~DECEMBER~DC.

Washington DC, our nation's capital, is where several of our children have spent some time.  Jeremy and Erika lived there for a time (actually, next door in Virginia), Joel has spent quite a bit of time there for tours and special events.  And most recently, Esther and Shad have lived there (actually next door in Maryland) while Shad worked in the city for the Internal Revenue Department.  We visited them soon after we got home from our mission and were impressed with what a beautiful city it is.  We also visited Jeremy and Erika, but those pictures were on our old computer and I don't know how to find them 😔

We visited DC after Joel graduated from high school, just before Nathan left for Korea, as part of our Church History trip.  We also went later, and Mary and Thomas had the chance to do baptisms in the DC temple while we went through a session.  The bottom right picture is of us at the Lincoln memorial.

Crazy, wonderful December.  We have had several family gatherings and have enjoyed spending time with the kids and grandkids.  I think Daniel's is the only family we didn't see this month, but we spent Thanksgiving with them and they sent some really great pictures.  Also, we have seen Parker during December, so I guess that counts😊

We've had some beautiful weather this month.  In Mesa, December is Autumn time.  These beautiful trees are over by Joel's house.

These pictures of Mt. Graham were on Christmas Day after a snow storm that we were all hoping would give us a white Christmas.  There was no snow in the Valley, but we could look at the mountain and see it.  And the skies were even more glorious than the snow.

Our December birthdays are pretty glorious too.

Alex turned 2 on the 8th.

DeWitt's birthday was the 10th.

Rachel's birthday was the 17th.

Thomas turned 11 on the 19th.

Hyrum turned 9 on the 30th.

~OUR DECEMBER~

December got a good start with the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

Afterwards, unknowingly, Mary, accompanied by Thomas, serenaded us with Mary's Lullaby.

The next day, we went to dinner with the Evans family...which most of the time, these days just includes Rebecca, Scott and Polly.

The 7th was Lindsay's school program.

The 8th was Alex's 2nd birthday and he got a tractor from his Grandpa and Grandma.  I don't know if he likes plastic tractors as much as he likes the metal ones by Grandpa's chair.

The 8th was also Carson's school program.

Then the elementary schools had an orchestra concert in which Thomas, from Ruth Powell and Brynlie and Camille from Dorothy Stinson played.  Thomas plays the viola and the twins play violin.

On our way to the Temple early one frosty morning, we noticed a glow in the sky and wondered if something were on fire.  As we cleared the lights of the town, we could tell it was the setting moon!  That bright circle in the middle of the picture is the moon and you can see it just to the right of the Temple.  I have never seen such a bright setting moon.  I was so amazed at the sight.

On Sunday, the 11th, we went to Rachel's ward to hear her and Luke speak in church.  We found out that Hannah spoke in her ward and Daynen spoke in Stake Conference, all on the same day.  I wish we could have heard them all.  The ones we heard were very good, though, and I'm sure the others were too.

On the 12th, we went to Brianna and Lindsay's piano recital.  They are both progressing so quickly, they remind me of the speed with which Harrison picked up the piano.  They both played difficult Christmas songs.

On the 14th, we went to El Charro with the Alder family.  Parker came out of the kitchen to greet us.  He has a job there, as a dishwasher.  This was to celebrate Rachel's birthday, so she got fried ice cream.   See her section for the reaction.

Marlie had a choir concert to which we were not able to go because we had to open the next morning, but we watched it on youtube.  I have to say, I haven't heard a high school choir that sounded any better than these Freshman and Sophomore girls.  Marlie is on the top tier and the very left.  We could see her so well, much better than we would have been able to in a huge auditorium.

On the 15th, we left right after our shift and went to Mesa to see Ellie's concert.  We didn't have to work the next day, so we were able to go.  We planned to leave the next day to go to Pine and would just leave from Mesa instead of Safford.  We didn't know that Hayden was also having a choir concert the same night, so it was a bonus.  

We saw Allison McHugh at Hayden's concert.  She teaches right across the street from Hayden's school and was there to support her friend, who is the choir director.

