Christmas Memories - 2012

 

Christmas Eve in Boise was wonderful as always (though the drive to and from was a little scary with snow, ice, accidents and white knuckles from here to there and back again) with Mindy and David hosting a houseful of family, good food and fun. The cousins loved being together, though we missed Michael's kids who were with Jamie (and coming down with fevers/colds and Michael soon to follow), and Ryan and Julie's family who were at home in Henderson.  

 

 Here is the big girl table with Hannah, Sadie, Kate, and Ellie enjoying  "girl" conversation and time togther.

 The boy table (+ Abby) ate in the living room.  Charlie in front, and clockwise from him is Henry, Abby, William, Miles, Weston and Zach.

After dinner we enjoyed the playing of many of the children's recital pieces, and a nativity program followed with Grampa reading from Luke and the children adding pieces to a nativity set as the story unfolded, sang a few carols, and then we went downstairs for Christmas "Minute to Win it" relay games that Mindy put together.  (She is the best at making any gathering a PARTY!)  I offered a group Russian dance (Nutcracker) and pipe chime carols which didn't turn out too well as two of the main "pipes" were missing, and most of the children were completely confused (a little too young yet).  A spontaneous marshmallow war broke out which sent most of the girls running, myself included!  We ended early enough to allow families to get home and finish up Christmas preparations.  It was a great Christmas Eve...thanks Mindy!!!!

 We all know what is about to happen in this picture......THE JINGLE BELLS PARADE! ... It's at least a 100 year old tradition as it was in place before my Dad was born.  And he would have been 107 this Christmas and soon 108 (Jan. 4).   It would be great to learn who was the very first to start this which other distant cousins call the Christmas Parade.   Very fun and builds the anticipation and excitement of Christmas morning!!

After seeing what Santa brought and watching the kids open their presents at Mindy and David's, Bill and I went over to Adam's to see what their kids received this year.  Sadly, I didn't snap a family picture (Steph took this one on her phone and passed it on to me later),  but the the kids  were all tidied up with their new stash of treasures on their beds to show us.  The big gifts for  all the big girls this year were tickets to the Justin Beiber concert (teen idol) on Jan. 5 here in Salt Lake...so we'll have another party at our house SOON!

Next we dashed to Michael's house to be there when he arrived with his kids and join in the parade with Ava, Parker and Mason and the excitement of round two!  Their big gifts were a guinea pig named Max (tucked in Mason's hoodie) and roller blades.  Cute kiddies!

For Christmas dinner I whipped up a big pot of white chicken chili and we took that over to Adam and Steph's for a quick, easy dinner.  Steph added a delicious cheese platter and special soft drinks and we ate everything down to the last bean.  The boys played basketball for two hours in Adam's "gym"...Zach teamed with Will, and Parker with Weston...fun to see the big and younger boys have such a great time together.  (Mason and Michael stayed home with the gamboo..crumby time to be sick.)

  Earlier in the month I had watched Julie Andrews tell of her family tradition of "tree gifts" which are one present everyone saves to open until the last thing Christmas night.  They open their gifts and sip hot cocoa...sounded nice, so Mindy thought she would try it.  Everyone saved one gift for Christmas night, but as it turned out, the adults still had most of their gifts to open.  So after returning to Mindy's in the evening, the kids opened their "tree gift" and then watched the adults open several gifts...not so interesting for them, but really nice for us to open without the  excited chaos of Christmas morning.  It was a wonderful Christmas!  We love being with our family and as always, are grateful for Mindy who is our family party planner!  She always makes gatherings special, warm and wonderful!  Thanks, Sweetie!  XO



As 2012 comes to a close I know that I have, for the most part, only documented activities and gatherings of our wonderful family.  But I have omitted quieter thoughts not so easily illustrated with photos of smiling children and happy times together.  So let me add here, during this beautiful Christmas season, a few more reflective thoughts and feelings.

My grandchildren are very aware that Christmas is the time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, but they are also very aware that it is the time when Santa Claus brings them gifts, and they may give a lot of thought to all the possibilities and carefully make their lists of things they want, and then excitedly await Santa's arrival and the jingle of his bells on.....Christmas Eve!...The night of the extraordinary new star, the night of the angel choir's hosannas, and the night of a precious baby boy's birth in a manger...the very real gift of Christmas! 

The older I get, the less I appreciate Santa Claus who brings us presents which soon become obsolete, tossed aside and forgotten, and the more I appreciate our Savior who gave us his life!  Our Savior's gifts are lasting!  He gives us the gifts of forgiveness, comfort, joy and eternal life!  He has given us the truths and ordinances of his restored gospel, including the gifts given us in the temple where we learn of Him and His infinite atonement as it is symbolically represented in everything we do there!  We have the gifts of scripture and revelation through prophets, and personally, through the Holy Ghost, to give us inspiration and direction on our journey back to our Heavenly home to live with our Father and our families forever!  These and many more are the true gifts of the Son of God and perhaps what we should give more thought to on the Night of Nights!

One of our Christmas cards received this year said, "The gift of Christmas is a precious reminder that we are loved!"  I loved that message.  For God loved us so much that he sacrificed his only Begotten Son, His only perfect Child, so that ALL of his children could be partakers of His Son's grace and return to live with him forever!  We owe our Savior EVERYTHING!  I love Him.