Family, Friends, and Festivities

December 17 - As I catch up on my blog today, I am thinking about it being Ryan and Tani's anniversary and Tani's birthday.  

It is also the middle of the Christmas season.  We are enjoying getting Christmas greetings in the mail from friends and family.  We like seeing the Christmas lights and decorations, including those inside and outside our home; and the Christmas music and special shows add to the festivities.  And, of course, we appreciate remembering Christmas traditions and times shared with loved ones in years gone by.  We do love this time of the year.

Sharing Special Nativity Displays

This is a favorite.

Sam's father made this stable from old barn wood,

and Scott and Kristine gave us the Nativity figurines one year for Christmas.

Our church stake had a Nativity Exhibition for two days 

in the cultural hall of our church building,

and this is one of the two we took of our nativities to share.

We also shared our Russian nativity at the church exhibit.

The accompanying sign points out that among the several animals

included there is not a traditional camel.

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Festival of Lights

Shared a FHE activity with Hal and Christy Smith enjoying 

the Festival of Lights

and driving to look at some pretty yard displays

after eating at Zupa's.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Enjoyed seeing the production of 

"The Scarlet Pimpernel"

in Salt Lake City with the Smiths.

It was a musical adapted from the story of one of my favorite books.

Our granddaughter Anna singing in a Christmas concert

(center, brown hair wearing glasses).

Relief Society activity with opportunity to 

assemble 72-hour emergency preparedness kits.

I also made a "Thankful" banner for above our fireplace.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Looking Back to Thanksgiving

Welcome to our home.

The pumpkins and ornamental gourds came from our garden.

We are thankful for family and friends.

Fun in our sport court on Thanksgiving day.

(Ethan, Jacob, Megan's friend, Trevor, Joshua, Amanda's friend, and Isaac)

Jared, Mason, Jacob, (Megan's friend), Ethan)

Super easy "pumpkins" to make.  The photo does not

do justice to the fabric used and color coordinated. 

Thanksgiving day is now a pleasant memory, but we continue to

appreciate our many blessings.

In my next blog, the theme will be changed from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Please know you have a personal invitation to come see us and share

our love and Christmas spirit.

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P.S.  If you are interested in seeing my blog entries with photos of our trip to Russia in August, here are the links:

(Our cruise was between Moscow and St. Petersburg with visits to villages along the way.) 

Volga River Cruise - Moscow Visit

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/10/volga-river-cruise-part-1.html

Volga River Cruise, Part 2 

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/10/volga-river-cruise-part-2.html

Volga River Cruise, Part 3

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/11/volga-river-cruise-part-3.html

Volga River Cruise, Part 4

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/11/volga-river-cruise-part-4.html

Volga River Cruise, Part 5

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/11/volga-river-cruise-part-5.html

Volga River Cruise, Part 6

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/11/volga-river-cruise-part-6.html

Volga River Cruise, Part 7

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/11/volga-river-cruise-part-7.html

Volga River Cruise, Part 8

https://irelandshereandthere.blogspot.com/2018/11/volga-river-cruise-part-8.html

  

Giving Thanks

It has been challenging moving files from a Mac computer that died to our new Mac mini, so I have been slow in getting caught up on my blog.  Plus, after upgrading our Internet, my priority was completing my Shutterfly Year in Review album where I had included these photos and didn't realize until now I had not put them on my blog.

Thanksgiving - 2018

Thankful for Family

Maren's 20th birthday was on

Thanksgiving day this year.

 Doug, Marla, Narene, Sam, Megan, Trevor, 

Sarah, Derek, Curtis, and Todd

 

Brynlee, Rebecca, Anna, and Isaac

Joshua, Mason, Jared, Amanda, Alex, Megan, and Jacob

 Maren, Haley, Tyler, Paul, Brynlee, Corban,
Jacob, Shannon, and Ethan

Enjoying the delicious feast.

