Snow and Tell and Holiday Fun or the Weather Outside is Frightful.

On Monday we started off with a festive feeling, when we saw Emily's picture of her kids decorating the tree.  It looks like a Norman Rockwell painting, don't think.

I spent much of the day decorating, such as putting together this Reindeer display.

I also changed out a couple of things on this wall.

And set my table for a luncheon I was to have on the 13th, because I needed to know what I still needed to make it happen.  After getting it put together I realized my glasses wouldn't work.  Fortunately the Pioneer Woman line at Walmart included these goblets for less than $4 each.

I finished up the center piece I had been working on for a week already.

And was quite pleased with the look.  I took pictures with my mother of pearl handled silverware, even though I don't have enough for a table of twelve. 

I also found time to do a grouping of my outdoor cottage garden pics, including the one I got at the 100 dollar show last week. 

When I couldn't sleep that night, I decided to get up and decorate the little trees I was planning to take to a luncheon the next day for a gift exchange. I ended up keeping the second to the left tree, as it was made up of bits and bobs I found at the bottom on the 'by the pound' junk at a thrift store one day in Finland.

On Tuesday I met with my craft group at Kimi's house in Day Break.  I noticed she has a Netti's gnome as well.

We had one cancellation after another until our group of 10 shrunk to 6.  Here we see Jann, Ann, me, Kimi, Shirley, with Margie in front taking the selfie.

Here we are at the boutique cafe where we had lunch.  So many vegetarian offings. Yum.

On the way out of Day Break, I thought it was fun to see Hanukkah Harry, and other Hanukkah decor at a house in the neighborhood.

I hiked Wednesday morning with Ann knowing it might be our last hike in the canyon for a while, as the storm was blowing in over night.  Here are some pictures of the Forbay Reservoir up Payson Canyon.

At work that day, I added this framed quilt to this Christmas display.

We found out that night that the missionary documentary that we saw being worked on in Finland, is going to be shown at the Sundance Film Festival. Elder Davis, in this picture, is one that we knew pretty well.

Of course we watched some Fixer upper that night, and laughed when we saw this wallpaper, that they planned to tear down, that is the same as the one we had in our kitchen in Cottonwood Heights.

At work on Thursday, a dealer brought this in and explained how the two pieces are fit together without cutting either.  The arrow is pine and is soaked until its pliable enough to be squeezed though the oak hole. 

Also this week we were finally able to get in a new furnace and air conditioner for the bottom two levels. Dad decided we should last spring, but with shortages it didn't happen.  You may recall we had two furnaces installed when we bought the house back in 1997,  It seems crazy that we should replace a furnace we installed, but Dad checked out efficiency rates, and realized that 25 percent of what we spend on heating is going up the flue, whereas a new furnace operates at just a 5% loss.  It will take 5 years to pay for itself.  So we decided to go for it as we had decided on central air for those floors anyway.

Here's the new air conditioner.  It sits on the slanted cement top of the old coal bin. Dad worked with him on and off for three days,  He is thrilled with the outcome.

That night, Dad went and babysat for Spencer and Brittney, so they could go out for her birthday, that day.

While I went to see Eva performing in a play.

She did a great job.

It was so fun to watch her.

The storm that fell all day on Thursday made our pumpkins look fine.

and left Dad with some shoveling to do.

The Payson Temple looked beautiful when we went there to attend cousin Matt Larsen's wedding. We had had a huge snow storm the day before, and when we got to the temple, we found only people from south of Payson. Matt et al live in Ephraim.  His folks and siblings were all caught in super slow traffic coming down.  Doug and Shirley had even allowed an extra hour for the trip from Kaysville, but ended up turning around when it was evident they would not make the original time.  In the end the wedding was delayed by more than an hour. Of course being in Payson we went home for that hour.

His new wife was so excited when she came out after the ceremony.

Here Matt talks to his youngest daughter,

The new family.

All of Bruce's boys.

The luncheon and reception later, were held in a new barn.  Everything was beautiful, and reminded me of Brittney and Spencer's luncheon and reception. His new wife Becca is definitely very talented, and a lot of fun.  It was fun to learn that as she teaches English at Matt's kids Junior High, his two oldest had had her as their teacher.  They were set up by another teacher at the school who is a good friend of Matt's. 

Here Dad talks to Bruce.

This is a ring ceremony at the venue.

We sat by Jordan and Jared, 

as well as Natalie and John, both are Matt's brothers.  I laughed when I saw I had accidentally used the panorama option and decapitated Natalie.  I was laughing so hard that I forgot to take another picture. Oops.

Here are three of their boys, their oldest, CS, is on a mission.

Saturday morning Dad drilled the holes in this old broom stick to make it into a aluminum tree.  I had found the branches years ago, and we finally made it happen.

Then, Dad was off to install Darby's washer and dryer, that is upstairs.

While I went snow shoeing with friends.

That night, while I was eating Indian food at Tadka, Dad went with Darby, Davin, Briahnna, Hannah and Scott to a comedy show in SLC.

Today, Dad and I both taught at church.  He taught Elder's quorum and I subbed in Primary.

When we got home, we got to see a bit of Trevor and Nell's Primary program.  Here we see Eleanor singing with a group of kids from her ward.  So fun.

Then we got busy setting the table for Bethlehem Dinner.  I tore some napkins from a soft old sheet, as we always eat this meal with our fingers.

The table is set when the kids start to arrive.

Look how Nenna can ruffle her tongue.  Her Dad, Davin can do it too. But he doesn't do it with cute paws,

This baby loves shoulder rides.

Love this guy. our limited seating meant that he got to be served dinner in the parlor.

Darby works her magic, tickling Mac.

Davin and his snuggle pose seems to be having a influence on others as well,

see how Scott is snuggling on Hanna's shoulder?

Brady was our hero, taking over the cooking of the fatted calf.  He did half of it in the crock pot. like we always did, and the other half in his smoker.  Everyone loved it.

Everyone seemed to get into doing more of a gourmet level of food this year.  In addition to assorted olives, grapes and cheeses, we had great selection of artisan breads and a charcuterie board to be remembered, with wonderful cheeses, a tapenade, cheese balls and spreads, including hummus.  We even had a honey comb.  Yum.

Here are the feasters at Ye Old Bethlehem Inn.

More feasters.

of course candle light is always fun.  It helps that I have been listening to an audio book about Mary and Joseph, and their imagined life, which got me in the mood.

Though the shorter people ate off wooden dishes as well, they did it without the historic ambiance. 

After dinner we migrated into the parlor.

We had asked Spencer's family to reenact the nativity, but ended up with more of a photo shoot.

So Campbell got to play the part of the baby Jesus for a second year.

Reagan was wearing her mother's baptism dress, that unbeknownst to me Becca had chosen to keep as a keep sake for all these years.  She noticed the silvery wired flowers in my centerpiece and asked if she could wear them for wings.  Isn't this just the cutest? 

and just for kicks and giggles here is a picture that Spencer took of Cam in the 'manger' in her street clothes earlier.  The contrast is just fun.

As always we just love having a chance to visit.

All my boys on this side of the veil, decided to test the strength of the repair Dad made on the leg of this love seat.  Trevor even said that if Dad had repaired it, there were no worries. 

Of course we played pass the baby a lot.  All in all it was a lovely remembrance and celebration of the coming birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.