Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas!

Let us enjoy family and friends as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!

James and I read our scriptures and had family praery before he opened his gifts.  These are the things he received from me:  a new white Sunday shirt and yellow striped tie, two casual shirts, one long sleeved and one short, a pair of jeans, an electric razor, a camo beanie and a $50 gift card to Bass Pro, President Eyring's autobiography, and Elder Holland's book "In Times of Trouble."  

After our little gift opening celebration we went down to Sheri's to start the family breakfast and to open gifts with family.  Here is what Sheri's tree looked like last night:

The Gonzo's got a late start but the boys made it down for James's delicous sausage grave and biscuit breakfast, including Jared Ammon's friend Katherine.  We had Sheri, Kim, and Darrel's families all here so I guess Stacy and Paul and of course Jared's family were the only ones not celebrating this morning with us.

Here are the gifts that I received: my Kitchen Aid mixer, Isotoner gloves  and a family calendar, Cheesecake Factory and Outback gift cards, movie cup and tickets, Sheri Dew's book "Women and the Priesthood", sheep from Deseret Book, Trezise family pictures, and a Deseret Book gift card, "The Infinite Atonement", and "Constant Conversion" church books. From Lois a bag, embroidered pillows, a book of the History of America, Precious Moments and from Dawn a $50 gift card for a dinner and a movie.

The gifts that we gave: New sheets, and a night light and wax warmer for all our children and their spouses, for Adam a Harry Potter wand and Jack Skellington hat, Jared Ammon, Dallin, James, Joseph, Michael, Alex and Anna, hats and a $50 gift card.  Ben the Sky Rim game and a Vikings hat, Max XBox Live and a Cardinals hat, Addy BoPeep Lalaloopsy and a purple hat with hearts on it, Rowan Star Wars Legos and a Minecraft hat, Ruby and Molly an Olaf singing snowman and hats, and Emmy Bea Spells-a-Lot Lalaloopsy.

We gave Lois a mother's bracelet and a wax warmer, and Dawn a Barnes and Noble gift card and a sheep.

Evan in his shark hat and Rowan in his

Minecraft hat.

Playing with the Barbie's great grandmother gave the girls.

No, wait a minute, Sheri is playing with her phone.

Evan's Mario race track.

Michael with his loot.

One of the funniest gifts this year was the calender 

Kim made of Michael and Joe!

Enjoying gifts!

Ben trying out his new game chair.

After breakfast and opening gifts we went home and took a nap.  I tried to index but Joshua asked me to help put together the Spiderman Lego set I got him.  I did.  Here is what it looked like:

We also played Joshua's new game Boom, Boom Balloon.

I lost

For dinner James and I went down to Sheri's while they were gone to Ian's parents.  We had turkey, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, and cranberry celebration.  It was delicious.  This is what Ian and his dad and brother got from his mom for Christmas.

Swat team "man" aprons.  

Paul made dinner for all of his family.  It was the classic "Dad" breakfast his dad use to make.

Refried beans, potatoes, bacon, eggs,

eaten with a flour tortilla and

a Pepsi.? 

James worked hard today inspite of it being Christmas.  He painted in the living room.  I love the new color.  He's not quite finsihed but it's going to look very nice.  Also, I think I failed to mention that we got new carpet in the center area of the family room.  It is so soft and clean and we really enjoyed it the night of our family party.

It was a nice Christmas but I am sorry to say that some got sick.  Michael has a fever and so does Alex.  I hope they get well soon so they can enjoy the rest of their holiday.

Facebook finds:

The Chestnut family from

our ward in Chandler.

The now live in St. George.

The littlest Hoose

The Hansen's from our ward

in Chandler who now live in Utah.

 

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

I finished wrapping all the gifts this morning.  It was easier than most years because I had so many gift bags.

Gifts for Jared & Tricia's family

I know, I'm crazy for posting all these pictures of packages, but, hey, it was fun when I did it!

Sheri and her boys, Darrel and Trina and their kids went on their annual hike up A mountain.  (Addy says it's her mountain).  Afterwards they went to the Mello Mushroom for pizza.

Did I forget to mention that Michael

and Joe came too?

