Lights, cookies and a Christmas Card

Last Friday we took Ken’s grandma to Thanksgiving Point to see the lights.  It really wasn’t quite the same looking at lights with no snow on the ground.  It reminded me of being in Phoenix and going to see the lights at the Mesa Temple with no snow.  But it was fun to be with the kids.  The really neat part is at the end after the lights they have a nativity all set up with the words to “The Nativity Song” from the Children’s Song Book all printed up to tell about each part of the nativity – the angles, wise men, shepherds, Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus.  I thought it was a great way to end the festivities.

Afterwards we stopped to see the reindeer.  They looked extremely bored (I mean the deer), but Jessie especially thought it was SO cool and took some pictures of them for us.

Here’s a picture so you can enjoy the lights……and here’s one so you can enjoy the people.On Saturday we went to Steph’s last Christmas concert with the BYU Singers.  It was so beautiful!  They even had the BYU Orchestra play with them for part of it.  WOW!  It’s always so different to hear live music in concert.On Monday and  Tuesday we had our first real snow.  Probably about 8 inches when it was through.  We took turns shoveling the driveway 6 times that day.  Here is Mark shoveling snow onto Jessie.Monday night for FHE we joined Ken’s family to be with his Grandpa Fry, who was down for a visit.  We were a little late getting there on account of the kids’ building a very nice sledding ramp in the driveway right behind the van.  After dinner Ken had to remove the nicely packed jump so we could get the van out.  Ken’s family got a good chuckle out of the situation and I'm sure Ken will too (just give it a year).  Fortunately, Scott and Kyle saved his sanity and turned what could have been a two hour project into a 30 minute one.  Thanks guys!On Thursday we had a very pretty Downy Woodpecker in the apple tree.  (Thanks dad for the great bird reference book from this summer’s hike.  Spencer and I looked up the woodpecker that evening.)I had my first Activity Day activity on Thursday.  It was a lot of fun.  WOW talk about enthusiasm!  We had a cookie exchange and made some cookies too.   Then I helped the girls make a bead snowflake like we made when we were kids.I downloaded some new fonts this last week and Ken suggested I make up our Christmas card.  I was excited for a chance to play….

The front…

the inside…

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

We got this recipe from our RS cooking class.  It’s warm, simple and tasty.  Hope you enjoy it.  Plus since it has to cook for an hour you have time to set the table and make biscuits or something without feeling like you are going crazy…or maybe just read a book while you wait.

 

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

6 cups water

4 carrots

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

28 oz (3 cups) can tomatoes, undrained, chopped

1 cup small shell pasta

1/3 cup pearl barley

1/4 cup catsup

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 beef flavored bouillon

2 bay leaves

Brown ground beef; drain fat.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom.  Remove bay leaves.  Serves 10.

A new Wolf and Thanksgiving

Last week Mark received his wolf badge and a gold and silver arrow point.  He was so excited!  He did a pretty good job pinning on my pin too – not too scary.Each den talked about their heroes and those serving in the armed forces and the pack collected hygiene supplies to give to veterans.  And then we had a fun little relay about working together. The day before Thanksgiving the kids were a huge help.  Abbie helped me zest the oranges for the cranberry jello, Spencer washed the cranberries and Mark and Jessie each got to make there first pie starting with the crust all the way to making the filling.  It was a lot of fun to all be working in the kitchen together.Can you tell Mark didn’t want his picture taken.Thanksgiving was quiet and peaceful.  We finished up the jello and baguettes here before we went to Ken’s parents.  Mark and Abbie helped me make up some little place markers.  There we played a bunch of games and watched the kids dance and play on the Wii with Randy.

Grandpa carved the turkey and gave the drum stick to Mark.  IT WAS HUGE!!Afterwards Grandma gave the kids a “Christmas anticipation gift.”  They were all so excited to use their new Christmas pillowcases.On Saturday we had lunch with our great friends.  Afterwards I helped pin the binding on some quilts and the girls played with the scraps while the boys played Settlers.  Aren’t they beautiful!