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Make a Smilebox collage

Tis the season for...talking to the missionary (the last one for the last time!!!)

It's really quite remarkable. LDS missionaries go to serve all over the world, and twice a year they are permitted to call home. Once for Christmas, once for Mother's day. (Rick always thought it was a rip off that they weren't allowed to call home for Father's day, but that is a post for another day.) Anyway, this is our last Christmas call from our last missionary to serve. It's kind of a bitter sweet moment. It's sobering to think of them all alone out in the world somewhere during Christmas time, but at the same time it's wonderful knowing that they are among friends and that they are doing some good. We got to talk to E. Andy for about an hour on Christmas day. He called at 7:00 pm our time which was 10:00 am on the 26th of December for him. It was wonderful to hear his voice and to hear of his love for the Mongolian people and his mission. We talked about our upcoming trip to pick him up in March and made some plans for that trip. He was able to talk to this grandparents Pat and Vern, along with all members of our family, including the two little nieces who could talk.
We're so proud of our missionary son and of the work and great service he has given in Mongolia. We have been greatly blessed as a family to have him serve and we count it a great blessing that we could feel of his love for us, his testimony, his growth and his love of the Savior.
Andy and his companion were able to play Santa with the help of the ward Elder's quorum president. They got some needed items and a few toys to take around to about six different families. He wrote:

This week we also we able to do Christmas gifts for that family
with the kids and the goats. We wanted to do it before my
companion got off his mission so we did it this Saturday.
With the funds we had we were able to do Christmas for 6 families
out in Darkhan. It was awesome and they all really loved it. We
got a horse cart with a driver and we had the Elders quorum
president dress up as Santa. We put the present on a sleigh
and we went to the kids houses and gave them their presents.
They we all so excited and thankful.  It was awesome.

And this:

I am grateful for the Lord and that He allows and encourages
us to sacrifice so that we can get things of more importance.
I am grateful that He knows me better than I know myself and
that He has helped and allowed me to sacrifice my pride as
I have served him here on my mission. I know that if you
sacrifice that you really do receive the blessings 10 fold.
I gave up school and friends and work and family to come here
to Mongolia, but in turn I have been blessed with friends and
an education about life and the gospel and been able to be a
part of the most important work ever as I have served here in
Mongolia. I really am grateful for my call here and for the
people I am able to serve. I came here thinking I would serve
and teach people, but the knowledge and love I have gained
and felt from these people is far greater than anything I
could give them. I also really loved the morning devotional
we had on the morning of Christmas. One of the couple missionaries
gave a talk about Christ and His Atonement. He talked about
how his wife passed away and how at that time in his life he
thought he couldn’t go on living. He said at that time he really
began to understand about the Atonement and its power and how at
those most difficult moments we can and do receive the love
and support of Christ, telling us and assuring us that it will
all be ok, and that He cares and knows and loves us. He talked
about how fragile and difficult life is at times, but how because
of Christ and His Atonement it will all be made right. He talked
about the responsibility we have as missionaries to take that
love and that peace and that knowledge to those around us.
He said that by doing so our lives and their lives will change.
I was so grateful for his words and grateful for the spirit I
felt. When we feel down or tired there is nothing like thinking
about the Savior and His live and Atonement that can renew us
with hope and desire, with a new outlook, with peace and love.
I was really grateful for the talk given by one of our senior
couples, Elder Powell, and how he helped me realize the true
meaning of Christmas once again.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9 : 6)
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.
(Isaiah 53 : 4-5)
And with His stripes we are healed.
(Isaiah 53 : 5)
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Revelation 5 : 12-13)
Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
(Revelation 19 : 6)
The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.
(Revelation 11 : 15)
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
(Revelation 19 : 16)
Hallelujah!

Tis the season for...making a list and checking it twice

I'm a list maker. Have been for many, many years. Write it all down and go after it. Well, I'm happy to say that my list is DONE and it's only December 23. Wow, that is a first. I should get a reward of some sort. This plan just wouldn't be possible for a mother with small children. Not gonna happen, but for me at this stage in life, it's a first. It has never happened and it will probably never happen again.

