Christmas Morning

Dad, Rich, Tiff, and I had such a great Christmas morning we did a dance. Click on the link below to see for yourself.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1812090320

We almost wore ourselves out dancing, but we still had time to open presents and just enjoy the morning and being together. It's so nice to have Tiffany home for the holiday. Santa didn't visit us this year. I guess he decided we're all to old for such things. (I think he's saving it all up for the Barretts.) So we opened our gifts that we had given to each other and had received from other people. Very nice. Sarah and Joel sent some cornbread mix and hot pepper jelly and a great Christmas CD from South Carolina. Santa did remember us with a box of pears, crackers and salmon from Harry & David which had arrived in the mail. I think Rich and Tiff were a little disappointed that the stockings didn't have anything in them. Actually, I bet Santa had grown tired of waiting for everyone to go to bed before he could make his visit. I think at that point he decides that the family can take care of themselves. I might need to reconsider about the stockings, however.

Later in the day we went over to the Barretts to see if Santa had come there. Sure enough, there were two American Girl dolls, a baby doll and lots and lots of other things. Talk about fun! Riley was so proud that she had been good enough to get a doll from Santa. After surveying and enjoying all the presents, we had some of Lindy's delicious taco soup which we all enjoyed. Then it was time to go home and be glad for such a nice day.

Lost on the Way to the Office Party

Today was Steven's office party at noon, and I got lost trying to find it! For some reason, I thought it was on the fifth floor of the Widtsoe Building, but it was in the Wilkinson Center! Tiffany rode in with me so she could spend a little time on campus, and we parked down off campus in one of the west lots and walked up the hill to the Widtsoe Building. I went up to the fifth floor and looked all around, but there wasn't any party going on. Finally, back down on the third floor I asked Shauna Anderson if she knew where the party was, and she was trying to explain, but I was still thinking Widtsoe Building. Finally, she said in the Wilkinson Center. She must have thought I was pretty crazy not to know it was in the Wilkinson Center. So I went over there and arrived 20 minutes late! By the time I got there, Steven had left to go see where I was. He thought maybe I had gone up to the Skyroom. But then he came back, and we ate our lunch. It was a nice party. We put together a treat plate from the treats everyone had brought, so we got to take home lots of goodies.

Then tonight, Steven, Tiff and I tended the little girls while Lindy and Nate went to the Barrett family adult Christmas dinner at Sundance. We had lots of fun with them. While flipping through the channels on the TV, we saw that Princess Diaries was on, so we watched that with Camden and Riley. They loved it. Sidney let me put her to bed without a fuss. Camden and Riley were surely glad to see Auntie Tiff after all these months. Sidney didn't quite know what to think about the stranger. She'll get used to her soon, I bet.

Dinner at the MTC

Our evening at the MTC last night was really nice. As we arrived we were greeted by the MTC presidency and their wives and Elder and Sister Holland. It was fun to visit with the Hollands for a few minutes. I told Sis. Holland that we're related--our grandmothers (Lillie and May Holt) are sisters and our dads (Raymond and Maeser) are first cousins. Sis. Holland was happy to know that. She said, "In fact, your dad and my dad dated my mom at the same time. It made my dad jealous, and I think that's what got him to ask her to marry him." I said, "Well, it all worked out for the best." Then she said, "My dad would say to my mom sometimes, 'I bet you wish you had married Raymond because then you could have been part of the educational world.' " I'd never heard that story before, and I thought it was pretty interesting. Dad used to talk about his cousin, Maeser, a lot. The kids remember the time we went to the Lytle Preserve down by St. George, and Maeser was there. He cut a pomegranate open for them with his pocket knife. They thought that was quite amazing!

