Christmas Eve Activities

We had such a grand Christmas Eve. All our family was here. It was like a little bit of heaven on earth, plus the chaos. Scott and Lacee brought over their flatbed trailer with bales of hay, we bundled up the kids and went caroling to a few homes in the ward. The weather cooperated, but it was still cold when we were moving. The kids sang their little hearts out too. To tell you the truth, this was the only way Nick could get us to go caroling was to go on a hay ride. Well, that's not the complete truth, there are some of us that like it, but everybody loved it with the hay! Thanks Scott! Here are some pictures: We ate after we came back from caroling, our traditional soup bowls, ham, twice baked potatoes and strawberry cream dessert (which, BTW, we forgot to eat). We always eat by candlelight and I bought the little battery candles for the kids tables. Out front of our house loading up for the hay ride.

Kim is a little trooper...here she is with Clay and 7 1/2 months pregnant!

Back at the house, little Elle enjoying the singing during the program.

Kate and Landon protraying Joseph and Mary. Notice the little teddy bear wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Here is Amanda as the star holder and our little angels and sheperds.

After the nativity we had several musical numbers. Here is Amie and Brion. All the girls and women sang a song as did the men.

Here are the men. Spencer was in the other room having a terrible time with his sinuses.

Emmie playing a christmas song. She forgot her music book, but did it from memory.

After the program we gave our Spiritual gifts that is a tradition. This year we gave all the grandchildren pictures of Jesus and CTR rings. We gave each family a Webb Articles of Faith nicely matted and framed. Let me tell you about this. Nick rides the bus nearly every day to work. While he rides he studies the scriptures and he decided to study the 13 Articles of Faith. While he was studying and re-memorizing them he thought it would be nice to write some articles of faith for our family...things that we believe in. So he did and I thought they were so impressive that we gave them to each family. They are really and truly inspirational. Well, we hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and we also hope you have an exciting and productive New Year!

Beautiful Sight!

When I went into my mission on Wednesday morning I had to stop and take in this beautiful sight. I walked past the front of the R.S. building and then I turned East just South of the building and this is what I saw. I must have stood there for 5 minutes enjoying it. I'm thankful for this beautiful earth the Lord made for each of us.

Zion's at Thanksgiving

We had our thanksgiving dinner with our family the Saturday before Thanksgiving because it was an "away" thanksgiving. So, Nick, Brett and I made reservations down in Zion's (actually Springdale) to stay and do some hiking in the park. We left on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, drove down and had a wonderful time. We had our Thankgiving dinner at the Switchback which was in the hotel we stayed in. Needless to say, it was fantastic! Prime rib, salmon, turkey, ham, real potatoes, asparagus, all kinds of fruits and veggies and all different kinds of pies. It was a buffet, so Brett was sure happy about that. In the evenings we went to some movies in Hurricane and just really enjoyed being down there. We are definitely going to do this again for Thanksgiving on an away year. You could drive your own car into the park, which you can't during the summer season, which was really nice. Here are some pictures: I thought the jet airplane was beautiful in the blue skies. It was so clear, but cold. This was hiking to the mouth of the narrows.

This is the outside of our hotel with the beautiful red mountains behind. We just couldn't get enough of the gorgeous landscape.

These Rocky Mountain goats were right off the road. There were about 6 of them and it is amazing how they climb.

I like this picture. This is Brett after a climb up a steep sandstone rock to the weird looking pillars (they are called hoodoo's).

Nick and I in the narrows. It was pretty icy on the path and took us a while to get there, but it was worth it. It was so wonderful to take time off and just relax and have a good time, which we did. Thanks Nick and Brett for making it so much fun.

Inner City Project Christmas Fireside

Last Friday night (December 3rd) Nick and I went to the Inner City Project Christmas meeting in SLC. Elder Ballard was speaking and we were quite excited. We got there early so we could get a good seat. Elder Ballard's talk was so wonderful. He told of when he and Sister Ballard were in Belgium a few years ago. There is a very busy place called "The Grand Place" in Brussels where there is wall to wall people. Elder Ballard was in the mission home when four brand new missionaries were going to this grand place and he suggested that they ask people what they think of God. He told the mission president to let him know what was said. He read the statistics of these conversations. Three people said, "I don't care". Several said, "There is no God." One said, and I thought this was interesting, "I'm a Jew, I don't believe in religion." Several said, "God is nature". Some said, "I don't have time for God." Only two said, "I worship and love Him."