These guys played some football

James went to Circle K this morning on the way to see Bill Valentic and got me a drink.  How thoughtful.  When he returned I went shopping at El Sol for some homemade tortillas and delicious refried beans.  Afterwards I went to Fry's for food for our Christmas morning breakfast.  Stacy needed to do some shopping so James and I took Joshua to lunch with us at Chili's.  He had pizza and broccoli.  He at all of the broccoli but took half his pizza home with him.  Why didn't I take a picture???

We went home and took and nap and then did some visiting.  We dropped gifts off to Dave & Laura and Terry & Cathi and then went to see Lois and Dawn.  Dave and Laura, Aunt Faye and Aunt June were there too.  We had a nice visit but didn't stay too long.  Lois seemed to really like her Mother's bracelet. 

Back at home we went down to Sheri's.  Stacy and Paul and their boys were gone to Mary's for their annual family Christmas party.  I took my beans and tortillas from El Sol to share.  James played on the computer while Sheri, Alex, Max, Evan and I watched Elf.  Ben was asleep and Ian was still at work.  

We hit the bed early tonight because tomorrow is a big day.  Merry Christmas Eve everyone.

Monday, December 23, 2013

I went shopping at Deseret Book this morning for Elder Holland's book "In Troubled Times".  Michael Ellsworth mentioned it yesterday during Sunday School and James said that would be a good book to have, so I got it for him for Christmas.  I also bought the book "Armor Up" for Stacy, Sheri, Kim, and Jared.  I gave all the teenage boys one and I want their parents to read it too.

I went to the Walmart on Germann and Gilbert to do some shopping for food and more wax warmers.  The wax warmers seems to be my "go to" gift this year.  I was also looking for large gift bags but they were all out so I went to the Dollar Store near our house and found as many as I needed for only a dollar each.  A good find!  I also went to Sam's Club for ham and rolls for tonight's family Christmas party. 

I came home and made Grinch kabobs using strawberries, slice of a banana, a green grape, and a mini marshmallow.  I was going to post a picture but I think it got erased.

Almost everyone in town attended our party, including Dallin, Jared Ammon and his dog Dobus. Ian was not able to come because he was making late deliveries for UPS. We also had a special guest, Miss Kaitlyn Booth who just graduated from NAU.  We love having Kaitlyn come to our family Christmas party!  We sure do miss Jared and Tricia and their kids!
We started out on a spiritual note with some Christmas stories and James reading from Luke 2 and then bearing his testimony.  I shared the symbols of Christmas and what they mean.  Dallin sang the Christmas song he wrote a couple of years ago, and Addy played the guitar.  The kids had a gift exchange and then the adults from Max up played the White Elephant game.  Here are some pictures:

Stacy took charge of the kids gift exchange.

Here are some of the gifts given in our gift exchange: The Elf movie with cookies, a leopard blanket, and a soft teal blanket, an ASU mug with a Cardinals knit cap inside, sparkling cider, Taylor Lautner poster with an XBox game, (notice Ben holding up the poster in this picture), an apple cinnamon candle, movie tickets and free popcorn, a Coldstone gift card, a box of useless stuff, a jar of peanut M&M's, a Circle K gift card, two OZ posters, and the movie Marley & Me.  It was a fun evening and great to be with family and friends!

 Facebook finds:

Gail's family Christmas card

 The Ellsworth's

Dane, Michael, Marissa, 

Adrienne, Grady, and Audrey

Three of the four Wanlass children,

Taylor is serving a mission in San Antonio. Texas

Pictured are: Megan, Braden, Ian

and their dog Max

Sunday, December 22, 2013

I got up this morning and did some studying.  I also wrapped some gifts.  I wrapped all the "couples" gifts, the sheets I ordered from Nomorerack.  Joshua keeps asking to play with my phone.  I told him he would have to wait until after church. 

