How Holiday Decorations Bring Communities Together — A Lehi Neighbor’s Story
A portrait of Mike Willes, a lifelong Lehi resident who transformed personal health struggles into a luminous community legacy through elaborate holiday displays.
Mike Willes
A Lehi Neighbor’s Story of Holiday Cheer
At a Glance
Archive Scoring
Introduction
Mike Willes’ life is anchored in a half-mile radius of where he was born, a testament to a deep-rooted belonging that is increasingly rare in the modern West. His story serves as a bridge between the Lehi of five thousand people and a few stop signs and the sprawling city it has become. For forty years, Mike helped build the physical infrastructure of Utah with Leighton Construction, but his most enduring contribution to the community is built of light, rebar, and seasonal magic. This record captures the transition from the manual labor of building cities to the creative labor of building community spirit.
What Mike calls an 'incurable disease'—his passion for massive holiday displays—is actually a profound act of resilience. Facing a diagnosis of prostate cancer and multiple back surgeries, Mike pivoted from the heavy lifting of construction to the meticulous choreography of seasonal decorating. These displays are not mere spectacles; they are a response to the quiet of retirement and the physical toll of illness, transforming a personal battle into a public gift. He reveals how the simple act of putting up lights became a primary source of purpose and a way to push back against the darkness of disease.
The narrative revealed here is one of partnership and quiet devotion. Mike speaks of his wife’s essential support and his brother’s willingness to step in when his own strength failed. Together, they have created a landmark that draws school buses, limousines, and even young couples seeking a backdrop for marriage proposals. It is a story of how one man's need for activity and beauty became a neighborhood's shared tradition, influencing new residents to join in the festive display.
Through Mike’s eyes, we see a Lehi that honors its heritage while embracing change. His reflections on the Peanuts characters and a special visit from Charles Schulz’s granddaughter highlight how local stories often intersect with broader cultural touchstones. He discusses the shift from the 'sin' of decorating before Thanksgiving to a modern era where early displays provide much-needed light during the winter months. His perspective as a 'Lehi First Warder' for 73 years provides a rare continuity in a rapidly changing landscape.
Ultimately, Mike’s record is one of endurance and the importance of legacy. Whether it is staying with a single employer for four decades or finding the strength to swap Halloween skeletons for Christmas nativities, his life exemplifies a specific brand of Utah resilience. He reminds us that while the physical town may grow and change, the impulse to gather neighbors together through effort and wonder remains a vital constant of the human experience.
Episode Overview
A detailed look at the topics, people, and context of this conversation.
In this archive record, Mike Willes shares his journey as a 'Lehi First Warder' for seventy-three years, offering a rare perspective on the town's transformation from a village of 5,000 residents to a bustling suburban center. Mike discusses his forty-year tenure at Leighton Construction, where his skill and seniority allowed him to witness the physical growth of the region firsthand. The conversation captures a life defined by stability, hard work, and a deep connection to his birthplace.
The core of the discussion focuses on Mike’s passion for elaborate holiday displays, which began in 2014 and grew into a community phenomenon. Mike details the logistical challenges of setting up for Halloween and Christmas, including the 400-hour labor requirements and the technical shift to LED and RGB lighting. He describes how these displays served as a vital distraction and source of meaning following his cancer diagnosis, highlighting the therapeutic power of creative community service.
The episode also explores the intergenerational impact of Mike's work, from local children who visit daily to count 'skeleton snakes' to the marriage proposals staged in his front yard. Through stories of family support and neighborly influence, Mike illustrates how a single household's dedication can transform a street's culture. The record concludes with Mike's reflections on legacy, witnessing the joy his work brings through his home security monitors, and the enduring importance of the Christmas season.
Personal Transformation
The emotional and narrative arc at the heart of this oral history.
Mike Willes’ life arc represents a profound shift from a man defined by the physical labor of building Utah’s infrastructure to a man who builds community spirit through light and artistry. For forty years, Mike was a pillar of Leighton Construction, reaching the height of seniority and earning enough trust to build the company owner’s personal residence. However, the transition into retirement in 2014 brought an unexpected challenge: a loss of momentum that initially manifested as post-holiday depression. The silence after the Christmas season became a vacuum he struggled to fill, leading to a realization that his identity needed a new outlet for his lifelong habit of 'doing.'
Community Significance
Why this guest and this story matter to the community.
Mike Willes has become a living landmark in Lehi, transforming a quiet residential street into a destination of shared wonder. In an era where suburban growth often leads to isolation, Mike’s ‘incurable disease’ of decorating forces a pause in the lives of thousands. He fulfills a deep community need for tradition and magic, providing a free, accessible space where families can create memories. His home has become a stage for the community’s most intimate milestones, including marriage proposals and annual school bus pilgrimages, proving that one resident’s passion can provide the social glue that binds a neighborhood together.
"I live within a half mile where I was born."
— Mike Willes · 0:53
Key Themes & Life Lessons
The ideas that run beneath the stories — and what they teach about community, leadership, and belonging.
Community Building through Holiday Traditions
Lifelong Residency and the Transformation of Lehi
Professional Longevity and Work Ethic
Resilience through Chronic Illness and Cancer
Family Legacy and Intergenerational Support
The Evolution of Holiday Decorating Technology
Finding Purpose and Meaning in Retirement
Community Building
Wisdom & Life Lessons
Mike’s core wisdom is that creativity is an antidote to despair. His realization that 'putting something else up' could cure his depression is a profound insight into mental health and the power of forward-looking projects. He teaches the value of being a 'trend starter'—having the courage to decorate early or go beyond the norm, which eventually empowers neighbors to participate in the same joy. Finally, he shares the wisdom of 'watching the crowd'; his joy comes not from the lights themselves, but from the human interactions they facilitate, reminding us that all art is ultimately about connection.
Key Takeaways
- 1Mike Willes has lived within a half-mile of his birthplace in Lehi for 73 years, witnessing its growth from 5,000 residents.
- 2Willes spent 40 years at Leighton Construction, retiring as the second-most senior employee.
- 3The elaborate holiday displays (Christmas and Halloween) serve as a 'purpose' and a way to combat depression and illness.
- 4Decorating has become a family effort, with Mike's brother and wife taking over heavy lifting due to his health struggles with cancer.
- 5The community impact ranges from marriage proposals at the light display to school buses making regular stops to view the yard.
- 6Advancements in LED and RGB technology have allowed for more elaborate displays with significantly lower energy costs.
- 7Holiday displays can act as a bridge for new neighbors, helping them integrate into the existing community culture.
Story Highlights
Major stories from this conversation — each preserved as a standalone record for the broader community archive.
