Christmas Day!

A fun gift from our kids!

And then more gifts!

Over to the Perrys.  The kids had fun with their new measuring tapes measuring their gifts!

David loves his shopping cart!

We spent part of the day phoning and webcamming with the rest of the family.  I did get one shot with Amanda's family.

Then the Perrys came back for dinner and games.  This one is like Twister but with the alphabet.  The whole family tried it!

Grandpa helped the kids do a floor puzzle of the Book of Mormon!

Then later that night we enjoyed this movie!

I love Christmas!

Christmas Eve!

A festive dinner!

And then a fun program!

The duet

And another duet by Brian and Mark Bean

Hannah singing

Joshua

The games included: Guess What's In the Christmas Stocking, Find the Christmoose, and Christmas Song Charades.

Everyone who participated got a prize!

The chimes

And the Christmas story in word and music

Always a special night!!

Follow The Prophet!

I love listening to our prophet at Christmas time!

This year I heard this quote:

"My Christmas reading each year helps bring to me the spirit of the season. I always read the same three texts and have done so for more years than I can remember. I read once again a very small volume entitled The Mansion, by Henry Van Dyke. Its message always touches my heart. Also, I read the timeless Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Who could fail to be inspired and taught by the changes which come to Ebenezer Scrooge as he is instructed by the ghosts of Christmas past, Christmas present, and Christmas future? Finally, I read from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, where the birth of the Savior of the world is recounted."

I love reading especially at Christmas time!

"A Christmas Carol"  check!

2nd Chapter of Luke     check!

"The Mansion"  never heard of it!

So I decided to check for it on the internet:

I found it online at several locations including here 

and was able to read it while relaxing on the sofa using my Christmas present!

Great message and great technology!

Thanks President Monson and Dan!!

My December!

Here are some images from December 2010!

Working in the Sacramento Temple on the Thursday AM shift!

Having the Hakes girls over for Christmas fun!   (I've been doing this with these same girls for several years now and we all look forward to it.  They are the same ages at Heidi's three oldest girls.)

A short trip to Monterey!

 

Reading some Christmas books!

Including this corny one!



And finishing this one!



 

A great trip to Sea Ranch!

With these special people!  (A full post on this trip to follow!)

Taking our neighbors to see this production of "A Christmas Carol!"

Having fun with the Sunbeams!  These two came by before they left for their Grandma's in Utah.  The photo is fuzzy because they were singing and dancing for me!  I also videoed each of the Sunbeams telling the Christmas story and emailed it to their parents. 

Enjoying all the wonderful programs and messages!

Watched this on DVD--especially loved the organ solo of the Nutcracker and David McCullough's stories of "O, Little Town of Bethlehem" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas!"

And listening over and over to my all time favorite TBC Christmas CD! 

Yummy Dirt!

It's fun having grandchildren close by: Sunday night stories! (Hannah is very happy, not crying)

And birthday parties!
Joshua turned 3 years old yesterday and we were there to help him celebrate!
Hannah was also right there checking out everything he got!

She wrapped this present he is opening and she kept saying: "You're really going to like this one!  You're really going to like this one!"

David wanted to get in on the presents too!

Finally the whole family go into it!

David is anxiously awaiting his turn to play with the new toy!

Vacuuming isn't work; it's fun!

Hannah also had fun trying out the new tools!   Thanks, Joshua, for sharing!

You're how old?

When I first arrived, the kids kept yelling: "The birthday cake is yucky!  It has dirt on it!"
It turned out to be very yummy dirt!  Love those orange construction cones!! 

Only on your birthday do you get to lick the wheels on a dump truck!

Happy Birthday to a special 3-year-old!