What Do You Do

for New Years Eve?

I have decided I am a real PARTY POOPER...

Plans...Nope

I really need some ideas...

HELP

Do you have a 2011 Word Of The Year?

Can you guess what it is??

I believe in

MIRACLES....

and I do know that they can come to any who trusts and believes.

Wishing you the most for 2011.

It Is Official

Do you remember this post...

and my frustration with all the paper work?

On December 21, 2010 we made a trip to Boise,

 for Sergio's & Kira's Interviews for his

permanent residency card.

The interview went really well.

and they were told that Sergio would be issued a 2 year card

(because he and Kira had been married less than 2 years)

and in 18 months he can apply for an extension (yes more fees) to have his residency permanent

 until he applies for citizenship!

We are so excited for him!

After the interview we went to find

BIG JUD'S

I only knew of the one near Rexburg, ID and did not know they had one in Boise, but Kira did.

We ordered ONE burger that came with fries

for us to share and we all left STUFFED!

Today THIS arrived in the mail...

Yes, I added the fun little message...I don't think the government would be that personable.

Yep, it is official and we are so excited to have this process behind us!

Congrats Sergio!

You are a

PERMANENT RESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas this year was so much fun! With all of our children home for the day, my granddaughter Celes celebrating her FIRST Christmas and my sister 'Lene and her family here  I do not know how it could have been any better.

Christmas Eve 2010 we started our evening off with the Oakes family joining us for our annual evening of finger foods, treats and wassail and traditional game of Christmas Bingo.

It was a fun evening and I believe everyone was in bed and asleep by 11pm!

 Christmas morning was full of excitement

and LOTS of wrapping paper!

It was wonderful to have all of our kids home in the states!

Josh, Ali and Celes arrived before I was awake so they could be here to enjoy the morning with everyone.

Children laughing and getting so excited....it was Awesome!

Sweet Celes was all about opening tearing the paper off her gifts!

Her favorite was her Sassy bouncer. I might have to add more pics of her playing in it.

We have been trying to add as many of Sergio's Argentine traditions as we can.

Where he and Kira  lived in Tucuman at midnight Christmas Morning the have a

HUGE...I mean HUGE fireworks display.

Midnight in Argentina is 8:00pm here in Idaho....

so...

let the NEW TRADITION begin!

Provo Tabernacle

Friday, December 17, 2010 as we were entering the Salt Lake Valley we changed the radio station to KSL and listened quietly as we heard that early in the morning the Prove Tabernacle had caught on fire...

 The tabernacle - which was begun in 1883 and completed in 1898

 was a centerpiece of Provo.

with it's beautiful pipe organ.

and stain glass windows

This was not a little fire...It was a 4 alarm fire

and by mid morning it was hardly anything but a shell of a historical and LDS landmark.

Through out the day firefighters were still fighting hot spots.

the windows... gone

The staircase had fallen and crashed to the floor.

amazing with all the destruction a few things survived.

 Like the painting of Christ returning to earth in Glory

 But, when the fire crews were able to enter and the center cross beam had been taken down for safety.

This is what was left of the picture.

 I stand amazed...this picture is burned into my heart...

He will return...no matter how horrible things may seem around us.

 Our Savior will return and there will be peace.

I have enjoyed this picture/puzzle that Eric Dowdle did of Provo, Utah.

I am glad it was done prior to the fire.

Prior to living in Provo this summer,

I would not have even known where the Tabernacle would have been.

Now, I feel like something I found great joy in seeing each day will be missed.

As of today they have yet to determine the cause of the fire

***thanks to all those who have posted pictures on the Internet so I could use them on my blog***

Most of December In A Nut Roll

WOW it has really been a while between my blogs, we have had so much fun this month.

So...here is most of it.

There is a home in an area of Southern Idaho called the South Hills.

There are a row of beautiful homes up this mountain.

So, on our way to get our Christmas tree

I LOVE stopping at one of the homes as it is affectingly called "Royland" 

that has a HUGE Christmas Display.

 I enjoy seeing BULL, the camel. He is only there during the month of December.

 Kira was pretty excited to see him too. He will walk right up to you.

 He REALLY liked Kira...Sergio not so much, and I do not think Sergio was that fond of him either.

 I must admit there is nothing like a camel blowing in your ear!!! Very freaky!!!

 This home has so many displays...

 And who says the tree lights have to be little twinkling ones?

Everything you can imagine lights this area.

 after out stop at Royland we went up past Magic Mountain to find our Christmas tree.

You really wanted to stay on the trail that others have made or you will be

at least to your knees in snow.

 After we spent A LONG TIME looking for the one we wanted...Kirk climbed in to get it.

 While he was busy doing that, Kira and Sergio were busy having a snow ball fight!

 I just tried to stay out of the way of a falling tree and snow flying everywhere.

 Kirk and Sergio carried it to the truck (yes that is the top of our truck in the plowed parking area)

While Kira and I huffed and puffed behind them.

 Also  that week we went to Salt Lake City for my Clinic Visit.

Which went really well.

We could hardly wait to go to the LDS Salt Lake City Temple

to see the Christmas lights and displays.

This one sets inside the large reflection pool.

 I was so happy that Kirk was able to go with us.

 I wish this picture would have turned out better. The temple grounds near the Tabernacle is set up with a life size Nativity, Shepard's and Wise men.

I usually have tears as they play the music of the angel's singing at the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

and the light shines on Mary, Joseph and the babe.

 It was an amazing experience to watch Sergio see in real life those things he has only seen in pictures.

 After watching the Nativity Story...we went up to see the Thorvaldsen's Christus.

Tears again were very close to the surface.

But, this view made the tears flow...

I turned around to look out the large window that looks toward the tabernacle and

the Nativity story was being told again....

and this is what I saw....The reflection of  the Christus...above the manger.

Amazing and Humbling

 What a evening it was.

 Before starting our 3 hour drive from SLC, we stopped at CROWN BURGER...Oh Yea BABY!

and...because of the storm that blew in as we were driving it took almost 5 5 hours to get home!

again I was so grateful Kirk was driving!

What a fun week we had.