and the festivities had to be shifted a little later to accommodate! With the cool temperatures this year, there wasn't any water fun, as was the case in many Father's Day parties in the past. 

There was food, and visiting. Many got to meet little Letti  for the first time. Layla had a little beaded bracelet business going, so there was some crafting going on. Chris's crew brought some fresh eggs from their chickens for a few people to take home, and Jen brought some tomato plants she'd picked up at a Blackham family reunion the day before. 

It was a bit breezy, and we weren't sure the 9-square would work with the weather.

But we got some games in.

It was a smaller group for this final farewell to Father's Day here at this house.

We missed those who couldn't make it.

... for a fun look back at all the photos from this back porch.

Starting in 2006 in the top left corner, ending with 2021 in the bottom right. Skipped 2011, as while there was a Father's Day photo at the house, that year it wasn't taken on the back porch as all the others were. All of these years have party recaps with additional pictures. Check them out by year (chronologically on the blog archive in the sidebar), or scroll through all the Father's Day posts. 

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Great post, Jen!! I love the collage of Father's Day family pictures through the years!! 

We had a fun time at the party! Now for a little background information on our plans before and after...

Josh, Jenna, Jaiden and I left to head up North on Saturday evening, the day before Father's Day. Rick had left the week before to go on his first interpreting cruise (Royal Caribbean) and so he wasn't with us. (I will do a separate post about his cruise). I dropped the girls off at Shane and Alicia's house so that the girls could spend time with their cousins and go to church with them the next day. Josh and I stayed the night with Janika and Brandon. I went to church with them, but Josh was still not feeling well and stayed in bed all day. 

I hadn't wanted Rick to go on the cruise over Father's Day, because I wanted our family to go to our annual Father's Day party and also spend the weekend together. But he had been really anxious to try cruise interpreting and said that this week worked well with his schedule. He said that he would be flying home on Father's Day and could fly right into Salt Lake and be there in time for the party. I was worried that he wouldn't make it in time (and he didn't). At the time he accepted the cruise he didn't know when the flights would be. I wasn't surprised when the flight showed him arriving later that evening instead of during the day like he had hoped. I was disappointed that he wasn't there and I was also not happy about having to leave the party early with the kids to go pick him up from the airport, especially since I wasn't comfortable navigating through the Salt Lake airport. I hadn't been to the SLC airport in years and didn't know my way around. Of course I got lost and and was stressfully driving around in circles. 

We finally connected and he took over driving. Then Janelle called for her weekly call and all of the other kids got on the zoom call too in order to wish Rick a Happy Father's Day and hear about his cruise. We had decided a while back that we would have our Father's Day Flee right after Father's Day and had reserved an Airbnb, so we drove straight out there and Janika and Brandon planned to meet us the next morning. Janika and Brandon didn't come to the Father's Day party since Everett was just three weeks old, but they planned to come to our Father's Day Flee. We missed Jase and Ellen and Evan, who were in Maryland for the summer. Jared was at FSY this summer and so he wasn't able to come either.  I will write about Father's Day Flee in another post! 

Later this cute collage popped up in Jaiden's Google Photos... Jaiden and Layla at the same party three years ago and today! 

Happy Father's Day!!

We had a great time at the Father's Day party as usual! I didn't get a lot of pictures this year since I was busy eating and visiting! Our family was missing Janika and Brandon (who were at his family cabin in Bear Lake), Jase and Ellen, and Jared. Jen brought the 9 square game that Keaton made and it was a big hit! It was in use the entire evening! We had pulled pork and lots of salads and desserts! 

After the party Jaiden and Jenna went home with Shane and Alicia's family in order to have a sleepover with their cousins and Janelle and Josh and I went back to Janika and Brandon's. Rick headed to Ogden to stay over at Grandma Jensen's. He came up this week to work -- visiting the Deaf Branch Presidents and Bishops and other key people as part of his new work responsibilities of working with the Deaf. 

Click HERE to see all of the Father's Day party through the years!! (It looks like the first Westra Father's Day party we had in Draper was in 2006. It became a tradition and we have been doing it ever since!!) 

Father's Day!!

We arrived at Scott and Amy's a little before the party started. My sister, Jen, mentioned in our extended family Westra Way blog that this was the 14th annual group gathering for Father's Day. It has been held annual since 2006. Ironically (per the pandemic) this was probably the largest group there has been! There were even two dogs in attendance! (Since Jen had already done the Father's Day post I took some of the information directly from there!)

We enjoyed a delicious BBQ! Blackhams brought Grayson's super cool water balloon filler (that he made himself) where eight balloons can be filled at a time with on/off spouts to keep the H20 in some control. Chris brought a bunch of baby balloons (and Jen brought some big ones). So there was tossing, chasing, throwing and launching, as Chris brought his "launcher" to fling them high in the sky. Cornhole is a favorite and the girls liked the hula hoops and practicing tricks such as handstands!

