DECEMBER~FAVORITES

At the end of the "Biggs Family Recipes" year of the blog, I surveyed everyone and asked for their favorite recipes that had been featured throughout the year of 2018.  I wasn't surprised by any of it, except, no one said "juice spaghetti," and several chose more than one.  If someone else had chosen one of those, I just put down the one no one else had chosen.  Also, Thomas chose one (or two) that had not been featured.

Talk about favorites!  Our December birthdays are some of my very favorite people 😘

Alex turned 4 on the 8th.

DeWitt's birthday was the 10th.

Rachel's birthday was the 17th

Thomas turned 13 on the 19th...He can be ordained a teacher in January.  He and Hyrum basically just skip a year of their lives.

Hyrum turned 11 on the 30th...Then he can be ordained a Deacon a week later! 

December has been a weather watcher's dream.  December is when autumn comes to Southern Arizona.  We've had mostly sunny, warm days, with a few cold, foggy, rainy, even snowy days to add variety. We got a real snow before I published this blog, but since it was January 1st and 2nd, I will feature it next month!

Shad took the rainbow picture at the first of the month, and Brynlie took the snowy mountain picture from her house about the 2nd week.

These Fall pictures were in the middle of the month.  Our trees are all bare now.

These pictures are of the Gilas and Mt. Graham after a beautiful mountain snow storm on the 28th. 

One early sunny morning, Dad saw this hot air balloon.  He didn't know at the time that Tyson was in it.  See Mary's section.

On the 29th, Dad went out into the 30 degree cold and picked spinach and romaine lettuce.  Everyone come and get some.

In spite of the cold outside, I had flowers inside.  My Christmas cactus bloomed right on time.  This was Christmas Day.  Una Mae Larson gave it to me many years ago, and it has never failed to bloom on Christmas.

~OUR DECEMBER~

Sometimes, I just sit on the couch and watch the tree go around and around, looking at all my beautiful children and grandchildren.  It fills my heart with Christmas spirit and gratitude.

The Christmas Season began, as always, with the spiritual, inspiring messages from the First Presidency at their Christmas devotional.  I loved President Nelson's "Four Gifts from Jesus Christ."  In fact, I have already used them in a talk.

We ate with Rachel and Tony's family that Sunday.  As you can see, we had a delicious meal, and it was fun to be with them.

On the 4th, we went to Brianna's school choir concert.  She sings in the quartet.

On the 7th of December, Pearl Harbor Day, we watched Joel's parade in Hawaii via youTube.  It was pretty spectacular.  I especially liked the closing ceremony because that was the only time I actually saw Joel.  Jeremy was there too, but I didn't see him at all.  I guess he was busy behind the camera.

I got a bad cold that week, and had to miss going to dinner at El Charro with the missionaries (Dad covered for both of us), and Thomas Wyatt's basketball game, which he won (Dad went to that alone, too)  Fortunately, though, I was well by Alex's 4th birthday on the 8th, and could go with Dad to have dinner with Alex's family (curly noodle spaghetti and cherry cha cha) and celebrate being 4 years old with him.

The next day, Dad and I had to teach Relief Society about Joseph F. Smith's vision of the Spirit World.  They asked us a month ahead of time, then on the Sunday previous, Brother Douglas asked us to speak in church on the same Sunday as our lesson.  I looked at him and said, "we have to teach Relief Society that day," sure that he would reply that they would just ask us another time, but he didn't.  He just looked back at me and didn't say anything.  That made it impossible for us to refuse.  So we spoke in church on the 9th, and taught Relief Society too.  Also, Thomas Wyatt was at the youth speaker...a Biggs Sunday all around.  I was glad when that day was over.

The Biggs and Richins family visited us that night and gave us a good ending to a stressful day.

On Monday, Rachel and Mary came over to help me get gifts ready to give the under-12 group of grandchildren at our Christmas party in Pine on the 15th.  The over-12 group participated in a gift exchange game, the theme of which was "warm and cozy."

On the 11th, we went to Hyrum's school strings concert.   They have a great orchestra program.

