Sharing Christmas with Family

As we reflect on 2020 and look ahead to 2021, we feel blessed in spite of the pandemic that brought so many changes and sadness throughout the world.  We missed being together as a family in our home on Christmas Eve with our traditional festivities including a Nativity Pageant and Santa's visit, but we were pleased to have some  of our family come by on Christmas Eve to wish us a Merry Christmas; and we enjoyed the Zoom call we shared on Christmas morning with all of our families represented. The cards, gifts, phone calls, and six-feet-apart visits have all been appreciated.  Thank you to all who shared your Christmas spirit and for your thoughtful gifts.

Marla and Curtis came from South Dakota;

Maggie and Taylor came from Arizona.

(Trevor and Megan's family from Arizona

and Haley and Tyler from Utah

 were on our zoom call the next day.)

So, including Derek & Sarah's family (photo below),

we got to see all of the Smith family

except for Maren who is serving a mission in New Jersey.

Derek & Sarah with Max, Anna, and Paul

(Spanish Fork)

Todd & Beth with

Jared, Rebecca, Joshua, and Ethan

(Spanish Fork)

After having had Covid, Ryan and Tani 

came to our home for a visit after Christmas.

 They shared this family photo

taken in their home in Eagle Mountain

with their family:

Kyle, Koryn, Kortney, Brady, Marisa, & Carson

Curtis & Marla visiting after Christmas

with their masks . . .

And without masks for a photo and when talking.

This is a sneak peak of the Nativity Pageant at the Lontine's home,

which is taken from the video that wouldn't download here.

It was pretty cute, and I liked Sadie's final comment as she

opened the magi's golden gift box and wondered aloud,

"Why didn't you put anything in it?"

It was so nice to see everyone on Christmas Day via our 

Zoom call and feel connected as a family with 

 Brent and Tauna's family joining us from South Dakota, 

 Scott and Kristine's family joining us from Colorado, 

Jeff & Rochelle's family joining us from Arkansas, 

along with the Utah families of 

Ryan & Tani, Todd & Beth, Doug & Shannon; 

and Curtis & Marla who were here from South Dakota visiting their children and grandchildren at Derek & Sarah's. 

Our Zoom call on Christmas morning with family

Brittney had problems with her video,

and Megan and Gabe had to leave our Zoom call

before this screen shot was taken as they were

going to Gabe's family.

Amanda and Alex joined our Zoom call from Texas

where they spent Christmas with members of his family.

Doug and Shannon's family had come for a pre-Christmas visit on the previous Monday from their home in Layton.  The children played in the sports court.  We visited with their family downstairs where Sam and I maintained the recommended safe distance.

 

We are looking forward to enjoying BYU Education Week online and appreciate this thoughtful gift from family along with the Jabra speaker, which will especially be nice for Sam for these classes and for our online class we have each week studying scriptures ("Book of Mormon" last year and "Doctrine of Covenants" this year), as well as our Sunday church meetings that we have been having online during this Covid pandemic. 

The family remembered my dealing from time to time with cold feet and hands and surprised me with a gift to take care of that.

Pop these in the microwave and enjoy

nice warm hands and feet.

We have our latest Ireland family tree framed and on the wall, and we  appreciate Scott's bringing it up to date with our family of 77.  The book from Scott and Kristine, "One Star Away," will be one we are sure to enjoy.

We love this family!

Brent and Tauna's family knew we would enjoy a variety of goodies along with the supply they sent of South Dakota honey, the best there is.

The counter in our laundry room is full of goodies from friends and family, so we won't run out for some time to come.  Sam has been known to like pink candy lozenges that we refer to as "Pepto Bismol" candy; so this Christmas he got a regular size bag in his Christmas stocking, another bag among the goodies Brent and Tauna sent, and Ryan and Tani came for a visit and brought a huge 5# bag of the pink candies.

Sam intent on watching the football game on TV

while I snapped this photo of him holding the

huge bag of "Pepto Bismol" candy

from Ryan and Tani.

Sharing Christmas photos from family celebrating in their homes:

From Jeff & Rochelle:

Ella Joy Ireland 

daughter of Jeff & Rochelle

born March 24, 2020

Jeff with Kate, Chance, Zack (home for the holidays from 

BYU-Idaho), and Miles

(not in the photo:  Jamon, Austin, Ella, and Rochelle)

Jeff with Ella

There is a possum in a tree nearby

that Miles might be watching

that they saw on the hike in their woods.

