December 2023

 December started out with the morning shift Friday and Saturday.  The baptistry has been overflowing.  The youth of our temple district are such a blessing for us.  They come so faithfully.  We have been busy with 6-month trainings and 2-year interviews.  Sunday began the Christmas season with the First Presidency Devotional.  

I received my first Christmas gift from the Parkers, an advent calendar puzzle.

each day I put a section together.  What fun!

Monday, the 5th, was spent getting ready for our 3 morning shifts this week.  We try to get food ready for the week.  This is the full week, with 3 early and 2 late days. Our fireplace started giving off carbon monoxide systems.  It is 27 years old, so we have decided to put in a new one.  On Tuesday we went looking to see what was out there.  It is kind of discouraging.  Nothing is as pretty as the one we have and boy, have they gotten expensive.  We are going to have Kurt Helmer, our gas man, help us find one through his connections. 

The kids invited their Dad to go to the BSU football game with them in Las Angeles, but we were just too tired to even consider it.  But the kids had a wonderful time.  Tracy was not able to join them either.

Justin, Mindi, Jaikka, Ginger and Shayla

BSU was playing UCLA, where Jaikka goes to school.  The first half, while BSU was ahead Jaikka wore the BSU shirt, but during the second half when UCLA was ahead, she wore her school colors😂

 

great photo of three very special young women

December the 18th.  Missing Dad today.  I drove by the cemetery to see if the wreaths had been put on the veteran's graves so I could show Mom when I visited her today. 

 We missed the ward party this year because we were on shift at the temple.  We got some cookies baked and delivered them to our friends and family, served in the temple, watched White Christmas and are ready to celebrate Christmas.  We opened on the 22nd and the 23rd.  The temple attendance has been very light this month, but those who have come have brought a wonderful spirit with them.  

We had our Christmas dinner with Shayla, Justin, Ryanne, Aydan, Janis (Justin's Mom) and Hendryx on the 23rd.  Shayla had asked us to cook arepa's, so we had arepa's, chips & cheese dip, black beans and black berry salad.  We made an apple cake for dessert.  Hendryx was so busy playing with the toys that he forgot to eat. Fisher Price is on its 3rd generation and still a hit!  We had a great visit and didn't even take one foto😞 Sister Petersen would be so disappointed in me!  

Sunday morning, we sang with the ward choir, and it was a wonderful Sacrament Meeting.  Lon had been asked to bare his testimony as part of the meeting and it was a very nice program.  We decided to open our Christmas gifts this evening as we are going to Tracy and Sarah's in the morning and didn't want to take them with us. 

Nice new scarf for my winter coat, money for an electric motor and shirts, thanks Ginger, Debbie and Jaikka

We are headed to another play with Mindi and Justin this spring😊

New shirts, lap quilt (Lon is wrapped in it every night), hats, sweatshirts, thanks Justin and Shayla

New kitchen utinsils, measuring spoons and bowls, thanks Tracy and Sarah

An electric vacuum cleaner, gift cards, cards and tree ornaments and of course new puzzles.  We really felt spoiled and loved.

Merry Christmas! 

It must be Christmas cause the puzzle is completed.  This was so fun!  I will have to package them up in the little boxes for next year.

We went to Tracy and Sarah's at 9am for breakfast and to watch them open their presents.  We took Lon's birthday gifts with us for him to open there.  Happy 74th Birthday Lon!

Tom was so funny.  All he wanted for Christmas was candy, and that is what he mostly got.  When he opened a lego set, he said, "Now I know I am part of the family!"

Chandler was most excited about new snow boots

Ashton got up at 1:30am his time and called so he could watch everyone open their gifts.

Tracy immediately started in on one of his new Lego sets.

We had a great morning with family.  At 2 we left and went to visit with Mom.

Connie and Dennis were there also.  Mom was so excited to show off her family to her friends that she actually went to the Christmas program.  They had live music and a buffet of crackers, cheeses and cookies for everyone.  Connie and I helped fill plates for the people at Mom's table.  Each of the residents were given several gifts from the community.

from slippers to lotions

 It was a nice afternoon.  We got home and either facetimed or texted the rest of the kids. It was a very nice Christmas.  We went to bed early as we are on our 3- morning and 2-night weeks. 

Before we went to the temple on Friday, we attended the funeral for Ferg Camp.  Ferg was the bishop who sent Lon on his mission, and Lon was the bishop who sent Ferg and Merna on their mission.  Such a wonderful man.  He was the town barber for years.  He will be missed.  It was a nice service. 

Sunday the 31st, last day of 2023.  Hard to believe that it is the end of the year already.  Time has flown for us as we have been so busy.  In Sacrament meeting, we did another hymn testimony meeting.  It was great.  We welcomed in the new year about 9pm and went to bed.  We are looking forward to the adventures that are in store for us and our family and friends in 2024. 

Life is good, enjoy each moment as they speed by so quickly.  Good-bye 2023, Hello 2024