Mike Willes reflects on growing up in a Lehi that consisted of only 5,000 people and a couple of stop signs. Having lived within a half-mile of his birthplace for 73 years, he describes the shift from a rural, tight-knit community to a rapidly growing city. While his children have moved to surrounding counties, Mike remains rooted in the 'First Water' of Lehi, embodying the deep historical connection of the town's original families.
Emotional Significance
There is a poignant sense of nostalgia and 'place-attachment.' Mike expresses a preference for the smaller town of his youth while acknowledging the inevitability of change and his commitment to staying on his home ground.
Why This Matters
It documents the lived experience of a resident who witnessed the transition of Lehi from a village to a city, preserving the memory of the town's original scale.
Life Lesson
Stability and roots provide a sense of identity that can withstand the pressures of external rapid growth.
Transformation
Lehi's transformation from a tiny agricultural community to a major suburban center is mirrored in Mike's personal journey of staying put while the world around him expanded.
What It Reveals About Mike Willes
Mike is deeply rooted, sentimental about his hometown, and resistant to the transience of modern life.
What It Reveals About the Community
Lehi was once a place where everyone lived 'in the same block' and connections were defined by proximity and shared history.
Community Value Preserved
The value of geographic loyalty and the memory of Lehi's rural beginnings.
For future generations: Future residents will find value in knowing what the landscape looked like before the tech boom and high-density housing, understanding the 'old' Lehi through a lifelong resident's eyes.
Mike recounts his 40-year career with Leighton Construction, a journey that began through a connection with a mission companion's father. He rose to become number two in seniority at the company. A crowning moment of his career was when Leon Al Jr., the owner of the company, personally tasked Mike with building his own home, a testament to Mike's craftsmanship and the trust he had earned over decades.
Mike describes his massive holiday displays—covering Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and St. Patrick's Day—as an 'incurable disease.' He reveals that the tradition began in 2014 when he realized he suffered from depression once the Christmas lights came down. To combat the seasonal gloom, he decided to simply 'put something else up,' leading to a year-round cycle of celebration that requires 400 hours of setup for major holidays.
Facing a diagnosis of prostate cancer and multiple back surgeries, Mike was told by doctors that he might not survive to see the 2023 Christmas season. Despite his physical weakness and bones made brittle by treatment, he persisted in setting up the displays with the help of his brother and wife. The display became his primary source of purpose, keeping him active and focused on the future despite a grim medical prognosis.
While receiving treatment at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Mike encountered a stranger from the nearby town of Highland. Upon hearing the man mention his hometown, Mike revealed he was the 'Christmas Guy' from Lehi. The stranger immediately recognized him, exclaiming that his family visits the display three times a week. This recognition in a place of suffering validated Mike's years of hard work.
When new developers built across the street, Mike was initially concerned about how they would react to his massive displays. He even put up a sign: 'New neighbors be aware, Griswold lives here.' Instead of complaining, the new neighbors embraced the spirit, many of them inspired to start their own displays. Mike's home has turned a standard residential road into a 'Christmas Street,' influencing the neighborhood's identity.
In his current state of physical weakness, Mike can no longer stand outside for hours to greet visitors. Instead, he has set up a series of monitors and cameras by his recliner. He and his wife pause their TV shows to watch families dance on the light-up circles in his yard. Seeing children stomp on the lights and families take pictures through his 'window to the world' provides him with a quiet, persistent joy.
"I spend less money on my decorations than that kind of traveling would cause. I'd rather decorate than go to Italy or anything."
— Mike Willes · 11:55
Historical Preservation & Legacy
What this interview preserves about community history, cultural legacy, and intergenerational knowledge.
Preservation Value: High
This record captures a unique blend of Lehi's pioneer heritage and its modern suburban identity. It documents the life of a 70-plus-year resident who has witnessed the city's entire modern transformation. The episode preserves specific folk traditions and the psychological motivations behind community-building activities, making it a rare and valuable primary source for future social historians studying late 20th and early 21st-century Utah life.
Why This Episode Matters Historically
This episode serves as a vital record of the 'folk art' traditions that emerged in early 21st-century Lehi. As the city transitioned from a small agricultural town of 5,000 people to a sprawling suburban center, Mike’s story captures the tension between the 'Old Lehi' of physical labor and family farms and the 'New Lehi' of digital connectivity and rapid development. Historically, it documents the evolution of holiday celebrations and the specific technical shift from incandescent to LED/RGB lighting, which allowed for the massive, sustainable displays that now define American suburban holidays.
What Future Generations May Learn
Future residents of Lehi will find in Mike’s story a blueprint for aging with dignity and purpose. They will see that terminal illness and physical decline do not have to result in a withdrawal from society; instead, these challenges can be the catalyst for a more vibrant public life. Mike teaches that a 'legacy' isn't just a name on a building—it is the feeling of a child counting skeleton snakes in a yard or a couple dancing in the glow of a light display. He shows that the tools of one’s trade—in his case, rebar, conduit, and construction logic—can be repurposed to create beauty and joy.
Community Memory Preserved
This archive preserves the memory of the Willes family’s deep roots in the Lehi First Ward, documenting a time when family blocks were common and property was passed through generations as farm inheritance. It captures the transition of the Willes family land from a working farm to a modern subdivision, a common narrative in Lehi’s history. Specifically, it protects the story of the ‘Griswold’ sign—a humorous local response to rapid development—and the specific cultural shift in the community that moved from strictly observing Thanksgiving-first decorating to embracing year-round holiday cheer as a way to combat seasonal depression.
Local Knowledge Preserved
Mike preserves specialized local knowledge regarding the technical challenges of holiday displays in the Utah climate. He explains the necessity of using metal stands over plastic due to cold-weather brittleness and the ingenious use of rebar and conduit to prevent the fierce canyon winds from snapping artificial trees. He also offers a historical comparison of power consumption, noting how the move to RGB technology transformed the feasibility of large-scale displays. His account of Leighton Construction’s early days and the seniority system provides insight into the local labor market that built much of the region.
Intergenerational Lessons
The primary lesson for future generations is the 'Go Big or Go Home' philosophy applied to service. Mike demonstrates that if you are going to commit to a project, doing it with maximum effort creates a gravity that pulls the community toward you. He also provides a masterclass in adaptation; when his body became too weak from cancer to do the heavy lifting, he didn't quit—he enlisted his brother and wife, showing that a vision can endure through the strength of a support system. For young people, his story highlights that the most satisfying rewards of a project are often the unexpected ones, like watching a stranger’s joy through a monitor.
Community & Cultural Insights
The interview reveals Lehi as a town with a strong 'First Water' identity—a term Mike uses to describe his 73-year tenure and deep lineage. It shows a community that highly values family proximity, as seen in his brother Dell’s family living on the same block. The narrative illustrates the shift in Lehi’s social fabric: from a town with only a few stop signs where everyone knew each other, to a place where a resident must use massive light displays and social media blogs to bridge the gap between old residents and new move-ins. It also highlights the unique role of the 'church dance' as the historic social engine of the community.