Then Elder Ballard went on to say he and his wife just went up to Cache Valley to watch their grandchildren in the primary program. Then he read one of the songs that they sang, which I think many of us know:

How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?
He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way.
What does he ask? Live like his Son.

He went on to say if we were to ask LDS children about God they most likely would say something like this:

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.

I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words
Before it grows too late.

I am a child of God.
Rich blessings are in store;
If I but learn to do his will,
I’ll live with him once more.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

Millions and millions of people in the world don't know who God is and our relationship to Him, and yet LDS children all over the world know who He is. The world can learn a lot from little children.

It was a wonderful night, filled with the sweet spirit of the Holy Ghost.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since it is an "away" thanksgiving for our kids we had our annual thanksgiving dinner on Saturday the 20th. I don't know what it is about thanksgiving, but I love every bit of it. I love the shopping for the food, cleaning the house, baking, cooking, setting the tables, the smell of turkey baking, just everything! We had to make a couple of adjustments on the table arranging. Emmie and Logan got to eat on the big table as there wasn't enough room on the two little tables. They thought that was pretty cool. Here is a picture of one of the kids' tables. Notice the little name plates. Kimmy made those a few years ago. They are little pumpkins with wire to hold the name. Cute right? We eat on paper plates (we only eat on my nice china on Christmas Eve), as it is easier to clean up because we have some activities after we eat. I will let you in on a little secret....whoever invented paper plates, cups, utensils, I am going to give a BIG kiss in the next life!This is sure a motely crew (except for the girls). I had to talk my head off to get a picture of the whole family. I mean it is only once a year. I told them to just buck up and deal with it!

After dinner we always put together gingerbread houses. Here is Jarom and Scott holding their babies while their wives and kids make them in the kitchen. They are watching football, trying to teach their daughters the ins and outs of the game.....notice the girls are sound asleep, hee, hee.

Here is Brett and Amanda trying to figure out how to put together their gingerbread tree.

Adrien and the girls--

Amie and the boys. I don't know where Lexie was--

Poor Dax and East. Their house just couldn't stand up. Lacee just stepped away for a second and the house came tumbling down...was it built on sand, I wonder? Actually, the gingerbread houses were a bust this year. There was only one that stayed up. Next year we are going to be armed with a GLUE gun!

Now for the exciting pie contest. We had 10 (TEN) entries this year. The first year I think we only had 4. This is such a huge competition. It starts the first of October with smack talk over e-mail..."I found the best pie"..."Yours will taste like dirt compared to mine" etc. There is a lot of time and money (Nick and his $40.00) put into these pies. I tell you people this is a HUGE competition. Anyway, Emmie, Allie and Kate made a pie this year. It was a smore pie. Crust was graham cracker filling was chocolate and it was topped with melted marshmellows. Logan made a Lemon Merange (Amie helped) and Landon made a banana cream pie. Brett made a banana cream pie, Jarom made a delicious apple carmel coconut pie, Scott made a cream pie (sorry Scott I can't remember what kind of cream), Kim made a chocolate cream pie, Brion made a really good pie (sorry, Bri I can't remember what it was, hee, hee) and Nick's was....are you ready...it is called "Triple Threat Coconut Cream Pie". I handed out pieces of paper and everyone voted for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd favorite taste and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for presentation. Then I was chosen to add all the points up. The only reason I was choosen (Amanda helped too) was because nobody trusted anybody else to count! This is the point system. 3 points for 1st, 2 points for 2nd and 1 point for 3rd. Here are some pictures:

The cutting was tricky. We just ended up spooning some onto our plates. When we were tasting them, there were a few remarks: "Well, that one didn't taste very good" and little Landon said, "Boy after that pie, I'm gonna need a drink of water!" Both of these statements were out of the mouth of babes, so you know it was the truth! Actually, I didn't think there was a bum in the lot, they all tasted good to me.

And the winner of the best tasting pie----

Brion found this bakers hat and had it engraved with this:

He bought another bakers hat and had the winner as presentation, which was Kim. Her pie beat every other pie on presentation hands down! She got 31 points! Anyway, Kim, Spencer and Clay had to go home right after dinner because Spencer's sister and her family were coming up from Cali. Afterwards we played the Battle of the Sexes games (the girls won, of course) and then we looked out the window and saw snow flying. The kids and the guys hurried out and made this snowman before they left.

