National Park post #12

 In looking for my last national park I virtually went to Mississippi and found the "Gulf Islands National Seashore".

"Millions of visitors are drawn to the Gulf of Mexico for Gulf Islands National Seashore's emerald coast waters, magnificent white beaches, fertile marshes and historical landscapes."

In the United States you can access it from Florida or Mississippi.  When I started looking into it I was overwhelmed.  Hundreds of miles of the things mentioned above.  So I am going to leave it at that - now I know that it exists - maybe someday, if I have a chance to go, I will look into it further.  

"Camping on the Bayou" - sounds wonderful!

So that is a wrap of my 2021 theme.  I have thoroughly enjoyed it!  It has been educational and helped me feel some variety in my life, and it's given me things to dream about.  Maybe, someday.

Sunday

 Our last day together was Sunday.  Most of all the family made it to church.  This meant a lot to me.  I remember one Sunday when my Dad was alive, we had a lot of family home that went to church together. With tears in his eyes he said "we're taking up a whole row!"  He loved that, and I loved that this year.

In church I am the Primary President, meaning I help run the children's group.  We are very small, which is okay, but it was fun that with 7 of the grandkids of primary age they doubled the numbers.  They were so cute, all sitting together.  On a side note, during singing time the week before, the chorister let the kids choose their favorites.  One girl suggested "Angels We Have Heard on High".  I didn't think kids that young would know that song - especially considering they did not have any hymnbooks or words in front of them.  But they did know it and sang it loud and sweetly - especially the long, drawn out "Gloria"s.  I hope my grandchildren will always grow up with the peace of a Sabbath Day and the comfort of the Gospel in their lives.

After church we went home to an amazing meal of smoked brisket and coleslaw.  The last of our family Christmas weekend was spent on a cold wintery visit to the beach.  The sky was an amazing white and blue.

I am so grateful we had the weekend before Christmas together.

Chili and Cookies

 After playing in the bright, cold outdoors it was time to head home for our traditional Christmas dinner of Chili & cornbread (and rice).  My grandmother started this tradition, but the first time we tasted Ross' chili we have assigned him to be the one who makes it, forever more.

We then did our 2nd annual "ugly-sweater-cookie-decorating-contest".  Samantha, Andrew & Lester were the judges.  Lester did his best Paul Hollywood impression and as judges they conferred and then called each contestant up to discuss their entry.  Everyone got nice comments, but no one got a handshake.  In the end, they were a lot nicer than the British Bake-off judges and didn't declare anyone's as "ugly".  I believe Hillary won for the most intricately decorated cookie. 

However, there was more drama in our bake-off than on the show - the kids staged a revolt!  After going downstairs for about half an hour they came upstairs chanting something about "kids should have won!".  They made a banner with all their grievances of how the contest was unfair.  They were laughing the whole way - it was hilarious.

FDR

After present opening we were all too tired to go to the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park, as planned.  Plan "B" was to play at our local school yard - FDR.  The highlights were giant bubbles and kickball, though the playground, volleyball and badminton were great too.  It was so fun!  One most memorable moment - teaching 4 year old Avonlea how to play kickball.  She kicked it and made it to first base.  When her teammate took their turn she ran to second and then just kept going "straight on till morning"!

 

present opening

 was so much fun!  Some gifts were silly, some were entertaining and some were thoughtful and sentimental and from the heart.  One of my favorites were these little sequins pillows we bought the from the dollar store a year ago.  I know they are a big sensory hit for kids.  But, I hadn't anticipated that, with the sun shining through the window, they would cast a sparkly look on the ceiling and on the kid's faces.  

Before the gift opening we had a nice breakfast of pastries, fruit, cheeses, meats, crackers and the like. After the gifts were opened the kids went off to play and the adults had a hilarious white-elephant gift exchange game.

Stretching the house

 Friday night everyone arrived.  Reggie and I had stretched the house by setting up the basement as a playroom and the kids took full advantage.  Throughout the weekend they did lots of artwork, play dough, toys, blocks, puzzles, and best of all set up chairs to be "The Polar Express".  They put the music on "Alexa" over and over again.  We also have my Mom's little couch that she absolutely loved down in the basement.  We thought some family were going to take it but they couldn't fit it in their vehicle to drive it all the way to Utah.  We thought we didn't have room to keep it, but it turned out to be nice and cozy in this basement-playroom - a couch by day and a hide-a-bed by night - right outside the basement bedroom, so it was as warm and cozy and as safe as the rooms - like a little annex, or suite.  And during the polar Express it was the "sleeper car" that fit quite a few people at once.  

When I came home from work on the kids' last day I found advertisements all over the place talking about the "Grocery Island" downstairs.  Since there are already shelves of food storage I can see how that makes sense.  But from what I understand they put a lot of Luke's magazines and books on display, so when he started gathering them up they chased him calling out "shoplifter!".  It was pretty cute.

morning bags

 Our family celebrated a week before Christmas, as it was the only time we could all be together.  I had been gathering things since January, including stocking stuffers. And though the stockings were hung on the wall with care (too many to try to go around the fireplace) it didn't make sense to have Santa come a week early just for our grandkids, and then visit them again somewhere else Christmas morning.  So, this year it was Christmas bags and Grandpa and I got the credit instead of Santa.

I just love little plush faces peeking out of stockings or bags!  I got the Toy Story Aliens from the Disney Store in January and they've been smiling at me from the present closet since.

The adults always get stockings or bags as well.  When Mariah got into hers she said something about being so happy to be getting D.I. books again.  I love it!  The kids know that I go to D.I. throughout the year looking for used church books.  Last year, it being 2020 and all, I didn't make it once and so it was a  D.I. book-less year.  I am happy they were happy, or at least amuzed, to have them back!  In fact, this year I have noticed how many great Christmas story books I've gotten from there in perfect condition.  They make me happy.

So anyway, it was a wonderful week-before-Christmas morning.  The kids walked around with their bags all day long.

We interrupt this holiday blogging . . . .

 We now take a short break from blogging about all the holiday happiness going on around here for me to post some thoughts that just ran through my mind.  I am grateful for these thoughts.

I was getting ready for bed and all of a sudden remembered a quote I read somewhere.  Something about 

"Live in such a way that each morning the devil thinks to himself : 'Oh darn, she's up". 

 I'm also remembering the lyrics to a song that have brought me strength during hard times:

"I will go down with this ship.  I won't put my hands up and surrender.  There will be no white flag above my door."

It's not that there is anything terribly wrong, but of course we all go through challenges and worries and hard times.  Sometimes I, well and all of us I assume, just want to give up and let it wash me away.  But then I remember those quotes and feel so DETERMINED to keep going/not let my troubles get the better of me.  

I just love the thought of the devil being scared of me - Ha ha!  I love the declaration that there will be no white flag above my door.  I am so grateful for my husband, children, posterity, testimony, the constant comfort and help I feel from Heaven, the beautiful nature surrounding me, and so many more things I could list.  

So, on the days I wake up scared of life I just hope to remember those quotes, smile a little, and get ready for another day. 

Pineda's visit

 We've been having a fun visit with Julia and Lester and kids since October.  They have been here for Lester's work assignment.  They stayed with us for a little while and are now at the Pineda's.  Most of our fun with them has been spent at home, in the evenings, after we get off of work.  We've done some story book reading, puzzle solving, gingerbread house making, tree decorating, boxing and wrestling with Grandpa of course, pillow fighting which I joined in on, card playing and lots of arts and crafts.  In spite of all the rain we've even gotten in two walks, and a trip to the Academy of Sciences on Thanksgiving morning.