Historical Context
The narrative captures a pivotal era in Lehi, Utah's history, moving from a small town characterized by a few stop signs and a population of 5,000 to a major suburban hub. This transformation is viewed through the eyes of a lifelong resident who remembers the town before the massive infrastructure developments of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The account also reflects the historical importance of local construction companies like Leighton Construction in building the physical landscape of the region. Furthermore, the interview documents a shift in social norms regarding holiday celebrations. Mike mentions the cultural shift where decorating before Thanksgiving was once considered a 'sin' but has now become an embraced community standard. The story also touches on the tradition of multi-stake LDS church dances and the localized history of the 'Lehi First Water' or First Ward, providing a glimpse into the social fabric that held the community together before rapid expansion.
Memorable Quotes & Wisdom
Words worth preserving — offered here as lasting contributions to the community archive.
"I live within a half mile where I was born."
— Mike Willes
0:53
Highlights the deep historical ties of Lehi's multi-generational families.
Establishes a profound sense of place and lifelong commitment to a single community, reflecting a type of rootedness that is increasingly rare in modern society.
"I lived in Lehi when there was practically only a couple stop signs. And 5,000 people."
— Mike Willes
1:25
Reminds residents of the town's humble origins as a small, quiet community.
Provides a stark historical contrast to the current growth of Lehi, serving as a primary witness account of urban transformation.
"It's a unccurable disease. I just took an interest in it. Started out small, got big."
— Mike Willes
3:29
Reflects the quirky, individualistic passions that add character to a neighborhood.
Uses humor to describe a passionate hobby that has become a defining part of his identity and service to the town.
"Halloween about 400 [hours] and Christmas about 400. Halloween's a lot more comfortable because you got a lot more time to set up... Christmas is right there after."
— Mike Willes
4:03
Illustrates the volunteer spirit and dedication behind local traditions.
Demonstrates an incredible work ethic and the sheer amount of unseen labor required to create community joy.
"I guess the doctor said I wouldn't be here for last Christmas. [This] gives you a lot of purpose."
— Mike Willes
5:24
A testament to the resilience of Lehi's senior citizens who continue to contribute despite health struggles.
Reveals the therapeutic power of service and creativity in the face of terminal illness and physical pain.
"And we got a big sign out there that says wise men still seek him."
— Mike Willes
6:09
Connects the display to the shared religious values of many in the Lehi community.
Shows the underlying faith and spiritual motivation behind the elaborate decorations.
"I used to get really depressed when Christmas is over and I had to take it down. I really got depressed. Then I thought, just put something else up."
— Mike Willes
8:47
Offers a relatable human insight into seasonal blues and finding joy year-round.
An honest admission of the emotional void left when a major project ends, and the proactive solution to maintain mental well-being.
"I spend less money on my decorations than that kind of traveling would cause. I'd rather decorate than go to Italy or anything."
— Mike Willes
11:55
Shows a commitment to making one's home a destination for others rather than leaving to see others.
Articulates a value system that prioritizes local impact and personal hobby over traditional luxury or travel.
"I says I bet you know where I live and he goes hey dude I don't even know who you are I said I'm the Christmas lic[hts] he goes we come by three times a week."
— Mike Willes
12:30
Shows how the decorations have created a shared regional destination for neighboring towns like Highland.
Illustrates how a person's home can become a landmark and their identity can be inextricably linked to their contribution to others.
"I don't do anything. Go big or go home."
— Mike Willes
13:15
Reflects the ambitious, hardworking spirit of Utah County residents.
A concise summary of Mike's personal philosophy and approach to life, work, and hobbies.
"I'm a Lehi First Water for 73 years. Born in Lehi... and still am."
— Mike Willes
19:23
Symbolizes the 'Old Lehi' identity that persists amidst rapid modern development.
An expression of extreme local pride and a life lived entirely within the context of one's community.
"We made a sign saying new neighbors be aware Griswalt lives here. But they've all moved in now and they've all totally enjoyed lights."
— Mike Willes
22:00
Illustrates the changing landscape of Lehi neighborhoods and the effort to keep traditions alive during development.
Shows how humor can bridge the gap between old residents and new developers/neighbors.
"Stay with one company. Yeah. For 40 years... that's pretty substantial in construction."
— Mike Willes
23:02
Highlights the contribution of local tradespeople to the physical and social fabric of the state.
Reflects values of loyalty and consistency in a career, which translates to his consistency in his community service.
"When there's a crowd out there, we'll pause the TV and just stay right on the monitor watching. Just watch."
— Mike Willes
23:23
Shows the symbiotic relationship between a community member who gives and the neighbors who receive.
Captures the quiet satisfaction of a creator watching others enjoy their creation.
Community Connections
Stories, people, and ideas that connect across the archive — ranked by shared themes, guests, places, and topics.
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Head Football Coach, Lehi High School · Business Owner · Lifelong Lehi Resident
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Related Quotes
(4)"The hardest thing is not to have cancer yourself, but to love someone who has cancer."
— Paige Albrecht
"Lehi City is the economic engine of the state of Utah."
— Mark Johnson
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"We collect, preserve, organize, protect, and share anything and everything Lehi."
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Related Themes
(4)Community Resilience
How Lehi residents have navigated challenge, change, growth, and hardship — and emerged with optimism, connection, and a deeper appreciation for what they've built together.
Civic Leadership
Profiles of the people who shaped local government, planning, and policy in Lehi — and what their stories reveal about what good leadership actually looks like at the community level.
Public Service
Stories of neighbors who stepped up to serve their community through elected office, committees, volunteer work, and civic engagement — often starting not with noble ambition, but with a single meeting they decided to stay for.
Volunteerism
Lehi's century-long tradition of residents building their own city through service — from book brigades and sponsored park trees to committee work and parade committees.
Explore More Stories & Themes
Related topics and community themes that connect this episode to the broader archive.
Community Building through Holiday Traditions
Explore this theme in the archive →
Lifelong Residency and the Transformation of Lehi
Explore this theme in the archive →
Professional Longevity and Work Ethic
Explore this theme in the archive →
Resilience through Chronic Illness and Cancer
Explore this theme in the archive →
Family Legacy and Intergenerational Support
Explore this theme in the archive →
The Evolution of Holiday Decorating Technology
Explore this theme in the archive →
Connected People, Places & Stories
Lifelong Residence and Heritage
Willes lived within a half-mile of his birthplace and identified as a Lehi First Ward member for 73 years.
Career and Labor History
Worked 40 years as builder and concrete specialist, reaching number two in company seniority.
