Hats, Hats, Hats!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. This year for Christmas, our missionary, Lyle, sent us all these great hats from Madeira. We just had to pose with them on. We actually wore them when we went to look at Christmas lights one night. There is this great house that you have to get out of the car and walk around because it has so many neat things to see. The weather was freezing and our hats kept us nice and warm. Of course our jackets and gloves helped as well...
We spent the holiday with our kids, grandson, my parents, and my sister. We ate and ate and ate and we STILL have food around. We played almost all our new games - Pictionary, Don't Forget the Lyrics, Trivial Pursuit 80's, Beatles Monopoly - we napped, and we even sang some Christmas carols. We also revealed our Secret Santa's, a tradition we have been sharing with our neighbors, Geri and Kirk Clements and family, for about 7 or 8 years. We enjoyed the story of the birth of our Savior shared once again by our children and we marveled at the love and blessings we have. It has been a truly blessed year.

Elder Nelson turns 20.

Elder Nelson(Lyle) turned 20 on Nov. 28. He is currently serving on the island of Madeira and the missionaries in his area have been 'adopted' by a couple living there from Provo, Utah. Brother Chrisman sent me an email with this picture of Lyle on his birthday. The missionaries in his area gave him a surprise birthday party, the Chrisman's baked him a cake, and I am comforted knowing he was loved and appreciated on this most special day. I am so grateful I have a son who can serve the Lord faithfully and share the gospel with God's children. My life has been blessed because of my son's service. Thank you, Lyle. I love you!

It's December!! The lights are up on the house and we've decorated inside and out. Joshua is enjoying our yard display of the nativity. Christmas music is playing and there is just a wee bit more shopping to do before I can settle back and enjoy the season completely. I love this time of year. I love the smell of our Christmas tree in spite of the fact that it makes my eyes run and my throat itch (Ah, allergies!!!) and the sound of Bing Crosby singing my favorite carols. I love the games we play, the cookies we bake, decorating gingerbread houses, and doing Secret Santa's with our friends. But most of all I love celebrating the birth of our Savior and reflecting on the awesome love of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. My wish for this Christmas season is that we can all become a little closer to them and feel more completely the love they have for each of us. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!