The next day, we went to Pine for our family Christmas party and on the way Dad needed to stop at the office.  The boys were just getting ready to go to lunch, so we went with them.  I'll admit I felt a little out of place, being the only girl, but I enjoyed being with my boys, nevertheless.  It ended up just being Joel, Jeremy, Shad, Dad and me.

CHRISTMAS PARTY IN PINE

I have always wanted to be able to have a Biggs family Christmas party, at least every other year.  We always get together on Christmas Eve even though no one but the Gila Valley kids can ever come to that.  I really have wanted to have a get together when the other kids can come.  Of course, I realize that weather is a factor, especially for the Nebraska and Colorado families, but at least I wanted to try to have all the Arizona families.  So, this year, I gathered up my courage and separated from the Hiatt Christmas party and had our own in Pine on the same day.  It turned out to be a lot of fun.  Anyway, it was for me.  I hope everyone else enjoyed it.  I love seeing siblings and cousins reconnecting and renewing their bonds of love and friendship.

When we first got there, on Friday evening, we went over to Wimpy's and took some pictures of the beautifully renovated cabin, all ready for renters.

On Saturday morning, Rachel's birthday, we had strawberry shortcake and bacon.  Everyone pitched in to help make it.  Thomas fried all the bacon!

We had a Mexican buffet from El Charro for lunch; an ornament craft for the kids that Esther helped with; and plenty of time to just lounge around and visit.  The top right picture is of the girls gluing candy on t-shirts for the human piñata game.

Harrison, making Rachel's birthday cake; Thomas slicing grilled steak for the street tacos; and girls gluing candy on t-shirts.

Erika and Jeremy, holding Ethan.  Everyone loved holding the baby.  He was so good and easy to enjoy.  The human piñatas were Tony, Tyson and Jeremy.  They were very good at their job.

The human piñatas.

Rachel rewrapped Mary's thumb that she had sliced earlier in the week.  She called Rachel when she did it and Rachel went right over and wrapped it for her.  It just needed rewrapping in Pine.  They planned to have Erika do it but she said Rachel did a good job, and she would rather hold Ethan.  Tony was getting a sliver out of Esther's finger.

Ugly sweaters😜

Relaxing together; Jenn helped with the Christmas cookie decorating project.

Cookie decorating; getting ready for the white elephant gift exchange game.

Then we watched The Polar Express.  At least some did.  Others got bored and decided to exercise.

On Sunday, we cleaned up, said goodbye to everyone, took pictures and had a family church meeting in which Dad gave his annual family blessing.  That, all by itself is worth the trouble and time it took to come.  I hope everyone was listening and soaking up all the blessings he pronounced upon our family...those who were there and those who were not.  How thankful we all are that we have at our head a man worthy to exercise his Priesthood in our behalf and who is willing to do it, with love and concern for each one of us.

The next day, we finally had Rachel's birthday sister lunch.

It also happened to be Thomas Wyatt's 11th birthday, and he invited us over for meatballs.

While we were there, the neighborhood came caroling.

The next day was an orchestra/choir concert for the middle school in which Luke and Kirtlyn took part.

The day after that was Maya's elementary school Christmas program.  She even had a solo.  Such a sweet, true voice.

The next day, we went to Mesa again.  Nathan and Shauna and Hannah and Joshua were coming from Nebraska to spend Christmas with Bethany and Palmer, so we wanted to take this rare opportunity to see them.  We knew we would only have the chance to see them at breakfast on Christmas Eve morning because they were coming in late the night before, but it was worth it to us.  Dad had to take his car into the car hospital to have it's regular checkup, so we went a day early and got together as many of the kids who could to eat at El Charro.  It doesn't have space for a big group so we just invited the couples this time.  The big kids, however, were offended and decided to come on their own!

The next night, Joel and Stephanie invited us for dinner, so we sat outside around their cool fire pit...I guess it's not a pit...and listened to Docker serenade us on his guitar.  He is very good and has even had some professional opportunities with his band.