Then on the 12th, was Carson's class Christmas program.  One of the things I like about going to these programs, besides watching our grandkids, is seeing Temple workers that we don't get to see much any more.  They all go to see their grandkids too.

We went to Pine on the 14th, in preparation for our Biggs family Christmas party the next day.  Joel and Stephanie were expecting a new refrigerator at their home in Pine, so we went over there to wait for him and let him in.  Wow! I was so impressed. The house is big and beautiful.  I think they call it a cabin, but it was not like any cabin I've ever seen.  It's a lovely home. See more pictures in Joel's section.

Waiting.

~CHRISTMAS PARTY IN PINE~

On December 15th, we held our every-other-year-Biggs Family Christmas party in Pine.  It was fun, and so good to be with everyone.  The only thing I don't like about it is that Christmas is a hard time for Nathan's and Daniel's family to come to Arizona.  They have weather to worry about.  So we really missed them.  But we had a great time with those who came.  All the Arizona kids came, except Allison, Taylor and babies, Lillian, Kelin, (who really aren't Arizona kids anymore, I guess) Daynen, Jorie, Tayte, Hayden, Erika, Rylie, and of course, Docker.  So we had a huge group...47 people! The cabin fit us all comfortably.

On Friday night, before the official start of the party, most of us were there, so we visited and played games.

The next day we played together,visited together, held babies, laughed and prayed together.

And even danced together.

Notice Thomas' hair.  He was sporting Rebecca's fake hair.  The girls thought that would be so funny. It was.

Alex and Parley got to be pretty good friends.

We even had human pinatas.  Crew, Luke and Bridger were such good sports!

Afterwards, the little boys had to wash all the fun off!

We also cooked and ate together...of course.

And some of us made gingerbread houses.

That night, we gave the  under 12 crowd their stockings, and we had a "warm and cozy" gift exchange game for those over 12.

Then we let the little kids tell us the story of the Nativity of Baby Jesus.

And then finally, before everyone went to bed, and some went home, Dad gave us a blessing for the year.  He called upon God to protect us from harm and evil, to guide and inspire us to stay close to Him and keep our covenants.  He expressed his love and asked blessings for each member of the family, by name.

The next day, we all went to church in the Pine Ward.  Here are some of the boys, dressed and waiting for the girls.

The 17th, the day after we got home from Pine, was Brianna's vocal recital.  She sang amazingly well and was the culminating performance, being saved until last on the program.

The next day, the 18th, was Jared's class Christmas program.  He sang a duet and was so bright and forthcoming.  He sang right out, not shy at all.  It was in the big EAC auditorium, so we didn't get to see him afterward.  They came by later to get his stuffed animal.

That same day was Kirtlyn's choir concert.  She sings in Belle Canto, an advanced girls' choir.

On the 19th, Dad received his coat that he ordered after admiring the one DeWitt was wearing when he came to visit one day.  I was glad, because he told me I could order some things for me. 

The 19th was a busy day.  It started with Lindsay's class program in the morning.

Then Alex's pre-school program in the afternoon.  He was definitely the prettiest one there.

Then Brynlie and Camille's school choir program that evening.  Lots of singing and dancing.

The 19th was also Thomas' 13th birthday.  So we went by there in time for ice cream cake.  He is such a delightful teenager.  Except for the fact that he almost has to skip being 13 because of the new Priesthood-age guidelines, making him a Teacher in January, he will enjoy being a teenager.

We had our temple service on Thursday, the next day, but I was able to cram in a couple of programs before we went.  Then we served the afternoon and evening in the Temple.  It is actually very nice not to have to be the last ones to leave!  We just got dressed and left when my assignments were over and Dad had no more sealings to do.

Carson's orchestra concert was in the morning.  They really sounded good even though there were half as many as Hyrum's orchestra had.  Quality, I guess, rather than quantity.

Henry's program was that afternoon.  He sang with his grade and got to sing a little solo.  He was so brave and sang right out.

