The Very Best Part of Christmas Time

Another week has gone by, a great week crowned by Christmas !  

On Monday, in an effort to get the master suite ready to sleep in by Christmas Eve, I hired these girl from the ward to help me move furniture to the Garret. 

It was also Kim's 17th birthday!  Wow!  Ashley posted this on Facebook to commemorate the big day! 

 

Ben borrowed the van that day to take a load to the dump for Becca who had some sellers leave items at a house they'd closed on in Salt Lake the week before. 

The van died in Lindon and so my AAA card and I went to the rescue. Back at the house Ben got the Sentra hooked up to the charger, since I was to be carless for a few days. 

Then Ben hauled all the long trim pieces (Becca had given us after finishing up their floors) into the house, and thus out of the rain!  Yeah Ben!! 

That night Dad and I were in charge of the FHE at the care center. We read stories from our Norman Rockwell illustrated Christmas book, including everyone's favorite. The miraculous stair case, that we finally saw in person last year in New Mexico.  

On Tuesday I painted furniture for the new bedroom. Dad came home early from work to get the baseboards in place before heading to the temple. I then painted baseboards until I ran out of masking tape. 

After the temple Dad and Spencer hauled up the mattresses. The one I got last week for the guest bed from the 2nd floor to the 3rd and our heavy honker from the 3rd to the 4th floor. Spencer and Brit were headed to Wyoming early the next day ... Thanks Spencer!! 

On Wednesday I got Dad's washstand/night stand painted before heading to work. 

This guy collects paddles. He inherited part of his grandmother's collection. She'd been a school teacher and hers were all disciplinary paddles. Who knew?  

My friend Sherri Oldham (open house a couple of weeks back) came in with her daughter and grandson. I loved his shirt. 

After work Dad was Struggling with the Sentra  as the key was out of the ignition and he couldn't get it back in to the magical  electronic connection spot. He called Spencer and Ben for tips on making it happen. Then Ben flew down with an Big red S on his chest to save the day. He just kept at it, maybe a thousand times, until it eventually connected. Then he and Dad wired that sucker in once and for all!  Thanks Ben. 

Back in the house  Dad hung the little red cupboard.  He also had an epiphany as to how to repair our mailbox, which had been hit and broken earlier in the week, and followed through to get it fixed and reinstalled. I did the mud and dirt management 

He also hung this red star, and we put the sleeping nook together.  We also painted more baseboards. 

On Thursday I was off to work again. I got the roast started in the crock pot first thing. 

Dad came early, around three and brought up the Bethlehem Dinner costumes and dishes from the dungeon. 

I got home just ahead of my dinner guests and got to show them the Garret bedroom.

Then I got the table ready with the help of Hannah/Mary. Dave and Bri brought lots of gourmet olives and a crusty loaf of bread. 

(Hand modeling provided by Davin!) 

Ben and Hannah brought more wonderful crusty sour dough bread, my fav, and actually, probably what they'd have eaten in Christ's time. 

Then we had the Nativity play ... 

Starring Benjamin, Hannah and Madison. 

Then Davin's family opened their gift basket, as they'd be unable to join us on Christmas. 

With encouragement Elias wrapped up in his new quilt, but what he really wanted was 

To be a rock in the quilt!! 

Titan loved putting on Mr potato head's lips and wanted me to take his picture!  Pretty cute, eh?  

On Christmas Day these oldsters came first ...  Ian at 14 is now several inches taller than 17 year old Kim. When did that happen?  Oh, and his voice has dropped too, he sounds an awful lot like Andy. 

Kim was darling with Madison! 

And Zach was so pleased with his light sabor. 

After breakfast and chatting, it was time to ... 

Open the gifts!  

Zach and Titan were gift elves one and two!  

After saying goodbye to everyone, including Ben and Hannah, of whom I evidently took not a single picture. 

Then we had a few minutes facetimng with Emily and the kids and then with Trevor and Nell's family too. 