Miles on their tree swing gets a high ride.

From Marla celebrating Christmas at the Lontine home

with family and enjoying the grandkids:

Max and Sadie, cousins having fun together.

Maggie and Taylor looking at the

"Family Memories 1962 - 1998"

111-page Shutterfly book we gave each of our children.

From Todd & Beth's house:

The Grahams paid for permits to cut down three trees.

This is the one Jared picked and brought home.

The stable made by Grampa Harold is the

center of attention on the Graham's fireplace.

Beth's collection of Nativities displayed

on the cedar chest Grampa Harold made for her

from a cedar tree he cut down.

Traci also received a cedar chest that year.

The Graham's BYU-themed tree in their studio/game room.

I look forward to seeing some of your Christmas photos,

especially with your family in them.

My next project will be to make my Shutterfly

"Year in Review" album,

and I would like to include photos representing

your Christmas in 2020.

Merry Christmas in Spite of Covid

This is a different kind of Christmas season because of the Covid pandemic.  We are minding the instructions Ryan has issued for us to be self-isolated after the serious experience he and Tani had with Covid and the resulting pneumonia.  Ryan said he has never been so sick.  Tani had to be hospitalized for a week and is now home but still needing to be on oxygen.

We appreciate the good care Beth and Todd have given us by bringing us any groceries we have wanted and checking on us regularly.  Their family still drop by Sunday evenings, but they currently visit as they remain outside and we stand inside with the door open.  We have good books to read, the television for keeping up on the news and watching Christmas shows and sports, and phone visits to look forward to from family and friends. 

Todd & Beth's family visiting at our front door.

We wish we could welcome you to come on in for a visit.

I didn't put decorations in each room in the house this year, since Sam and I are the only ones who would see them;

but I could not resist putting out some of the favorite ones.

Of course, I had to display this one.

Grampa Harold made the stable out of old barn wood,

and Kristine & Scott gave us the nativity set years ago.

I bought this wooden nativity in Russia from the man who made it.

It is interesting that he included a horse but no camel.

The truck with Christmas trees on the hearth

was a present from Brent & Tauna's family

a couple of years ago.

This is the logo on the truck's door:  

"Ireland Family Christmas Trees."

When I put away the Thanksgiving decorations,

I was still hopeful we could be together in our home

with family on Christmas Eve

for our traditional celebration enjoying a special dinner,

having our family Nativity pageant,

and enjoying the fun visit from Santa.

However, the family wisely has decided

to not run the risk of spreading Covid,

so Sam and I will be celebrating alone.

I had saved our big Christmas tree and not decorated it yet

with the expectation that our family celebration

would need to be downstairs to accommodate

keeping Sam and me more distanced from the group.

Thus, the big tree is still in the storage room.

So the smaller tree got upgraded this year

from downstairs to the main floor. 

Another tree by the front door.

I did add a few Santas downstairs.

We appreciate those in our community who have shared pretty outdoor decorations for us to drive by and enjoy.

This photo doesn't do justice to the spectacular lights 

this family shares,

which we can see from our back window

and drove by to enjoy up close.

A family share their Christmas greeting each year

with fun lights choreographed to ongoing Christmas music

that is really spectacular,

and we drove there to enjoy their tradition. 

I have been looking through photographs from former years and choosing which ones to include in photo albums.

Happy memories on these 111 pages.

Now I am working on one starting in 1999 that will include the years up to 2007 when I started my tradition of doing a

"Year in Review"

for each of the years since 2007.

Earlier years required the scanning of print photos,

but now I am to the years of digital photos on DVDs.

We had to call Santa to let him know we wouldn't be needing him to stop by for our family celebration due to Covid precautions,

but have our request in for next year.

Santa will be able to make his rounds this year, though,

because he informed us he has recovered from Covid

(although he was in the hospital for a week and

still had not regained his usual stamina).

Yes, this is actually true.

Our Christmas cards have been sent,

and we look forward to hearing from family and friends.

Feeling Thankful

 Fall decorations added in our home in September

even though being in self-isolation due to Covid-19. 