On  Saturday, we had carolers.  The Lambson family (JoKae was married to Neal Lambson's son from St. Johns) came to sing to us.  Their son, Cole, is our ministering brother, along with Brother Mortensen.

On Sunday, the 23rd, we, along with everyone in the Church, had one-hour Sacrament meeting.  It was such a nice choir program, so uplifting and spiritual, getting us ready to celebrate the birth of the Savior.

Rebecca and Scott's family came to our ward for the Christmas service, so we took pictures with them and Thomas and Jenn's family afterward.

We ate dinner with Rebecca's family, who were all there to spend Christmas.  How great it was to see all of them and their husbands, wife, and babies.

Playing "pat-a-cake" with Lucy Joyce.

~CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY~

After the Nativity pageant, while we were waiting for Santa, we asked if anyone would like to perform for us.

Parley, Harvey and Ethan were just cute, and Maya, Alex and Jared sang songs from their Christmas programs.

Then Brianna sang and played two songs she wrote, Parley sang, Brynlie and Camille sang "Sisters," and Kirtlyn played the piano.

~HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS!~

~CHRISTMAS DAY~

The next morning, Dad and I slept in until 8:00, more or less.  Then we went around and visited the kids in town to see what they all got for Christmas.  We went to Rebecca's first, 

Then to Rachel's,

Then to Mary's,

Then to Thomas'.  All I can say is that everyone was obviously on Santa's "Nice List" this year.

That afternoon, making a fun ending to a very good day, we had Christmas dinner for all those who could come.  Rebecca was fixing dinner for her family, so they didn't come, but Rachel's and Thomas' families came.   Mary's family was sick...just beginning the sickness that took each one down, one by one, all week 😰so we just sent some food home for them.

We had  Thomas and Jenn's family for lunch on the 30th, Hyrum's 11th birthday.

On New Year's Eve, we went to Gilbert for a couple of days, and had dinner at Tia Rosa's with the kids down there, except for Jeremy's family, who couldn't come.  The company was great, and the food was ok.  

~NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY~

~NATHAN AND SHAUNA~
Nathan started off the month of December by going to Scotland for business.  I especially liked the "mind the gap" picture.  It looks like that is quite a huge, threatening gap to mind...maybe in a subway?  Edinburgh lit up for Christmas; and a statue of I don't know who, but above it it says, "Queen Victoria and Her People."

The Giving Machine was in the church headquarters in London.  He bought chickens.

Some of Joshua's favorite Victorian homes.  The last one is being renovated.

Bethany and Palmer and Jovie at home in Glendale.

Jovie looks like a baby model.

Flying to Omaha; seeing Uncle Seth and Aunt Hannah; traditional pork chops, grilled; and homemade Christmas tamales.

Stocking up for the trip to Nebraska City and the Arbor Lodge for Christmas.

Arbor Lodge

It was a lot of fun, but exhausting!  Jovie loves Minnie Mouse...and Uncle Joshua.

And Grandma Shauna.  I don't know what she calls Nathan and Shauna. More pictures at the Lodge.  They got their own family room to gather in.

In front of the fabulous tree at the Lodge.

A beautiful family group.  I think Bethany is sitting on the arm of Palmer's chair.  That's why she's taller than everyone else...maybe Hannah too.

After Christmas, Hannah and Seth took a tour of Israel, with a stopover in Spain.  The selfie is of them in Spain, then, Israel, with the panoramic shot of Israel...Jerusalem?

~JOEL AND STEPHANIE~

Joel's Pearl Harbor commemoration parade was December 7th.  I can't believe how many survivors are still alive!  They are all in their 90's, some late 90's.

Decorating for Christmas...nice to have a tall, long-armed kid around.

This is Sister Hoisington from our stake.  Her son is in Boston in the same mission as Docker.  He told his parents that he had met Elder Biggs.

Junie playing "footsie" with their huge dog Lani.

She wasn't a bit afraid of Santa Claus.  What a darling picture.