• shopping done - check
• wrapping done - check
• decorating done - check
• menus planned - check
• food shopping done (two refrigerators and a freezer full of food) check
• neighbor gifts made and delivered - check
• house cleaned top to bottom - check
• gifts mailed - check
• Christmas cards mailed - check
• my work done, year end finished, two week break is here!
• BYU won their bowl game - check
• parties planned and invites out - check
• family activities planned - check
• candy, fruits and nuts put out - check
• service rendered throughout the month - check
• some special surprises accomplished - check
• our missionary packages packed and mailed, cards send to friend missionaries - check
• attended tithing settlement - check
• temple attended - check
• VT and HT done - check
• present game ready - check
• stocking stuffers ready - check
• 60 MTC missionary cards and candy canes delivered - check
• parties, concerts, plays and musicals attended - check
• Christmas music playing constantly - check
• remembering Christ, the reason for the season - check, always.
• in the Christmas spirit - check

Today our family arrives!!! Can I just say how excited I am? That brings me and Rick the MOST JOY!!! Claire and R will be here for 8 days, Jake and Jordan for 5 days and Dave and Courtney for 4 plus days as their time allows. And the four granddaughters, yes, yes, yes, yes they are almost here!!! The Elder calls on Christmas day. Does it get any better than this?

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Merry Christmas to all. And to all, a good night.

Til the season to...eat unusual things

I love to eat all the food items that come along at Christmas time. There are several food items that we don't really eat much of the rest of the year. Such as:

• shrimp and cocktail sauce - Someone gave Rick a platter at work today and I've eaten almost all of it myself, over three days. I guess they didn't know he doesn't do fish...
• pomegranates - I LOVE eating these amazing fruits during the winter months. check out this web site. Wow.
• pistachios - another Christmas favorite
• cinnamon Santas (instead of cinnamon bears) somehow they just taste better
• wassail - I've already mentioned my love of all hot drinks
• eggnog - I love one or two cups a season, again not a favorite of my husband
• fresh cranberry salad to go with Christmas eve dinner - my sister Mary Ann gave me this recipe when I got married and I think I've been making it every Christmas since then. Yummy!
• Grandma Mayme's molasses cookies. Need I say more?
• prime rib with horseradish - since it costs as much as a small home, we don't indulge except at Christmas time
• a case of fresh oranges - I hope we get some from AZ again this year - hint, hint.
• pineapple cheese ball - one year a neighbor friend gave us this cheese ball and it's been a favorite since then
• warm broccoli, mushroom and cheese dip - a recipe of my brother Gary that we love to eat as an appetizer on Christmas eve.
• snowflake pudding - a pure white concoction made by Rick's mom of coconut pudding with raspberry sauce. It's heaven. It looks beautiful on the plate and it tastes wonderful
• fresh fruit cocktail in 7-up and blueberry muffins on Christmas morning. This is a menu creation of my Mom many years ago. We added breakfast casserole to it to make it a filling brunch after opening gifts on Christmas morning.

Bring it on! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

Tis the season for...dinner guests

We've enjoyed hosting several dinners this month with some people we love. Early in the month we invited Andy's friends over to dinner. McKay just got back from Iraq where he has been serving as a Marine in his first tour of duty for 14 months. Taylor just returned from his mission to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Ron just returned to the area after going to music school in California for a couple of years. It was so wonderful to see these great young men and to learn about their experiences in different parts of the world. Each has had an experience that was so different from the others, but each experience seems to be tailor made for that individual. They've each grown and matured a lot.
We've had long ongoing relationship with these good women who are single. Rick has been the home teacher of Linda (standing next to him) for around 12 or so years. He has mowed her lawn weekly in the summer and shoveled the snow from her sidewalks in winter during all of those years. Each of our boys went with him to home teach when they were in the Aaronic priesthood, but now I'm his companion and I get to go with him to visit Linda. Marie was my secretary when I was the Relief Society president. I love this woman! She and Linda are good friends, so we invited them over for dinner tonight. Linda is an expert family historian, and she got us signed up on the new Family Search system on the Internet for doing genealogy work. Wow, what a program. We're excited to get going to learn more about this new tool for searching out our ancestors, and Linda is the go-to person who will help us.

