December Randomness

Megan was giving Koda snuggles on Sunday and they both loved it. 

Josh had a friend party where they had S'mores and then played video games downstairs. They all had a good time.  

Allie and Megan decorated the gingerbread house that Margie bought them.

Margie got this huge dog as part of the white elephant gift exchange.  

After temple breakfast for the youth at the Buchi's.

More breakfast pictures.

I went to the temple with Suzanne and a couple of Tim's family members.

Merry Christmas 2025

It has been a great Christmas season.  We enjoyed going to Tony's parents for their annual Christmas Eve party.  We always love seeing extended family and spending time with them.

After the party the kids opened their pajamas from Margie.  It is such a fun tradition that will be sad when it ends.  The older kids don't even change into their pajamas anymore.  But the girls still did, and that made me happy.

Tyler was able to call us on Christmas Eve.  They told the missionaries that they could stay out until midnight and then they could call their families for a short call.  Christmas Eve is the bigger holiday there, so that's why they were able to stay out late.

Christmas morning was very low key.  It was sad not having Tyler there.  The kids didn't ask for much nor did they need much, so it was a pretty minimal Christmas.  But Tyler was able to Facetime with us, and we all opened our presents together, so that was really fun. We then got to chat with him for a while before we had breakfast.  We all just then had a chill morning before getting ready to go back to Tony's parents' house. 

While we were at Tony's parents' house, we were able to open some gifts from them and give them our gifts from us.  We even got to talk to Tyler again while we were there.  It was nice to talk with him some more.  I wish he had a better companion, but he is learning a lot this transfer.

It was a good Christmas with family, and we are all very thankful for the birth of our Lord and Savor and all the blessings that we a have received this past year.  We see many blessing from having Tyler out serving as a missionary.  We love and miss him very much, but know he is exactly where he should be.  Merry Christmas to all!

 

Choir Performances & Voice Recital

 It has been a great month for watching the kids sing in their choirs and for their recital.

The girls were first to have their choir concert.  They both had small solos, and they both did a great job and didn't seem nervous.  The choir did a great job.

Josh was next with his Concert Choir recital.  They sounded really good and it was fun watching him.  I did get sad watching the Madrigals.  I just made me think that it was just one short year ago that Tyler was up there singing and now he's in Paraguay struggling with a difficult companion.  Oh, how time goes by.

The last recital was for all three kids with their voice recital.  They each sang their solos and did amazing.  The girls also sang different parts with some of the other girls.  It was great watching them all perform and be so brave and awesome!

Tyler's First Two Transfers with his Trainer

Tyler loved his first two transfers.  He loved his trainer and they got along really well.  He was a really hard worker and followed the rules.  He was just what Tyler needed to start his missionary journey in Paraguay.   

They taught a lot of new friends and even had a baptism.  He learned so much his first three months and is excited to continue learning and loving the people of Paraguay.  

Multicultural/denominational Christmas Event

On Monday we went to the high school and watched a multidenominational Christmas program. They had a Santa and a Grinch that people could take pictures with.  They were both very good.

We enjoyed many different songs, dances, and even a dramatic reenactment of the nativity story.  Some were better than other, but the night was something fun and new to do to celebrate the Christmas season.  I am not sure that we will go again, but I am glad that we went this time.

Allie was Mary

Allie got to play Mary at our wards Christmas breakfast.  Her friend Emmett got to play Joseph, since they were the two moving on to young men's and young women's next year.  

We all ate breakfast first and then they had everyone sing some christmas songs and then the did a Nativity song and had the primary kids come in . It was fun to watch.  The younger kids got restless waiting for their turn and so they didn't really want to participate when their time finally came.  It's always nice to get together as a ward family.
 

Josh Sings at the Tabernacle

Josh got to sing with the Concert Choir at the Joseph Smith Memorial building and then again at the Tabernacle. We went and saw him perform at the Tabernacle after Tony got off work. Megan didn't want to come, so we let her stay home.  We got some dinner before the performance and then enjoyed watching the choir sing their songs.  We love watching our kiddos do what they love.

Thanksgiving Trip: Day 5 - Football & Family Time

This was another chilly California day.  We spent a lot of time just hanging out.  The kids finished filming their movie and a few of us were able to go on a nice cold walk around Julie's neighborhood.  

We played lots of games, ate yummy food and watched lots of football.  Specifically, BYU football.  We always enjoy watching the Cougs. 

We left bright and early the next morning to drive all the way home.  It was a good drive without any problems.  We always have fun going to Auburn and spending time with family.

Thanksgiving Trip: Day 4 -Temple, Lunch, Nails, & Bingo

Betsy got us all a reservation to go do baptisms for the dead at a temple that is about an hour from Auburn.  Their current foreign exchange student, Rossi, is a member and wants to go to as many temples as she can while she is in America.

It was a great idea and a wonderful activity to do with all the kids, except Allie and Jenni.  They stayed back and hung out with Papa G and Grandma Kim.

After the temple we drove back to Auburn, and all went to lunch at the Taco Tree. We were lucky and got seats for everyone.

After some went back to Julie's house while some of us did some shopping.  We picked up some fun prizes for everyone who playing BINGO at the Dollar Tree.  

We then ate dinner at Julie's and played games.  The girls did more nails, and we all had fun hanging out together.

It is so great to see all the cousins having fun together.  They all even did another movie while we were there.  Jacob wrote the movie and him and Hayden were the main ones in the show and included everyone.  Josh was the villain and it turned out to be a pretty good and silly movie.