My father's traditional Bingo party took place in Bountiful this year on December 19. For the first time in seven years, I did not purchase any of the presents. My dear sister, Natalie, knowing that I was going to be out of town for so many days this fall told me she would take care of the gifts this year!! Thanks, Natalie!!! My dad stayed with Natalie for a couple of weeks and actually went on shopping trips with her, which he thoroughly enjoyed! Before my mother passed away eight years ago this coming May, my father and mother would shop throughout the year for the Bingo game wherever they traveled. Anyway, my father and mother have always been so very generous! Everyone in the family looks forward to this party. We also enjoy getting togtether as a family and getting back in touch. Family togetherness is so important to my father!
My father and granddaughter (Adelyn)
The wonderful meal prepared by my sister Beverly and her family!
Tom, Hillary and Cohen
Rita Chen (our Taiwanese daugher) and Doug
Doug and Andrea
Joyce with Abigail and Elsie
Elsie showing us she ate every bite of her dessert!
My sister Natalie holding Andrea's baby, Rett
The next three pictures show all of the Bingo gifts!
Doug holding Rett and playing Bingo!
Elsie and Abigail thrilled with their princess gifts.
Abby dressed up the next morning in one of her princess outfits!
ANDREA, ABBY & RETT'S WEEK STAY
After Abby's surgery, Andrea and her children spent the week with us until Matt returned from St. George for the Bingo game and to pick up his family. Having your children one-on-one is a special experience. We had a wonderful time just being together!
Doug and Abby's creation with blocks
One crazy thing Andrea and I did every evening was put together a 2,000-piece puzzle of Gone with the Wind. We should have never started it (we became addicted!), but when all was said and done, we had a fun time, especially with the completion. Matt and Rita arrived just in time to help us do that.
Here it is all completed!
CHRISTMAS AT TOM AND HILLARY'S
Since we were going to Seattle for Christmas this year, before we left, Tom and HIllary had us over for a great dinner, games and then we exchanged gifts. Thanks Tom and HIllary!!!
Their beautifully decorated tree!
This is a brass ornament of the Bountiful Temple, where Tom and HIllary were married, that we gave them last year.
Addy with the beautifully set table
Elsie unwrapping a gift
Addy just loves playing board games
Tom, Hillary and family
They were all happy to receive money towards their DisneyWorld trip next Christmas!
Doug's gift--the lawn game of Bocce'
Grandpa and Grandma with Tom and HIllary's children
Rita with Hillary and Cohen
CHRISTMAS IN GIG HARBOR/BREMERTON, WA
This is the first year Doug and I have traveled away from home (except in the beginning days of our marriage--to our parents' homes) for Christmas! We had such a great time with Camille, Holland, Adam, Ashley, McKay, Ruby and Benson!
Christmas shopping and lunch at Wendy's--McKay, Holland and Ruby were pretty excited!
Cheese and chocolate fondu at the Hyde's house on Christmas Eve--Ruby and Grandpa
Ashley and Adam
Santa actually had time to drop in and see all of us--a total surprise!
Santa even had small gifts for each one of the kids!
McKay was a little shy.
Benson's first Christmas
One of the highlights (and surprises, besides Santa dropping in) was the recitation of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by McKay. I'm sure all of our mouth's were open the entire time. His mother said she had no idea he had the book memorized until he started reading it to her!
McKay would have raced through each page if the words would have come out faster.
Camille helped the kids make Gingerbread houses!
Holland and Camille
McKay was pretty please with his house
Our traditional Christmas Story presentation with Holland as the angel, McKay as Joseph, Ruby as Mary and...
Benson as Jesus!
Christmas morning with the beautifully decorated tree!
McKay got what he wanted from Santa--a spaceship and Robin Hood Disney video
Holland was thrilled with her Fur-Real kitten, which seemed pretty much like a real cat!
Ruby loved her new stroller
Grandchildren (kids) make Christmas so much fun!
Next year maybe Benson will know a little more what is going on. In the meantime, he is the most pleasant baby. We all enjoyed just holding him.
McKay's Grandparents gave McKay (I think Adam) this robot
Holland and her new American Girl doll in matching nightgowns
The kids having "tea" with Ruby's new teaset
When we returned home, Doug gave me this beautiful antique Victorian "Jewels" box. Just thought you would want to see a picture of it.
WE HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND HOPE ALL OF YOU DID, TOO!!! THANKS FOR YOUR NEWLETTERS AND PICTURES!
6 comments:
Oh I'm so bummed that we missed out on the Bingo party and of course being here in washington for christmas. Life goes on right. Thank you for calling me this morning and sharing that obituary with me, do you think you could send it to me? if now, that's fine, maybe i could find it online. anyway, hope your doing well and I could really use a good old day of shopping and wendy's with my mom right now.
love you mom, heath
Mom, it is awesome. I also love the new blog layout. Thank you for always taking such good good good time with each of us. I love you.
C
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
What a beautiful Christmas you had with your families in Washington! Those little kids are really growing, and like you said, they just make the Christmas so much fun, don't they?!
Joyce--
I loved hearing about your wonderful Christmas with your darling kids and grandkids. You and Doug are such great parents to take time to spend precious time with each of your kids. It truly means so much. You can just feel how important each kid is to both of you. I hope my kids feel that say way one day.
p.s. I LOVE your picture taking skills---the pictures make you feel like you were actually there!!
Wonderful Christmas for you. So glad you could be with your kids in Washington and they all look like they loved having you with them.
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