A Few of my Favorite Things!

Ornaments or objects used as ornaments

A Good Story

Our first Christmas in Idaho was actually December 1980, six months after Kelsey was born.  We lived in a trailer off a gravel road in the middle of wheat fields a few miles from the Idaho Youth Ranch, where Val was working.  We put up a Christmas tree, but didn't have many ornaments or money to spend on decorations.  I found a small pad of paper and started making snowflakes, and when Val got home, he joined in.  We made about 25 to 30 of those small snowflake ornaments, and each was unique.  We put them on our Christmas trees year after year, but they became a little fragile, and some fell apart, so I put them in an envelope and there they stayed for a number of years.  I would get them out and look at them occasionally.  Last year I decided to take the ones that were left and find a way to display them.  They are out to enjoy all year, as shown above.  Everytime I see them, it reminds me of why and how they were created--a happy memory.

Other Items on Display

Made by Val for my Christmas years and years ago!

Ornaments I made over the years.

Juxtaposition at it's best.

When I was a child, we would go to Drake Springs Swimming Pool in the summer and Drake Springs Skating Rink in the winter.  I loved to ice skate and I was good at it--not at the pretty stuff, but skating backwards and at playing games like tag, Pom Pom Pull-Away and others.  Good times!

O' Christmas Tree...

I love Christmas--always have--and I love everything that goes with it.  First and foremost, that we, the whole world practically, celebrates the Savior's birth and life, mostly together.  Second, that family is so important--what's the point of it all without each other.  Third, the hoopla--I think it's fun and I enjoy it.  So, this tree is the main one--yes, I have more than one--and I love it because it is tall, and traditional--with lots of red, homemade and purchased ornaments (I look for new ones all year round), and lots of lights.  This year we have sent all the presents to everyone, and only have one under the tree so far.  To me from Val :) and I don't know what it is.  He loves that.

This tree is in our bedroom and has a lots of my favorite things on it.  I love 'Joy' ornaments, ice skates, snowflakes, cats, shells and buttons on metal-rimmed tags, old-fashioned Santas, dragonflies, silver anything.  My favorite thing is to turn off all the lights, but the tree lights, and sit in bed and stare at it.

This tree sits in the kitchen--it's kind of rustic and doesn't have lights.  I love the ornaments on it.  There are snowman heads, angels, quirky santas, rust 'joy' ornaments, rust snowflakes, paper-mache candy canes, and at the top, a red star w/'Believe' on it and I do.  Believe.  But to me it doesn't mean 'in Santa'.  To me it means in God, in the Savior, in all that is good, in faith, hope and charity, in myself, in my family.

So, Merry Christmas to all. 

Jesse & Justin (Thanksgiving)

Justin and Jesse came up from Cedar City to spend Thanksgiving weekend with us.  It was really great to see them and get to spend some time with them.  We didn't do anything except stay at home and enjoy each other and the Thanksgiving season.  We had a HUGE turkey, ham, and all the trimmings and pies that go with it.  I know there were only 4 of us, but we managed to finish it all off eventually.

One day we did get out all of the Lincoln Logs and create a Lincoln Village, which was a lot of fun.

Thanks to Justin and Jesse for coming up and making sure we had some family for the holidays.  We love you and are so excited about that little Grandson that's on the way.

 

Lincoln Logs

Pelicans

Idaho Falls Pelicans:

Charleston, South Carolina Pelicans:

Charleston

We all spent a day in Charleston, South Carolina on the Atlantic Coast.
They have a very interesting bridge and we went to a military museam in the harbor.

We took a ferry ride out to Fort Sumter and spent time looking around.

We saw a whole bunch of really beautiful Southern style homes and gardens.

And, we ended our wonderful day in Charleston by going out for a Seafood dinner.

We ate Fish and Shrimp at the one and only.

Congaree National Park

Just outside of Columbia is Congaree National Park.

It is a swampland and is thousands of square miles.

We spent a few hours walking around enjoying ourselves and wondering if we would ever see the sun again.

But it was full of a lot of beautiful & different things that you don't see every day.