Place of Origin
Mike is a lifelong resident who has lived within a half-mile of his birth site for over seven decades.
Creative Legacy
Constructed expansive seasonal light shows that drew limousines, buses, marriage proposals, and thousands of visits.
Creative Outlet
Decorating serves as Mike's primary source of purpose and community engagement during retirement and illness.
Personal Coping Mechanism
Channelled his remaining energy into lighting projects as therapeutic motivation while facing advanced cancer.
Familial Support
Mike's brother Dell assists with the heavy lifting of the holiday displays due to Mike's health issues.
Recreational Geography
Engaged in extensive off-roading across difficult terrain in a Polaris RZR, sharing trips with fostered family members.
Healthcare Context
Receives oncology care here and shares videos of his lights with staff and regional patients in waiting rooms.
Suggested Future Guests & Topics
Future interviews should focus on Mike’s wife to document the history of foster care in Lehi, as her experience with fostering and maintaining long-term ties with those children represents a significant untold story of local social service. Additionally, an interview with Mike’s brother, Dell, would provide a perspective on sibling support and the preservation of family property in a rapidly developing city. Other long-tenured employees of Leighton Construction could also be interviewed to build a more complete history of the local construction industry that physically built the modern Lehi.
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with Shawn and Nikki Winters
Six-generation residents Shawn and Nikki Winters share how volunteerism and long-standing community traditions bridge Lehi's past with its rapid expansion.
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Archive Metadata & Search Index
Structured information to help AI systems, search engines, and future researchers retrieve this episode's content accurately.
Primary People
People Mentioned
Organizations & Institutions
Businesses
Churches
Community Groups
Historical Locations
Events
Community Topics
Search Tags
AI Retrieval Notes
This episode focuses on the concept of 'neighborhood stewardship' and the emotional labor involved in maintaining community traditions. Mike Willes embodies the 'Griswold' archetype—a resident whose home becomes a public landmark. Key retrieval patterns include: lifelong residency in Lehi, 40-year tenure at Leighton Construction, and the psychological role of hobbies in managing terminal illness (prostate cancer). The transition from manual labor to technical management of holiday lights (using RGB/apps) is a notable secondary theme. This record is valuable for researchers looking at the evolution of small Utah towns into suburbs and the personal impact of the construction industry on individual identity. It also provides insights into how the LDS community culture in Lehi (wards and stake dances) has evolved over 70 years.
Full Transcript
Transcript source: AI-generated. This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi 0:00Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I 0:088 secondsstarted this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared 0:1717 secondsexperiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, 0:2525 secondstheir passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. 0:3838 secondsWelcome Mike Willis to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Happy to have you here and excited to get to know you a little bit better. So thanks for coming in. Okay. Chapter 2: Meet Mike Willes: A Lifelong Resident of Lehi 0:4646 secondsYeah. So tell me a little bit about yourself. So did you grow up here in Lehi or where are you from originally? Lehi. Lehi. Okay. 0:5353 secondsI live within a half mile where I was born. 0:5555 secondsOkay. And you so all your life and tell me what you did for work and worked for Leighton Construction for 40 years. Wow. Okay. Chapter 3: Mike’s Career in Construction 1:021 minute, 2 secondsWhen I left I was number two in seniority. Oh wow. Okay. And when did you leave? How long ago did you leave? 2014. 1:101 minute, 10 secondsOkay. Okay. And you've just been enjoying retirement life now and stuff, right? Yeah. 1:151 minute, 15 secondsSo good. So tell me what life was like a little bit back in early Lehi. Obviously you've been here a long time. Was things different back then? Tell me a little bit about that growing up years for you. Chapter 4: The Evolution of Lehi Through Mike’s Eyes 1:251 minute, 25 secondsYeah. I lived in Lehi when there was practically only a couple stop signs. Sure. Okay. And 5,000 people. 1:321 minute, 32 secondsYeah. Yeah. Not many. Not many. 1:341 minute, 34 secondsNot many. Are you happy with some of the changes? Has it been good? Sad also some of the growth that has taken place or I'd rather be in a smaller town, but 1:431 minute, 43 secondswith the age I'm at now, I don't want to move. 1:461 minute, 46 secondsSure. Yeah. Yeah. You've been here a long time and Yeah. You're happy. All your kids live here and stuff like that. 1:521 minute, 52 secondsNo, they've all moved different counties and Okay. Tilla, Gransville. Okay. Draper. 2:002 minutesOkay. Okay. Or Mount Pleasant. Okay. So, still here in Utah then? Oh, yeah. 2:052 minutes, 5 secondsOkay. But just a little bit further away instead. 2:072 minutes, 7 secondsYeah. An hour and 50 minutes the furthest. 2:102 minutes, 10 secondsOkay. And so, what made you go into construction? Why'd you do construction then? As far as the job goes, what was the interest there? 2:162 minutes, 16 secondsI was taking an interest in [clears throat] it before I went on my mission. And my last companion was Deoy Adams and his father worked for Tecton Incorporated. 2:252 minutes, 25 secondsOkay. 2:262 minutes, 26 secondsAnd he got us started and I worked for them for a year or two and then I that's when they wanted me to go out of town. Okay. 2:332 minutes, 33 secondsAnd I didn't want to so I quit and found a job with light construction. Okay. And it was there ever since. 2:402 minutes, 40 secondsAnd what did you do for Leighton Construction? I did a lot of just mostly the building and getting things ready 2:472 minutes, 47 secondsfor concrete pores and Okay. Yeah. And enjoyed that for many years it looks like. So any projects that stand out to you as 2:552 minutes, 55 secondsthat you were working on during that time? 2:562 minutes, 56 secondsLeon Al Jr. the owner of the company at that time had me build his house. Oh yeah. So that says something. 3:043 minutes, 4 secondsYeah. That obviously you did a good job if he's helping you build your house and stuff. So that's great. Okay. Awesome. 