The next morning, Dec. 24, we drove to Glendale to eat breakfast at Bethany's house.  It was so good to see them all, especially Hannah, who just came home from her mission in Hawaii.  She looks great and seemed happy and well adjusted.  I told her that her dad was weird when he got home, but of course, he came home to St. Johns where there were no jobs for him, friends all on missions or away at school, and he was not able to get into school as it had already started for that semester.  He just sat in his room and read his Korean scriptures for a couple of months until he could go to Mesa for school.

Bethany looks like she's ready to have this baby!  Poor thing, she is so puffy and uncomfortable looking.  But Palmer is supportive and loving.  He and Nathan did all the cooking and cleaning and everything.  Reygan was there, as she had come over the night before when they first arrived.  Left to right, Josh (who was excited about a date he had the night before), Reygan, Mom, Palmer, Hannah, Bethany, Nathan, Shauna.  Dad was taking the picture.

On the way back to the condo, we went to see the Phoenix Temple, which we had never seen before.  It is just 5 minutes away from Bethany and Palmer's house.

~CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY~

We got home Christmas Eve afternoon, just in time to welcome our Christmas Eve guests.  We had such a good time, eating pork chops, eggs, potatoes and cinnamon rolls.  The kids played with Dad's new John Deere tractor, held babies and visited.

We also had our traditional Nativity pageant, my favorite part.  Ethan was Baby Jesus, Polly was Mary and Luke was Joseph.  Jared, Harvey and Parley were the cutest sheep you've ever seen, and Kirtlyn, Brianna and Carson were shepherds.  The wise men were Hyrum, Lindsay and Henry, and the Herald Angels were Isabel, Brynlie, Camille and Maya.  Thomas was the faithful donkey and Rylie was the ever patient director.  Alex didn't want any part of it.

After the pageant, everyone waited patiently for Santa to come.  While waiting, we had a little talent show.  I hope I can remember everything.  Luke and the twins and Thomas played their violins/viola; Brynlie sang a cute song, Maya sang All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.  Brianna sang Mele Kalikimaka while doing the hula, she and Lindsay sang Do the Dishes, and Thomas and Hyrum sang a funny song whose name I don't know.

Then Santa Claus came and made everyone happy except Parley and Harvey.  Parley looks like he could take it or leave it and Harvey definitely wanted to leave!  He didn't even think Santa looked one bit friendly or familiar.😭

Polly

Alder kids...Rylie, Isabel, Luke, Brynlie, Camille

Biggs kids...Kirtlyn, Thomas, Hyrum, Maya, Henry

Richins kids...Brianna, Carson, Lindsay, Jared, Alex, Ethan

One of my goals, this Christmas season was to have our great grandsons get acquainted with us and not be afraid of us.  Dallin and Sara came a few days early to Rebecca's house for Christmas and brought Parley over to get acquainted with his great grandparents.  We got along great.  We went to Rebecca's house for dinner on Christmas Day and got the chance to hold Harvey for a little bit.  He still wasn't sure about us but actually sat there a minute or two without screaming...definite progress.😀

I think our newest grandsons are okay with us already.  Alex knows I am his slave and Ethan is starting to feel comfortable with us.  I know that he, at least, likes to be sung to.

We had a lovely, quiet Christmas Day.  Before we went to Rebecca's for dinner, we went to church in Rachel's ward to hear Isabel and Brynlie and Camille sing with a small group.  Rachel said the closing prayer.  Then we went to our ward where the Primary children sang, including Thomas, Hyrum, Maya and Henry.  Thomas gave the opening prayer and Jenn the closing prayer.  We also learned that Rylie spoke in her ward, Erika spoke in her ward in Mesa and Albert spoke in his ward in Rifle, Colorado.  It was a good day all around for the Biggs family.

On the 30th, Hyrum celebrated his 9th birthday with a meatball dinner to which they invited us.  Of course, it's a given...think meatballs, think Grandpa...right?

Dad relaxing after a fun-filled December.

~NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY~

NATHAN AND SHAUNA

Sweet Bethany and baby.  She is getting bigger by the minute!

Bethany and Palmer at the Temple lights in Mesa

Josh the Preservationist buildings in and around Omaha.  I love all these houses.  They are just a few of my favorites.

He even posted a gingerbread model of Omaha buildings,

When Hannah got home from her mission, she enjoyed getting together with her friends.

Nathan and Palmer cooking breakfast for us on Christmas Eve morning.  Cool apron, Palmer.  He is loving dental school, by the way, and doing very well.  They really like their ward, too, and have made a lot of friends.

Reygan, Hannah and Bethany, beautiful even when it is too early for beauty 😉

Bethany, opening the gift Rachel sent for her baby.  She loved it.

Josh, Shauna and Hannah, waiting for breakfast.

We had such a good visit even though it wasn't nearly long enough.

While they were there, Palmer took Nathan and Hannah on some of his favorite hikes.

Joshua, in the meantime, was busy taking some "preservationist" pictures in Arizona.

Christmas morning.

Palmer cooked a beautiful Christmas roast for dinner.  Where's your apron, Palmer?

JOEL AND STEPHANIE

Joel started the month with his annual Pearl Harbor Day commemoration.  This year was the 75th anniversary, so they went all out.

They engaged Gary Senise to participate, and got some national news coverage.

Stetson and Lindsay at home and at Joel and Stephanie's.

He just finished his finals before they came to Arizona, and did so well that he got a personal letter from one of his professors!

Levi, hanging out with his singles ward.

Christmas shopping for each other.  They drew names and had a budget, then went their separate ways to shop.  It's interesting how similar their gifts turned out to be.

PJ time at the Biggs house.  All the boys are crazy about their new sister...and are going to have a hard time finding someone who measures up.

Stetson and Lindsay adopted a puppy.  So now, like Scott and Rebecca, Joel and Stephanie are the proud parents of a grandpuppy.  The other one belongs to Lindsay's mom.

Hanging out with the boys around their fire pit...strip.

Christmas morning.  Stetson and Lindsay had gone to spend Christmas with her mother in Washington.

Joel and Stephanie invited Jeremy's and Esther's families over for Christmas dinner, and then again,  later in the week, with Nathan.  Their back porch/outdoor living room, is perfect for family gatherings.

Stetson and Lindsay celebrated their first anniversary this month.

DANIEL AND CONNIE

Albert, participating in an impromptu drama performance at school.

Christmas is extra special with a baby, like Aila, around, especially if she's old enough to enjoy your enjoyment.

Even tiny babies, such as Theo, make Christmas special. I love it that he is on the blanket I made for him.

Theo's blessing day.  Connie made his adorable outfit.  Brock's parents were able to be there.

A Bennion family Christmas picture.

Daniel and Connie's Christmas treasures.  Aila and Theo.  They are loving grandparenthood!

Parker is working at El Charro, doing dishes...and visiting special customers.

He went home for Christmas with his Nevin grandparents, and they put him right to work, hunting a predator coyote who had been raiding their chickens.

Jess Nevin saw a dead dear on his walk one morning, so he and Daniel set up their night camera beside it to see if they could capture the coyote on film.  Oh my goodness!  They surely did.  Look at him howl when he saw the deer carcass, and then how he tears into it.

Everyone loved holding the newest family member.  It looks as if Theo enjoyed it too.  They also enjoyed talking to Shadrach via Skype.

When Connie sent this, she said "My baby boy, asleep with his baby girl, and my baby girl asleep with her baby boy."

While Devynne was in Colorado, she was able to get together with some of her friends.

Brock and Albert cutting a hole in the ice on their stream so they could go ice fishing.  It looks as if Parker was the only successful fisherman, though.

Christmas morning. Alonzo loves to read and he was sure that Theo would enjoy Dr. Seuss as much as he does.

Analynn's gingerbread house; and lining up to go see what  Santa brought.

Nativity pageant.  Theo was Jesus and Aila was an angel; Talking to Shadrach.  It looks like it was Devynne's turn when they snapped this picture.