While Dad and I were waiting for the refrigerator man to come, I walked around a little bit and snapped some pictures of their lovely mountain home. You can see the "before" and "after" pictures of the kitchen.

I was so glad to see Stetson and Lindsay and Junie come to the Christmas party.

And Stephanie, Joel, Levi and Crew, of course.

Christmas morning.  Talking to Docker was a special Christmas gift.  He looks happy. Notice how Stetson is stretching Junie's eyes 😳

They always go golfing Christmas morning.

~DANIEL AND CONNIE~

Their floating trees

Posing with Albert before he left for the MTC on the 19th.

With baby Rosena

Shadrach met them there.

Shannyn and some of her Coal Ridge High School friends; and a creative science teacher burning bubbles off of her hand.

Their frozen beaver dam and pond.

A white christmas.

Aila with Mr. and Mrs Claus

Theo and Rosena in St. Louis.

And in Colorado.

Ice skating.  Raymond and Aila getting on her skates.  I wonder how she did on them?  Can she skate?

Spending the week of Christmas together.

Nativity pageant.  I'm so glad to have these pictures. How many wise men have pacifiers?

PJ time on Christmas  Eve.

Christmas Morning.

Notice the tents.  Rebecca's grandkids got a tent and Mary's boys got a tent.

Talking to Albert...He's at the MTC, and looking good.

Even with the Colorado cold, the Biggs family enjoyed a warm swim on New Year's Eve...in the Glenwood Springs Hot springs.

~REBECCA AND SCOTT~

One day when Esther's kids were here, they didn't want to go home, so they ran away to Rebecca's with the twins.  They knew she would welcome them and make them something good to eat.  They were right.  We looked all over before we found them there.

The kids know they can always find help, not just good things to eat, at Rebecca and Scott's house.  Here, Scott is helping Isabel plan her life.

DeWitt is getting very proficient at working with wood.  He made this beautiful desk.

Happy birthday, DeWitt!

Parley and Sara at home in Syracuse.

The Evans family in Pine at our Christmas party. We are so glad they came, even Dallin and Sara and Parley.

They stayed for a couple of extra days after everyone else left.

Allison and Taylor and babies came to Safford to spend Christmas with "Becca and Papi."

They spent a few days in Lydia, enjoying the warm weather together.

Then they all came to Safford for Christmas.

Before they got home, Rachel made "Christmas beds" for all of them.  Rebecca's renters had gone home for Christmas, so they were able to sleep in all the rooms.

Loving the grandkids; Christmas pjs.

Christmas morning

Polar bears

A tent for the boys.

They spent a day in Tombstone, experiencing the Old West...Watch out for those gunslingers!

The girls went to a movie? Or maybe shopping? Leaving the men to babysit.  Result:

Beautiful family

Dallin and Allison went to Phoenix for a couple of days and Parley got to stay with Becca and Papi.  Of course all their attention revolved around him.  Here he is on New Year's Eve.  Aren't these such perfect pictures?

~JEREMY AND ERIKA~

Jeremy and Erika and family went to Salt Lake for the Christmas Devotional.  Just looking at the pictures, I can see that they had a wonderful time.

It was actually Jorie's first time to see snow!

Reygan's sweetheart, Drayton, met them in SLC.  He is at BYU.

Such a beautiful family picture in such a beautiful place.

Decorating for Christmas.  Look at the bottom right picture.  You can see their sugar glider.

One of the traumatic, yet marvelous (I mean that in the true meaning of the word...I marveled at this) things that happened this month, is that Reygan got into a very serious automobile accident on the freeway where her car flipped multiple times, crashing into another car...and she walked away.  She was unhurt, though shaken up, of course, and sore and achy the next couple of days.  But oh how thankful we are that she was not hurt or even killed.  A miracle for sure.

This is from a news post that Erika found.

Erika's heartfelt comment.

At the cabin in Pine.  I was so glad to see Jeremy and his girls.

Christmas morning.

Ok.  This is a series.  See the happy family on Christmas morning.  Dad is taking the picture.  Then, I'm guessing, he set the timer and rushed to get in the picture.  

