December 2012

I always expect the December blog to be extra long, but this is ridiculous!  I am making two extra-long blogs for this incredible December.  This is the regular December blog, and then next week when I think everyone has had a chance to see this one, I will post the family reunion blog.  So be sure to check again in a week or so.  We have been so blessed this whole year, with all the good things this life has to offer: family, friends, church work, good jobs, health (even though some of us had bouts of the flu towards the end of the year), two more missionaries called to serve, another grandson (Henry) and granddaughter (Nicole) added to the family.  I am so thankful for all of you and for the righteous lives you are leading.  It is because I know that only through keeping the covenants you have made with the Lord and with each other that you can have a fullness of joy in your lives, and loving you, I want more than anything for your lives to be filled with joy and love.  Dad and I find our greatest happiness in your joy.  

I have finished this year's project, which was to scan your baby pictures and make each of you a book.  I am so thankful that Dad was willing to support me in this effort by paying for it! It was a time-consuming project, but so worth it to me to be able to watch each one of you grow up again right before my very eyes.  It made me wish I could undo all the mistakes I made as a mom, but since that isn't possible, I am just taking satisfaction in seeing all of you do a better job of parenting than I did...and seeing how well you turned out in spite of my mistakes.  Thankfully, the most important thing I did right...and that was to marry the right man to be your father and grandfather.  You can thank me for that, I will take credit for that much.  As for this year's project, I don't know yet.  I have thought of several.  The hard part is choosing.  But isn't that fun? To have good ideas for things you like to do and have so many that you have a hard time choosing?

December is a great month for birthdays.  We have some of our most special birthdays right at the end of the year.  DeWitt, Rachel, Thomas Wyatt, and Hyrum.

DeWitt turned 19 on the 10th

Rachel's birthday was the 17th

Thomas Wyatt turned 7 on the 19th

And Hyrum turned 5 on the 30th

As usual, the Christmas season got its kick-off with the annual light parade. I am glad Bethany was still here to see it.

Decking the halls...Making Christmas decorations is always a fun part of the season.

Here is Luke's amazing Legos Nativity.

Painting a Santa poster for Rachel's school project

Making this year's ornament for the big kids

We got serenaded by neighbors early in the month.  Thomas and Jenn and their family joined them and sang to other families in the area.

One of our very first Christmas presents...a new TV.

Dad, as a CMG employee, got to go to Hawaii with Joel, Jeremy and Bert to help with the Pearl Harbor memorial celebration.  "It's really hard work," Dad continually explained as he was getting ready to leave.  I believe him; I know they work hard; but you know, though it's a hard job, somebody's got to do it, right?

This picture was classic.  Here they are, in one of the most romantic spots in the world and what are they doing?  Calling their wives! (Actually, Jeremy is texting)

This old guy, a 90-year-old veteran of WWII, walked the whole parade route!

They saw Mel and Adeline Palmer (who are serving a mission there) at the Polynesian Cultural Center...part of the hard job they were doing, I'm sure. 

Jer and Dad at the PCC

December is the month for Christmas plays and school Christmas programs.  We enjoyed the ones we were able to go to, and really felt sorry to miss the ones we had to miss.

Here are Kirtlyn, Brianna, Thomas and Lindsay in the Community Children's Theater Christmas play.

Isabel's choir program

Rylie's choir program

Kirtlyn's choir program

Luke's choir program

Rylie's piano recital

We had one last Sunday lunch together before everyone went their separate ways: Josh, Nicole and Bethany to Nebraska and Levi home to Gilbert.

Maya was so fascinated by Nicole's red princess shoes.

We celebrated DeWitt's 19th birthday on the 10th, even though he was sick.

We had an ornament painting party one sunny afternoon after school

Our Ward Christmas party-Dad and I were on the planning committee

December 12-2012 (12-12-12)  That won't happen again until February 2, 2022

Shauna was here, helping Bethany get ready to move home and she stayed with Rebecca's family.  They made rice Krispy 12's. Yum.  We did that on 8-8-88 in our little Bonita house. Remember?

I gave Bethany her favorite hot chocolate cup

"Good-bye Grandpa and Grandma"

Bethany with her cake that Jenn and Kirtlyn made for her

Thomas and Hyrum had a birthday party on the 15th...neither of their birthday's...just to get it out of the way before Christmas.  They went to R&R Pizza with their cousins and friends and had a great time.

Dad and I were asked by President Layton of the Gila Valley Temple to take care of the music and the refreshments for the Temple Workers' Devotional on the 16th.  Of course, we asked Rachel to help us decorate.  She and Tony were amazing. They did such a good job and we got all the credit.  Mary had to go to Brianna's piano recital and Rebecca was sick, but Rachel and Tony did the work of six.

I frosted 200 cookies, but bought 500 already frosted from WalMart.

The next day was Rachel's birthday and we celebrated with lunch at our house.