Rick's brother Doug and two of his daughters (Hannah and Kate) came for a sleep over one weekend. They attended a BYU basketball game with Rick and then they went with us to the MTC the next day for church. They enjoyed going to our Spanish sacrament meeting and then eating lunch with the missionaries in the cafeteria afterward. Sister Harriet Uchtdorf was the teacher in Relief Society and Kate had the opportunity to go with me to that meeting. I love Sister Uchtdorf. She has a darling personality and she gave a powerful message to the sister missionaries.
Madison and Makayla came to visit us for two days last week. We enjoyed their visit and it was good to talk with Madison and to get to know cute little Makayla. Unfortunately Rick backed into Madison's car when pulling out of the drive way, but that misfortune turned into a blessing when our insurance company paid for the repairs within 48 hours by giving Madison a check to match the estimated repairs.
Sydney came over to hang out with us and we enjoyed a dinner of home made tacos one evening. I love my nieces and I love spending time with them when ever I can. I hope they know how much I love them both.


Another Sunday, we were able to have eight returned missionaries who served in Mongolia come to dinner. It was so wonderful to have them tell us about the missionary efforts in that great land and to also tell us some funny stories about Elder Andy. They ate a ton of food and it was satisfying to load them up with a good meal right before they headed into finals at BYU. They are great young men who served well and who are now getting on with their lives. It's an honor to rub shoulders with them.
Coming to town soon? Just let me know and I'll whip up some food. Come on over and eat and visit. Bon appetite!

Carla Ann

Today my childhood friend Carla is celebrating her 55th birthday! I can't think of December 19th without thinking of her. It's her day and I send happy birthday wishes her way!! I talked to her this morning and it was good to hear that things in her life are going well. She's traveled a bumpy road and has had her fair share of heartache. I admire her courage and strength to keep going and to not ever give up. She is the mother of three wonderful children and she has four cute little grandchildren. She remains active in and committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ, even when there have been many times that her faith has been tried. She is a disciple and follower of Christ. Except for a few years in late high school and early college days when we liked the same boy, we have been fast friends. We've been through thick and thin together. We've shared all our ups and down through letters, email and phone conversations through these nearing 50 years. Luckily, we only live about 45 minutes apart, and we try and see each other several times a year. Carla has so many talents and abilities. One time she even saved my life. She was good at the things I couldn't do and I could do a few things she couldn't do. She could balance on her dad's horse corral fence for yards and yards, and I always fell off. She was on the high school marching/drill team and I got cut in 10th grade because I was too skinny. I could give talks in speech and debate and boss just about any group of people around. She was a natural beauty, I had to work at it. I wore braces and she did not. I was a leader, she was more of a follower. We made a good team. And on it goes today.
Every single year on Christmas morning, I would no sooner open my gifts than I would run to the phone and call Carla's home 6-3777 to find out "what she got." I'm sure it annoyed the heck out of her parents. One year we both got new bikes. Hers was white and mine was blue. Wow, the places we went on those bikes, all up and down the streets of Rupert having adventures of every kind. Later we traded those bikes in for our parents cars and we had endless adventures making up our own fun. Great, great memories are a part of my friendship with Carla Ann.
My life has been enriched because she has been my friend. We met in second grade and now we're growing into older age together. We love to compare aging problems and we laugh our way through them. We're proud parents and grandparents. We are dear, dear friends. May it ever be so.

Tis the season for...anticipating the arrival of the grandkids

Well, only four more days to go and Baby Skippy will be here. Seven more days and we'll see Lauren, Ellie and Ada. We can't wait. (Oh, and we're excited to see everyone else too.)
While I was home alone at the beginning of the month, Rick went to a conference out of state. He purposely routed his flight in order to see all the grand kids. Jordan & Jake brought the girls to the airport and they got to spend an hour with Grandpa Rickeeee. Then he got to spend some quality time with little Skippy. We are so very excited to have them all come and stay for several days. It will be Grandparent heaven and we have some special activities in store!!!

