We Believe

In Santa.He left a series of BEAUTIFUL GIFTS on our doorstep last week.
And we wish we could thank him in person!

Because our children were delighted!

(and so were we. happy movie night anniversary party to us!)

I'm telling you, though: this Santa is one STEALTH dude. We didn't even have hope of a sighting. But he certainly left Christmas Magic in his wake...

And we are so grateful!!

Christmas Craziness in Review: MoTab Concert

Nothing rings in the season like a little Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas music. Our friends surprised us with two tickets and...it was pretty much a party. Natalie Cole's music was really nice (The Holly and the Ivy with guitar =beautiful, and, of course, those "chestnuts roasting..."). It wasn't exactly Brian Stokes Mitchel (maybe I'm partial to men's voices. Either way I'm so jealous that my parents went to that concert last year.), but I have no doubt that David McCullough's moving Christmas message blew last year's narrator (whoever it was) out of the water. All in all, a great concert.

Not to mention the pre-concert dinner (which was delicious) and the twinkling post-concert walk (which was wonderful -warmer than our last stroll through temple square, that's for sure).

Thanks, friends!!

Christmas Craziness In Review: Candyland

Last Thursday...

...was the Helaman Halls Invitational (a formal dance for freshmen residents). This event was anticipated as "the ball" at our house and required some serious preparations.

Like nail painting. Lucy's nails dried during her first viewing of The Muppet Christmas Carol. I thought she'd be scared. She was fine (i.e. too grown up) - loved every second.

And then the big day arrived.

A few pre-date photos (always!):

"Your coat, my lady..."

And they were off!

(I think Lucy had more fun dancing with some long lost friends than she did with her date. but shhh! don't tell!)

She came home with stories of eating candy right off the wall ("something magic happened to the dinner place!!") and stepping over colored squares ("just like the game!").

Don't know if Candyland was a hit with the freshmen...but pretty sure the four year old had the time of her life!

Christmas Craziness in Review: Cookie Exchange

***December is always a whirlwind! There's no keeping up! ***

Had such a fun little party last Sunday with a handful of friends from high school. Good food, cookies, and kids in abundance!

Earlier that day a group of 10 women visited our Relief Society to sing a heart warming Christmas program. Made me remember HS days with my 10 dear friends, roaming from church meeting, to church party, to work party (remember Brynn's dad's office??), to rest home, singing our self-arranged Christmas medleys. GOOD MEMORIES. And even better friends.

While We Were Decorating Last Saturday

Santa and the dentist elf paid a visit to baby Jesus.
Smile.

Constant

In the springtime, pretty pink tulips bloom in the corner of my dad's garden. The same ones that have been there for years.

A lot changes in a few years.


But some things never change.

Some things are constant.

Like a Father's love.

Some things can be counted on: a hug, a tickle, a turn around the garden, a story. Thumb to thumb, finger to finger. So much fun.

I've been trying to tell my kids how lucky they are. Two wonderful grandpa's and a loving, dedicated dad.

And a Heavenly Father. Who is even more constant. Who can certainly be counted on. Who is capable and powerful. But also kind. Eternally caring.

I'm so grateful. Because sometimes life is a whirlwind. And how comforting is the consistency of a Father's love.

Memorial Day

Easter Memories

(Pictures are links)

Easter Thoughts

If you've been browsing through our (gazillion) Easter photos, you've had a pretty thorough glimpse of our holiday. Lovely. In all ways. Happy children. Family togetherness. Scenic, beautiful springtime.

But there were other highlights. Things I don't have pictures of. Like bouncing my small yellow Spencer egg at the side of our chapel and listening to the story of Tom taking little Jim's lickin' (remember that story?), or seeing Wes and Lucy singing the closing hymn (He Is Risen) together at the end of the meeting. Or like the tears in Lucy's tender, happy eyes as we drove to Bountiful and she listened to me tell (through my own emotion) the account of Christ's appearance to Mary outside the garden tomb.

Emotion, yes.

But the emotion is simply a by-product of bigger things. Faith. Conviction. Assurance.

I mentioned reading a small chunk of the New Testament in preparation for Easter. One passage that I appreciated anew was Christ's healing of the man possessed by a legion of devils. For the first time, I saw the symbolism in the situation.

"And when [Jesus] went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."

A man with no clothes, no house, and no freedom from a demonic dictatorship. Jesus cast the devils out, creating somewhat of an uproar involving pigs and water and dumbfounded spectators. And when the whole city and country came close for a better look, they "found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind."

A few verses later, Jesus instructed the healed man, "Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee."

So the man left the tombs. He went home. And he testified throughout the city of the Savior's mercy.

So must we testify. We who have been similarly saved. We who will someday bid farewell to a world dominated by the Devil, we who will likewise leave the tombs, and return home. Home to our Heavenly Father's house. Covered by the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ's atonement. Clothed. Dressed in "robes of righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads. [To] reap eternal joy for all our sufferings." (D&C 109:76)

"The future is as bright as your faith." Isn't that what President Monson promised in conference?

And so, at Easter time, we feel hope. And responsibility. Responsibility to testify. Responsibility to repent. I can never read Christ's words from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)," without remembering President Hinckley's plea, May the Savior never have cause to say of us, "Father, forgive them for they do not what they know (First Presidency Christmas Devotional...years ago...didn't look it up, sorry)."

So here is a post-Easter prayer, for greater commitment to Him who suffered and died to clothe our naked spirits and to send us home.

Easter Sunday

It was a bright morning,

A delightful afternoon,

An exciting evening,

An all-around great day!