At dinner, we sat with Steven's counselors and their wives: Mike and Becky Ahlander and Lew and Jann Bankhead. Sis. Bankhead said she had had a good day and was glad that she could come. She is recovering from recent cancer surgery and is now facing six months of chemotherapy. It was nice to be with the four of them. The dinner was delicious: salad, yummy potatoes, green beans, chicken and/or prime rib, rolls and cream puffs. Each table had a nativity set decoration--I took mine earlier in the day. We almost got to sit at the table with the one I brought, but some other people barely beat us out. So we sat at a table with a really cool, big Polish nativity set. Actually, it was better we sat at that table because it was on the edge of the room and we had to leave at 9:00 while everyone was still singing Silent Night. The table with our nativity set was right up front by the stage and the speakers' podium, so that wouldn't have worked for us to leave before it was all over if we had been sitting there. Actually, the evening should have been over by 9:00, but it was a little over-programmed. It started out with a live nativity, which was very nice. Then a long vocal solo, "O Holy Night," followed by a welcome from Pres. Boone, the MTC president. Then a long opening prayer (I'd say about 3 minutes or more). Then the dinner. After dinner was a nice string ensemble that played three Christmas pieces. The next thing was a chime activity in which everyone participated. It was fun, but that was the over-programmed part--it went on a little long. The chimes were then followed by the speakers: Elder Hinckley and Elder Holland. The speakers were almost anti-climactic because the evening had gone on for so long. But they both gave good talks and kept them pretty short. For Elder Holland's message he read a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay titled, "The Ballad of the Harp Weaver," which he said was a Christmas memory from his youth. It's quite an interesting poem and was, to me, a different kind of thing to be read by him. I imagine it was something like a favorite Christmas reading for his family when he was young. When he was reading it, every time he said "harp" I thought he was saying "heart," so it kind of didn't make sense to me. But then I looked the poem up online and found out it was "harp" instead of "heart," so the poem makes more sense. It's a sad little poem with a good message about a parent's love.

This morning, Steven and I went to the ward Christmas breakfast over at the stake center, then we went to AF to drop Richard off. From there we went to the Barretts to tend Sidney while Lindy and Nate took Camden and Riley up to Park City to see Peter Pan. The weather wasn't too bad when they left, but while they were gone, about 7-8 inches of snow fell there in Pleasant Grove. They didn't get home until about 6:30 because the roads were pretty snowy. Anyway, we're glad they went up and back safely. We surely had a lot of fun with Sidney while they were gone. She really knows how to show Grampa and Gramma a fun time. We sang and read and ate and played with lots of toys. It's so fun to hear her jabber with all of her expressions. When Lindy and Nate and the girls got home, they brought Arby's for dinner. Richard had joined us by that time, so it was a regular party. After coming home, Steven spent the good part of an hour getting us dug out around here. I think winter has arrived for sure.

Tending the Girls

Last night (Thursday) Steven and I went and tended the girls while Nate and Lindy went to Nate's work party. Actually, we didn't really get to tend Camden and Riley because they went to their ward Christmas party with friends. When we got there, they were both anxiously waiting for their friends to come. When will they come? They should be here by now. Are they ever going to come? Finally at about 6:10, a knock came at the door. Who is it? Mollie or Haley? We opened the door and it was Mollie for Riley. Riley was so excited she hurried and put on her boots and flew out the door. It was a pretty hard letdown for Camden to have Riley leave before she did. She looked like she might cry, but she was brave and didn't. Did Haley forget? she wondered. No, she didn't forget. She'll be here. But where is she? I bet she forgot. I bet they're not going to the party. No, they're going to the party, they're just running late. Then at about 6:25, another knock came at the door and Camden nearly jumped a foot off the couch. FINALLY, Haley's brother had come and Camden was on her way to the party! That left Sidney all alone with Grampa and Gramma. She seemed perfectly happy to be the only one home with the "old folks." She did some playing in her saucer for awhile, showed us the tree and told us alllllllllllll about it, and made an adventurous climb up the stairs. Into her jammies and then it was time for stories. She liked the Ten Ladybugs book--especially the page with the butterflies so she could flap her arms like a butterfly. She said "flowers" once and "quack" a few times. She couldn't quite get that fish thing down, but she liked watching Grampa and Gramma do it. We had lots of fun. Finally, it was time for a bottle and bed. She only cried for a few seconds after we put her down, then she was off to sleep. About 45 minutes later, Camden and Riley returned from their evening out. Was the party fun? Yes--we got to run around on the stage and in the bathroom. Every kid's dream party at the church. They were pretty tired, so they brushed their teeth, got in their jammies and then we had hot chocolate and read a Christmas story by the Christmas tree. What a fun evening!

Wednesday night Steven was at the MTC greeting 10 new elders who've been called to Chile. While he was gone and Richard was at work, I scurried and got somethings done around here. It's always kind of nice to have an evening to just do stuff.

Tonight Steven and I are headed to the MTC for the annual Christmas "Ecclesiastical Dinner" for all the district and branch presidencies and their wives. It should be fun. They always have delicious food and wonderful speakers. Who will be speaking tonight? I wonder. Earlier today, I went to the MTC with a nativity set to put on one of the tables. I decided to take the one that Steven brought home from Ecuador last June. It looked really nice on the table.