Then it was time for a long winters nap.... 

Darby came by when she got off work for a personal gift opening experience!  She loved her dishes she got from Becca!  

After she headed home for a long winters's nap of her own, Dad and I took down the video cabinet from the family room, as Cheryl watched in either awe or terror... We then hauled the over weight montrosity to the garret.  Ugh. We were both so sore the next day.  Then we got it hung .

I worked again Saturday, posting this picture to Instagram, while Dad did more projects in the Master Suite, including installing the toilet, which will be very nice, since oldsters like us make the trek once or twice at night.  He even brought by some Cafe Rio when he was out foraging for parts. 

When I got home I found that he'd gotten the TV cabinet painted, and installed the TV so we could watch the final episode of Downton Abbey.  

Today he was off to his meetings. I got drafted into subbing in Primary, which was fun, so I missed attending at the care center.  

After church it was nap time and face timing with Britt in her new house!  The End. 

More Partying and a New Floor in the Garret!

On Monday Dad worked in Richfield, but got home in time to go to Family Home Evening  at Trevor and Nell's. 

The kids got to open their Christmas basket as they'll be at their other Grandma's on Christmas. 

Scott seemed to like his Harry Potter magazine. 

Trevor gave the lesson out of their Christmas Advent book, which Nell put together. It was super fun! 

Afterwards we drove to Salt Lake to

 Robyn Brown's for her Crèche showing. She has more than 200 nativity scenes. 

Here we are with Bruce and Robyn. 

On Tuesday I was doing some gift wrapping...

When I got this nanner-nanner picture from Texas ....  

So I sent her this nanner-nanner picture.  

Of course Dad spent the afternoon and evening at the temple and I worked on Christmas cards. 

Wednesday was Jane Austen's 240th birthday. Always easy to remember how long it's been, since she was born exactly 200 years before I was married. All I do is add how many years I've been married! Voila. 

That night we went to the assisted living place by the Stake Center that is in Dad's branch, for their branch party.  

Here is Dad with the Rosses. Both retired professional musicians, they played for us on the piano and trombone, and they were wonderful. 

When we got home we completely cleared and swept the Garret. Then after Dad went to bed I finished up the painting, using our 7th gallon of paint. Yikes!  

The next morning Carlos and Eduardo came to do our new floor. Here they are using a leveling medium to make sure it would be flat! 

Then I was off to work until 2:00, after that I went to Jann's and bleached and dyed tiny Christmas trees!  So fun!   Then when I got home I got to see ....

The new floor all laid!!  Woot woot, thanks for your help Becca!! 

I worked again on Friday, an extra day!  

After work we had a caroling party at Trudy and Gordon Pecks house.  Here are my two beehives, along with a friend, I hired them all to come this week and help me haul stuff to the Garret. Move in day is coming quick!! 

Here we are caroling at Tony's house.  He's the mega decorator I love so much!!  At this point we'd lost 3/4 s if the group!  

On Saturday we got to see lots of friends and family at Becca's Star Wars event at Thanksgiving point. Here are Ashley and Andy with their boys!! 

This is the poster that announces her event at the Theater.

I loved this picture Ashley posted on Face book of Zach! 

Here I am with Ginny afterwards!  Such a good time. So thanks Becca!! 

After the movie I ran to Salt Lake and picked up a mattress I'd bought before heading to Kaysville to pick up the fainting couch my friend Arlene had done for me!  

We finished off the day with dinner at Zupas and some shopping. Tis  the season after all. 

On Sunday I had my lesson, then we hosted Scott's Branch Presidency for a Christmas dinner!   

Of course with all Scott's FB posts of the attic we had to show it off! 

Last of all we were off to Heuers for Sappy  Christmas movie night.  It was our second year for this tradition. 

Jeff previews all the Hallmark movies, then we get to watch the best ones. It was a double feature!!