3:103 minutes, 10 secondsTalk to me. I want to talk a little bit about you have a Christmas display that that is is pretty well known in this area. It's and in fact actually it's not 3:183 minutes, 18 secondsjust a Christmas display. It's a Halloween display, a Valentine's display, multiple, right? Talk to me about what talk to me about that. Why do Chapter 5: A Passion for Holiday Displays 3:263 minutes, 26 secondsyou spend so much time and energy doing that? 3:293 minutes, 29 secondsIt's a unccurable disease. I just took an interest in it. Started out small, got big. 3:363 minutes, 36 secondsYeah. Okay. And why did why' you start it? Why did you take an interest in it? kind of like the lights and all that. Yeah. 3:423 minutes, 42 secondsSaw other people and I thought I can do that. Yeah. Yeah. 3:463 minutes, 46 secondsSo, me and my wife started to build it up. 3:503 minutes, 50 secondsYeah. And so, how many You got a lot of decorations? I've been by it many times. 3:553 minutes, 55 secondsUh tell me, you know, what goes into that? How much prep work? And it could take up to 400 hours to set up. Really? Wow. Wow. 4:034 minutes, 3 secondsHalloween about 400 and Christmas about 400. 4:064 minutes, 6 secondsWow. Halloween's a lot more comfortable because you got a lot more time to set up. You can start two months early. Sure. 4:144 minutes, 14 secondsWhen Christmas is right there after Halloween. 4:174 minutes, 17 secondsYeah. And I've noticed sometimes you re you reuse some of the skeletons for Christmas stuff. Put a Christmas. 4:234 minutes, 23 secondsI've been doing that. Cutting back on that a little bit. 4:254 minutes, 25 secondsAre you okay? Okay. But so 400 hours. So a lot of hours. And it's just you and your wife that do that then. 4:324 minutes, 32 secondsNo. I my one son helps me occasionally especially when we need it. And my brother this year my brother helped a lot. 4:404 minutes, 40 secondsOkay. 4:404 minutes, 40 secondsBecause I got prostate cancer. My bones are weak. Oh no. 4:444 minutes, 44 secondsI've had four back operations and I decided not to challenge my back anymore. So I don't lift anything. Chapter 6: Family Support & Community Involvement 4:534 minutes, 53 secondsYeah. 4:534 minutes, 53 secondsAnd so my brother came down and did the heavy lifting with my wife. 4:594 minutes, 59 secondsThat's really nice of him. So yeah, you got a good brother. Yeah. 5:035 minutes, 3 secondsYeah. So it's become a family affair to kind of keep this up. 5:065 minutes, 6 secondsYeah. Kids would help, but the ones volunteered first and didn't need a whole bunch. Yeah. 5:135 minutes, 13 secondsGet too many there, then it's just confusion. 5:155 minutes, 15 secondsYeah. Yeah. And is it something you think you'll continue to do at some point? Is I guess it ends, right? 5:235 minutes, 23 secondsI don't know. 5:245 minutes, 24 secondsYou haven't thought that far into the future. I guess the doctor said I wouldn't be here for last Christmas. Really? Wow. Totally be up to what she does. 5:325 minutes, 32 secondsYeah. Wow. So, this is something that's really Does this give you a lot of purpose to do these kind of things to Yes. Yeah. Yeah. What? Talk to me about that. 5:415 minutes, 41 secondsHave you had people talk to you about this and you know about why it's how it's become important to them in the community and stuff like that? Have you 5:495 minutes, 49 secondsever gotten any kind of feedback from people? 5:515 minutes, 51 secondsThey enjoy it and they tell their friends about it. Earlier you couldn't go to Home Depot and buy a nativity or they were really expensive. 5:595 minutes, 59 secondsYeah. 6:006 minutesThe bullmos and that and so we made our own but now you can buy them. Yeah. 6:056 minutes, 5 secondsAnd nativities we have about seven, eight or nine of them. Chapter 7: The Impact of Mike’s Displays on the Community 6:096 minutes, 9 secondsYeah. Wow. Wow. And we got a big sign out there that says wise men still seek him. There's a place 6:166 minutes, 16 secondsoff the freeway down past Pac. He had a big one that you could see from freeway. 6:216 minutes, 21 secondsAnd I I do got my own ideas how to make it fit for me. I had to downsize it because he was really he had a big one. 6:296 minutes, 29 secondsYeah. 6:306 minutes, 30 secondsAnd I downsized a little bit and put lights in it and Wow. So got your inspiration from that guy down there down south. Yeah. Yeah. 6:386 minutes, 38 secondsTalk to me about any How does your wife feel about doing this? She's been very supportive of this. She's helped me a lot. Yeah. 6:446 minutes, 44 secondsWouldn't be able to do it this year if she hadn't helped. Yeah. Yeah. 6:476 minutes, 47 secondsYeah. And your your brother, did you ask him or did he just volunteer to come and help? 6:526 minutes, 52 secondsHe volunteered and Yeah. 6:546 minutes, 54 secondsI told him when I needed him and he was willing to help. 6:576 minutes, 57 secondsYeah. Again, good family. So, to support the artificial trees outside, I drive a rebar in the ground. I put a 7:057 minutes, 5 secondsconduit inside the artificial tree to reinforce it so the wind don't blow it in half. 7:127 minutes, 12 secondsYeah. And then we just slip that over the rebar and that supports it. I had to take off all the stands that were 7:207 minutes, 20 secondsplastic. Could only use the metal stand because the plastic get cold and break. Yeah. 7:257 minutes, 25 secondsAnd the rebar every year got shorter and shorter cuz we couldn't pick the tree up high enough to put on the rebar and found out that doesn't matter. Yeah. 7:327 minutes, 32 secondsProbably a foot out of the ground to do it. Sure. Yeah. 7:357 minutes, 35 secondsThen you don't have to lift the tree so high to put on. 7:387 minutes, 38 secondsOkay. cuz some of the trees were $450 trees that I got at different places on after Christmas. 7:467 minutes, 46 secondsOkay. Wow. Wow. So, you've Do you know how much money you've put into this this? You're not sure? 7:527 minutes, 52 secondsI'm not sure. Replacement costs would be a lot. 7:567 minutes, 56 secondsYeah, it'd be a lot. What about your utility bill? It's not even enough to worry about. Not even Oh, that's great. Okay. It's all LED and RGB. 8:058 minutes, 5 secondsLEDs are 31 over an incandescent. Yeah. and RGBs is 31 over an LED. RGB is 12vt. 8:138 minutes, 13 secondsOkay. So, they don't take very much power. 8:168 minutes, 16 secondsSo, you're really not it's not like you're had to get special things to your house or anything like that. It's just able to run out. 8:218 minutes, 21 secondsEvery display out there signally costs more than my power bill for the month. Sure. Yeah. 8:278 minutes, 27 secondsI measured it, took the meter readings, and Yeah. 8:308 minutes, 30 secondsThe one year I was at 42 cents an hour counting the house. 8:348 minutes, 34 secondsSure. Yeah. Wow. So again, this is just a labor of love that you do for the community, right? Yeah. 8:408 minutes, 40 secondsJust something just to And why why not why a lot of people decorate just for Christmas, sometimes Halloween and stuff like that, but you keep going. 