The whole Daniel and Connie Biggs family!  All together...including Shadrach on the computer.  Get as many of these as you can, while you can, because those opportunities slip by you.

Alta drew this picture for Daniel and Connie for Christmas...a whole family picture, including Shadrach.  She is very talented.  It's a darling picture.  I'll see if I can tell who everyone is: Starting left, Brock, Devynne holding Theo, Analynn, Parker with a snake around his leg, Jonathan holding Daniel's hand, Daniel, Connie, Shadrach in his missionary clothes, Albert with his cap, Emma, Alta, Porter holding Aila, Syrina, sitting in front: Alonzo with a book, and Shannyn, and Raymond standing in front.  She even included their three dogs and two cats that Santa brought.

REBECCA AND SCOTT

Taylor's dad bought an old antique tractor and thought Dad would be interested in its renovation.  I posted some pictures last month, or in October, showing it unfinished, and now they have finished it and it looks great.

DeWitt had a birthday on the 10th of December and he said Deanna totally spoiled him. 

Rebecca's hiking club took a very strenuous hike to the Chiricahuas this month.

Parley is learning to eat on his own.  It looks like he knows how to find the food when it falls into his plastic bib.  Smart kid.

Harvey loves his bath time, but he's really not sure about the man in the white beard.  Even when he looks vaguely familiar like the one at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Polly got a deep bruise in a soccer practice and they put on a magnetic (I think) bandage.

It must have worked because her team took first place at a tournament in Scottsdale.

Polly could totally be on Parker's team, hunting wildlife.

Rebecca, Scott and Polly kept Mary's little boys while she had to go to the doctor.  I don't know about Scott, Rebecca and Polly, but the boys absolutely loved it there!

Then Scott had his own grandson to play with.

Christmas Eve at the Biggs' house.  Everyone together except Lillian on her mission in the Philippines.

Evanses enjoying the Christmas Eve party.

Santa got a special welcome from Allison and Harvey.  I wonder how Harvey felt about Mommy kissing Santa Claus?

The Atkinsons

The Dallin Evanses

The DeWitt Evanses with their puppy, Rebecca and Scott's grandpuppy.

PJ time

The whole family in Christmas pajamas.

One of the best things about Christmas was getting to talk to Lillian!

They invited us over for Christmas dinner of brisket with all the trimmings.  Delicious.  I took a picture of Rebecca's Christmas table.  The picture in the back is of beautiful Lillian.  It's the same picture underneath.

Christmas day

Dallin and Sara and Parley had to leave the next day, but they texted us this picture of Parley in his John Deere socks.  We gave a pair to all the little boys: Alex, Ethan, Parley and Harvey.

Allison and Taylor were able to stay for a few days, so they went to old Tucson and gave Taylor a taste of Arizona. 🌵🐍🐴

Of course he wouldn't have had to look far for a snake...just in Rebecca's utensil drawer!

Polly's team also took first in the Apache Junction holiday tournament.

Polly's New Year's Eve party, including friends and cousin-friends.

Rebecca and Scott hid out in the bedroom (except when she had to go out and take pictures) and watched the New York feed of the ball dropping so they could go to bed at 10:00!  That's just what we did!  I guess we're not so old, after all. 

JEREMY AND ERIKA

Tayte went to his school's winter formal.  Actually he is the prettiest one of all!

Jeremy with Joel and Shad and Chris and Bert at the Pearl Harbor commemoration.

Waiting for Ellie's strings concert.  The look on Erika's face is for Mary's thumb.  We were talking about it and she was empathizing.

Ellie at her concert.

Tayte at his choir concert.

Decorating their home for Christmas.

Ok.  The difference in their expressions can be summed up in two words: Finals week.

With finals week over, Reygan was so relieved and began to enjoy life again.

Daynen has gone right back to making movies!

After he spoke in Stake Conference, he posted his thoughts.

Enjoying our Christmas in Pine party.

