It has been a wonderful Christmas Season, and I have especially loved all of the grandchildren's (and children's) visits, and Facetime calls. I always have mixed feelings when it is time to take down the tree and put Christmas away, but then I love beginning a new year with plans to improve in so many ways.  I love to know there is hope in change and Heavenly Father is always there to cheer us on.  I saw this quote from President Nelson and wanted to pass it on - 

"I'm sure many of you are setting aside time today to write down your resolutions for the coming year.  May I make a few suggestions?

First, resolve to strengthen your spiritual foundation.  This may involve setting a specific time and place to study the scriptures, praying more often, making temple worship a bigger priority, and letting God prevail in all aspects of your life.

Second, resolve to be kind to others.  When the Savior Jesus Christ visited the Americas, as recorded in the Book of Mormon, one of the first things He taught was the need to eliminate contention in our lives. So, please be compassionate, be understanding, be slow to judge, and be quick to forgive.

Third, resolve to be resolute.  The Lord loves effort.  The Lord loves consistency.  The Lord loved steadfastness. While we surely will come up short from time to time, our persistent efforts to hear Him and follow the inspiration He gives us will help us to "wax strong in the Spirit" (Mosiah 18:24)

May God bless you my dear friends, and may this be a wonderful year of purpose and possibilities for all of us."  President Russell M. Nelson

Before I say goodbye completely to Christmas 2023, I wanted to share some family photos from this past week -

Sayre got a Chemistry set 😁

A new Stanley

Watch our Monument! Jake got a dirt bike!

A new game for Ben

I think Shannon enjoyed being
with the family

Dad opening up the towel warmer

A well-deserved family walk

So this is how I closed out the year - with a speeding ticket!

Yes, I was taking Lily to breakfast Thursday morning and was in a hurry so she would have time to eat before her soccer game, and, yes, I was speeding so I totally deserved the ticket.  The very worst thing is I have to go to traffic court next month (but Sammi told me not to worry it's not that bad 😊).   A very good lesson for all of us - Don't speed.  I have been thinking that if I had been more organized that morning, we would have been able to leave on time, and wouldn't have felt the need to hurry.  (yes, a new resolution for 2024)

Speaking of Samantha - we had arranged a shopping date on Saturday for her Christmas gift (we weren't able to go before Christmas), but I just haven't been able to shake this left-over cough and stuffy nose, so I asked if we could reschedule.  We set a time for this coming week, BUT she still came down when she got off work, "so she could take care of us"!  She pumped my gas, ran in and picked up the pizza, brought us ice, watched TV with us, and made me laugh with her hilarious stories.  She wore the cutest dress to Church today and helped in my Primary class where we had 5 visitors - a total of 11 seven-year-olds!

Story #1.   I noticed that Sammi had a cap for her stanley straw and I thought that was such a great idea.  She said she found it on Amazon.  Then she told me the reason she got the cap - She had seen too many videos on TikTok of spiders getting into drinking straws, and definitely no one would want that surprise! 😂

Story #2.   She tells it so nonchalantly . . . "Grammie, there is a creepy guy at my work so I always carry a knife in my pocket".    So besides being beautiful, funny, and smart, don't cross the line with her!!! 😁

Watch out world!  These cute girls just got their driver's license this week ~

love the hair curler 😃

How we love our furry friends! 🐶

Gracie got a new bed for Christmas - a pineapple squishmello dog bed!  She looks like she's a little bit in Heaven 😀

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Week!  I appreciate so much all of your prayers and phone calls to check on us.  Thank you Kim and Chris for adding our names to the Temple prayer roll, and Adam for helping Dad give me a blessing.  I have felt the effects and am so grateful for the love and support we share as a family.  💖

In closing - one more thought from Elder Uchtdorf - 

Oh - and really one last thought - guess who was soaking up the sun in Hawaii this week?

What's not right about this picture???  We're not there!!! 😀

Not quite sure where this year has gone, or even this week, for that matter, but here we are today, celebrating Christmas Eve.  We had a really nice program at Church and then stopped to visit with Shannon for a few minutes on the way home.  I love when Christmas Eve is on Sunday so we can focus on the Savior, and not have to worry about shopping or gift wrapping. This afternoon I watched the Chosen Christmas episode, which is a wonderful story that alternates between the birth of the Savior and Mary's letters to Luke regarding her experiences at the time of His birth.  

After a quick lunch, I finally got to some baking that has been on my "to do" list for the last couple of weeks.  I felt like I needed to wait until we had all of the Covid bugs out of the house, and we do, just still can't quite shake the cough.  I made some cranberry bread, and we took it to people in the Ward we minister to and to our next-door neighbor.  I added to my kitchen mess by making my favorite sugar cookies.  I have a recipe I got from my "Home Economics" class in 8th grade, and after all these years, it is still the best (lots of butter 😀).  I haven't made them for several years, but thought the kids might have fun decorating some tomorrow.  It has been nice to have a quiet day and reflect on this past year, and looking forward to doing better, and being better in the days, weeks, and months to come.

NORTH LIBERTY, IA

Sayre is so excited for Santa to come tonight he was doing cartwheels when Kate called.  Here he is all decked out in his new pajamas, robe, and slippers.

Jonathan's dad, Don, is visiting this week, so yesterday they went to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.  Sayre was telling me all about getting to touch a Stingray!