The result. A beautiful family

They made a workbench with money they received from their parents for Christmas.

Daynen and Jori sent this to show me how they spent their Christmas money.  They bought a printer.

New Year's  Eve

~RACHEL AND TONY~

Decorating for Christmas

Dinner with the grandparents on the first Sunday in December.

Luke got his learner's permit.

Brynlie (I think) and Soren, happy little elves.

Although this happened in November, I just got the picture this month, so here is Rylie with Brandon's family at his brother's wedding in Hawaii.

Rylie got a cruise to the Caribbean through her work.  Isabel went along with her.  They had a great time and stopped in Texas on their way home.  They felt duty-bound to see the Alamo while they were there.

Brynlie and Camille's Christmas choir program.  It was lively and fun.

Rachel's birthday

She went with Darlene to see the Nashville Tribute Band.

Rachel hosted an "Elf" party for the cousins.

They had an "Arizona Snowball" fight...with marshmallows.

And spaghetti with syrup, and elf cupcakes.

Light parade Santa

Isabel doing the "Karate Kid" in the sunset.

The Alder family at our Christmas party in Pine.  Rachel was so much help in planning and carrying it all out.

After Christmas, they went to Gilbert where Soren gave one of the twins a ride on his scooter.

Rylie and Brandon

Christmas Sunday.  All in Red and green.  Beautiful family.

They made gingerbread cookies and even brought some to the Christmas Eve party.  Delicious.

Family Christmas pictures.  One at home and one with Santa on Christmas Eve at our house.

Rachel with Lucy

Christmas Eve pj's

Christmas morning

Rachel fixed up a bedroom at Lydia for Isabel.  She will be staying there for a while, going to school. Due to the hair, I think the last picture is of Brynlie.

Tony bought a car for Isabel to use when she is living in Mesa (Gilbert).

~ESTHER AND SHAD~

Marlie and her date and friends for the Winter formal at their school.

This was another traumatic thing that happened in December that could have been horrible but was miraculously not. 

Bridger went to school early one morning, before the regular time, to practice football.  After he got there, they gathered up all the kids who were already there and herded them to the library where they were kept in protective custody because they had received a bomb threat.  They made use of bomb-sniffing dogs who actually found 9 pipe bombs on the premises!!  The school was in lockdown and none of the other kids were allowed to attend that day.  They kept the early kids, though, not knowing if one of them was the the perpetrator.  Esther was frantic and wanted her son out of there.  She finally was able to get him and they all went out to get a treat, celebrating being alive.

Fire truck, policemen, etc.

Brody's school program.  He was Cowboy Joe(?)  Anyway, he was awfully cute.

Soren at his band concert.

Marlie at her last choir concert.  She quit choir because she felt stifled by the teacher and not able to progress like she wanted to.

Soren and Brody's piano recital.

At the Christmas party in Pine.  They were a fun addition to the crowd.

Christmas Sunday pictures

A beautiful family...Shad was at Sunday Bishop meetings.

Ugly sweater cookie contest

Christmas Eve pj's

Christmas morning

Soren giving a ride to one of the twins on their scooter.

Notice the hat

They were finally able to get in to the Giving Machine in Gilbert.  The pre-Christmas lines have shortened.  They gave a baby resuscitation kit, warm socks and water, food for seniors,

A nutritious meal and an after school program.

It feels good to give.

Marlie's New Year's Eve party

~THOMAS AND JENN~

At the ward Christmas party.  That's the best Santa we've had yet!  I guess he must the real one. 

At the Christmas party in Pine.  So glad they could come.

Maya's gymnastics recital.  She's really good.  She did a one-armed cartwheel.

Henry's class program and solo.

Decorating for Christmas.  Thomas framed out a corner fireplace so they would have somewhere to hang stockings.  It will be covered in shades of gray sandstone, I think.  Maya was Mary, and this picture reminds me of the big wooden one in my yard where baby Jesus is reaching for Mary's face.

