Christmas 2020

 

Christmas, 2020, has come and gone.  I can hardly believe it!  I think that it has been a perfect Christmas.  I felt like our family did our best to serve others and to think of Christ throughout the whole month of December.  We "adopted" three kids from Antelope Acres and bought Christmas presents for them (anonymously).  We gave out countless treat plates.  We talked of Christ, we preached of Christ, and we rejoiced of Christ the whole Christmas season.  Now we need to continue to do so throughout the rest of the year.  The older I get the less sad I get when Christmas is over.  It used to be hard for me when December 26th rolled around.  As the years have passed, however, I have realized that it truly is possible to have the spirit of Christmas throughout the whole year.  I do miss the music and the decorations, however, and I feel a twinge of sadness when those 2 things must be put away for the next 10 months or so.  But, throughout the year we can still continue to talk of Christ, think of Christ, and serve like Christ.  Each new year is a fresh start, a new beginning.  I am looking forward to see the kinds of things that 2021 has to offer me and my family.  We will be studying the Doctrine and Covenants for Come Follow Me.  I am excited to learn more about it and to learn and grow.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas.  On Christmas Eve, we spent the day preparing food for our Christmas Eve feast (my favorite part of Christmas).  We invited Jon's parents over.  Before the feast, however, we were able to participate in a zoom meeting with Nana and Grandpa Duncan, Aunt Sharon, Tara's family, Craig's family, and Uncle Dean.  It was so good to see them!  After our feast, the kids opened up their gifts from one another.  I was very pleased and impressed at the thoughtfulness of their gifts.  They did a very good job.  Not only did they get a dollar store gift for each of their siblings, but they each gave homemade gifts as well.  It melted my heart.  After the gift exchange, we watched our traditional Christmas Eve Movie, "Muppets Christmas Carol".  I love that movie!


Here is the letter that Santa wrote the kids:

"December 24th, 2020

Over Children,
I see you have a new fireplace. No problem, as I was able to deliver your stockings. You've been rather good this year, especially with Covid-19. Many people in the world are suffering right now. It's nice you were good this year...but I want you to be better next year and be more thoughtful of each other and of others around you. Always be of service to keep the Christmas spirit throughout the year. So I left you some goodies that I hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas!
Santa Clause
P.S. Someone forgot the milk...Ho, Ho, Ho
P.S. I loved the pictures! Cute drawings!
P.S.S. Bryce...my shoe size is 10.5. And don't be naughty with the boogers."
(In Bryce's note to Santa he asked him if he liked to eat boogers and he left one of his own on the paper to try...🤢 So gross!)
Thank you, Santa! Here's to keeping the spirit of Christmas alive and in our hearts the whole year long!🎄♥️


Christmas Day was wonderful.  Santa came and filled up the kids' stockings.  Each of the kids opened up their one gift from us and were very excited and happy.  It was nice simplifying this year with just one gift each.  They opened up one gift and then they spent the day playing with that one gift.  The one gift was more appreciated than if we would have given them multiple gifts.  They also received a few games from Grandpa Turley and Grandma Lisa (a marble run, apples to apples junior, and charades).  From us, Elizabeth got a digital Polaroid camera with printing paper, Bryce got 2 medium sized Star Wars lego sets, Mason got a huge Hidden Side Lego set (and spent 8 hours straight assembling it!), Caitlyn got a cute little smart watch and a play-mobile restaurant, and William got some Play-mobile Ghost-buster toys.  Their gifts were a hit!

For Christmas dinner, Jon made a crock-pot ham and green beans, and I made challah bread, 2 apple pies, and potatoes.  It was yummy!  Jon's parents and Darlene's family came over for dinner.  After dinner we opened more gifts.  Sandy got me some pajamas and a sweater (I love it!).  Lizzie got a few stuffed animals, a necklace, and a wood-burning kit.  Bryce got another Star Wars lego set, a magic kit, and a remote control car.  Mason got 2 more Hidden Side Lego sets, Charmander Lego set, and a pokemon game.  Caitlyn got a cute giant stuffed unicorn and a Belle Barbie.  William got a Jurassic Park race car set, a stuffed Dino, and a dino lego set.  The kids are so blessed and they get spoiled from their Tia, Tio, and Over Grandparents.

Today was the day after Christmas.  Jon made a huge pot of Gumbo.  We gave some to the missionaries (I also made them challah bread and strawberry thumbprint cookies).  Then I went to Walmart to see if I could find anything on the After-Christmas sales.  Everything was half-off.  I bought some wrapping paper, a beautiful "Joy to the World" decoration, a little nativity, and 4 nativity gifts to give out next year to the people I visit teach.  Jon's parents came over for dinner (again, ha ha).

We will be going to Vegas on Monday and coming back on Thursday.  It will be good to get out.  We are so blessed.  Even amidst all of the trials that most people are experiencing or have experienced in 2020, we have been very blessed.  Jon has been able to work the entire time, and he even picked up an extra job on top of it all (his Gorman job).  I hope that we are doing enough to serve others.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the past few days!










































































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