It was a fantastic thanksgiving. It couldn't have been better. Everyone was there including my mom, which makes Nick and I feel so grateful. We love to be together. I think heaven is a little bit like our day on Saturday. May all of you have a wonderful thanksgiving this year and be sure and thank the Lord for His bountiful blessings!

Fall Pictures

Before Thanksgiving I thought it would be nice to just post some pictures from this fall- Here is Clay eating. He wasn't too happy with Grammy. This is Allie on her last soccer game. She really is a dandy soccer player. She focuses really hard and gets in there and takes the ball away. Notice her pink cleats.

Here is Logan's flag football team. They were awesome. It was so fun to watch.

I had to put this picture in. Nick, Brett and I drove down to Snow College (in Ephriam) to watch one of our friends play football. This is what we ran into on the road outside of Ephriam. Only in rural Utah :)

One Sunday a month we gather together as a family at each others homes and have dinner and FHE. This one was really special. Nick didn't have really anything prepared for the lesson so he asked the grandchildren one by one to come up and tell all of us what they think about Jesus. Some said, "I know He loves everyone." "I feel good when I think of Him." "He is my friend." After they were done, Nick bore his testimony and turned the time over to the rest of us if we wanted to say anything. It was really inspirational and very heartwarming. This is Allie and Papa

After FHE we took the kids out to the garden and let them pick a pumpkin that Papa had grown. This is Allie and Kate with Allie's pumpkin.

Dax needed help with his big pumpkin so Logan was to the rescue.

Dinner time--Logan, Dax, Landon, Easton

I guess the next post will be of our Thanksgiving dinner. It will be the 3rd Annual Pie Contest this year and there is already some smack talk over e-mail about who is going to win. Nick has been searching on the internet for a good sounding pie, but he hasn't found one he likes yet. Keep lookin' honey....someday you will win the coveted trophy!!

Introducing Elle Nicole

Here is our little Elle Nicole (pronounced 'L'). Boy she is as cute as a bugs ear (do bugs have ears? If they do they must be cute!). She was born last week and I had the opportunity to go down and watch her sisters while J&A were in the hospital. When Jarom called and told the girls she was here I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude that she was born healthy. I said, "Girls, I think we need to kneel down and thank Heavenly Father for your sister." Allie, who is normally shy, said, "Yes, that's a good idea and I will say the prayer." She gave the sweetest prayer of thanks for her sister and that her mom was okay too. I felt a little heaven on earth right then. Emmie and Elle

My mom and Elle

The happy family, (Jarom was taking pictures so he wasn't in this one).

LJW

It seems like just yesterday Lexie was this age..... Now she looks like this. Where did the time go?

Look at that little face. She looks just like her dad at this age, except she has her mother's beautiful eyes. She is a sweet little gal. Whenever we have a visit she is so generous with her hugs. Even Brett gets loves when she comes (he loves it too). She really tries to keep up with her brothers and she does a pretty good job. She is happy when she has a baby in her arms though, but she likes to play trucks as well. We love you Lexie more than tongue can tell!

The Great Duck Hunt

I have these backwards...this is Logan on the way home, poor tuckered out little hunter Landon and Logan in their camo outfits (do we say outfits, I can hear Nick laughing right now)

Brion and his boys

The whole gang with ten ducks (Brion shot most of them) Logan has one in his hands as well as Landon.

The opening day of the duck hunt is always exciting. They met up in Bountiful and then drive on up to Willard Bay. At the stroke of 7:30 a.m. the ducks didn't know what hit them as guns were shootin' and ducks were flappin'. I'm glad I didn't go :) Nick likes to go, I think, just to be with the boys, should I take that personally? I mean, I can whip up a pan of brownies quick as a wink. Let's see hummmm....brownies.......ducks.........brownies........ducks. I can't figure it out.

Faces, Faces, Faces

Kate and Allie Lexie with a cup that is about as big as she is. Notice the alpine mountains in the background

Easton and his broken leg--he likes his soccer cast.

Landon, after he took a face dive off his bike onto the road. If this happened to Nick or I we would be in the hospital for a month!

Dax being silly

Clay on our swing set read to go down the slide

And now our dear own Brett. This is a suprise shot I took. He is thinking, "Not now mom!"