Family Pictures

With everyone home for Christmas I wanted a new family picture.  My niece Liz (Timeless Touch Photography) took our photos.  She doesn't have them all edited yet, just this one.  I'll post more when she gets them to me.  I think she did a great job and I also think I've got a beautiful family.

Christmas

Our family gathers on Christmas Eve to snack, visit read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and open the "exchange" gifts.  We had to wait as Clint didn't get off of work until 8pm.  Earlier in the day, Pat, Jeff, Tom, Erin, Andrew, Cami and I went out and did some caroling.  Sammi and Clare stayed back with their babies. 

We ate corn chowder and cheese and Clare made other snacks.  It was a good time.  I always enjoy watching my children open their gifts from one another.  They all got nice things from one another.

Christmas morning was pretty lazy.  Evelyn was up early.  She gave her parents a very nice gift in sleeping all night long.  Clint was on shift but since it was Christmas he was allowed to spend most of his day with us.  He had to leave when he got a call, but otherwise he was able to be with us.

Pat and I surprised our kids with some pretty exciting gifts.  Andrew got a moped.  It's an old machine.  I believe a 1986 model.  He loves it!  Clint got a wheelbarrow.  Now I can keep mine at home.  Jeff got some dress Crocs which he loves.  Tom got classic Sesame Street which he had his eye on for some time. The girls each got an ipad.  Lots of screams and jubilation.  Now we can all keep in better touch via Face Time.  It's so much better than Skype. 

I got Pat a new white shirt and a movie he requested and some decorative tiles for his office.  One says "Relax and go to the temple" and the other says, "Flood the Stake with the Book of Mormon."  I got the reaction I was after.  He got me some new pajamas and a dress as well as a necklace and earring combo and another necklace.  A wonderful day to be together as a family.

My dad joined us for our noon meal and stayed for quite some time.  I gave him his usual box of mints and of course another year of making bread for him.  I also gave him a letter expressing my love for him.  I'm so glad he joined us.

The Fillmores are leaving tomorrow so I've taken some time today to play and snuggle with little Evie since I'm feeling better.  Sammi, Jeff and I as well as the Gourley children have all taken our turn having this wonderful flu/cold.  I'm ready for my health to return.

To the Rescue

Sammi and Erin were attempting to surprise us by coming home earlier than they said they were coming.  Truth be told, Andrew kept their secret but Clare and I had it figured out.  Anyway, Sammi and Jeff's car is not the best vehicle on the lot.  They took care of some things before they left but none of those things really mattered.  The heat wasn't working in the car and by Friday night they were all very cold so stopped in Bismark and got a hotel.

On Saturday morning, Sammi called to tell us they were having car trouble.  Pat did some checking to find a new motor for the car if they could limp it home.  Well, it doesn't need a new motor anymore as it found it's grave in Valley City, ND.  Andrew and I left at noon to go get them.

Pat found a stake president in the Fargo stake who went and got them and brought them to his home in Fargo.  What a blessing that was.  They didn't have to spend hours in a truck stop.  We drove through rain and some snow before getting to Fargo.  We loaded up the car and began our drive home.

On the way home, we drove in rain and more snow and finally fog through most of Wisconsin.  Not ideal driving weather.  We arrived home at 3:15am.  I'm proud to say I drove the entire time.  At least they're home and safe.  So many blessings accompanied them on their trip.  They stopped in Bismark and slept.  Thus they weren't stranded in the middle of the night in the middle of North Dakota.  President Ransom wasn't able to contact any of the members who live in Valley City to take care of our kids.  A blessing because it cut off an hour of our trip each way.

On Monday Pat was able to purchase them quite a nice car for a reasonable price.  Now they've got a way to get back to Provo.  Are we blessed?  Yes we are!

Results

Seven weeks ago I began a fitness class with some other ladies from the community and school.  The first day wasn't too bad but the second class was a killer.  I came home and just sat.  I don't think there was a muscle in my body that didn't ache.  Since then, I still have lots of aching muscles and some days are really hard, but other days I love.  I found out that I like kick boxing and aerobics.  I don't like yoga.  I can tell that I really do have abs under the belly fat cause I can feel them working!

Our last class was Monday and we don't have enough people for our trainer to come out to Gresham. :(  But, she will still keep us as a class.  We just have to go to Shawano.  I can see results!  Some on the scale but more with the measuring tape and the way my clothes fit around my waist.  Not as tight as they used to be.  Yippee!  So, today begins the next 12 classes.  I have to admit that sometimes I'm in class thinking, "Why am I doing this?  I must be insane cause this is really hard."  But then I see results and know that all that hard work is worth it.