Sidney and the Christmas Tree

I ran over to Nate and Lindy's this morning to return their "Christmas Devotions" book that they left here last night so they'd be able to read story #3 tonight. While there I got to see the Christmas decorations which had been put up since my last visit. Lindy was holding Sidney as we were looking at the Christmas tree. Sidney started pointing and talking and telling me all about it. She's talks very authoritatively these days as if she knows what she's talking about and means it. So she was telling me all about the decorations and how beautiful the tree is. I agreed. It's a beautiful tree with lovely decorations that include three Princess ornaments--one for each of the girls.

I went downstairs to see the new Barbie house that Lindy has been working on for so long. It is quite spectacular. She did a great job and the little girls love it. It is all painted and furnished with all kinds of furniture, bed spreads, floor coverings, appliances, etc. When I told Camden and Riley that it was kind of like Tiffany's apartment in Illinois, their eyes got big as I'm sure they were imagining what kind of place Tiffany must live in.

Tonight for FHE, Steven gave the lesson from Pres. Faust's talk which was in the Conference issue of the Ensign. It's on p. 122 and is titled, "The Power to Change." I regret to say I hadn't even noticed the talk because I had just been reading the talks from Conference that I had been especially interested in. It says the article was prepared in the months before Pres. Faust's passing on Aug. 19, 2007; so, of course, he was not able to deliver it at General Conference. So I think that would be a good talk for all of us to read, along with the other talks.

Richard returns to work tomorrow at the Mt. Timpanogo temple after having two weeks off. I think he's enjoyed having some time off and relaxing. We especially enjoyed having him be able to go to South Carolina with us and for Tiffany to be able to join us at Sarah and Joel's for Thanksgiving. That was such a fun trip!

Christmas Stories

Tonight after Sunday dinner, we went downstairs and had some Christmas stories around the fire. Lindy read two stories from their "Christmas Devotions" book--one for Dec. 1 and one for Dec. 2. It was a lot of fun to be down there by the fire with Lindy and Nate and the little girls. Sidney sat in the little rocking chair and rocked and rocked with a big smile on her face. At dinner Lindy handed her about a half a slice of bread and Sidney looked at her like, "For me? You're actually giving me a big piece of bread instead of breaking it into little pieces?" Then at treat time, Lindy gave her a whole cookie and Sidney looked like she couldn't believe it. It was a fun evening. For dinner we had meatloaf, potatoes, corn, and bread. Riley had a harder time chowing down on the meatloaf than usual, but she made it through the required number of bites. After dinner she sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" into the microphone while wearing the purple crown on her head. Camden enjoyed playing and listening to the stories.

After the festivities were over and the Barretts went home, Steven and I went to Berg Mortuary in Provo for my friend, Colleen Hanks' mom, Vera Millett, who passed away. She was 97 years old and had actually been doing pretty well until she got a staph infection. Last Christmas, for our club Christmas party, we had dinner at Sandy Dallin's and then put together three gift baskets to take to three of the girls' parents. We took a basket to Mary Ann Jackson's dad, Bob Bunker; one to Susan Rogers' mom, Noreen Payne; and one to Colleen's mom, Vera. All three were still living their in their homes at the time. Colleen said her mom really appreciated the visit and talked about it for months afterwards. I'm glad we were able to make those visits--especially to Vera since she has now passed away.

When I talked to Tiffany this evening she said she had seen Elder David Loveless at stake conference today. He told her to tell her mom to tell his mom 'hello.' So I delivered the message. That's fun that she runs into him occassionally. Eleven more days and Tiff will be home for Christmas break. We're looking forward to having her home for awhile--Camden and Riley are especially looking forward to their sleepover with Auntie Tiff.

Today at the MTC, I just went for Fast and Testimony meeting since there was no Relief Society there today. They have mission conference there on Fast Sunday and no Relief Society. So I attended Relief Society in the home ward. Susan Allen gave the lesson from the booklet, "Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple." Two things from the lesson stood out especially to me: From p. 1 it says: "The temple transforms the individual and makes abundantly worthwhile any efforts made to get there." (I added the italics.) Then on p. 18 it says: "As you put your clothing in the locker you leave your cares and concerns and distractions there with them." That is a good visual reminder, I think, of how we should leave our worldly distractions and concerns in the locker as we leave to attend a session. Just put everything in the locker and lock it all up while we go concentrate on the spiritual aspects of the temple.

Karalie called this morning and said that her birthday party was a success and all who made it there (about 100) had a good time. I'm glad everything went well. I was sorry that we weren't able to make it, but sometimes we have to defer to the weather. It's a beautiful sunny (but cold) wintery day out there today. Too bad the storm couldn't have been a day earlier or later. But Happy #50 Birthday today, Karalie!

