Moulton Dec/Jan

Time flies when you're having fun!!! Seems like I've been gone more than I've been home! Busy couple of months!
December was great! First December I've been home and not working or teaching seminary! Hooray! Christmas preps kept me busy of course but I loved the freedom to do what I wanted when I wanted! We finally, after 5 years, got tickets to the Mormon Tab Christmas concert. So Jess took the day off and we hit some shops on the way up to Salt Lake. We picked Bryce up who was working at a clinic downtown. We walked over to the Conference Center from our hotel and got GREAT seats. It helped that we got there 90 minute early! haha! It was really an amazing concert! Last year, they had 'snow' falling from the 'sky' (ceiling). This year narrator,Tom Brokaw, shared a story about the "Candy Bomber" during WWII,  and little handkerchief parachutes fell from the 'sky' (ceiling)! Magical! They had a giant sheet/drape hanging from the ceiling so that some 1940 footage could be shown of the actual candy drop! Even had sound effects like a plane engine! Then the drape from the ceiling dropped and there he was, The Candy Bomber! Guess he lives just north of Salt Lake!!! And he wore the same uniform from the War!  Alfie Boe,  from Les Mis fame sang! Wow! After singing, Bring Him Home, he got an extended standing ovation! It was an amazing night!

We drove Bryce back to his car which he'd left at the clinic downtown and off he drove. Unfortunately, we didn't go anywhere. Our car was overheating. So we sat and waited and waited and waited! And the snow started! OF COURSE!!! It was almost midnight and not in a great part of town! Eeek! I suggested we walk cuz it was getting cold. We ended up calling Bryce who came back and rescued us! We left the car and Bryce dropped us off at the hotel. THANKFULLY, we had a room! Bryce picked us up in the morning and took us to a favorite breakfast spot! Suffice it to say, we made enough trips to Pep Boys to get to know them by their first names! It wasn't totally fixed but we got it home and then Jess did his magic! Whew!

We looked so forward to getting our Texas kids home! They drove 22 hours straight and got in Sat morning before Cmas! The next day was our Family Christmas party! It was dicey having it on a Sunday, especially when we had the 1-4 schedule when the party started at 5. Eeeeek! But it all came together! It was so much fun, more low key and just plain fun! Kathi and I are already brainstorming about next year's party! Fun to have Colin join us this year!!! We even had enough kids to do the nativity! My favorite characters: the donkey and sheep: Addie and Sophie!!!

Christmas Eve was magical because it started snowing! We made sure we placed luminaries on Jess' mom's grave: a Utah Co tradition! It's so beautiful! Packer's came but were delayed because of the snow! It was a little crazy finding places for everyone to sleep since Amy and Avery were with us this year. But we managed! Christmas morning was so fun to watch the 3 little ones! We had our new traditional breakfast: deep fried french toast with 5 diff syrups this year! Everyone seemed to have their favorite. Jess' dad was over for Cmas Eve and Christmas day. As usual we took our time and savored the moments! Jess (and everyone else) surprised the heck out of me with a new Hyundai Elantra! I love it! But boy was I shocked!!! Sneaky boy!!!

We looked forward to January because we were getting our new little grand daughter! Stephanie was scheduled for a c-section Wed, Jan 16th but went into labor on Monday the 14th so I raced over that evening  (unprepared!), while they took off  for the hospital! Little Ella was born at 10:22 (gotta get another clock for my house!) and we were so excited. I took the kids to see Mom, Dad and 'the new baby sister', the next afternoon. They were awestruck! Poor little Sophie ended up getting sick tho' so she had a rough week but we had lots of cuddle time! I've been back and forth to help Stephanie and the kids. Ella is such a little 'pipsqueak' (according to her doctor) and we're convinced she's gonna look more like Stephanie but we'll see!!!

We're getting freezing rain and snow like crazy lately! But I'm not complaining! I love it!!!!!!! Stay warm!