What I learned on Christmas

There have been so many special blessings
that have happened this Christmas and would
take 9 years to explain it all, but I want to testify
of God being aware of us and our desires.

This year I really wanted to focus on Service and what
we could all do to make a difference in someones life.

I, like my mom, have this perfect
picture of what "service" looks like.
It's rosy! Really rosy!
Everyone is happy and holding hands, smiling,
so willing to make someone's life easier.

It just did not happen that way and never does.
And probably never will, but I learned, as I have
before, about being a friend and that is one of the
best things to do for someone. No judgments, just love.

My husband was feeling a little overwhelmed at
Christmas with so many people in need. And I felt
so much trust that Heavenly Father would let us
know what to do to help and we just ended up in
the right places at the right times on
Christmas Day and the two days before Christmas.
I feel so blessed, and am so willing to do what ever
I need to do to be an instrument
in God's hands to help Him help others.

On Christmas Adam,(the day before Christmas Eve)
when my kids and I and some other families
went to a care center to sing Christmas songs to the
residence there, Lills, my 6 year old reported,
"My heart just feels so good! D
doesn't your heart feel good too?"

My heart felt so good too because that's what
loving and serving others and Trusting God feels like.
I dont ever want that feeling too far away from me.

My picture of service has had a paradigm shift.
It's crazy and the kids complain and it will always
be inconvenient but after, even if the kids
won't admit it, it changes us for the better.
Love to all of you!
Kelly

Christmas Eve: Cowboy Clause

Look who surprised us today! Cowboy Clause!

The kids were so excited. They wanted to see her eat
so we surprised her with an apple treat!

Then she started trimming our lawn!

What a Christmas treat!

Christmas Adam

note: this picture has nothing to do with my post, but seriously, isn't that a precious sight?

Two posts in one day????
I know.... it's weird, but today
is Christmas Adam!
You know, the day before
Christmas Eve!

We love Christmas Adam
especially this year
because we've come up with
a new tradition!
And it's been great!!!!

We've made Christmas Adam
a day of service.
It feeds our spirits and helps
us feel our saviors love for us!

So today, we played with Seth. He's two and
has a new baby sister. He doesn't quite understand
what's going on and doesn't like it one bit.
His mom had a C-section and can't sweep, mop or
vacuum so we did it for her.
Can I have a vacuum like hers Santa?
Girls like to chat so we did that for a while too!

Then we(my family and some of our friends and their families)
went to Mountain Something-r-uther
Care Center and sang to the residence there.
It was so fun. Lills and D were singing their
hearts out and I think I was too. :)
I got so into it and so did our audience.
They sung with us and clapped to the beat
and directed us like we were a real choir.
Lills feels like a million bucks and D made a
new friend. A.J.

We talked to a few of the women there.
One lady(the one directing us) is 95 yrs old
and she plays the piano. Another lady
was admiring Lills' sweatshirt
with penguins on it!
(Thanks Meg)

Well, tonight the boys are going to watch
a football game. Who's playing anyway?

And us girls are checking out some
sweet shops.

We all hope you have a great
Christmas Adam! We are sure having a time of it!

Christmas Bliss

Here is another post Tami! Are you happy!

It's Christmas time and even T Jr. is choosing
to listen to Christmas music in the car.
It's a miracle!

Well, a few weeks ago we had our annual
Christmas tree decorating ritual.
As I'm sure most of you do.

It was relaxing! Seriously, it was!
Why was it so calm you ask????

Well, it's quite simple,
I was not in charge of the ornaments.
I gave the box to the kids and let
them go to town...by themselves.
I just watched and enjoyed it.

E refused to be in the family picture! So, this is him hiding!

The End!

I'll get you up to date: It's been 18 wonderful years

It was our 18th anniversary at the end of Sept.
Aunt Tami took the kids and we relaxed together.
We went hiking up Bridal Vail Falls.
It was sad to see it so run down. But the falls
were breathtaking.

We walked to and from our van on this beautiful trail.

We ate Korean, visited a tree house museum, went home,
watched a movie and..... ;)

Next morning we went to the Farmers market
and bought the best apples.

Had lunch at Groves.
Look at that bad boy!

And here is the happy couple!

It was fun to spend some time together.

The Miracle of Spontaneity : A Picture Essay

Pemican

It really is yummy!

A bunch of Beef Jerky chopped in little pieces

A bunch of dried fruit chopped in little pieces

(you can use any kind of friut)

Mix together.

Put on an Indian outfit and give your-

self an Indian name.

Sit in Indian style in a patch of nature.

Enjoy the Pemican as you listen to all the

sounds.

Write in your journal about your experience! :)

P.S. I wrote a post about our US History Co-op

and in ended up under my conference post.

enjoy!

Conference!

I love Conference weekend so much. It's
so relaxing.

My daughters and I were able to go to the
Saturday Morning Session together.
We rode Trax. That was exciting.
The girls had the most fun putting the money

in the machine to get our tickets.

Our change came out in dollar coins!
Ahhh simple pleasures. :)
Riding the train was half the fun.

This was just as we came into the Conference Center

Elder Uchtdorf was our favorite speaker but the
other talks were wonderful too.

What I took from what I heard and saw:

Labor/hard earned achievement creates self worth

Simplicity is ultimate Sophistication

It really does make a difference when you sing smiling.

I am known and individually loved by God.
(I dont think I ever get tired of hearing that!)

"Because of your faith ________ (insert your name)
my joy is full." and then He wept!

"Hold my hand and we will go through this together"

"Dont be afraid to act as the spirit prompts you.
You may feel awkward but you will gain confidence."

"Be still and know that I am God!"

Through every talk, song, prayer seek for personal answers.

Go to bed early; get up early; feel invigorated.

"Be of good courage; be not afraid; for I am with thee."
Have courage in my parenting!

Opening your heart and talking to people is fun.
I met a man on the train who told me his wife just
bought aerosol pancake mix.
A couple on the train were excited to come home
to pancakes that were prepared for them to eat
for lunch.
A young man was so excited about hearing Elder
Uchtdorf speak because he was his favorite.
One lady fluttered her eyebrows
(not eyelashes, eyebrows!)
at her man so fast it made me giggle.

What did you love about conference?

US History Co-Op

This year my friend Heather and I and the kids get

together to do some fun learning.

US History. It's great fun for the kids.

I have so many pictures on my camera in a

different sphere. It's wierd I know. So, for

now I will post what I have.

Here, we are making faces for our totem poles.

We learned all about the indians. We made costumes

for the kids all adorned with pretty beads and moccasins

to boot. We played in a Teepee and learned a real

indian song. We each had our own indian names too.

We learned about Christopher Columbus and

put on a play about him coming to The New World.

At the end of September the older kids gave their reports

and the little kids sang a very nice song about the

Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.

October is the month about Jamestown,

Puritans, Pilgrims, and the start of our great

country. So much sadness and some happy times too.