Sunday 24 December 2023

2023 has Zoomed By!

 Well, well, well. I have done a really poor job of blogging in 2023. What in the world happened?

Late in 2022, we were asked if we would be in charge of Moroni's Quest for our stake. I really didn't know what we were getting into and it didn't take long for things to ramp us and start taking up all the empty space and more in our calendars. The event was in July and I don't know if I've ever experienced anything more tiring AND  more energizing at the same time. The learning curve was steep and I was so grateful for the mentorship from our friends, the Paynes. Allen's health was not great through it all and until we got answers in September, he really struggled to do all that was required. 

The Sunday after Moroni's Quest, I was really ready for a rest. I'll never forget waking up Sunday morning and seeing the bags under my eyes. I looked terrible!! It took a good week of resting before I felt like I had really recovered. Apparently, rest wasn't a long term plan though as that Sunday I was called to be the Relief Society president in our ward. Again, it's been a tiring and energizing experience. I'm learning a lot and really growing to enjoy the assignment. 

This year, my goal is to write more. Stay tuned! 

Sunday 25 December 2022

Second Christmas

 For our second Christmas we celebrated with Grandma. We were worried that she might not be able to come because it has been so cold lately - but on Christmas Eve the cold spell ended and things warmed up tremendously. So grateful! 


Christmas Eve was Chinese food and a movie (Scent of a Woman....strange choice for Christmas Eve....but alas!)


Christmas morning we opened stockings and then headed off to church. I was playing the organ and the choir did a beautiful cantata. It was really amazing. 

Later, there was another Santa visit by Allen. We have a family in our ward where the parents are absent and kids are living with their older brother so he helped them with presents by taking them shopping to buy gifts for their siblings and then today he showed up with stockings for them. 

Later we opened gifts. Grandma went off to her sister's house for dinner and we had ham and scalloped potatoes and an amazing cranberry cheesecake for dessert. I'm not one to make fancy desserts often. This one was a winner! 


I was trying to get a selfie of us. Finally Peirce said he should try. We are laughing at how simple it was for him! LOL

Two tricks we learned this weekend when it comes to Bentley: 1. If you buy him a bone he will be quite busy and stay distracted with it while we open presents. 2. He loves getting a new ball! He played for hours.

Friday 23 December 2022

Crying in Safeway

 One thing about Allen is that he loves to give gifts. He really is a true Santa Claus. 




Today we went to give a gift to one of our favorite cashiers at Safeway. He always talks to all the cashiers and knows them and that's how he got to know her. We have another connection because I taught her daughter in grade 3. A few years ago her husband died suddenly and we often wonder what we can do to help them as they work through the loss of their dad and husband. Allen had bought a gift card to a restaurant and we went through her till. He placed it on the belt, along with the groceries we were buying. She started to ring in our items and then she froze and looked up at us. "You didn't have to do that," she said. Allen told her he knew, but he wanted to...and Merry Christmas and all that. That's when her tears started...and so did mine.