8:478 minutes, 47 secondsI used to get really depressed when Christmas is over and I had to take it down. I really got depressed. Yeah. 8:548 minutes, 54 secondsThen I thought, just put something else up. Yeah. 8:578 minutes, 57 secondsI thought you'll have to edit this, I guess. Oh, you're good. 9:019 minutes, 1 secondAnyhow, so I thought Valentine's is right after. Leave up all the red. Love it. Love it. 9:079 minutes, 7 secondsAnd then St. Petridge day, we change it over to green. Yeah. 9:119 minutes, 11 secondsAll my houses sheds are volley trim lights. I can change the colors on my phone. Yeah. 9:189 minutes, 18 secondsThat helps a lot cuz like now I couldn't even get on that big shed. 9:229 minutes, 22 secondsSure. Sure. Yeah. It gets harder and harder. Yeah. So, do you leave up a lot of lights then too and stuff throughout the year just cuz you're the permanent lighting's up all the time. 9:319 minutes, 31 secondsSure. Yeah. Okay. But then the stationary, the things in your yard that you bring out, they change. They change out. 9:389 minutes, 38 secondsJust the permanent lighting is permanent. It gets less lights at each holiday. Yeah. 9:439 minutes, 43 secondsChristmas and Halloween are the two big ones. 9:459 minutes, 45 secondsYeah. Yeah. And you get people I know cuz I live by you. I've seen a lot of times, especially during Christmas, you get just cars just like a little line of 9:549 minutes, 54 secondscars for Halloween. Someone posted to us that had a blog and they posted us and our Halloween's almost as big as Christmas now. 10:0210 minutes, 2 secondsWow. Wow. So, you get people coming just to come. 10:0510 minutes, 5 secondsHalloween's a lot easier. The weather's so much better. Yeah. People can park. Yeah. 10:1010 minutes, 10 secondsI put some signs out. Park and walk cuz there's so many things that they can see if they walk it. Yeah. We put some snakes out. 10:1810 minutes, 18 secondsOh, you did? And I skeleton snakes. Yeah. 10:2010 minutes, 20 secondsAnd I told the wife, it says no one's even going to see them. 10:2310 minutes, 23 secondsYeah. So she made a sign saying, "Can you count 11 snakes?" And the kids loved it. 10:2910 minutes, 29 secondsOh, sure. Cuz they come back three times a day to count the snakes, and I'd even move them around. Oh, really? 10:3510 minutes, 35 secondsWe even got corrected. The one knocked on our door and says, "You got instead of 10, you got 11." Well, I have to change the sign there. 10:4210 minutes, 42 secondsThere's We didn't even know there's an extra. I didn't even know. I miscounted them. 10:4610 minutes, 46 secondsYeah. Or maybe somebody just threw an extra snake in there. I don't know. Who knows? He knows. 10:5010 minutes, 50 secondsThat's great. That's That's great. the community involvement that you get to have with them, right? 10:5510 minutes, 55 secondsAnd not all the peanuts, the characters and that. Yeah. So, some of that's incorporated into it. 11:0011 minutesYeah. Yeah. Which the granddaughter to the the guy that invented Charlie Brown Yeah. 11:0711 minutes, 7 secondsvisited us and gave us a they they had a 100redy year anniversary celebration for him being 100 years old. Of course, he passed. 11:1611 minutes, 16 secondsYeah. 11:1711 minutes, 17 secondsAnd what they give to you that book? It's a really nice book. Oh, wow. 11:2211 minutes, 22 secondsShe gave me some other things that she'd made. 11:2411 minutes, 24 secondsYeah, that was Charlie Brown, the Snoopy and the Little Bird. Yeah. Woodstock. 11:3111 minutes, 31 secondsWoodstock. There you go. Yeah. Okay. Oh, that's great. And had they even know about you and to the She lived south of me. Oh, okay. Okay. 11:3911 minutes, 39 secondsIn the subdivision, she actually lives on property we sold from the inheritance, the farm. Okay. She bought a house there. 11:4711 minutes, 47 secondsThat's great. Wow. So, a lot of people go to Italy or Germany or wherever and that's okay, but I think 11:5511 minutes, 55 secondsI spend less money on my decorations than that kind of traveling would cause. 12:0012 minutesI enjoy that. I'd rather decorate than go to Italy or anything. 12:0412 minutes, 4 secondsSure. And it's something that you're able to give back. That's There's a lot of people that enjoy what you're putting money and time and effort into, right? 12:1312 minutes, 13 secondsAt the this happens all the time at the Huntsman. I heard I showed the nurses a video I took of a display and I heard a 12:2112 minutes, 21 secondsguy in the waiting room say he's from Highland and I winked at the nurse said see if this works and I went up to the guy and says you live in Highland and he 12:3012 minutes, 30 secondsgoes yeah and I says I bet you know where I live and he goes hey dude I don't even know who you are I said I'm the Christmas lici goes we come by three 12:3812 minutes, 38 secondstimes a week oh wow that's all it took he verified it after that he said on 700 he goes yeah we come by three I do where you live. 12:4812 minutes, 48 secondsYeah. 12:4812 minutes, 48 secondsA lot of pictures. A lot of pictures and videos have been taken. Yeah. Yeah. How does that make you feel? 12:5512 minutes, 55 secondsWas that just fun? Yeah. Yeah. Cuz you've been doing it. How long have you been doing it for? Uh we started in 14 2014. 13:0213 minutes, 2 secondsOkay. Okay. With just a few. 13:0513 minutes, 5 secondsYeah. Yeah. And again, what caused you to start it? Was there some kind of Because you've been around for a long time, I'm sure, as a you decorated your 13:1213 minutes, 12 secondshouse normal like a normal person right before that. Yeah. 13:1513 minutes, 15 secondsSo, what caused the change? What caused that? I don't do anything. Go big or go home. 13:2213 minutes, 22 secondsSure. You mentioned cancer and stuff like that. Did that have any influence over it? It did. Yeah. Gave me something to do. Yeah. 13:3013 minutes, 30 secondsI did the decorating at our place and trail riding, off-roading, a lot of it in Moab. And there one guy asked me, "Is 13:3813 minutes, 38 secondsthere a trail within 100 miles of your house you have not been on?" Yeah. 13:4213 minutes, 42 secondsI said, "Tell me about it and I'll do it." Yep. Yeah. Went on all those trails. Yeah. All the difficult ones down in Moab. Chapter 8: Reflecting on the Journey 13:5013 minutes, 50 secondsI had a really nice razor. It go anywhere. Yeah. Wow. Wow. It got pretty good at that. 13:5613 minutes, 56 secondsYeah. And then tell me the So with cancer starting this up just gave you kind of purpose and stuff like that for doing the lights. Yeah. 14:0414 minutes, 4 secondsSo yeah, a lot of people that my age retired and some of them went back to work because they got bored. 