Just a note

When I do a bunch of blogging all at once, like I did tonight, some of them get hidden on the next page.  So be sure and click on "Older Posts" when you get to the bottom of this page.  Also, Emily did an extensive December post which I did not try to duplicate.  If you are interested click on her blog:    http://joyforthejourneyemily.blogspot.com/2014/12/december-and-christmas.html

Some pictures while our kids were together Christmas week

Picture of Grandma Albertson with little Jewelyn!

                                Jeffrey playing chess with Quil and holding Jonathan

                Jeffrey and Jonathan.  Jonathan loved having Jason and Jeffrey here!

After two different meals, we played an ungame sort of game, where we answered a question about each one of us.  The first was "So and so is in his/her element when..." and the second one was "So and so is stressed out by ...."  These questions were good for understanding each other better.

 Beth is reading answers to the questions about her.  We tried to guess who had written each statement, but mostly it was about thinking deeply about each other.

 Beth and I made pumpkin bread to give out to the neighbors for Christmas.  It was fun to visit with them when we passed them out.  There were different sizes depending on the number of people in the household.

                                We've enjoyed a lot of music this season.

Jeffrey and Jonathan

                                Jason reading to Quil and Micah

                                             Jewelyn a happy girl on grandma's lap.

                Jewelyn modeling the sweater and hat set Aunt Brenda made for her.

                                Jewelyn's quilt from Grandma Albertson

             Jonathan's small quilt Grandma made him.  (I made him a full size also, but haven't given it to him yet.)

                                Jason and Micah

                                Beth reading to Jonathan and Jewelyn

Christmas morning breakfast

                                Joanna helping Janet in the kitchen

                                Beth reading to Jonathan

                                Jonathan giving Joanna Christmas kisses!

       The girls in their warm sweaters.  The blue ones were gifts from Grandma Scoles.

                                 Emily and Jonathan

                                Rowen and Janet on Christmas Day

                                Jeffrey and Jonathan

                          Ticket to Ride game--right after Janet gets off the phone...

                               Ticket to Ride in progress

                                More stories to read with the uncles

    It rained before it started snowing.  It was a good time to take some umbrella pictures!

Time to have a fire because it is snowing on Christmas Day!

                                Beth playing Legos with the boys.

                           Beth, Micah, and Quil with the Mayflower ship they created.

                                Jason in his new Christmas sweater

                                Qwirkle game with Micah

                                Swap game at the other end of the table

                                Snow coming down.  We ended up with 7 inches!

                                Construction Game

                                Junior Monopoly

                                Farm Game

                                Kisses for sweet Jewelyn

         Blowing kisses to Emily and Joanna when they were outside taking snow pictures.

                                Joanna looking beautiful

                                Jonathan helping to set the table

                                Pictures of our unmarried kids on Dec. 28.

                                With Mother

                                With Daddy

 We so much enjoyed having most of our family together for Christmas week.  Tim and Brenda did not get to come home for Christmas. Jeffrey and Jason left on December 29.   Beth started working at Ace on December 29.  The Lord has led her to return home to work and save money for the rest of her future college classes.  God has been so good to our family.

Christmas Service at Federal Heights

On December 21, in the evening, we were involved in the Christmas service at Federal Heights.  Quil and Micah recited the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-20.

 We had quite a group of children who came.  Some of them had not been to church or the program practice to learn the songs.  In fact, a couple of them said they came for the plate of cookies that were given out to each one at the end.  But they heard the real meaning of Christmas and that is most important.

 Beth read the Christmas story from Matthew 1:18-2:12.

 Jeffrey told the story of "The Man and the Birds."

 Then he played a Christmas carol on his dulcimer.

 Joy told a Christmas story for the children.

 Emily played O Holy Night on the piano.

 Randy preached a short sermon.

 Jason and Emily beautifully played their strings together.

And everybody got the promised plate of cookies!