Taking Christmas to the Missionaries

Today, I went with Lindy and the girls to the MTC where we met Grandpa. Our purpose: to take Christmas from the girls and us to the missionaries. First, some background: Last Sunday we found out that the MTC presidency's plan for Christmas for the missionaries wasn't going too well. Their plan was to gather enough pentel pencils (special price $11 each) and post-it notes for all the missionaries who will be in the MTC at Christmas time. They had gotten the word out to all the wards and stakes in the valley about eight weeks ago, and I think they thought the money and/or pencils and post-it notes would start rolling in with help from the branch presidency members and their wives. But since there were no specific assignments, no one was taking responsiblity to see that it got done; therefore, it wasn't getting done. So on Sunday the branch presidencies were given the responsibility to gather a certain number of pencils and post-it notes and/or money. That seemed to make it more do-able. We mentioned the project to Lindy and Nate on Sunday, and they said they'd like to participate along with the girls. They asked the girls if they would like to use some of their money to buy some things for Christmas for the missionaries and they said they would. So today Lindy and the girls had their post-it notes and money, and I had post-it notes from Richard and Tiffany to take to the MTC. (Earlier in the week I had ordered some pencils from the pencil company to be delivered to the MTC. After Camden got home from school, we loaded into the car and went to the MTC where Grandpa was waiting for us. The girls were excited to give their things to the lady at the front desk. Even Sidney was very animated and talkative. She knew she was in a special place. We took some pictures in the lobby area and then walked around a bit. The girls enjoyed smiling and waving to all the missionaries. So it was a fun time. After we were done, Grandpa went back to his office and Lindy and the girls and I went to lunch at Magleby's Fresh. It was okay, but I don't think it's some place I'd pick to go again. We ordered a mini-burger for the girls to share for lunch, and it was anything but mini. Anyway, it was fun to be together; and by the time we got back to the Barrett house, Riley and Sidney were ready for their naps and Camden was ready for some quiet time. Going to the MTC and lunch had worn them out.

P.S. Before we went to the MTC, Lindy said the girls were wondering why the sea was empty, and why wasn't it an empty river? Camden's friend Haley thought she was going to some kind of swimming pool with her grandma. All this time (three years), Grandpa and Grandma have been going to the MTC, or Empty Sea as we've jokingly called it. We've never thought what the little girls might be envisioning or where they think it is that we've been or are going.

Post Office Disaster

I went back to the post office today to mail the package to Riitta and Matti. I didn't get over there until about 1:00. That was a big mistake, not going in the morning. But the line wasn't too bad--it was only to the end of the counter with about 8 people in front of me. There were three clerks working (and two empty stations) so I thought it should move pretty fast. Well, I stood in line for 15 minutes and only one person in the line moved up to one of the stations. By this time, the line behind me had gotten quite long. The two other clerks were still helping the same people they were when I came in. I heard one of the ladies being helped say to a person in line whom she knew that she had been there for four hours with something like 76 boxes. Scary. The clerk kept bringing these boxes out to her which the lady would open with a knife and take some stuff out, re-arrange the things in the box, and then seal it back up three or four times with tape. Then the clerk would fill out information for each box. This kept repeating for awhile, and then I realized it wasn't going to end any time soon. At the other station the same person was still there along with the one person who had moved up to the third station. So I got out of there fast. I thought I'd just go back and it would have to be better. So I went back about 3:30, and there were only two clerks this time and about 10 people in line. I thought maybe I'd take a chance and the line might move pretty fast. But after about 10 minutes when not one person had moved ahead in the line I got out of there again, telling myself that I'd come back in the morning, and try for first thing in the morning and maybe I'll be able to mail the package. We'll see.

Our home teachers, Bro. Sanders and his son, Talmadge, came visiting tonight and gave us a message about Elder Oaks' conference talk of "Good, Better Best." Before they came, Steven, Rich, and I enjoyed a nice evening walk at the track. It was a cool, brisk evening--rather nice for a walk, actually. The weather's supposed to change tomorrow, though. I hate to see the nice weather end.

Steven got a call tonight after he'd gone to bed from Elder Carter, one of the zone leaders. This is the second night in a row for such a call. More problems with District B--one of the new districts (from two weeks ago when two new districts, totalling 19 elders, came in). We met with District B on Tuesday night and they all seemed to be doing pretty well to me. I guess two of the three elders who had transferred to an intermediate branch had decided they wanted to come back, plus another elder was wanting to go home. Steven was probably having a foreshadowing about the new missionaries when he was wondering "how are the new missionaries doing?" in his sleep before they even arrived.