Later that week we went to Mesa to go to Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas party.  We went on Friday so we could attend the office Christmas lunch at Cheesecake Factory (we each got our own full-sized cheesecake! among other gifts and treats).  The first thing we did, however, and I could tell Dad was getting eager by the way his foot started to get heavy as we neared Apache Junction...was to go by the office to see his new tractor.  Joel and Jeremy drove to Pine to get it from a farmer there. Actually, it is an antique John Deere, but it is everything he has ever wanted, and more.  Ever since I've known him, he has wanted his own tractor but he never thought he would have one.  He sometimes just goes outside and looks at it.  Now that it is sitting in our garage, every time he opens the garage door, his heart gets a little jump of happiness. 

After the company lunch, later that evening, we had a pizza/polar express party at Joel and Stephanie's...actually, we watched "Elf" not "Polar Express."  But we had fun.

Saturday the 21st was the Hiatt Christmas party.

Rachel and her family stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. Rebecca's and Mary's families were home with the flu and Thomas and Jenn had to speak in church the next day, so Rachel's family was the only one that came from Safford.  Joel's, Jeremy's and Esther's families were all there, making 24 of us, but it seemed a small percentage of the whole.

We were in charge of the piñata this year, so Levi and his crew did the honors from the rooftop

Santa Piñata booty

The cast

Bridger was Joseph, Hayden and Crew were shepherds, Ellie, Brynlie and Camille were angels, Luke, Soren and Brody were wise men.

Santa.  

Brody told me that he was afraid of the "other" Santa, the fake one that just gave candy canes.  He wasn't going to be afraid of this one because he was the real one.

The next week was our own Christmas Eve party.  Everyone provided yummy food (especially the fresh, hot cinnamon rolls from Rebecca) and we had a great time.  

We told stories..."Twas the Night Before Christmas" and "It Came to Pass..."

Our Nativity Cast...fewer than we expected because Mary and her family were home recovering from the flu. Brynlie was Mary, Henry was Baby Jesus, Luke was Joseph, Camille, Kirtlyn and Maya (who was also the star) were angels, Thomas was a shepherd, and Polly, Hyrum and Isabel were wise men.  Lillian and Rylie were the directors.

Then we had a visit from Santa.  See how happy the kids were to see him!

                                     This is Savannah, the Evans' cousin.  She was only able to come for the last part

Santa gave some pretty silly gifts.

Christmas Day

We had a wonderful, warming fire

A lovely Christmas ham

And Mary's family well enough to come to dinner!

Dad and I celebrated New Year's Eve by making his delicious tamales.  Thomas was amazed that we could work together so well when we were disagreeing the whole time :) I told him that is the secret to a successful marriage: remembering that you love each other even when you disagree.

and by making ice cream in the freezer Dad gave me for Christmas.  Sounds like a good dinner, doesn't it? Homemade tamales and homemade ice cream.

FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

Joel set up his back porch for his stake's high council party.  They had space heaters and even though it was chilly beyond the curtains, they were toasty and comfortable on the porch.

Biggs' Christmas pajamas

Astronaut Crew...in 15 years or so, wouldn't be surprised.

go carts?

 Alder's Christmas pajamas

They went up to the snow to take family pictures.

And it even snowed in Tempe when they went there for her birthday! Just for her, I think.

Nathan and Shauna's new kitchen

Christmas shopping

Their tradition, to see "The Christmas Carol" every year

Traditional Christmas story time at the Browns

Christmas morning

We received some fun fotos from the Daniel Biggs' Christmas

Jared is such a "blankie baby" that he had to take it with him in his bath! It's a good thing I cut it in two so he had a dry one for bed!

A white Christmas

 Daniel and Connie's back porch...where we had eaten Thanksgiving dinner just weeks before

Snow angels in their back yard

Porter and Shadrach

Evan's Christmas pajamas

twins? a clone?

Polly is a starter on the 8th grade basketball team

The Thomas Biggs kids bought an aquarium with their Christmas/birthday money.

Trying to stay awake til the new year.

The Jeremy Biggs kids after the boys' Christmas play. They are with Ellie's 2nd grade teacher, who was also the 2nd grade teacher of all of the other kids.

Mesa Temple's Christmas lights

OUR MISSIONARIES

DeWitt is getting things ready to go, even though he got word that his departure date had been delayed.  It was going to be in January, but is now February 13, the very day Levi goes in!  Hopefully, they'll be in the same district.  Wouldn't that be fun for them?

Levi doing his last duty for the Hiatt Christmas party. 

Stetson on SKYPE on Christmas day.

P-day excursion

Dallin on SKYPE on Christmas day 

Lunch with other missionaries?

OUR STUDENTS

This is what BYU Idaho looked like when Allison left to come home to the warm Arizona desert. (And, presumably, what it will look like when she goes home in 2 weeks) She has been called to be Relief Society President when she gets back. She'll be great.

At the airport

Josh and Nicole, celebrating their first Christmas together

In snowy Nebraska

Getting stuck in a snow bank...Was Josh driving?

Bethany's sweetheart, Palmer, met her at the airport in Omaha

Things seem to be going well. Sibling bonding

Devynne, enjoying sunny Florida, even though she's missing her family's white Christmas.

Disney even made it snow!

Graduation

THE REUNION

Be sure to check back in a week or so for the Reunion blog.  Also, as people read this one and realize they forgot to send me pictures, I add them in, so the blog is ever-changing.

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Me? Baby Jesus? What were you thinking?