Then our family sang "Oh My Father" for my dad! We had put this together for a Father's Day gift for him! I think he enjoyed it and sang along! As soon as I introduced the song my mom started crying -- and I did too. I could hardly sing! Whenever we watch the video my kids make fun of me because I look so funny playing the bells. I guess I need more practice so that I don't totally lean forward when playing them!

Derek videotaped our song on his phone and posted it on Facebook and it actually got 2700 views and 24 shares! We got loads of wonderful comments! Derek thought we should do more songs and start a family youtube channel like some others have done. The boys were NOT excited about that prospect! I think they are happy to have their Sundays back (we usually practiced the song every Sunday and then went around the neighborhood sang to several neighbors on Sunday nights).

Click HERE to see the song on Youtube!

We also took our annual photo!! Our family needs to do a little better about making "windows" for this picture now that we have so many people! There are a few people I can barely see!

 ... and let's not forget Scott's poetic invitation to the party! 

 On Father’s Day, the place to be 

 Is at our home, Covid free 

 We’ll gather and greet 

 And of course we will eat 

 And games we will play 

 To round out the day. 

 We’ll begin at 6 so it’s not too hot 

 And see how decrepit Scott has got 

 We will see how the Westra clan had grown 

 And allow for friendships to be sown 

 We hope to see you safe and sound 

 It will be fun to gather ‘round 

 And honor those who’ve done so much

 And pledge to better keep in touch 

 And since you all are dying to ask 

 No we won’t require a mask.

Jen has more videos and pictures from this party on The Westra Way blog!! 

After the party Rick and Jared went to stay with his mom (Grandma Jensen hadn't seen Jared since his mission) and the other kids and I went to stay with Shane and Alicia. We had originally planned on Rick and me and the kids staying at my mom and dad's but I had a little sore throat and with this whole Covid-19 thing going on I was worried about staying at my parents just in case it turned into something more! A day or so later I felt perfectly fine, so pretty sure it was "just a cold!" Rick and Jared went to Ogden since Jared needed to buy a car and they saw some on sale in Centerville. 

Rick and I had also discussed going to Lagoon the Monday after Father's Day with the cousins, but then the park was requiring everyone to wear masks while in line for the rides and there was so much on the news about spikes in Covid cases that we decided to err on the side of caution and cancel our plans. So we just stayed over at Shane and Alicia's and the kids played together and then we headed back to St. George! 

Father's Day Party!!

We went to our annual Father's Day Party at my brother's house in Draper. There was lots of yummy good, as usual! The cousins had fun playing together and the weather was perfect! Rick, Jase, Janelle, and Josh headed home around 7:30 and Jaiden and Jenna and I slept over at my brother, Derek's house so that the girls could play with their cousins some more!

Father's Day Party 2018

We had the annual Father's Day party on Monday night instead of Sunday night in order to accommodate Jase's mission homecoming, which was held on Father's Day Sunday. Beautiful weather, delicious food and awesome company. I love my family! We got to meet Landon's fiancee' and Courtney and Seth's baby (they left before the picture). Rick, Jase, and Jared headed to Provo right after the party since Rick would be teaching EFY Tuesday and Wednesday. The other kids and I headed to my mom and dad's for the week!

Family:

You are all invited to a Father’s Day dinner on MONDAY, June 18^th at 6:00 pm at the Westra residence. I will grill some chicken and hot dogs and have some baked beans. Please let me know if you are coming and what you can bring. I have arranged for some very nice weather. We still have a basketball hoop and tether ball pole but we had to remove the trampoline and fire pit. I know – Taylee is still mad at me. However, the tramp is right next door and I am sure you are welcome to use it there – their kids will likely be over at our house anyway.

Amy has nixed most of my suggested activities, including the garden weeding competition and car wash fund-raiser. Kemery has offered to give slack line lessons (you will probably have to sign a waiver – Derek or Grayson would have to sign two waivers). I am also willing to lead a hike to the suspension bridge or Ghost Falls. There are frequent Heffalump and Woozel sightings along both trails.

We hope you can come.

Scott and Amy

Happy Father's Day!!

Happy Father's Day!! We drove up Friday night so that we could attend the annual Father's Day party. It was a quick trip, but fun to see everyone!  We enjoyed our meetings at my Mom and Dad's ward. The primary sang "Ye, Elders of Israel" for the musical number. 

We really enjoyed the party at Scott and Amy's. It is always fun to see and visit with everyone!  The girls really missed Adria and Rella since their family couldn't come from California (because Adria had Girls' Camp) but they had fun playing with their other cousins. The food was awesome!!  Grayson has really gotten into smoking meat lately and cooked a delicious, tender brisket! The marinated chicken was extra good too. Loved all of the extras too -- Mexican corn on the cob, Brazilian Cheese Rolls and so forth. Janika teases me that I always describe my meals in my journal, so I will stop gushing about the food, ha ha! 

We had to do the family picture with my camera since Alicia wasn't there, so the quality and resolution isn't as good, but it still turned out cute! 

Rick and I took some pictures of my mom and dad. I really like this picture!