Christmas Eve

 What a Christmas!  Tonight as I sat comfortably on the couch, feeling the last of those Christmas feelings and watching Kyle enjoy his favorite card from Aunt Verusca that plays music from "The Grinch" over and over as he opens and closes it, I felt gratitude for all the blessings that we have.  We have a lot of good friends and family!  And we miss those live far away so much!  It was nice to talk and skype with a few of them.  We even opened presents from them and got to watch them unwrap our gifts.  I asked my Grandad yesterday how on earth they survived without the technologies that we now have.

We got these photos from our ward Christmas party back today, and added them to our Christmas door.  Jace missed out on sitting on Santa's lap and asking for anything; Maybe that's why he got coal in his stocking.

Kyle and Cami watching Polar Express tonight while I'm on my computer (They got naps today.  It pays to nap.)

Evan's tree.  What good little boys and girls to pose so willingly tonight.  The kids got to put a link on each time they did a Christlike act, beginning on Evan's birthday, Nov. 30th.  Lance really got into this and made most of the links on the tree.  One day he even got to put 22 on it!  He has been focusing a lot more this month on doing Christlike acts like sharing the toys he really likes more willingly, and helping around the house without being asked, and being the "bigger brother".  Everyone else pitched in, too ;)

Reading "The Gingerbread Man", a gift from Kyle's preschool teachers.  It was so nice having Daddy around on Christmas Eve!  They made Gingerbread man cookies for Santa after that.

Christmas Eve Dinner - Glazed Ham, Green Bean Casserole, Yams with marshmallows, and homeade rolls.  Yum.  I love this one of Jared.  Begging for the kids to smile so we don't have to take another picture!

After dinner, Jace became a donkey, and Cami and Kyle were Mary and Joseph.  Dad read the story from Luke Chapter 2.
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

7And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn.

(The shepherd was hiding behind the camera) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
...And the angel said unto them, (This is Evan's part) "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

(Matt. 2 - The wise men were directed by a star to Jesus);  "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and ^afrankincense, and myrrh."

 (Taken at "Creches and Carols" a Christmas Nativity Exhibit that is put on every year at our church, and this is just one of the fun things they had available)

"Glory to God in the highest!
... and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men."

Christmas Card 2010

Greetings from St. Louis!

We hope this finds you happy and well.  We bought a house we love! Jared found the perfect place and neighborhood for our family, and we moved in June. There is even a pool down the street that we used almost every day in the summertime, with a diving board. Jenny keeps pinching herself to make sure she isn’t dreaming.

Jared is fulfilling his dream career (after graduation from medical school in May), delivering babies left and right in his 1st yr of residency, and comes home exhausted and SO happy. He still finds time to hunt!

Jace (10) in 5th grade, likes playing violin in the orchestra, soccer, basketball, reading, and hunting with Dad. When he grows up, he wants to be a professional soccer or basketball player, and/or a dentist.

Lance (6) enjoys morning Kindergarten, especially riding the bus home. He and Jace walk together to school. He enjoys playing soccer, “capture the flag”, and making stuff with paper. He calls himself an “author” and loves to write. He wants to be a clown so he can make people laugh and be in the circus. His great laugh can be heard throughout the house, usually combined with Kyle’s.

Kyle (4) is in preschool, loves puzzles, trains, monster trucks, soccer, playing whatever is going on at the moment with his siblings, and plans to be a fireman someday. He continues to be easy going and fun loving.

Cami (almost 2) is just as giggly as a girl can get! She usually has a doll in her arms. Luckily, she still plays “catch”, kicks the soccer ball, and pushes cars and trains around with her brothers. She loves to help mom around the house, talk, sing, dance, and, unlike Mom, shop.

We are so grateful for these blessings in our lives, and for this Christmas season, to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

“What is the spirit we feel at Christmastime? It is His spirit—the Spirit of Christ. With the pure love of Christ, let us walk in His footsteps as we approach the season celebrating His birth.” – President Thomas S. Monsen



Love,      Jared, Jenny, Jace, Angel Evan, Lance, Kyle, Camille