Tis the season for...laughter

We attended Pioneer Theater's production of A Christmas Story on Wednesday night. It was delightful and full of laughs. It was so interesting to see the theater company take a beloved classic movie and make it into a live theater production (check out the video clip here.)
Christmas is coming in Hohman, Indiana, and all nine-year-old Ralphie wants for Chrsitmas is the legendary official Red Ryder 200-Shot Carbine Action Range Model Air Rifle with a compass and this thing which tells time built right in the stock. The problem is that every adult in his life, beginning with his mother, is afraid he'll shoot his eye out with it. Ralphie's attempts to persuade Santa and his parents that he should get the Red Ryder gun form the basis for this heartwarming and nostalgic look at growing up in a small town in America in 1938.

Tis the season for...deep reflection

Tis the season for...BYU Men's chorus

Last night we went to the MTC to hear the Men's chorus perform for the missionaries. Their voices are amazing and they performed some beautiful pieces for the missionaries who are in the MTC for Christmas. They are the largest collegiate male choral group in the country. There are 200 voices chosen out of the 400 who audition. Their harmonies and range are amazing. One of their Christmas musical numbers is a favorite of ours. We heard it about five years ago at the Celebration of Christmas concert put on by the BYU musical groups. It is so moving and touches me every time I hear it.
It's called Who is He in Yonder Stall? words by Benjamin Hanby, music by Robert H. Young

Who is He in younger stall,
At whose feet the shepherds fall?
'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story,
'Tis the Lord, the King of glory.
At His feet we humbly fall;
Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Who is He, who stand and weeps
At the grave where Laz'rus sleeps?
'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story.
'Tis the Lord, the King of glory.
At His feet we humbly fall;
Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Who is He in Calvary's throes
Asks for blessings on His foes?
'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story,
'Tis the Lord, the Kind of Glory.
At His feet we humbly fall;
Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Who is He who from the grave
Comes to seek and help and save?
'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story,
'Tis the Lord, the King of glory.
At His feet we humbly fall;
Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Tis the season for...Kurt Bestor Christmas concert

We've been going to the annual Kurt Bestor Christmas concert on and off over the last 20 years. We haven't gone for a few years, but we attended the afternoon performance at Abravanel Hall in SLC today. It was wonderful. I really enjoy the quality music performed by Kurt Bestor and his band/orchestra. He has such a unique style and sound and I love his original arrangements of so many Christmas favorites. He composes, produces, plays the piano beautifully, plays the trumpet, harmonica and accordion. He's an impressive performer who puts on a very enjoyable Christmas concert.

"Bestor may be the creative genius behind and the conductor of the trip, but he surrounded himself with a stellar group of musicians to carry it along. Special guest Jonathan Butler of South Africa was delightful as he got down with "Little Drummer Boy" and captured the power and emotion of "O Holy Night." Erika Bestor showed both grace and maturity as she performed with her father on a beautiful "I'll Be Home for Christmas."
Eric Valentine proved he can play the drums in his sleep (or at least blindfolded); Carlitos del Puerto, Michael Dowdle, Todd Sorenson and Aaron Ashton all demonstrated exceptional technique and excitement. The orchestra was equally good.
Magical, color-changing Christmas trees provided wonderful scenery for the ride. And all these musical journeys ended in the same place: the heart of Christmas." D News.

Tis the season for...Christmas movies

Which Christmas movies do you like to watch every year?

Some of my favorites are:

It's a Wonderful Life

Miracle on 34th Street (the old version)

A Charlie Brown Christmas

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the cartoon)

A Christmas Story (which can't be duplicated)

Tis the season for...hot chocolate

Brrrrrrs, it's cold outside.

8 degrees here in Utah.

5 degrees for a high in Ulaanbaatar with a low of -15 forecast for today. Yikes.

I love to drink hot drinks in the winter. Just about any concoction suits me fine. Wassail, hot chocolate, herb tea (I'm pretty sure I'd be a coffee drinker if not for my religion!) are all personal favorites. Then along came the King of all Hot Chocolates - Stephens gourmet hot chocolate. I have no self control when it comes to this hot chocolate in all its varieties. I'm not even a great chocolate lover, but i can't resist this drink. It's even available to order online through Amazon for those of you who aren't fortunate enough to have it on the shelves of your local grocery store. However, in my case, that may be a bad thing, since it is so readily available....

