Catch Me If You Can - Christmas

Colorado was wonderful! We got there on the 23rd and didn’t get home until January 3/4. It was so fun for the kids to play in the snow and feed the deer (They would arrive each evening and let us feed and pet them. Generally they numbered in the 20's with does, baby deer and large bucks.) and have the biggest family Christmas that we have ever had. All of my siblings were able to be there. Even my sister in New York was able to manipulate her plans to spend the holiday’s with us.

We stayed twice as long as anyone else so that made the trips twice as nice. I got to spend time with everyone and then have 5 days just to ourselves. It was truly the best Christmas ever.

We started a new tradition in the family. I bought a couple hundred sheets of gold paper (they are beautiful – they look like gold dust sprinkled over leaves of gold) and everyone emailed me their testimony which I printed onto the gold paper. I assembled a book and surprised my mom with the “Family Gold Plates”. We’ll add the current testimonies each year from now on. There were a lot of tears of the good kind. We also watched the Christmas story through a powerpoint I had worked on and played the parts of the women surrounding Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve. My sister, who has just had her first baby (the cutest Trey ever!!!), played Mary and it was so touching how emotional she got.

It was GREAT!!!!

Two of my sister’s and Annedria’s husband went snowboarding/skiing. They spent the whole day out and I think had a really good time. I helped watch Trey while they were out.

The best thing about the snow I’ve decided … after the morning frost, it sparkles like diamond dust has been lavishly topped over everything! I was mesmerized! We don’t get that effect here. We loved it!!!

So we are back to normal … sort of. Life had to start again, and I am trying to instill some changes. We are going to concentrate on performing more service this year as a family.

I did my first “Children’s Book Reading” for the community this last Saturday. I’ll be doing it every second Saturday of the month. We’ve also have planned on helping at the Care Center at the north of Celina each month and two of each month’s FHE are designated for service. I want the kids to learn to love service and understand the joy that comes through service.

Well, I’ve gone on long enough…



(Grandma.)
(Grandma and Grandpa with Potter.)

(Annedria, Scott and Trey.)

(Shaundra and Ashlyn.)

(Taylor, Liz, Ashton and Peyton.)

(The fam.)

(Colbey)

(Taylor and Liz goofing off.)

(All of the kids and grandkids together.)

(Christmas morning.)

(Ryleigh dressed up as a fairy and Landon showing off his Dance Revolution Game. Colbey's pretty good at it all ready.)

(More Christmas morning. 15 people make quiet the mess!!)

(Just a few of the dear we got to pet and feed each day.)