Sunday, December 24, 2017

~i hear those sleigh bells ringing II

Family at a Christmas Cabin 2017
Christmas Nativity Game The kids had to get used to the idea of 
passing the gifts around instead of opening 
them right when they received them!



Jamis was our camera man after the twins were snuggly in their beds!
I enjoy this game as it is a fun precursor to reading from Luke about the events leading to that most glorious occasion; the Saviors Birth!  I've included it here just in case you'd like to use it (or if I lose it again 😉).
Christmas Nativity Left/Right Game
In those days, Caesar Augustus decided to count everyone LEFT living in the whole Roman world. Joseph LEFT, taking Mary with him RIGHT to his town of Bethlehem to register.When they arrived, there were no rooms LEFT. All of the inns in Bethlehem were RIGHT full. There was just nowhere LEFT for them to stay. Finally, someone offered to let them stay RIGHT in their stable.Mary was pregnant and while in Bethlehem the RIGHT time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a boy RIGHT there. RIGHT there in a Bethlehem stable, the Savior of the world was born. Mary wrapped him with LEFT over strips of cloth and laid him RIGHT in a manger.Some shepherds who lived RIGHT near Bethlehem, were out at night RIGHT in their fields watching over their sheep. RIGHT then, they saw a bright light. The light was so bright that they had to close their eyes. When they opened them again, a beautiful angel was standing RIGHT in the sky RIGHT above them with his arms LEFT opened wide. The shepherds looked RIGHT at each other and were LEFT feeling very afraid. Then the angel spoke RIGHT to them. "Do not be afraid. I'm RIGHT here to bring you the good news LEFT for all people. Today RIGHT in Bethlehem a baby has been born, He is the RIGHT one, the one that will save the world. You will know the RIGHT baby because He will be LEFT wrapped in cloths, and laying RIGHT in a manger.” RIGHT then, a large group of angels appeared RIGHT there, and they said, "Glory to God, and peace be to all people LEFT on the earth." The shepherds were LEFT amazed and excited. They had to go RIGHT away to see this baby the angels were talking about. They LEFT as fast as they could, and soon found Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus RIGHT were they angels said they would be. The shepherds fell RIGHT to their knees when they saw Jesus, and were LEFT filled with joy that they had found the Savior. They stayed for a short time and then LEFT . As soon as they LEFT they began shouting RIGHT in the streets and telling everyone LEFT in town about what they had seen. RIGHT after Jesus was born, wise men traveling RIGHT on their camels noticed a very strange star RIGHT in the sky. They knew that the RIGHT One who would save the world had been born.RIGHT away King Herod got very worried. He assembled all of the important people LEFT in the area and asked them where this baby had been born. The people replied, "RIGHT in Bethlehem." RIGHT then King Herod called the wise men to meet with him RIGHT away. He asked them to go and find the child RIGHT away. “RIGHT as soon as you find Him,” he said, “ tell me, so that I can go to Him RIGHT away and worship Him." After the wise men spoke to the King, they LEFT to find the baby. They didn't know RIGHT where the He was, but followed the star LEFT in the east until it hung RIGHT over the place where Jesus was. When they found Jesus, and they bowed RIGHT down and worshiped him. RIGHT after that, they opened the gifts they had brought Jesus... gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then they LEFT to find a place to sleep for the night. That night the wise men all had the same dream RIGHT as they were sleeping. They were not to go RIGHT back and tell King Herod where they had found Jesus. King Herod wanted to kill Jesus because he was jealous of Him. So, the wise men LEFT for home another way so that Herod would not know the RIGHT direction they had come from. They also decided RIGHT then that they would not tell King Herod anything about what they had seen. When the wise men LEFT, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Arise, take Jesus and Mary, and run RIGHT to Egypt. Joseph got up RIGHT away and woke up Mary. She quickly picked Jesus RIGHT up and they LEFT in the middle of the night for Egypt where they would be safe. RIGHT after King Herod died an angel appeared again RIGHT away to Joseph and told him to go RIGHT to a place called Nazareth. And that's RIGHT where Jesus grew up.

~i hear those sleigh bells ringing

Family at a Christmas Cabin 2017
The Arrival, Dinner and the Nativity
Since we thought we were going to be in India on our mission this year we didn't reserve an Airbnb
for our Christmas Family Reunion until late in the season.  The home we did get was a
bit older than the last one but it ended up being spacious and perfect for us!
Bill and I arrived early and found a few little creature droppings throughout the kitchen.
We went to the store and got some contact pape and did a major clean-up!
The weather was gorgeous, snowy and cold.  Our driveway was super steep and
when Jamis and Marcie arrived they had to put chains on their tires just to get
up the driveway (Robbie helped gun it up until it got stuck half way up)!

Everyone arrived at different times so we got to greet each group as they trickled in which
was such fun.  Kelli organized a schedule for dinner assignments and the first couple
days Kelli, Lindsay and I got the kitchen in order and helped each other with the food.





It was so wonderful having family dinners;
sitting around, visiting and eating great food prepared by . . . everyone!
Mary and Joseph discussing their scene with the angel and baby Jesus listening in!



Loved that Robbie volunteered to play a wiseman as we were a little short on participants!


Christmas Eve is always the best night of the Christmas Season! I love to hear
Bill read from the scriptures the account of the Savior's Birth and the
reenactment by our children and now our grandchildren of that beautiful event.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

~welcome, welcome Sabbath morning

We went to church with Willie, Grace, Sadie and Isla!  It was a beautiful day and all the meetings were especially wonderful! During Sacrament Isla shared her stickers with the family down the row!
Sadie concentrated on putting her stickers in her sticker book!
After church Sadie and I were comparing our "cool" (warm) boots!

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand

October 25, 2017
A wonderful visit with Willie, Grace, Sadie and Isla!
It's always so fun visiting with Willie and Grace!  
The girls are at such a fun age and are very entertaining!
Isla is sitting on the Barbie horsey;
she will make due with whatever it takes to keep up with Sadie!
We brought the girls their Christmas presents early so they could enjoy them before all the mountain of presents they'd be getting at Christmastime arrived!  
Some fancy princess crowns and high heels.  I remember having 
these same shoes and they were as cool back then as they are now!
And some furry friends.
A little shopping!

Grace is an incredible Mommy, she is  so kind and 
patient with the girls (and they have such fun with her)!
The girls are getting Daddy ready to go out to dinner!
Dinner at Cafe Rio!