MONUMENT, CO

Adam and Cory had their annual gingerbread house-making contest tonight - It seems to me that every year it gets a little more elaborate!  Love the pajamas, and so happy to see Katie back for a few days 💜

HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week to MAX, BLYTHE, AND ME 😀

Remember when they were this size????  I miss having the "littles" around but then I see what great young adults they have become and it makes me so, so happy!!! 💖

GOT TO SPEND A FEW DAYS with Eilis, Hollie, and Ben this week.  They are fun and helpful - Ben swept the floor, and was always concerned when I was coming up the stairs.  He always wanted to help me.  The girls cooked, and took the dogs for a walk.  We made it to Barnes and Noble twice, 5-Below, Old Navy, The Dollar Tree,  Chick-fil-A, and McDonalds. Ben and I also played lots of Sorry, and Bingo 😀.  The day we went to 5-Below, Ben found an old mask in the car and insisted on wearing it in the store - He was funny but determined and wore it the entire time we were shopping.  He also went around the house one day with one of his Dad's favorite hats on -

The girls had fun raiding the closet downstairs where I have a stash of clothes that I need to figure out what to do with.  Some things were outdated but now back in style, and some things are too small and not sure if I will ever be able to wear again.  Hollie found a couple of sweaters that she liked and they look cute on her.  

PLEASE NO JUDGING😊!  While I recuperating from the hip surgery I might have got just a little bit hooked on Project Runway.  So I know some of the contestants can be a little bizarre, but I really love to see how they can create clothing by making up their own patterns, and sometimes they don't even use patterns.  Anyway, Eilis found an old skirt of mine that she liked and wanted to know if she could alter it so it would fit her.  I showed her the basics of my machine and left her on her own, and I couldn't believe what a great job she did - so she was my Project Runway girl for the week!

We also got to see EMMA today.  She has been so busy with work and finishing up her semester with all A's, we haven't seen much of her.  She stopped by with flowers. a candle, and cupcake this afternoon - luckiest Grammie ever!

She also got to celebrate two work parties this month - one at Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, and the other at the Broadmore -

AND THEN THERE WAS PAUL . . .

YIKES!!!

 QUOTES OF THE WEEK

#1 - Paul and I were checking out at Target and he turned and said to me, "The best place to meet girls is at Target because they are all here shopping for things they don't need." (Paul Hopkins)

#2 - Sayre and Kate were in the car, and Kate said the sky looked pretty ominous when Sayre piped up and said, "It looks like an ortado coming."(Sayre Allen)

Love you all so much!  Merry Christmas tomorrow and be sure to take lots of photos for me.  💕

I know this has been a week of ups and downs for everyone in the family.  Kim, Chris, and family, flew to Salt Lake for Meredith's funeral.  It was a sad time, but there is such comfort in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Chris gave a wonderful talk, using a parable from a talk given in Oct 2000 General Conference by President Oaks - 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.
A parable illustrates this understanding. A wealthy father knew that if he were to bestow his wealth upon a child who had not yet developed the needed wisdom and stature, the inheritance would probably be wasted. The father said to his child:
“All that I have I desire to give you—not only my wealth, but also my position and standing among men. That which I have I can easily give you, but that which I am you must obtain for yourself. You will qualify for your inheritance by learning what I have learned and by living as I have lived. I will give you the laws and principles by which I have acquired my wisdom and stature. Follow my example, mastering as I have mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours.”

Most of us experience some measure of what the scriptures call “the furnace of affliction” (Isa. 48:10; 1 Ne. 20:10). Some are submerged in service to a disadvantaged family member. Others suffer the death of a loved one or the loss or postponement of a righteous goal like marriage or childbearing. Still others struggle with personal impairments or with feelings of rejection, inadequacy, or depression. Through the justice and mercy of a loving Father in Heaven, the refinement and sanctification possible through such experiences can help us achieve what God desires us to become.

During the past week some of us have been challenged by school, work, and illness. This talk is a great reminder to me of how we face our challenges and disappointments is how we will become more like our Savior.

Meredith is near Grandma and Grandpa

A little reply from last week -  Adam

 says Jake is going to be either

A DOCTOR

A BUTCHER

OR A SERIAL KILLER

      I think Kim added TAXIDERMIST to the list 😂

Adding a little sunshine to my week were some handsome grandsons - Got to spend time with Paul at his soccer game, and talked with Spencer, Grant, and Max. . . and I just heard through the grapevine that Jake will be baptized on January 13th!

LOVE THESE GUYS💙

The Monument Hopkins have a new addition to their family and her name is Stevie - short for Stephanie from Madame Secretary 😀. She was an early Christmas present for Samantha - though Adam says Jake has had a hard time leaving her alone, and Milo just wants to play with her, but she is super small.  Merry Christmas Sammi!!!

One of my favorite photos I just found 😁

Kim just sent me this photo of Blythe

Blythe in my Gold and Green Ball gown.  I saw a picture of this dress in a Seventeen Magazine and fell in love with it.  Francie found a store in Sacramento that had one so went drove down and picked it up.  My aunt arthell had a hoop skirt that went underneath it so it really did look l like a "Scarlet Ohara" dress 😊

     Does anyone else dream about being in the Sun, on a Beach, with the Trade Winds blowing???  Or maybe just in the Sun, next to a Swimming Pool?

Wow! And it isn't officially Winter until Thursday 😢 Does this sound like whining?  OK, I'm done - thanks for letting me vent 😀  

Please send me photos of your Christmas trees for next week's blog.  I would love to see your decorations!

        HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!