February is cold and snowy in Provo, but much goes on!

It is always fun to watch BYU sports: very loud and enthusiastic fans support great teams with lots of fun cheer leaders, dunk squad and contests with prizes. Grand-daughter Lucie Taylor and I enjoyed watching BYU players win!

 

Cosmo the Cougar has been BYU's mascot for 60+ years. He symbolizes the BYU standards: Talents, intelligence, charisma, honor and enthusiasm

Julie and her girls Stephanie, Elise, and Phoebe, joined Marc in cheering on his daughter Hannah at her gym meet

Grandson Nick de Schweinitz  (with cousin Ming Lu de S.) is now set apart to begin MTC training on-line for two weeks before his 4 weeks at the Provo training center. Then he will serve in the Baltimore, MD mission in Spanish.

               He says good-bye to his great grandmother Martins

                       Nick with parents Fernanda and Marc de S.

Emily and I attended a BYU Faith-Academics talk. All truth comes from one source, so there is absolutely no conflict between science and religion. Maybe we should be open to new ideas and new discoveries and not be so sure that we have all knowledge yet!

I always love the BYU art museum. I enjoyed a small exhibit of amazing Durer etchings and drawings. 

 From the permanent collection, Mahonri Young, R. Knight, and others

Dinner with friends at Bombay House to celebrate Gae Rose's and my birthdays: Ramona, Miriam, Gae, Scott and Kristin Rose.

It is always a joy to spend a Tuesday evening at the mission training center with the young and senior missionaries preparing to serve throughout the world in many capacities.

I I blew them all out but they didn't try to put 79 candles on my cake!

With four of my five children celebrating my birthday: Emily, Peter, Marc and Julie. 16/17 of my grandchildren made for a fun evening!

Peter summarized my younger days in a minute or so, showing the Lederhosen he wore when I taught him a little German. Lots of the kids and adults shared their musical talents, with Aaron Taylor leading the program on the cello.

Cousins giving Nick "Elder/ Hermano de Schweinitz" a good-bye hug

Taiwanese students Eric, Leo and Derek Staying with Emily) with teacher David Wang (staying with me) for 2 weeks, attending classes, enjoying excursions and seeing snow for the first time, skating, sledding and skiing!

 Ming Lu works at the ice rink and helped the group 

There's a first time for everything! They are good sports!

 

             Happy New Year 2023 and Happy Chinese New Year

          May it be healthy, happy, prosperous, and peaceful for you

New Year's Eve Brazilian style: dancing, karaoke, balloons, at home of my daughter-in-law's relatives. White clothing for luck, prosperity, ??

  Above, grandson Nick and my son Marc; below: I was surprised to see my neighbors Jill and Todd Moulton, friends of Ori and Monica Martins (hosts) at the party!

Miriam, Hannah, Nick, Evie, Marc, Fernanda, Simon

Views from my windows on a very snowy day

                                            The Provo Temple

                           Mount Timpanogos from my street

We celebrated 3 of my kids' birthdays: Peter (Jan. 15), Marc (Jan.18), Julie (Jan.10). (a few missing : off playing or resting while we watched artificial intelligence photos and shared our favorite traits of the "birthday boys and girl." Does Peter approve of one of his a.i. photos?

Neil (my English son-in-law) and my daughter Anne came from Vermont and were impressed with the quantity and quality of the brunch at Tru Religion pancake and steak house in Orem. Neil was right at home with his English phone booth at the restaurant.

Afterwards we took Neil for his first foray into the local Costco store. He was amazed at the size and prices!

Grand-daughter Cordelia's Chinese immersion school held a Chinese New Year's Year of the Rabbit celebration. The whole school participated. She's the little girl on the left in the gold dress (below).

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

If you were born in 1927, 1929, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 you are a Rabbit (Hare)
According to Chinese tradition if born in this year you are “likely to be calm and gentle, bringing an energy that will help those looking for more of a balanced life,”

The Chinese Lunar New Year begins on the date (in East Asia) of the second new Moon after the winter solstice, which always takes place in late December. This means that the first day of the Lunar New Year can occur anytime between January 21 and February 20. This year it's on January 22.

Fun to host wonderful friends formerly of Palo Alto, and BYU students from my former Palo Alto congregation: Mark and Kelly Bonham, Katy and Tom Taylor, Sara and Paul Gilman, Evelyn Gaskin, Lindsay Aldous, Nicholas Chiang and Chase Miner.

Snow is prettier when it sparkles or glows in the sun on a blue-sky day.

This winter I have enjoyed the wonderful paintings of Maynard Dixon at the BYU art museum. Go see!

and Kershisnik paintings in my kids' homes and in galleries, even in pizza parlors

If you aren't familiar with the work of local artist Brian Kershisnik (born 1962), look him up on line! His unique style is wonderful!