Christmas morning

On Hyrum's birthday, he and Thomas and their dad went to a Suns game.  It looks like they got amazing seats!  They got there by train and got to meet the Suns' cheerleaders.

At the post game wrap up on TV.  I took pictures of the TV.

While the boys were at the game, Jenn, Henry and the girls had fun at 

Talking Stick Resort.

~MARY AND TYSON~

Decorating for Christmas

Alex had his 4th birthday at pre-school.

And a family party at home.

Talk about a "cell" phone, Brianna and friend made a "cell" cake for a school project.

Tyson's client's hot air balloon.

While Rachel was having an Elf party with the older cousins, Mary had one with the little kids.

So we wouldn't embarrass Carson by giving him a stuffed animal at school, we brought it by his house on our way to the temple.

Lindsay and Carson with their Legos Club t-shirts.  Carson designed his own.

Keeping kids while Mom went shopping.

Brianna's school choir program

At Pine with their friends, the Hoopes family.  They went a week before our family came up for the Christmas party.

At the Christmas party in Pine.  Mary actually made it all happen.  Lindsay was the 5th grade spelling bee winner.

Jared's eye trick

Even darling little boys have to be in timeout once in a while.

Brianna's voice recital

Alex's pre-school program

Christmas morning...notice the tent.

She made cookies and brought 4 of them early in the day of the party...then was surprised when there were none left for the party.  They were delicious 😋  Ethan in his Christmas chair.

Santa made Jared's drawing real.

They had a skiff of snow two days after Christmas.

But Mt. Graham got a lot more!  These are taken from their front yard.

Jared, going to his baptism preparation program on the 31st.

So very sweet!  Don't they look like twins?

Mary and Tyson's family spent New Year's Eve in Cotton City with Tyson's family.

Ethan was asleep for the pictures above, but when he woke up, he made up for it with the chocolate fountain.

~MISSIONARIES~

Docker, enjoying Christmas in Boston

Albert, just arriving at the MTC.  The Elder he is with is Stephanie's nephew, Lance's son. Albert was called to be District Leader almost as soon as he stepped into the MTC.

~SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT~

The perfect pout!  Dad used to say,  "Hang a bucket on your lip to catch the tears."

Fun Christmas trees...one from Esther that looks like a Grinch tree, and a laundry pile-one from my friend in Portugal.

Brynlie and Camille sent us this.  We've never looked so young and spry.

I sent Docker a Chinese Santa.  It's actually just like ones I gave some other grandchildren, but I put a Chinese  hat on him.  Docker understood that he was supposed to be Chinese, as evidenced by this picture.

On the Sunday before Christmas, when we ate at Rebecca's, I took a panoramic shot of the table, and thought I was doing better than usual, until I realized that Polly had jumped in 3 times!  She is in the same picture 3 times!

I smiled at this picture because it reminds me of the Mary and Jesus I painted for my lawn many years ago.

When we were in Gilbert, Isabel brought me her ragged jeans and said she needed to have a tear sewn up.  I had a hard time finding what she wanted sewn.

I love this picture and the light and joy in Aila's eyes always makes me smile.  It was from last year, but I might just put it in every Christmas!

~LAST WORDS~

This year has been an incredible year.  We have been so blessed as a family that sometimes we forget the hardships and sacrifices of our ancestors over the years, decades and centuries that made these great blessings possible for us.  With that in mind, I want to feature some of our progenitors in the 2019 blog.  Hopefully, as we learn about them, we can also learn lessons from their successes and failures that will make a difference in our own lives.

If we turn our hearts and our daily decisions and activities over to the Lord and truly live a disciple's life, we will find a fullness of joy beyond anything we can imagine.  And I don't mean just in the life to come, but in this life, right now, with our loved ones around us.  May the coming year be full of love, service, faith, dedication, discipleship and joy.

All our love, 

Dad and Mom

Grandpa and Grandma

PS: Elder Ballard visited us in St. Johns.  In fact, he was the last conference visitor we had as he was the one who released Dad as Stake President and divided the St. Johns Stake, creating the Eagar Stake at the same time.