On our way home after seeing Hannah, we stopped by their house to pick up a gift from Ellie.  She had worked so hard to make a family chart, depicting every member of the family from Grandpa to Ethan and Theo.  It was a huge job, and even included pictures of everyone.  We set it up at our Christmas Eve party and everyone was fascinated, finding themselves on the chart.

They are such good missionaries, and took friends to see the Temple Christmas lights.

Christmas morning.

Daynen took a date ice skating for New Year's Eve.  His first post-mission date 😊

The rest stayed home and worked on a puzzle and watched a scary movie...

And scared Jeremy 😧

RACHEL AND TONY

Rachel had the chance to go with Rebecca's hiking club to the Chiricahuas this month.  Also hiking were Sherri O'neal and Crik Martindale, and Rebecca, of course.

At Brynlie and Camille's strings concert.

I'm not sure, but maybe this was at Merry Mainstreet.

The twins "watching" the First Presidency Devotional

Rachel's birthday fried ice cream at El Charro.  I don't know if Rachel even got a bite!

Enjoying the Christmas in Pine party.

Her "Harrison cake" for her birthday.  He made it from scratch...no mix for Harrison!  

24?

Luke's orchestra concert.  He's first chair violin.

One time when they were at Rebecca's Rachel locked her keys in the car and had to call Sherry to get them out.  I guess she ended up going through the roof somehow, but since she's not much taller than the twins, she had to use a ladder, which fortunately, Scott had.

Rachel has had several decorating opportunities.  This one was for Dr. Romero, who hired Rachel to redo her daughter's room.  The top pictures are the before, and the bottom ones are the after.

 Christmas Eve at the grandparents' house.

The whole Alder family with Santa Claus.

Pajama time on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning.

After church on Christmas Day.  Rylie wasn't there because she was speaking in her ward.

Rachel, Tony, Luke, Brynlie and Camille celebrating New Year's Eve by playing a fast-paced game of Uno Attack while Rylie and Isabel were partying at Polly's.

Rylie getting ready to go to Polly's

And Isabel playing pool in Polly's play room.

ESTHER AND SHAD

Harrison went to his school's winter formal.  Isn't he just so handsome?

The family went to see the Mesa Temple's Christmas lights.  Harrison took the picture of the Temple. He is taking a digital photography class and is having a lot of fun experimenting with artistic images. I think Crew might be in that class with him.

The extra little boy in their picture is Case, a boy they babysat for a year or more.

Miss Esther's All Stars Preschool gets ready for Christmas.

Their lemon tree is sprouting oranges! 

More of Harrison's digital photography.  Inpressive.

Their ward had a Whoville Christmas, complete with the Grinch!

Getting ready.  Love those "Who" eyelashes, Esther!  They made Bridger's antlers with tape-wrapped foil.  

Whoville.

Enjoying the Christmas in Pine party.

They enjoyed their Christmas Eve day activities.

The many faces of Shad.

Christmas morning...in their pjs.  Also, Bridger got a pie-in-the-face game.

And Harrison got books!!!  Can you guess which gift I like best?  Enlarge the picture and see what the titles are.  I love every one of them and am impressed that he, a teenage boy, would choose those particular books.

Family pictures on Christmas morning.

THOMAS AND JENN
Decorating for Christmas.  Everyone contributed to the manger scene, even with Legos guys and army guys.

Maya lost her two front teeth.  All ready to sing "All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth!"

Which she sang with her class in her school Christmas program and by herself at our Christmas Eve party.

Kirtlyn's choir concert and Maya's school 1st grade program where she sang a solo. That's her in front with the Santa hat on.

At Thomas' strings concert.

Kirtlyn, looking very Christmasy John Lennonish.

Enjoying the Christmas in Pine party.

Henry was doing Ninja moves.

Lindsay was giving everyone a hug "goodnight" and went to hug Thomas.  He refused the hug so Ether, Henry, and Lindsay all ran over to hug him whether he liked it or not.

 

At Thomas' birthday party.

Thomas' YWYM group gathered donations for the homeless in Safford and filled backpacks to distribute to them.

