Our little Covid Christmas Village...

We were so sad to not have family and friends 

join us this year for the Christmas Village because of Covid. 

Emily and Chris were even gone 

so it was mom and the guys. 

We decided instead of a theme this year

we just needed to include at least these 4 things:

1. a landmark

2. a water feature

3. a mode of transportation

4. a dwelling

The ideas and fun started flowing 

after Zac came up with the idea 

of recycling styrofoam slabs by carving them 

into our own Mt. Everest! 

(1. landmark)

Paul made prayer flags

Hunter made a glacier fed river

(2. water feature)

I made a swing in the forest

a campfire

and yurt pictured below. 

(4. dwelling)

Did you know we all slept in a yurt one night 

with 1000 of our closest box elder bug friends? 

True story, haha.

Hunter's ski lift was so clever! 

I love the little skiers and snowboarders. 

He also made an abominable snow monster 

that was munching on a skier - awk!

Zac made our basecamp for Everest - love it!

Down in the valley, Zac made a lodge for all the climbers. 

The streetlights Paul made hearken back to some Liz made years ago. 

There was a little Charlie Brown aluminum tree farm. 

Zac's climbers were trying to avoid a crevasse

Wait! 

What about the mode of transportation?!

See the little brown jelly bean looking blobs on the right below?

Those are yaks! 

Our modes of trans =D

Merry Christmas everyone - we send our love 

and sing praises of our Jesus, the greatest gift!

The most wonderful time of the year...

We're grateful for all of you

who've made our December 

the most wonderful time of the year!

Thank you dear Relief Society Sisters

for your dinners and celebrations,

and for teaching of Christ.

Thanks, everyone, for singing with us,

We missed you Rachelle and Debbie =( 

visiting temple square with us, 

and visiting and playing games with us.

Sorry I didn't catch pictures of everyone - 

you're all so much fun I often just forget about pictures!!!

Happy New Year

2018!

FORE!!

This guy loves the game of golf! 

It all began in North Carolina.

Occasionally, on his mission

when he was in Statesville, North Carolina

they had district activities

and one of those activities was golf. 

He was smitten!

Our friend had a set of clubs 

he was wanting to sell 

so Zac and our girlie took them for a try. 

I got the following pictures from her. 

She loved playing too 

and now we have two people hooked on golf!

How about this putt? 

Zac looked for his line and took his shot. 

It was looking so good!

Aww man!

That was going to be a birdie

but it's in for par. 

“Golf... is the infallible test. 

The man who can go into a patch of rough alone, 

with the knowledge that only God is watching him, 

and play his ball where it lies, 

is the man who will serve you faithfully and well.” 

-P.G. Wodehouse

Merry and Bright...

What a wonderful time of year this is (as long as you have a really warm coat)!

We had lots of rain which flooded the retention basin at the park 

but before all the water could drain away, 

temperatures dropped 

and our neighborhood got it's own little ice skating rink. 

Then came the snow which delighted Rascal!

He loves to catch snow!

There was a joyous visit with our juggling New England missionary 

and there were sweet gifts

given in similitude 

of the greatest gift 

 which was given to us all from our loving Heavenly Father, 

the gift of the Christ Child.

(image from LDS.org)

The sweet Pearsons came to play games with us 

and brought more of their delicious treats with them.

Then we got to see these sweethearts 

kneel at an altar in a holy temple and make covenants 

with each other before their God

so they could be sealed together for time and eternity. 

New Years wouldn't be New Years without the Allred Family. 

We're grateful they somehow made time to celebrate with us

just days after having a wedding. 

Thanks for the smoked ribs, Stephanie, Travis and Rob! 

Thank you everyone, for making this wonderful season merry and bright. 

As Hunter is so fond of saying, 

You're the real deal!

<3

New England had a devastating hurricane (tropical cyclone)!!!!!

We have sad news to report. 

Last Wednesday was a busy night at our house

 and this sweet little guy 

was left alone for 3 hours.

Who'd have imagined those beautiful brown eyes 

could conceive of such mayhem!

We used to call him just "Rascal" 

but his name henceforth

shall be "Hurricane Rascal".

Hurricane Rascal never touched last year's village 

so we were caught off guard 

Wednesday night when we came home 

to a dog with head held low, ears laid flat and tail hanging. 

He took one look at us and headed to "jail" 

(his crate) 

with the guiltiest face. 

We were left to discover the hurricane aftermath. 
In three hours, he'd managed to erase all signs 

of the lobster boat, 

Zac's house, 

Ashley's kayak,

most of Sarah's house, 

Alex's front door, 

and the reachable end of Sarah's Pier.

My house's roof had been licked clean of all the powdered sugar 

(Zac says eating my roof looked like a tasty idea!), 

Darren's house now has a flip top lid,

and Marti's windjammer is missing it's aft. 

Worst of all,

Rascal was one sick puppy. 

 :(

Now when we leave the house, Rascal has to 
"go to jail" 

and that breaks my heart.

We've decided to count our blessings 

in the fun time we had building the village 

and bid it an early adieu.

Good-bye New England Christmas Village! 

Thanks for the good times!

Bail has been posted,

for Hurricane Rascal,

but we're telling him he might want to watch his p's & q's 

cause there's a jolly bearded guy
in a red suit who's watching him,
 making a list, 
and checking it twice...

;)