happy Anniversary

*(I know this pic with the girls is outdated but for some odd reason I don't have your wedding picture folder on my computer)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY -Stephen and Nancy -woo woo

what a fun day Dec 27 was 9 years ago--we love you guys and we are so proud of the powerful team that you make together--

*you are wonderful to each other and to your children

*you set your goals and reach them together

*you are the wind beneath each others wings & help each do what needs done

* you are good at including us in your lives and make your extended families more fun

*congratulations on being an example to us and to the youth in your ward that

Marriage is great--just like the proclamation outlines it to be.....love ya

all sort of fun times

lights, fondue, time together, that's what its all about...

what gets me through the year is....

What gets me through the years the the 'ups ' and 'down's of life is knowing that after all my work and my families hard work--that around Christmas time we can be together and relax and enjoy each others company--and that is a bright spot in my year--and a good note to end on

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH OF YOU MY FAMILY

(& TO ANY OTHER FRIENDS WHO HAVE SHARED IN THE BLOG-DIRECTED TO FAMILY)

I just put under my tree--a gift to ourselves (from ourselves) and from Nancy (who spent hours and hours formating the book )

tah da!!!! the gift: --Our first publication of our blog book-

-such a fun trip down memory lane from past posts and it is a fun treasure--

below is a picture of the family away from home (Hayley) and the family gathered together this holiday season--

--a sweet time together time--ginger bread houses --

some of this and that

helper on the tree

ward party-in clothes for the nativity

helping make noodles for turkey soup

just chillin

dad and i at the ward party-in clothes for the nativity

getting wagon ride at wheeler farm

_______________________________________________________________

this has been a fun week--first finishing up school--having brad and kerri and kaci arrive

having a grandma / grandpa sleepover--tending grandkids--riding in wagons at wheeler farm

going to see lights at temple square--just being around the house--eating homemade turkey soup and having a fondue choc. fountain--having neighbors and friends drop by--doing visiting teaching and having others come visit us--getting a jump drive in the mail with lots of wonderful pics from hayley--hearing hunter and all the kids be so excited to go to the temple to see the lights--hearing the cute little things kids say--and how they feel about the anticipation of Christmas and just being around them--all in a a great week--

Feeling "Portugal" with our hats!

We love you Hayley!

Ward party tonight

dear family-remember last year how we had cardboard sheep for our nativity FHE.--well originally
I got the idea from these from Ester Lavoreson who made cardboard cut outs for the primary and then just got some cardboard out of the dumster and made them from scratch--so we we will have our own set now for forever...

its our ward party tonight--pretty exciting for us--as it is one of the few parties we attend in the Season--except our own family on Christmas eve- this year we are dressing up in nativity costumes (which you know I genuinely love to do) and they are using some scenery that I made for our family home evening a while back--so I was glad that It could be used somewhere else too--brighten up and make others remember this wonderful event the birth of our savior

we never posted about our Thanksgiving

although its after the fact--we had a Thanksgiving feast --dad and I and we went all out with all the trimmings--that go along with Turkey--we cooked it together then went for a walk on the parkway--played ping pong and watched a movie "forever strong" then that night Bryan's family and nancy's family--drop by for pie and fun and visiting--A good time was had by all----

we are enjoying the season of winter-really

its pretty with all the snow--I think and dad got to use his snow blower --how much more fun can it get than that? I ask you--

Christmas season-First Pres devotional and...

really enjoyed the first Presidency Christmas devotional --they gave such touching experiences and examples--I also enjoy reading Christmas stories. One very good one that was introduced to me through book club this year was a childrens book called Christmas for a dollar.

I also enjoy listening to dad (bryan) read twas the night before Christmas to the kids as well as reading from Luke the Christmas Story. its always fun to have the grandkids help put up the ornaments on the tree--

Grace Jacobs wedding

this post is mostly for Hayley's enjoyment --but wanted to tell all the family--Sundance is a very beautiful place to have a reception --we had a chance to be invited to Grace jacobs reception --here is a clip of hayley's friends there saying hello--

BYU is Victorious

Dad had such a fun time at the game with Bryan. He was sure excited to be invited to the game. Sorry Nancy, Brad and Hayley it looks like Bryan and his family will be getting the most for Christmas this year.

Lots of Reasons Thanksgiving is among my favorites

although I can't load 31 years worth of pics on--(read below comemorating being engaged 31 years--) I did post some random ones just to emphesize my little spill about the question I posed how we have ever imgined how great these many years would be-I've thought a lot about that lately

Thanksgiving weekend was and always has been among my favorite times of year--for the obvious reasons--of the weekend helping me to settle back and count my many blessings-

Then there is another reason--and that is because

it was Thanksgiving weekend 31 years ago

that Bryan and I were engaged--that was a defining weekend in our lives--how could I know what great blessings would come to us--in the years to come--but It was fun recounting the many blessings in life since that weekend--

to name a a few

our wonderful children

places we've gone together

callings we've served in

the activities we've watched our kids involved in

our jobs

watching our grandkids join in the clan

supporting our extended families

having inside jokes and laughing a lot!

continually fixing up the house together

enjoying the beauties all around us

enjoying the company of our family

drum roll---reflections --we have a winner!!

ANNA, holding two pic--the smaller one was the won she entered in reflections and that was chosen as a winner....

other pics may have showed before --but added again just to show all the kid-0's excitement for dabbling in paint--right now I'm headed back out to the garage to finish painting sheep and cows on cardboard for our little Christmas eve pagent.

drum-roll....ta dah---WE HAVE A WINNER!!

I have always MAINTIANED "we are all winners' so I don't mean to be so excited! but I can't help myself--as our sweet grandaughter wanted so much to win with her entry and low and behold:

she did so kudos to you sweetie--you know I don't take any credit--but can I just add that I was always glad that my parents always provided me with lots of chalk and pastels and brushes and paint and art mediums --and always encouraged me--I too in turn tried to have lots of 'art stuff' around and have done better with my grandchildren than grandchildren--but needless to say--it just tickles me that they all like to get in and 'create' as one of our apostle testify we all like to create in one form or another--all the kids in the family--seem to like to get in and do stuff and it tickles me to see them enjoy it--and if they have the fun of winning a contest along the way--yahoo

THREE wonderful Programs

#1-My heart is all set now in the right place for the Season of the holidays celebration.. How that came to be was by going to the primary program today --in Bryan and Briannes ward--and watching brianne lead the children in such beautiful songs and then watching her lead again in the primary and nurshrey. My heart caught a vision of what a blessing the Savior is in our lives

this was a wonderful follow up to the other primary programs I wrote about in an earlier post.

#2 Last night dad and I my heart was so full of gratitude last night as I saw a music production at the conference center in the little theater. The thing was it was all about the birth of Christ and his resurrection and how the shepherds were anxious to share this good news and how we too –have the joy of sharing that he lives. That he was here on earth and fulfilled his mission and atoned for our sins and he will come again.

and I my heart was so full of gratitude last night as I contiplated these truths I have always felt to be true. It was so pleasant re-counting the events that led up to the Saviors birth--

#3 I hope in some small way our little Christmas Eve pattern--as we hold it each year in the family room with our simple cardboard lamb*see above pics-- and dressing in clothing similar to days gone by to set the mood

and having dad Read from Luke will ever kindle these truths in the hearts of our little ones. as it did last night when I hear music --such as Jesus once of humble birth--and we'll sing silent night and even though I love all parts of Christmas --always know that re-inacting this story is and always will be my favorite part of the holiday--Not surprising as the birth and resurrection of our Lord and Savior are the best accounts of any story ever told in my opinion--

-Lotsa love mom