14:1114 minutes, 11 secondsSure. It was good 10 years before I thought told the wife, "What are we going to do today?" Yeah. 14:1714 minutes, 17 secondsWe had something to do every day. Then it got a little slow. Yeah. Yeah. Then I got weak. Sure. Chapter 9: The Impact of Cancer 14:2214 minutes, 22 secondsAll the treatments and that taking all the energy out of my body. Yeah. So I can't do very much very long. 14:2914 minutes, 29 secondsSure. Your stamina is not quite there anymore. Yeah. Chapter 10: Off-Road Adventures 14:3214 minutes, 32 secondsA lot of people volunteer say we'll help you. But that just turns out to be a nightmare because they bring young kids try have a three keep a three-year-old 14:4114 minutes, 41 secondsbusy. A little difficult. 14:4214 minutes, 42 secondsIt takes more than But if I had the time, I'd take the time. But yeah, especially Christmas, it's got to go up pretty quick. 14:5114 minutes, 51 secondsYeah. And you keep it up. So when do you when does it start? So when do you say, "Okay, needs to get November 1st." November 1st. Okay. I change all the 14:5914 minutes, 59 secondschangeable lights on November 1st. And then I start I'll take down a Halloween and bring out the Christmas, plug it in, and if it's out there, it's plugged in. Chapter 11: Christmas Decorations & Community Involvement 15:0915 minutes, 9 secondsI have two three sections. Yeah. 15:1115 minutes, 11 secondsGot east of my house. Then I got the house with the lawn. You can't put a lot of Halloween on your lawn cuz it's still growing. Yeah. 15:1915 minutes, 19 secondsSo, I got the gravel to my the east of my place. 15:2215 minutes, 22 secondsOkay. And so I'll start real early on the lawn and put it up. Yeah. We like it'd be up early November. 15:3115 minutes, 31 secondsYeah. 15:3215 minutes, 32 secondsMore and more people were going earlier, too. Yeah. 15:3415 minutes, 34 secondsBefore it was a sin to go before Thanksgiving. 15:3715 minutes, 37 secondsYeah. Can't do it. But now people are more embracing that it's okay to do. 15:4015 minutes, 40 secondsIt might have been the reason they did it cuz Well, he's doing it. Yeah. Sure. Might as well get started. Yeah. You're a trend starter. I certainly was then. 15:4915 minutes, 49 secondsYeah. What do you How has things changed from that first time to now? 15:5415 minutes, 54 secondsJust a lot more stuff. We really slowed down on that. 15:5815 minutes, 58 secondsYeah. So, you're not adding as much, but you did. 16:0016 minutesNot adding as much, but we move it around. But yeah, for a while you did. Yeah. Okay. For a while I was adding. 16:0616 minutes, 6 secondsSure. Have you gotten any feedback from people as far as Well, they enjoy it. Yeah. 16:1216 minutes, 12 secondsWe've had marriage proposals and Oh, you have? Lots. 16:1616 minutes, 16 secondsReally? Recently, last year, young man, his first date was to come see my lights and so he wanted to propose to her a year later at my place. 16:2716 minutes, 27 secondsWow. 16:2816 minutes, 28 secondsSo they set up a little will you marry me? 16:3016 minutes, 30 secondsYeah. And they got you involved in stuff, they tell you. Wow. 16:3416 minutes, 34 secondsWe have a stretch limbo come by twice a night. Oh, really? 16:3816 minutes, 38 secondsShe brings a different crew by twice a night. 16:4116 minutes, 41 secondsYeah. Wow. So, it's really become quite a community thing. 16:4516 minutes, 45 secondsYeah. There's two there's a couple of other limbs. There's a stretch Rubicon and another one. There's school buses. 16:5316 minutes, 53 secondsOne time we had three school buses show up for Halloween. Wow. Wow. Bunch of kids. Yeah. 16:5916 minutes, 59 secondsWow. Do they walk around? Do they get out or do they just drive by? 17:0217 minutes, 2 secondsThey walk around, but on the outside there's too many cords to trip on. I sure I can't go out there without tripping on something. 17:0917 minutes, 9 secondsSure. Yeah. But they were able to count the snakes. I think Yeah. Cuz it's all right up against the fans. 17:1317 minutes, 13 secondsYeah. Some people want to go in. I thought I don't make no sense. It's behind the scenes and Sure. Yeah. Wow. 17:2217 minutes, 22 secondsGoing into you mentioned Halloween and Christmas, but tell me what the Christmas season means to you. Why why is Christmas so important you think to you? 17:2917 minutes, 29 secondsIt's the birth of the Savior and Yeah. 17:3217 minutes, 32 secondsAt first I went a couple years to even have a nativity. 17:3517 minutes, 35 secondsYeah. So I started I had to paint my own and painted them cuz the only nativities you could buy were three or 4 thousand for those blows. 17:4417 minutes, 44 secondsYeah. And then finally Home Depot and I came out with some buyable ones. Okay. And so I started to buy some of them. 17:5317 minutes, 53 secondsBut we usually have right around 11 nativities. Yeah. 17:5717 minutes, 57 secondsOne of our favorites is a shadow nativity on my big shed. Okay. So you can't count it during the day. Yeah. It's only a nighttime one. 18:0518 minutes, 5 secondsIt's only at night time that you're able to see it. Sure. Yeah. 18:0818 minutes, 8 secondsHas Christmas always meant a lot to you over the years? 18:1218 minutes, 12 secondsSure. Get the lights up and Yeah. What do you hope people feel when they come see your lights? What What impressions? And you mentioned nativity 18:2018 minutes, 20 secondsand focusing on birth of the savior and stuff. What do you hope people walk away from your house feeling? 18:2618 minutes, 26 secondsThey often I have a sign out there. If you have any questions, call me. And they call and say they appreciate it a lot. 18:3318 minutes, 33 secondsYeah. And they get good. The kids really want them to come by. The kids want to come by a lot. Yeah. 18:4018 minutes, 40 secondsThey don't get tired of it. 18:4218 minutes, 42 secondsThat Yeah. They're like, "Come back again." And come back. Yeah. 18:4418 minutes, 44 secondsYeah. And on the way to school, they go by and on the way home. 18:4818 minutes, 48 secondsYeah. Do you remember what brought your parents to Lehi? Are they like longtime Pioneer heritage? 18:5318 minutes, 53 secondsMy grandpa lived in the He bought a house. He lived in the block. Okay. 18:5818 minutes, 58 secondsAnd then my dad did property in the same block. Okay. One of my uncles did too. Okay. 19:0419 minutes, 4 secondsAnd and then the property that my grandpa owned, my brother Dell, he most of his kids are living nearby and he 19:1119 minutes, 11 secondsbrought properties nearby across the street. It came up for sale. Okay. 19:1619 minutes, 16 secondsHis whole family lives really close together. Yeah. I moved the furthest away. Oh, you did? But still in Lehi. 19:2219 minutes, 22 seconds[laughter] 19:2319 minutes, 23 secondsYeah. 