My personal favorites until now were Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Mint Truffle, although Chocolate Raspberry came in close. Now comes a new flavor Candy cane Hot Cocoa. Oh my. Tried some last night. Will have more tonight, and then night after, and the night after that...

I'd better send some to Ulaanbaatar today to warm up the Elder.

Tis the season for...contributing to the ecomony

I'm not a big fan of shopping. It's necessary to do it, but it's not enjoyable to me. Especially mall shopping. Not a fan. It's all so overwhelming in the sense that there are so many choices and so many things to covet. Needs and wants get totally screwed up and it's confusing to keep the two separate.

I guess I'm just use to the Rupert way. We had two department stores, a couple of drug stores, a shoe store, a nice clothing store, a music store, jewelry, etc. and it was enough. We had sufficient for our needs. You got what you needed and it didn't take long to decide. I'm pretty happy with simple things.

Anyway, this year I've done more online shopping than ever. I must say that I LOVE it. I think most businesses have really improved their online shopping tools and you can see what you're getting and have a much larger selection of sizes, colors and fashions, all while sitting in the comfort of your own home. I love that part. Plus, so many businesses have offered free delivery and some really great discounts this year. They will deliver to any address so that a shopper can save shipping costs for the gifts they want to send. They will even wrap the gifts. What's not to love about this arrangement?

I have done some local shopping too, in order to spend some money in our own community. I've done my far share of spending, now I'm almost done. I love that part the most of all!

WW II Veterans

Just try and imagine what it would have been like. Go back to December 7, 1941- 68 years ago today. Something is about to transpire that will change the course of history. President Roosevelt said that it's a date that will live in infamy. People throughout the United States were going about their normal lives. I would imagine that many of them were preparing for Christmas celebrations that were coming up in a few weeks, just like we are doing this year. And then the unthinkable happened. History changed course almost instantly. Lives were altered and no one would be the same again. The Japanese navy proceed to carry out an unannounced military strike against the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was intended as a blow against American morale, which might discourage further fighting and enable Japan to conquer Southeast Asia without interference. Instead, it awakened a sleeping giant. Making battleships the main target was a means of striking at morale, since they were the prestige ships of any navy at the time. It resulted in the United States entry into World War II.
Just think what it would have been like if you were a young man or the mother or father of a young man. You would probably realize that soon, more than likely within the year, your son or daughter could become part of that fight. You would probably realize that this could be their last Christmas at home for a long time. Maybe forever. I can't even imagine how that must have felt to millions of families all across our land. The realization that they were about to become part of those fighting for our freedoms, even at the risk of their own lives.
My Dad and my father-in-law are veterans of WWII. Their lives changed that day along with thousands of others. They were drafted into the cause of taking up the fight for freedom.
In October we went to see the World War II memorial in Washington DC. It's an impressive sight. It was dedicated on Veterans day in 1995. Check out the web site here for the memorial.
There are moving quotes engraved in stone around the monument. One of my favorites said : Americans came to liberate, not to conquer, to restore freedom and to end tyranny.
It was very touching to my 85 year old WWII veteran father-in-law as he visited the memorial. He'd never seen it before and going there was one of the objectives of our trip to the east. Rick pushed him around in his wheel chair as we all took it in. The memorial has a huge water feature in the middle with the Atlantic Theater on one side and the Pacific Theater on the other, since our soldiers were involved in fighting on both fronts. Vern served in the Pacific. He saw some very heavy fighting in Okinawa and Leyte in the Philippines. We took his picture by the battle sites in which he was involved. There is a wall of 4,000 stars that represent the 400,000 lives that were lost in that war. It is a sobering and staggering reminder of the cost of freedom. There is also a registry where the names of the people who served in the armed forces during WW II and any American who helped on the home front can register. I truly believe that our parents generation was the greatest generation. They literally saved the world and for that I'll be forever grateful for their strength, courage and fortitude. I honor them today for their bravery and determination and hope that we will always remember their sacrifice.