Odds n Ends

For Alfredo's company party at Christmas time we had a really nice dinner and saw Aquaman.  They did a drawing to see who would get the nice reclining seats and Alfredo won two of them...they were super comfy.

 Since two hour church began, we've been having two other families over nearly every Sunday to do Come Follow Me.  I've loved having these friends over.  I've loved the discussions we've had and the opportunity to learn together and support one another in implementing this new curriculum in our homes.  I know it's been a help and strength to our friends as well.  There have been a couple of weeks when I have had meetings and we've had to cancel it and we've missed it when it hasn't happened...even though we've been really good about reading and studying in our home.

Since two hour church began, we've also been playing games together as a family nearly every Sunday evening.  One week we played Phase 10 which is Alfredo's favorite.  On one of the hands, Ella needed a run and was dealt 3 wilds and the rest of the cards worked into a run of 10 so she went out completely on her first turn.   Unfortunately, the rest of the game wasn't quite so kind to her.  But we've been having so much fun playing together each weekend.  I know we only gained one extra hour on Sundays...and I actually miss having 3 hours of church...but my Sundays feel longer/like we gained more than an hour.  It's miraculous to me how if we follow the teachings of the Lord and obey His commandments, He really is able to make so much more out of our time and our lives than we are!!

Hair cuts and ombre

At the beginning of January, Michelle got her hair cut a lot shorter.  I also got my hair cut, though not dramatically.  Ella had Heidi trim her hair and redo her ombre.  Heidi does such a great job...and my girls sure are beautiful!

Breakfast Date

On January 11, all 3 girls had sleepovers.  Michelle and Ella had a sleepover at Morgan's house and Gabby had a sleepover with a whole group of her friends at Alyssa's house.  Alfredo wasn't home on Friday night, so after getting home from the Draper Temple with the girls and dropping them off at their sleepovers, I read and relaxed.  But Saturday morning, Alfredo and I went out to breakfast at Gourmandise for a really nice breakfast date.  It was really nice to just have a relaxing morning together.  And the food was delicious!

We both laughed when the waitress asked if we wanted her to split our checks...that hasn't happened in years.  Alfredo hates getting his photo taken and he looks like he's half asleep in the photo, but we really did have a nice time.  And he even got a nap before the girls came home around noon or 1 PM.

Draper Temple

 On January 11, Aly and I took Max and his friend and Michelle and Ella to the Draper Temple.  Annie had to work later than expected and was unable to make it.  The Draper Temple was SO busy!  It was a Friday evening and there were SO MANY youth there.  There were youth groups.  There were families, bringing their 11 year olds for the first time.  A member of the temple presidency was in the baptistry, welcoming people, teaching the 11 year olds, training the new Priests who were able to baptize for the first time and helping each person to have a good experience.  It's such a blessing to have temples dotting the Earth and to have opportunities to go regularly!

 When we arrived the sky was so murky that you could barely see the angel Moroni on top.  You couldn't see the temple at all from a mile away.  When we left, it was lit and glowing...light emanating from the temple.

The night before I'd read in 1 Nephi about the tree of life and the mists of darkness...and the two images of the temple...one murky and covered in mists of darkness...and one with light emanating from it...seemed a perfect analogy for this.  As we spend time in the world, it becomes harder to see what is true and what is right. Things become more murky.  But as we spend time in the temple, with the word of God, and praying...light enters our life and it becomes easier and clearer to see what really matters.

This year my goal is to gather more light.  Going to the temple regularly is one of the best ways I can do that.

 Photo credit for all but the first of these photos goes to Aly.

It's a Beautiful Day...at the temple

A few months ago, I told Sara that I'd never gone to the temple and done all the ordinances in one day.  She hadn't either so we decided to go together over Winter Break to do that.  It worked out that January 3 was a day that worked for both of us to go spend the day in the temple.  That morning when I woke up, I saw a First Presidency statement that changes have been made in the temple in the past and a reminder that sacred ordinances shouldn't be discussed outside of the temple.  So it seemed some changes had been made, which made our timing feel even more wonderful.  When we got to Jordan River, the parking lot was packed.  We did find a spot, but we were lucky...lots of people parked in places that weren't spots.

We went to the baptistry first.  Our stake member/friend Kaye was working in the baptistry.  She asked if we had done an endowment session yet, and we said no and explained what we were doing.  She told us that four apostles were in the temple at that time.  The baptistry was busy, but not too busy as were the initiatories.  We saw Sister Joy D. Jones in the dressing rooms.  After completing initiatories, we had a delicious lunch in the temple.  Then we did an endowment session and sealings.  It was such a wonderful day.  The spirit was so strong and I found myself weeping with joy over and over.  I loved seeing the connections between each ordinance and knowing that we had helped women receive these ordinances that they couldn't do for themselves.  I loved spending that time with Sara and feel so grateful for her friendship and example.  And I loved being in the temple.  It's my favorite place on Earth!  I love that there are so many temples in such proximity to us and I love that I can go so regularly and feel that peace and find guidance and direction.  We are so blessed.  It was truly a glorious day!!!

New Years

On New Years Eve, we had the Galatas over for games and dinner.  It was a lot of fun. 

On New Years Day, we had the Lazartes over for dinner.  Alfredo made his delicious sopa de res!  And Annette introduced me to my new favorite game...Splendor.  Really, I'm a bit obsessed with it now.  I bought us a copy and we play every Sunday.

Straightened hair

Every once in a while, Gabby likes to have Michelle help her straighten her hair.  Last week she had one of those days and I can't believe how long her hair is getting. (On the other hand, she is 10 and has only had 1 hair cut in her life, so I guess her hair should actually be much longer!)

She is the funniest, cutest girl and I sure love her!!