It has been very uplifting following our prophet's invitation for the seven days leading up to Thanksgiving to share each day on social media a "grateful for . . ." entry.  It has been so nice to have thoughts from family and friends fill each day's postings with positive and uplifting messages.  My seven days of posting were being thankful for (1) Technology whereby we could receive President Nelson's timely invitation to unite for those seven days, (2) the Prophet, (3) Sam, (4) Friends, (5) Family, (6) our Beautiful World, and on Thanksgiving Day: (7) the Savior and the Gospel; and I included my thoughts about each topic and appropriate photos.  I hope to see the positive trend continue and have less negative postings in the coming days, which had become so prevalent related to the presidential election.

Sam added two interesting posts, which have been appreciated by family and friends, one receiving 107 "likes."  With his unique perspective, he wrote about being thankful for "dirt," - more importantly for "mud," -  as the mixture of dirt and water provides the basis for all life on earth.  He wrote:  

"The ratio of dirt to water varies from place to place and influences the variety of plants and animals that thrive there.  For example, rice needs more water than wheat, but they both need some mud.  When the ratio of water to dirt gets out of whack (too dry or too wet), the plants we were trying to grow don't do well.  So today when we are eating our corn-fed turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls and pumpkin pie, be grateful for mud."

This was his other "grateful" post:

First, indoor plumbing. I remember hating to go to the outhouse when it was dark, really cold and the wind was blowing. Also, toilet paper was a big improvement over an outdated Sears Roebuck catalog. 

Second, electricity brought right into the home. After that, we had electric lights rather than kerosene lanterns and candles; we could listen to the radio; Mom got a few electric appliances and we bought a refrigerator rather than using the old ice box. 

Third, central heating sure beats a coal stove sitting in the middle of the living room to heat the whole house. I remember getting up in the morning with ice on any water that was left out.

Fourth, air conditioning, although it didn’t come until later; tractors and combines with cabs and AC were sooo nice. It was even good for homes and cars.

I’m grateful to have lived long enough to have these memories!

This photo is of Sam with his sisters 

on a horse in front of their home

on the farm in South Dakota. (1944)

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

Sharing some of our autumn photos: 

A little attempt to keep things "normal."

Due to an early frost, our fruit harvest was small

from our trees, but one apple tree produced this huge one.

Sam and I have enjoyed going for car rides together
to explore places near our home and see the seasonal changes.
These deer were in a neighborhood near some very nice homes
in the Mapleton area.

On October 10th, Sam took our friend, Kim,
for an outing to see the fall colors.
They had been taking little tours regularly
after Kim was released from being in isolation

during recovery from a serious fall in mid-February.

These are photos Kim took with his phone
as Sam did the driving.

There are many beautiful places to see in Utah.

We enjoyed visiting with Doug & Shannon's family

in our backyard when they stopped here

on their return home from a fun family trip 

in southern Utah.

Ryan and Tani came to personally wish

Sam a "Happy Birthday" on November 9th.

Tani had to stay in the car, since she has had

to be connected to oxygen since being

released from the hospital due to her serious

time with Covid-19 and pneumonia.

Ryan had a severe case of Covid-19 and pneumonia, also;

but he had recovered except for the lingering loss of energy.

Kyle an Koryn also had Covid-19.

Our other family members who have had Covid-19

are Jenna, Shannon, Trent, Jessica, Smyth, and Zack.

Fortunately, only Ryan and Tani have 

had it turned into pneumonia.

The others had cases ranging from 

experiencing symptoms similar to a bad case of flu,

to feeling crummy for a couple of days,

 to only experiencing a loss of taste and smell.

Ryan has been insistent that Sam and I

take precautions by keeping away from people

so we won't get this virus.

We have been obedient and stay in self-isolation.

Beth had posted on our ward's Facebook page

about Sam's having a birthday,

and he was surprised with the friends

who drove by and stopped to wish him a

"Happy Birthday" from their car or on the porch.

Beth and Todd's family stopped by on

Thanksgiving evening and brought us an

assortment of delicious pies for dessert.

Earlier in the day Beth had brought over

the turkey, dressing, and the traditional meal. 

We love our growing family.

Here is a cute picture Jeff sent us of their

daughter Ella, our youngest granddaughter.

Ella Joy Ireland

(She was born March 24, 2020.)

Mabel Eliza Ure

Blessed on Thanksgiving Day, November 26

Daughter of Matt and Brittney Ure

(born September 8, 2020)

Our latest stray cat that has apparently adopted us.

What shall we name it?

We have much to be thankful for.

Now it is time to begin 

putting up the decorations for Christmas!