We attended the Galveston third ward today with Sheri and Stacy.  We know many people in this ward, some from Del Rio 2nd and some from Chandler third and tenth wards years ago.  Here are some of the people we saw and spoke to: Robin and Kerry Finlinson, the Miner's, Cathi, Terry, Dave & Laura, Paula Casto, the Ellsworth's, the Boles, Lynda Cull, Karen & Lance Schneider, Brennan Ray, the Braddock's, Laurie Jensen, the Coffey's, Janny St. Onge, the Leib's, Wanlass's, and the Jiminez's.  Although Jeff Chubbs is no longer in this ward, James called him today to wish him a happy birthday.  It was so wonderful to re-connect with old friends.

We really enjoyed the Christmas program presented in sacrament meeting.  Lynda Cull is the choir director and she did a wonderful job.  Ernesto Jiminez was the narrator.  It was fun to hear the choir sing and to be able to join in on many of the Christmas carols.

It seemed like old times with Michael Ellsworth teaching the gospel doctrine class.  He ask James and I to give the opening and closing prayers.  He had prepared a lesson on the Savior supporting us in our trials.  It was really very inspirational. 

Cammie Soderquist, (I don't know her, but I loved her lesson), taught Relief Society.  I got to sit by my dear friend Karen Schneider.  Cammie's lesson was taken from President Monson's conference address: "I Will Not Fail Thee, Nor Forsake Thee." 

After the block Sheri's family, Stacy, Joshua, and Michael and James and I all gathered in Bishop Lewis's office for Ben's ordination to the office of a teacher.  James did the ordination with Ian and Bishop Lewis in the circle.  It was one of the best ordination's and blessings that I have ever heard.  It was very spiritual.  Afterwards Evan said: "Boy, that was a long prayer."

After Ben's ordination James and I saw and visited with President Jones and his wife Kathy.  They just returned from their second mission at the temple in Monterrey, Mexico.  President Jones was our first visit when we moved to Chandler and Kathy and I were visiting teaching companions.

Sure enough, as soon as we got home Joshua asked to use my phone.  He had me download a game for him to play.  I wonder why he never asks to use Paul's phone.

I had lunch, took a short nap, and did some more wrapping.  I visited a little while with Stacy and then James and I went down to Sheri's.  She was making rolls and had some delicious homemade berry jam to go with them.  Yummy!  The family was watching "A Christmas Story".

Back at home James and I read scriptures and he visits with me while I wrap a few more presents.  It was a wonderful Sabbath day.

Facebook finds:

 Happy Anniversary to our friends,

Wes and Jill Lueck

The Megan (Bogle) and Reuben

Craghead family

A Mario game that Evan made

Saturday, December 21, 2013

This first thing I did this morning when I got up was finish making out and addressing Christmas cards.  I hadn't been in the mood to send them until now.  Around 9 am our home teachers, Brothers Church Crane and Collin Dewitt came for a visit.  Collin brought cookies and we gave cookies and a calender to each of them.  We had a nice visit about the importance of missionary work.  When they left I finished packing and getting ready to go to Chandler.  James sat and read his Uncle Delbert's book, "When Comes the Spring."

It takes me awhile to pack up because I am all the Christmas presents I have yet to wrap.  Well James waits until I am ready to go to decide that he needs to winterize everything, so instead of him waiting for me, I am waiting for him. 

We made cookie deliveries to the following people: Alex Jones, Kaeli Nicoll, and the Covert's.  We took Lynda Tanner a wax warmer, night light and Uncle Delbert's book.  She posted on Facebook a little later in the day how much she loved the book.  She knows Uncle Delbert and really likes him.

We meet Bishop Hall in the parking lot of Panda Express to deliver his family's cookies.  I told him to make sure Westin got his fair share because of the help that he gave me the other night when we went caroling.  On the way out of Show Low we went through the post office and mailed our Christmas cards.  We went the Payson way so we could drop off gifts to Dennis and Denise, and Harold and Vickie.  It was snowing when we left.  Here are some pictures I took at home and along the way.

We stopped for water at the Circle K in Star Valley.  James is tired of driving so I drive the rest of the way to Chandler so he can get some rest.  We arrive at the house, unload the car, and take Michael to Olive Garden for his birthday dinner. 

This was my dinner, chicken, pasta, and peppers in

a delicious sauce, topped with cheese.

After Olive Garden I went shopping at Walmart to get some food for tomorrow.  I see Charlotte Mattice in the parking lot and visit with her for a minute.