Merry Christmas!!!! . . . for reals!!!

KD, adorned with ornaments, was a common sight this Christmas season. 

That was pretty cute. . . 

but we tried really hard to remember the real reason for the season.

December 23rd, we held our annual friends and family nativity.

(Pictures of that night have yet to be uploaded.  These are from our family rehearsal the day before.)

Benny was a lovely shepherd.

Taffy, the angel, with her line, "Feaw (fear) not!" wonderfully delivered.

Jaycie and Caden's parts need no explanation,

and KD totally rocked being a sheep.  She stayed in character the whole time.

Timo was a very reluctant Joseph - as illustrated in his gentleness towards his charge.

Sarah, the beautiful Mary.

We had at least 20 kids participate in the Nativity, with the same amount of spectators, joining together in song between readings.

The next day, Christmas Eve, we took the Nativity on the road to the senior citizen Lutheran home with the help of the missionaries and the Dicksons.

We performed it in two dining rooms there.

A special spirit was present.

During "Silent Night", my mind raced back over my life and the nursing homes I've visited.

I don't remember going to see my great-grandma Minerva Teichert, but I've been told of the visits we made to her and the love my Dad had for her was tangible.

I remember my great-grandpa Childs - mainly because he always surprised me with a swear word or two.  And then there was my great-grandpa Herman Teichert.  I remember feeling his love for us. His was the first funeral I remember attending.  Before he died, we would visit him at his ranch.  My Dad would tell me stories of his childhood and would scare me with stories of the bear rug in the upstairs bedroom.

My great-grandpa Robison was never in a rest home, but we visited him a lot when he came to live with Grandpa and Grandma Farnsworth.  He died in the Provo Hospital when Jeremy was there volunteering in the ER a year before going to medical school. And then there was my great-grandma Florence Robison.  While she was staying with Grandpa and Grandma Farnsworth, I typed her journal.  We became close friends.  When she had to go to a nursing home, we visited her almost every week.  She died a few months after my Dad did.

The faces of my dear Grandpa Bob and Grandma Marjorie Teichert flashed across my memory.  We had the blessing of having them come to live with us for a short time while we lived in Vegas.  After they left our home, Grandpa (a great man who learned, did, and became) died in a rest home.  We visited Grandma a few times in her nursing home before she also died.  It was so hard to leave whenever our visits had to end.  She was the epitomy of love.  I wasn't able to see my Grandma Glenona Farnsworth the last few months of her life because of circumstances.  She died at home between sessions of General Conference with a lot of her posterity surrounding her.  I'm kind of glad I only remember her up and constantly puttering around, taking care of somebody.

My Grandpa William Farnsworth is the last of my grandparents still alive.

He just moved to an assisted living center a couple of weeks ago.

How I love him.  How I love them all.

I'm grateful for parents who taught me how to love people who are at the end of their lives.  Those who have been dealt a difficult last trial - to help us remember that moments and blessings we take for granted should be held dear.

After rendering the nativity, it was a beautiful Christmas Eve as we talked with these dear folks,

seeing their eyes light up as they held KD's hands and listened to Jaycie's violin and felt Jeremy's warm handshake.

Later, the missionaries joined us for dinner. . .

. . . and surprised every member of our family with gifts.

We will not easily forget Elder Poore and Elder Jerome.

The kids were eager for bed that night.

But first we had to put out the candles.

The little girl's slept in a fort down in the basement. . . 

. . . while magic swirled in the living room.

These cute, patient kids stayed in the basement until 8:30 a.m. when Jeremy and I finally awoke to come get them.

It was a Merry Christmas indeed.

p.s. The day after Christmas, we did the Nativity one more time at the Veteran's Home.

It was a good reminder to us all that we don't just have to celebrate the birth of our Savior on Christmas Day.  We can rejoice in His Gift every day.

Merry Christmas! . . . almost

One of the festivities leading up to Christmas was the "Nativities" display at church.

Close to 500 nativities were set up for all to enjoy.

The kids helped provide music from the chapel that those enjoying the nativities could listen to.

The all-white room was a favorite.

The only sad thing about the whole thing was a huge ice storm hit our area a few days before the displays were open to the public, so not many came.

The next weekend, Jaycie and Caden were in the Madrigal Feaste put on by the high school choirs.

Caden was an urchin (with orange arms) that sang outside the Feaste.

His jr. high choir did a marvelous job and had fun with it - even though it was FREEZING!!!

Inside was much warmer.

Jaycie was a wench who served and danced.

She also was "Discordia", a traveling musician, who played her violin among the dining guests.

She also had the best English accent of all.

We missed her at the ward party because the Feaste was put on all weekend.

The ward party was meagerly attended because of weather worries,

but our kids sure had fun.

Caden almost took our Jeremy when Jeremy was trying to make him sit on Santa's lap.

I guess 13 yr. old boys don't have to do that if they don't want to.

The three families worth of children that showed up - the Bradys, Leckies, and Bairds.

While the older kids and I were at a seminary activity, Jeremy took the three little ladies and Timo on the Christmas train.  They had a fabulous time - the outing probably deserves it's own post.

At Timo's class party we tied blankets to donate to the children's home here in town,

made ornaments and ate.

Miss Sue captured this favorite pic of mine.

Taffy had just finished p.e. and came to join us in Timo's class.

Sarah had a great time at her party too.

That night she sang her heart out in the 3rd grade music class concert.

Her speaking part was in the song about Mrs. Claus. . . something about her being called "Little Momma".

KD danced a lot and found other amusements during the concert.

We may not have family around, but when we all show up we make a pretty good support system.

(We need to work on getting there all at the same time, though.  It's really embarrassing to save this many chairs in a packed house.)

Merry Christmas!!

JK!

Happy Halloween!

(Christmas to follow shortly)

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit for Caden's birthday and Halloween.

It's very nice when Grandma's around for Halloween because she does all the fantastic makeup.

(even Caden wanted her to work her magic - he sat down when she was packing up after doing the girls, she turned around and realized she had another customer)

KD was a beauty queen witch.

Her eyebrows were her pride and joy.

Taffy didn't want the eyebrows so she ended up looking like a witch more her age, hee, hee.

Sarah was a zombie which turned into a 3-bodied monster. 

These three friends from church wanted to be a 3-headed monster.

They talked it up every week and each of the three moms were wondering how we were going to make it happen. . . but then another girl from church called and said she had made them a 3-headed monster body.  What an awesome friend!!  If you look at Sarah's legs you can imagine how she enjoyed walking at the ward trunk or treat.

Timo was Dr. Who

(we miss the Bowler's)

Caden was Dracula with an interesting twist.

(I can't remember what it was right now - I'll have to ask and get back with you)

And Benny helped the little ladies trunk or treating.

(She was a lovely Katniss at the youth Halloween activity.)

The youth ran games for all the younger children.

Jaycie has found her calling - holding donuts on a stick for people to eat - and wants to pursue teaching in the future.  She is loving little kids.

 Maybe KD should have been Sleeping Beauty instead of a witch, eh?

We had a Halloween game night with Zombie Tag,

(which is awesome when the fog rolls in and you're hiding near the woods wondering if the coyote's are around)

and watched the traditional Disney "Ichabod Crane" while the older kids and dads set up the traditional "Spooky Walk".

It's hard to tell who has more fun with this "Spooky Walk", the participants or those that put it on.

Jeremy was out buying a swamp monster camo suit 15 minutes before the party started.

(Jaycie, Benny, Logan, the boogey man, swamp monster, Reed, camo dad who came out of one of the decorative grasses (scared me!), and Landon.)

Happy Halloween!!

Now on to Christmas. . .