Sunday, December 28, 2014

"We cannot compel, coerce, or command the Holy Ghost.  Rather, we should invite Him into our lives with the same gentleness and tenderness by which He entreats us."

-Elder David A. Bednar

Anna and I were both sick today and missed our church meetings.  James spoke in the Country Club Manor ward with Jimmy Applegate.  He had a touch of laringitis but that didn't stop him.  

I put a roast on early this morning so when everyone got home we had a nice meal.  Even with a nice meal, some people only ate corn and rolls.  

When I asked Molly if she liked her Primary teacher she said yes, but she was hard to understand.  When she said: "It was one of your friends Gramma, I knew it was Rosa W.

We said goodbye to Jared and his family today who headed home to El Paso.  This was a memorable Christmas for us and we are so glad they were able to spend it with us.  

 James and Molly

 James and Anna

I love this picture!

 Beautiful Emmy

Molly, where is your smile?

 Three beautiful girls!

 I love these faces!

Darrel was not supposed to be back up here to work until Tuesday and Trina and the kids were coming back with him.  There was a change of plans.  The other pharmacist is sick so Darrel came back today to work for him.  He will be going home Tuesday and Trina and the kids won't be coming up.  We are glad to have Darrel come and stay with us but we are sad Trina and the kids won't be coming.

This was Darrel's last time working up here.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Grandmother Lambson and

Erik and Amelia's baby, Tabitha Rose.

Stacy, Paul, Michael and Joshua came up for the

day to visit with Jared and his family.  Here they are playing Headbanz.

Jared tried to find family history names for Paul but it's difficult because his relatives are from Mexico.  

ASU played Duke in the Sun Bowl today in ElPaso.  How ironic that Jared is here.  It's kind of a tradition for Paul and Michael to have wings when they watch important football games so they went to Native New Yorker in Show Low and took James with them.  

It was a good game because ASU ended up winning.  

For dinner we cooked the Omaha steaks and hamburgers that Dawn gave us for Christmas.  After dinner Stacy and Paul and the boys headed for home.  They were going to stay another night but Stacy wasn't feeling well and wanted to go home.  I guess when they got there Adam wasn't expecting them and he had a room full of people playing video games in the family room.  They pretty much scattered and left with Paul's arrival.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Evan reading from the joke book that we got him for Christmas.

Ian enjoying the blanket that we gave him.

Anna was sick today with a fever, so now there is two of us.  

Darrel and Trina and their kids went home today.  We had to take some pictures before they left. 

This girl is as sweet as she is cute.

 I love this picture of Rowan!

Molly is going to miss Ruby!

 Trina and sweet baby Lola

 I love this family!

 Anna and Emmy saying goodbye to Lola

 After Ruby left Molly sat down and

watched a movie.  The one she chose:

Nacho Libre.

James using his mini ipad while Rowan watches.

Addy is learning how to use her iphone6.

Jared and all of his kids except Anna went into town today to get a blu-ray player and something to eat.   They went to LaCasita and brought me back a chicken enchilada.  Yum!

While they were gone Anna watched old episodes of "Castle" and I cleaned.  

Here is the list of elf names we found and I used to put on some of the gifts I wrapped.  Kids had to know their elf name in order to know which gifts were theirs.

 

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas morning lineup

 Everyone checking out their stockings, except for James who is checking out his rifle.

Jared and Molly are over in the corner where Jared is trying to explain why Santa brought her a bicycle instead of a blue dress and blue shoes.

 I got ahead of myself here a little.  The first thing we did before lining up or looking at stockings was read Luke 2 together and have family prayer.  Because Grampa James has laringitis, Jared read Luke 2. 

Molly checking out her stocking.

 

Addy & Rowan loved their Hogwarts Lego set.

 

Trina and Addy putting Hogwarts together.

 Christmas chaos

 Rowan using his new whiteboard

Darrel with one of his new toys.  

Addy is getting ready to try and make a basket.

Molly and Ruby both love to write.

 Molly and Ruby both got Playmobile

ferris wheels.  Trina put Ruby's together

and Jared put Molly's together.

Ferris Wheel fun.

I am not sure what Lola is looking at but it is certainly

holding her interest.  That's Ruby's blanket she is laying on.

 We actually got some snow.  Jared and I called it a Christmas miracle.

 More fun.

I guess the reason I don't have any pictures of Anna or James is because they were off somewhere using their new ipad minis.

Also, Addy got a new iphone 6 and so did Sheri and Trina.

Trina's is an iphone plus.

 Still looking for presents

Emmy kickboxing

 This baby makes everyone happy!

 Molly in her new blue nightgown with a Nerf 

gun in her hand.  The kids had more Nerf gun 

wars today.

 Anna and James 

 The packages are taking over the room.

 

For dinner we had ham, rolls, cranberry celebration, green beans, yams, scalloped potatoes, stuffing and chocolate cake.

Jared got a blu-ray movie, "Guardians of the Galaxy" and since we don't have a blu-ray player he and Darrel decided to drive into Walmart and get one.  I told them I didn't think it was open but Jared said he checked online and it was.  They drove all the way into Show Low and Walmart was closed.  They did a little shopping at CVS but no blu-ray player.  

It was a very nice Christmas day but by the end of it I was feeling pretty miserable.  Not only is my arthritis bothering me, but I think I am getting bronchitis.

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

"My family knows that just before Christmas I will read again my Christmas treasury of books and ponder the wondrous words of the authors.  First will be the Gospel of Luke, even the Christmas story.  This will be followed by a reading of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens and, lastly, rereading The Mansion, by Henry Van Dyke."
-Thomas S. Monson

I made french toast for breakfast and afterwards I went back to bed because I wasn't feeling well.  

The kids had a great time playing with the Nerf guns.  They had a war upstairs.  Once James Hayden was in "prison", the closet and was waiting to be freed.  In the meantime the kids quit playing and didn't tell him so he sat in the closet another 15 minutes before he realized the game was over.

Jared brought his computer and we found some more family names to do temple work.  He also found some names for the Trezise's.

 Jared offered to take his kids to a movie because it is a Wallen family tradition but none of them wanted to go.  He and Trina did take them up to the pit and the swing.  The weather was sunny and quite warm.  Darrel was at work until 6.  

In the valley Sheri took her kids and a few extras on her traditional Christmas Eve hike up A mountain.  Trina and her kids usually go to but this year she had to settle for the pit.

 Evan doing a little "deep thinking" near

the top of the mountain.

Trina made chicken taquitos for dinner.  They were delicious!

We had a little program this evening with the kids, a special F.H.E. First Rowan played "Deck the Halls" on the piano.  Next Addy and Emmy played "Silent Night."  Addy was on the guitar and Emmy on the piano.  Addy played another song on the guitar and James H. played "Carol of the Bells" on the piano.  Molly & Ruby sang "Let It Go."  I told the story, "Trouble at the Inn."  

The kids all got to open their pajamas from their parents and their blankets from us.  It was a fun Christmas Eve.

 Rowan playing "Deck the Halls"

Emmy and Addy playing "Silent Night"

Addy looks so serious.

James playing "Carol of the Bells"

It was awesome!

Love those blue eyes!

Molly is quite the performer.  Ruby was a little

shy and therefore a little silly.

These two cuties love each other!

 Molly showing off her bandaged chin.

These two love each other too!

They slept together in the "loft".

Is Trina taking a selfie with her new iphone6 plus?

A picture of Anna with her new blanket,

and Rowan in his new pajamas.

Lola waving goodnight to everyone.