We had roast turkey and smoked turkey

with mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes,

salad, cranberries, deviled eggs, rolls, and variety of pies.

Always time for some friendly competition.
Isaac, Jared, Ethan, Mason, Jacob (Ireland), Jacob (a friend),
Joshua, Trevor, and Adam (with the ball) 

I am thankful for family and good times shared.

Visiting Jeff & Rochelle's Family in Arkansas

We were home from South Dakota just long enough to get ready to fly to Arkansas to visit Jeff and Rochelle's family.

Our pergola area showing some red and yellow colors,

as the temperatures become cooler.

Our visit in Arkansas

back:  Gramma Narene, Jamon, Grampa Sam, 

Zack holding Chance; 

front:  Miles, Kate, and Austin

Near the garage to Jeff and Rochelle's home 

in Gravette, Arkansas.

(Grampa Sam, Jeff, and Chance.)

Chance Ezra Ireland

born: July 11, 2018

parents:  Jeff and Rochelle Ireland

Austin, Jeff holding Chance, and Gramma Narene

Austin on the tree swing.

On a walk through the woods on their property.

Grampa Sam, Austin, Jeff, and Chance

Sam

Taking Miles out to a special restaurant 

for his birthday.

(Austin and Rochelle)

Miles is 7 years old!

Showing Kate his present.  

Miles had surgery on his hand October 26

to remove a vascular malformation, 

but it doesn't seem to be bothering him now

even though it is in a cast.

Having fun with the new automated car 

Miles got for his birthday.

(Austin, Miles, and Kate)

Miles wanted a cake with strawberries and 

whipped cream squirted on from a can.

Kate had hoped for a sister, 

but she loves Chance.

The kids have fun on this rope swing 

that takes them high back and forth.  

(Kate is swinging while Miles watches.)

Kate on a different tree swing. 

(Miles and Kate)

Jamon and Austin playing soccer.

Zack shooting hoops.

Jeff took us on a tour of the Coca-Cola Bottling Co.

in Springdale, AR, where he works.

This is a regional plant that bottles and distributes

numerous Coca-Cola beverages, 

including Coca-Cola, Minute-Maid,

Sprite, Fresco, Frutopia, Mello Yello, 

Nestea, and Powerade, as well as 

distributing Dr. Pepper.

Jeff showed us his office.

He is part of a group involved with sales research.

Interestingly, of those with offices near him,

the majority are Latter-day Saints

and one used to work at Newell-Rubbermaid with Jeff.

Jeff enjoys his work here.

The sign by his office door.

These large heads were what

Miles and Kate picked out when we

went shopping with then.

Rochelle's kitchen is decorated in a Tuscan theme

and is very pretty.

They have a pretty house inside and out.

They have plenty of wood on their property.

They are busy getting logs ready to store in the shed.

(Jeff, Jamon, and Sam; 

Zack is stacking logs inside the shed.)

Zac splitting a log.

Jeff is adding gas to the generator.

Chance is ready to go to church.

Miles is ready to go to church, too; 

only he will be leaving the big head at home.

Loved being with our newest grandchild, Chance.

Picture taken after church.  

back:  Zack Rochelle, Narene, Jamon, Sam, Jeff; 

front: Miles, Kate, Austin, and Chance

A happy time.

Gramma Narene with Chance.

Playing games Sunday evening before 

we had to leave for our return flight home.

(Kate, Austin, Sam, Zack, Jamon)

Ending the family activity with Jeff 

picking chapter and verse to see which one

of the children would be first to recite the scripture.

I was impressed with how good they were at this activity,

even Austin who is not in seminary yet.

We had a closing prayer after the activity;

and then it was time for the goodbyes, 

as we had to leave for the evening flight 

departure to Salt Lake City.

It was after 3:00 in the morning when we got to bed, 

but we had happy thoughts remembering the nice time we had with Jeff and Rochelle,

Zack, Jamon, Austin, Kate, Miles, and Chance.