Thomas tried a new thing at El Charro.  They had a buffet one Saturday noon and it was very successful.  He had Rachel come and stage it and she stayed to help serve.  I think they will try to make it a regular feature.  

They made an extra room to be used as an office/guest room/play room.  They got it done just in time for Jenn's mom to come and visit and to have her own space.

Christmas Eve at the Grandparents' house.

Christmas morning.

Family Pictures after Church on Christmas Day.

Hyrum's 9th birthday party on the 30th.

Hyrum's cake the next day when he had a friend party.

MARY AND TYSON

Setting up the tree-train.

Decorating for Christmas.  These stockings were handmade by Mary, using sweaters she bought from thrift stores.  The "Arizona snowman" was Brianna and Lindsay's creation.

Alex turned two on the 8th.

For his puppy birthday, everyone had to pretend to be puppies and lick up their food from doggie dishes!

At Lindsay's school program.

Jared and Alex enjoying time on Scott and Rebecca's farm.

Brianna and Lindsay's piano concert at the care center on the highway in Thatcher.

Mary's injured thumb that she sliced while cutting oranges for Lindsay's class.

Lindsay's precious letter to Santa.

Enjoying the Christmas in Pine party.

Mary wanted to take pictures of her kids enacting the Nativity while they were in Pine, so she brought costumes and took them out back where the "stable" is.  The sun cooperated and cast its rays right on the baby Jesus.

PJ time on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning.

Alex couldn't wait for Grandpa to open the tractor he bought for himself.

Christmas baby.  Over 9 pounds now!  He looks pretty pleased with himself.😏

After church on Christmas morning.

MISSIONARIES

From Lillian in the Philippines.  The pictures, bottom left, are those family members colored and sent, and she also got the Christmas tree ornament we sent and her stocking from Rebecca.

From Shadrach in California.  I hope he also received his Christmas tree ornament and money.  I  received this picture from his parents, of him playing a Christmas game.  Also pictured is an Elder from their ward in Colorado.

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

A whole variety of sweet, funny things this month.  Even more are are in the individual family sections.  Check them out and smile along with us.

Disciplining Alex has been a challenge because he has definitely entered his "terrible 2s" stage but anything Mary has tried has been ineffective.  He refused to stay put in any "time out" situation, until she found a little corner in her kitchen where she could fit a stool in front of him so he couldn't run away.  He was really mad about it, and she had to sit on the stool so he couldn't push it away.  He even bit the back of her leg in his frustration and anger.

But I think he learned his lesson, because he decided to teach it to Lindsay and Jared when he caught them touching the Christmas tree.  He put them in the corner and pushed the stool in front of them and sat on it until he decided they had learned their lesson.

Do you think they used Shad for a model when they made the movie!

Dads and their baby boys!

Jenn and Henry were walking past our house one morning and Henry ran over to the tree and said, "Mom, take a picture of me with Baby Jesus!"

This is so precious to me.  I love seeing my children enjoying being grandparents.

And I love seeing our grandchildren close to the Lord.  On a closer look, though, notice how he is having to keep the book away from his puppy, Karen.  She also wants to feast on the Word.

LAST WORDS

This has been an amazing year.  From new babies, a marriage, graduations, new schools, new homes,  missionaries (leaving and coming home), baptisms, a new generation of Biggses, fabulous trips, new callings, our service in the Temple, we have all been busy, but busy in good, productive, happy ways.  It is our prayer that you will all feast on the Words of Christ and fill your souls with the joy that comes from being close to Him and partaking of His grace, His atonement in our behalf. You can do this, of course, by having grateful hearts, studying the Scriptures, partaking of the Sacrament, meaningful prayer and also by attending the Temple.   

What a joy you are to Dad and me, and we are so thankful for you and also thankful that you seem to like to be with us.  Let's make 2017 as good a  year, if not even better than 2016 was.  It's exciting to see it ahead of us, an empty page, ready to be written on with whatever choices we make in our lives. It's totally up to us what we make of this new year.  Let's make it wonderful!