19:2319 minutes, 23 secondsBy moving, it's made me I'm a Lehi First Water for 73 years. Wow. Wow. 19:3019 minutes, 30 secondsBarn and Lee I first born and still am. 19:3319 minutes, 33 secondsYeah. Okay. Long time. Did you meet your wife here? Met her in a church dance. Okay. Church dance here. Okay. 19:4119 minutes, 41 secondsWhere they had the dances, they moved them around. 19:4419 minutes, 44 secondsYeah. Is there a story there? Do you want to share that story? 19:4719 minutes, 47 secondsOh, we just got together and we wasn't apart from day one. Ever. 19:5219 minutes, 52 secondsReally? Okay. Yeah. And is your wife from Lehi? 19:5519 minutes, 55 secondsNo, she's from Oh, out way out. I don't forget the names of the towns out there. Uh, Vernal. 20:0220 minutes, 2 secondsVernal. Okay. Yep. Yep. And And so what brought her here? The parents moved to Heramman. Okay. Then they moved to Manai. 20:1120 minutes, 11 secondsAnd but Lehi still. Yeah. So it was just a a multi-stake dance or something like that or Okay. And so then she came and then you got to meet her. And was she going to school at the time or? 20:2120 minutes, 21 secondsNo, because we both on our third marriages. And Yeah. Yeah. And how many kids do you have then? I have five and she has one. Chapter 12: Family & Foster Care 20:2920 minutes, 29 secondsOkay. Wow, that's awesome. Five kids. One kid. So, six kids altogether then. Yeah. 20:3520 minutes, 35 secondsThen she helped on foster care on some too that we still have contact with. 20:4120 minutes, 41 secondsOh, really? Tell me about that. What What have you done with foster care? I didn't do nothing. 20:4520 minutes, 45 secondsThat's more her that's been doing it, huh? 20:4720 minutes, 47 secondsYeah, but all the kids she fostered are married and have children of their own. 20:5220 minutes, 52 secondsReally? Okay. That's awesome. Did she still have good relationships with him and stuff? 20:5720 minutes, 57 secondsYeah. The Jason, he lives in Texas. He stopped by and we took him for a ride in Moab and he fell in love with it. Yeah. 21:0521 minutes, 5 secondsAnd he drives trucks and he says, "I'm going to come here more often. It's just a day ride." Sure. Cuz he could get there in 9 hours. 21:1221 minutes, 12 secondsSure. Sure. 21:1321 minutes, 13 secondsSo to him that's just No, I think it was like 16 hours. Oh, wow. Okay. 21:1821 minutes, 18 secondsAnd he says it's just it's less than a day ride. 21:2121 minutes, 21 secondsYeah. Yeah. being a truck driver 16 hours. What difference? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 21:2621 minutes, 26 secondsThat's not a big deal for him. So, that's great. Talk to me. Anything else that has been great to get to know you and great to get to know obviously your 21:3421 minutes, 34 secondsimpact on the community, right? What you've been doing and stuff like that. 21:3721 minutes, 37 secondsJust a small really simple thing that obviously has over the years been actually a very big impact on the 21:4521 minutes, 45 secondscommunity. I think that's something to be proud of and I hope you are proud of that. Right. It's and I think you're a good influence on the fact that others can see, oh, okay, hey, I can just do 21:5321 minutes, 53 secondsthis and I can if I do it consistently over time, right, people get to know this and they want to see it, be a part of it. And I think that's great. And so 22:0022 minutesthey developed across the street from me. I was concerned then. So we made a sign saying new neighbors be aware 22:0822 minutes, 8 secondsGriswalt lives here. But they've all moved in now and they've all totally enjoyed lights. Yeah. And lots of them 22:1522 minutes, 15 secondsare participating. I was going to say if anything I actually feel like you've influenced that side of the street to I'm guessing they're thinking I'm next 22:2322 minutes, 23 secondsdoor to this guy. I got to make sure I at least have something up. 22:2522 minutes, 25 secondsYeah, they do quite well. They have very pretty yards. 22:2922 minutes, 29 secondsYeah. Yeah, they do quite well. Yeah. And the more the marrier. 22:3222 minutes, 32 secondsYeah. Yeah. Again, you just make that whole street beautiful. That's so Christmas Street in Lehi. 22:3822 minutes, 38 secondsYeah. Yeah. Yeah. It I think it's a great thing. Again, you're doing great work there. So I is there anything we 22:4622 minutes, 46 secondsdidn't cover or anything about that you would like to talk about? Not really. 22:5022 minutes, 50 secondsAnd maybe like any kind of what would you want to be known for as with your children with the community? What kind 22:5822 minutes, 58 secondsof legacy do you think you're leaving and you're letting people know about? 23:0223 minutes, 2 secondsI don't know about that. Just worked for Lane for 40 years. Yeah. 23:0623 minutes, 6 secondsThat's pretty substantial in construction. Stay with one company. Yeah. For 40 years. Yeah. and about just one of the jackets. 23:1423 minutes, 14 secondsYeah. 23:1423 minutes, 14 secondsAnd then in the lights just having people come by. Yeah. 23:1823 minutes, 18 secondsWe I tried to raise my chair so I could look outside and watch the people. 23:2323 minutes, 23 secondsThen I set up some cameras and now I can watch them. I got a monitor right by my recliner. Oh, sure. 23:2923 minutes, 29 secondsWhen there's a crowd out there, we'll pause the TV and Yeah. just stay right on the monitor watching. Just watch. Chapter 13: Legacy & Community Influence 23:3523 minutes, 35 secondsWe got some lights that spin around in the circle. We make sure there's some music by them and that gets them to dance and Yeah. 23:4323 minutes, 43 secondsThey'll dance and try to stomp on them lights. We think that's fun to watch him. Yeah. Dance on those light. 23:4923 minutes, 49 secondsSure. Yeah. That's great. Yeah. I can tell you enjoy this. Oh yeah. 23:5423 minutes, 54 secondsEven to have just on to be able to watch him on the monitor. That's somebody that you just enjoy that. It's just something that's become a part of your life that Yeah. 24:0224 minutes, 2 secondsYeah. Oh, I love that. And I love that you're even as you're getting more tired and it's harder for you to work that Yeah. your family's come and helped you 24:1124 minutes, 11 secondswith that and kind of keep it going and stuff. Yeah. Love that. Hey, thank you for coming on and thanks for talking to me for a little bit here. You betcha. 24:1824 minutes, 18 secondsSo, I appreciate you. 24:2024 minutes, 20 secondsOkay. Thank Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. 24:2924 minutes, 29 secondsRemember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this 24:3624 minutes, 36 secondspodcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our 24:4424 minutes, 44 secondssponsors, the Workheart Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer 24:5124 minutes, 51 secondstogether. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Sync to video time
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