Merry Christmas--from Idaho!

Highlights of our 2008.....

Our Honda died, so we bought a new car, our Mazda 6. We are so grateful for it as we finally feel safe on the roads. Yes, "Declo" loosely translated means "to travel to get anywhere."

Got our new garage door installed so it's a matter of pushing a button. Lovely!

Jenn was asked by the Stake Presidency to write an article for the local newspaper on faith. Trying to make it as non-denominational as possible was a chore, but it was such a neat and fun experience for her.

Darren has been teaching in Declo into his 5th year now, so we have put in for a transfer as he wants to do his Master's work. When we will be transferred is completely open, but we have it in the works. It looks like we are thinking, Idaho Falls....something that surprised us both.

We were asked by our Stake Presidency to be one of 10 couples from our Stake to be tour guides for the Twin Falls Temple open house. It was delightful! To be part of a temple from the ground up was amazing, but to be so involved and to be able to lead tours, was simply humbling and inspiring. We were SO SO SO grateful for this opportunity.

Darren was called as the ward Mission Leader and is busy with our missionaries, both Spanish and English speaking. That has been fun as we have had them in our home often. It's quite a testimony to us that the Lord is in this work, to send out such young men and trust them with carrying the gospel to the world.

Jenn was released from the Young Women's and called to the Relief Society in the same day. Although she loves to teach always, teaching women with much more life experience than you have, can be daunting. You should really pray for the women in her ward. :o)

Jenn had surgery in July and since has felt pretty good. She is feeling very grateful for a healthy body!

As a gift from Jenn's parents, they were able to buy a new Tempurpedic, king size bed. Jenn's sleeping isn't always the best and this has helped tremendously with her overall health.

We have been able to take little mini-trips this summer and have spent time with many people we love. We have seen and felt the hand of the Lord in our lives and are especially grateful this season for good health.....with the exception of the "welcome to winter" cold that we've all had.
We are grateful to be associated with the Church Education System and the gift it has been to be involved with the lives of our youth.

We hope each of you feels the love of our Savior this Christmas season and focus on the many, many things we have to be grateful for. As His focus was and is so much a part of His continued ministry, we pray that we all might focus a little more fervently on Him. It is a season of joy and gift to be able to choose to be happy. Our love to each of you!

UnFavorite Christmas Music....

So, my sister-in-law is right on with some of the Christmas music that is out there......although I don't want to be a wet blanket at Christmastime, sometimes when they come on the radio....you just can't hit the dial soon enough.

Wham!--"Last year, I gave you my heart......the next day, you gave it away...." The Valentine theme.....not so good.

Mariah Carey--"All I want for Christmas.....is YOU!" Is she related to Uncle Sam?

The song about Christmas shoes......holy cow, holy cow, and wow.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree--(sigh)

Anything Michael Bolton......anything..... I do feel for him, though......all that success and yet, lacking a few cough drops.

Favorite Christmas Movie

There are plenty of things I have come to like about Christmas movies.......growing up watching some of the old cartoons hold the best memories. It just wasn't Christmas until you saw Rudolph as a clay reindeer, and the Abominable Snowman, and the Grinch, and went from there to be terrorized by Santa. :o) The following are some of my favorites.....

I know the original is wonderful too, but this is my generation and the little girl in this is darling! I also just love Santa.

Although not a Christmas movie, per say, I do love the Christmas scenes, the love of God and family portrayed in this movie. I love that it is set in a time of scarcity as they had to learn the importance of gratitude and sharing.

Will Ferrell isn't my favorite.....but this show is very cute to me. I love how innocent he is in EVERYTHING. So cheerful and so upbeat about everything. When he answers the phone at "Dad's" office, a big no-no, and the best line ever "Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?"

A Christmas Story.......how is this a Christmas story? It's a depressing depiction of a child not sure if he'll get his Christmas wish, a school bully, a mean Santa, and a Dad with a lamp fetish. This movie does make me VERY grateful for MY family. And I'm sorry, but any child at this age, getting a pink bunny suit and having to wear it when the aunt comes to visit.....is hillarious.

Go Cougars!!!

Darren and I love to go to BYU Homecoming in Provo. It's become a fun tradition. This year, we decided to take my aunt Catherine. She's a big football and basketball fan and has never had the opportunity to go to a game. And how can you not have fun at a college level, with beautiful mountains and hot chocolate. It was supposed to snow on us but we watched the dark clouds go right around the stadium. It was very cool and so much fun!!! Darren,well it's football.....he's deep in concentration. :o)

Pictures From Halloween

So.....I promised pictures of our Halloween adventures.....and here they are. As you recall, my brother, Jake has a birthday the same day as Halloween. This year, after birthday festivities, my aunt told us to come down to her house and sit on her porch while the treat-or-treaters came......so we did. We were really nice to the little kids, but anyone over about 12 was fair game. And honestly, all we would do is move a little when they walked by and most of them nearly climbed out of their skin or over the person in front of them to get away. It was hysterical!! I haven't had so much fun on Halloween for years. My brother Zach is the upper left. The old man with the axe and the spare head. Darren is below him....the Swamp Thing with tennis shoes, I'm the white faced alien (no comments on the whiteness of the face being so close to real life) and my brother Jake is on the right......I think he's a skeletal, scary, Indian guy. Not sure there. :o) I love having brothers! And having Darren there was extra fun.

Favorite Pre-Christmas Things......this year

1--Christmas Tree
We got our tree up and ready for decoration before we left for Thanksgiving in Utah. We bought much needed new lights for our tree and got it all strung, decorated and lit when we got home. The atmosphere in our living room with that tree is amazing. I love our living room anyway.....but with all the lights off and the glow of the tree, it's breathtaking. Who knew a Charlie Brown tree could bring such a sweet feeling. We only put brass or white ornaments on our tree and only white lights, so it just shimmers! We love Christmas trees.

2--Christmas Music
Everyone says this, but each year I have more and more favorites to add to my favorites list. This year, here are some in the running:
Wintersong--Sarah McLachlan
Song for a Winter's Night--Sarah McLachlan
What Sweeter Music--Tab Choir
Angels Carol--Tab Choir
Where Are You Christmas?--Faith Hill
Carol of the Bells
Pine Cones and Holly Berries

3--Wrapping Presents
I just love preparing and wrapping gifts that we are giving. It's delightful. It's so fun to know what is inside and the thought and time put into gifts.......I just love it.

4--Colored Cellophane
I make toffee for our neighbors and friends for Christmas. I love to enclose it in colored cellophane with a big ribbon. It's so festive and pretty to look at!

5--Christmas Cards
I do not do Christmas cards.....I know, I know. We have nothing that ever changes with us and it would get depressing to have to write that year after year. However, I LOVE getting them. They go on my door and stay there as they come through the mail. I love to get pictures of those I love and/or don't get to see everyday......for the most part.

100 Things

I have seen this on a few blogs and wanted to see how many I had done,
so I decided to put it on my blog...
Bold the things you have done......and/or edit the close ones! :o)


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis --saved it from the cats
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child--no......not yet!
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon--not yet....just trained for one
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language--4 years in school?
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (in DC only)
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own.