Christmas Eve

We started our Christmas Eve with Pizza and Chicken Enchiladas. Jim helped me make pizza all afternoon. After dinner we went into the living room and Grandpa read the Christmas story out of Luke. Then we opened gifts. We had a lot of dessert to choose from after opening our gifts.

Christmas with Laura's family

Trissa and Gavin arrived early. Jeff's family stayed late in Spokane and picked her up Monday night. They arrive here at 1:30 Tuesday morning. Trissa and Laura had fun together all day Tuesday. Wednesday morning we had Christmas with Laura's family.

Kendra in her Christmas nightgown

Gavin and Trissa coming up for Christmas morning with Laura

Laura gave me a box of chocolates

Craig and Laura ready to capture Kendra opening her presents

Christmas 2010

Christmas this year will be spread out over a week. Jordan and Mariah came to visit December 17th and stayed for the weekend. James Micheal came up on Wednesday Dec 15th and his dad came up with Makayla and Evan on Friday and spent the night and the next day with us. We made candy trains Saturday. Laura, Craig and Kendra will come up on Monday and stay until Wednesday. They fly out of Spokane to Utah on Thursday morning. Trissa and Gavin will come on Wednesday and stay until Christmas.

William and I in front of our Christmas Tree

 

Jordan with his train

 

Mariah's Train

 

James' Train

 

William's Train

Jim's Train

William's Mission Call

Saturday afternoon William went to the mailbox and found his mission call envelope. Grandma was at her mailbox at the same time.  She called down the street,"Did you get your call?"  and he answered "yes" and ran as fast as he could home.  He opened the envelope as soon as he reached us.  He is going to the Ogden Utah Mission.  He is really excited.  He enters the MTC in Provo on March 9th (His birthday)
The shaded area is his mission.

Sadie Belle has arrived!

Sadie Belle is the newest addtion to James and Audra's Family. Here I am holding her with Audra.
She was born December 9th about 3:10pm.  She weighed 8lbs 3ozs and was 20 inches long.  We came down to see them Friday afternoon and were at the house when they arrived home from the hospital.

First big snow

It started snowing Wednesday and it didn't stop until Sunday. Jim and Jeff decided Saturday was a good day to burn the huge pile of scraps so we had one big fire in a snow storm. Jim got us all plowed out and we are ready for the next storm due on Tuesday.

Jeff built the rail on the stairs. It is now safer to come to my house. He also installed lights in the garage and outside.

Gavin's Birthday

I had a birthday party for Gavin on Wednesday. He turns two on Saturday. They flew up late Tuesday night. It was a long day Wednesday but we had a great birthday party. All of my children and grandchildren were there except Jordan and Dustin. Jordan had school and Dustin is in Peru, two very good reasons not to be there. Grandma and Grandpa Divis came along with Tabby and her children and Jerry and Jill. Jeff, Kathy and Jaimie also joined in the fun. There were 26 people enjoying dinner and cake and ice cream. Jim created these two pictures and I also included a picture of the birthday boy.

Jonny's Wedding

Jim and I flew to Denver on Friday October 22nd and Trissa picked us up.  I was only able to spend a few hours with them before I had to get back to the airport for my flight to Utah.  Jim stayed all day and flew back home that night.  Laura and Kendra flew to SLC and arrived a half hour before me.  Robert came to pick us up and then he drove home.  We took the car from there to my parents house.  Laura borrowed Craig's parents car and Robert brought it to the airport.  We arrived at my parents at 9:30pm and went to bed.  Friday was the wedding at 11:00am and a luncheon at 1:00.  We enjoyed the entire day, ending with the reception at 6:30.  We spent Sunday with my parents and I flew home on Monday.  It was a quick and fun weekend.  I had been sick the week and a half before and I finally started feeling better on Thursday. I have a job as a substitute para educator and I worked several days during that time I felt bad.  When I returned home I was called in and worked the whole week. I was called in again this week on Monday and Tuesday.  I enjoy working with the children.

Laura             Jonny and Ann

Jamie Katelyn Justin

Kendra

Jenna Ryan Laura Kendra

Laura Kendra Jacki

 

4 generation

Weekend in Utah

Jim and I drove to Utah for Jim's Mission Reunion. Jim worked a 12 hour Supervisor shift Thursday so we left as soon as he got home which was about 8:00pm. We drove to Missoula and spent the night in a Hotel 6 and then got up early and drove on to Salt Lake City. We stopped at my sister's in Sandy and visited for a couple of hours and then went to the reunion. There were 63 missionaries and their mission president and his wife in attendance. Jim really enjoyed visiting with many of the elders. It was definitely worth the trip.
We watched conference at my parents home. My brother, Gordon and his family came down for the weekend and we followed them home on Sunday. They live in Boise. Monday morning we headed home from Boise and arrived home at 5:00pm. We stopped at Costco and filled up with gas and bought a TV stand so Laura can have her chest that Dustin made for her. I was glad to get home early so I could prepare my lesson for Seminary and FHE with William, who stayed home because he didn't want to ride in the car.
Below are pictures of Kendra, Jim took when we stopped by on the way home.

Working on the House

Jeff and William have been working hard on the new addition of our house. The new part is totally sealed in and the sub flooring is being laid. We have had a goal of the outside being done and it has now been accomplished.

Jeff enclosing the new addition.

The finished front of the house.

  The flooring on the main floor of the new addition.

Jeff and William finishing the floor upstairs.

William drawing straight lines for Jeff to nail boards in place.

Summer Barbecue

Since Jeff has arrived and invited us up for barbecued steak and chicken several times and it has been really good, Jim decided to try. Jeff puts apple branches on the charcoal to create apple branch smoke. Jim tried it and cooked pork and shrimp. They were both very good. We ate outside on our front porch.

Birthday Weekend

Trissa and Gavin flew into Spokane Thursday morning and Kathy and I went to the airport to pick them up. We brought them home and enjoyed the excitement of the fire. After going up the road a little and watching the black smoke billow up and see the flames in the field and among the trees we came back home and decided to pack up the valualbles incase the wind changed and the fire headed our way. When it was time to go to bed the fire was over the mountain and did not look like it would return. We went to bed with the cars packed and ready to evacuate if needed. I woke up just after midnight and the air smelt really strong of smoke. The fire did not come our way so we unpack the cars in the morning. Trissa, Gavin and I drove to Spokane Friday morning to spend time with Laura, Craig and Kendra who drove up from Richland to celebrate Laura and Kendra's birthday. Saturday Trissa and Gavin flew home and the rest of the family, James,Audra and family, Jordan and Mariah, William, Laura, Craig and Kendra went to Riverfront park and then had lunch at Franklin Park. We enjoyed spending time together.

Kendra's birthday party

James Micheal on dinosaur bone

Laura and Kendra at the big wagon

James Micheal at the bottom of the big wagon

 

James Micheal and William on the clock tower