Christmas 2012

 This one's for Grant, taken just before I went down to Jewel's.

Thought you might be surprised to see how much the trees have grown

since your snow-boarding days on Baldy.

Look forward to seeing your family Christmas pictures!

(And next Christmas at your house.)

The day before I headed out, I was invited to the Rawlinson wiener roast

and all of them were there except Nick and Tyler.

Lois read Norma's Crying Santa story

while the kids put it together.

After we played bingo for candy prizes (ummm, Boston baked beans for me).

Then they made posters to surprise Tyler (on leave from the Marines)

at the airport the next day.

The weather, by then, was iffy so I was relieved it all went well for them.

Our own Christmas Eve version of Santa Crying,

with Hayden and Raygen adding the pieces from the Santa sack.

Santa did indeed show up at Scarboroughs,

and made short work of the homemade gingerbread cookies and milk.

 Christmas morning was fun, even the dogs got gifts

(which didn't survive long).

 My gift to Johnny which he really liked,

thanks to my personal shopper.

 Hayden helping Raygen open a gift in this picture,

and left late morning for his dad's (he got an Xbox 360).

 Raygen got a box of dress-up clothes.

 And a couch which ...

 ... made into a bed.

Jewel's YW president gave her this.

"Twelve ways to bring our hearts to Christ

during the Christmas Season."

Each ornament depicted a gospel concept,

emphasized Christ, and had a small paragraph to explain the picture,

to read and talk about each day.
(There are numerous versions online I note.)
The above joins this tradition:

I have to admire Jewel.
She doesn't give up when she sets her mind to something.
This traditiion she started on Hayden's very first Christmas.
I was there so she should have been able to count on me for advice
but I'd never made cinnamon rolls from scratch.
They came out fine, but you could no longer exactly call that part of the day
"breakfast" time.  ;^)

GG got this book from Scarboroughs and a companion,

Hearing the Voice of the Lord,

Principles and Patterns of Personal Revelation.

My latest favorite author, not because of TWATG,

but because I happened upon this:

Revelation and Reason, A Productive Harmony

Also got a Red Robin gift card, iTunes card,

and plenty of candy to hold me over well into the New Year!

Johnny's mom, Robin, is a crocheting whiz,

and gave me this lovely set.

Johnny's grandparents gave me a friendship mug and calendar.

Christmas dinner was ham and Cracker Barrel ("Insider Recipes")

cheesy hash brown casserole, pecan and pumpkin pies.

Another Christmas gift, while Johnny tended.

(Waiting for the movie to start.)

Relaxing, Wednesday evening.
Jewel and I went to the temple earlier in the day
while one of her YW tended Raygen.

Raygen was not 100% - had breathing

treatments a fews days before and after Christmas.

Reminded me of a number of Christmases Jewel and I

read a book together because she was down for the count.

One year Grant opened all of her gifts for her while she lay there watching.

Thursday evening, Jewel and Johnny went to dinner

and to see "Lincoln" and I tended.

Usually fly in, closer to Timp.

 My car, buried at Diamond on North Temple:

The Greatest Snow on Earth!

Pleasant surprise when I arrived home:

 Thank you very much, Mr. Home Teacher (I'm betting).

Early Christmas

Well....  I'm gonna have to make friends with the ghosties who hang out in my basement

because this is the only place for my Christmas present to myself.

Only other place I have room for it would be the "library" but I want

to watch TV while using it.

Since I gave up doing the yard work, I figured I'd better do something

to get me moving and I just knew anything involving the cold wasn't gonna last.

Recumbent was the best choice, considering my knee.

Three miles for my first day, and I highly recommend it, already!

I'll blame Ruth/Grant for gifting myself early.

Got a package Saturday, from Deseret Book.

Honestly, it didn't even occur to me it might be a Christmas gift,

because I'd been trying again and again to

order this year's James Christensen calendar

and since Deseret Book seemed to be the best bet,

I thought, humm, did I accidentally back-order it and then it actually came?

(There WAS a 2013 J.C. calendar but either it got scarfed up

before I started looking in November, or J.C. put the kibosh on it.

(One year a kiosk in the mall actually told me they HAD some

but the artist recalled them because the printing wasn't up to par.)

So it was pretty exciting to get,

if not a calendar, then the artist's coffee table book!

It's called Passage by Faith,

Exploring the Inspirational Art of James C. Christensen.

Quote on the back:

"Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art."

- Leonardo da Vinci

Will thoroughly enjoy studying it....

As well as:

 Thanks, Janeil and Eldon!

 Yes, I'm on a roll, since I opened one I "had" to open the other.

And I'm looking forward to yet another known gift this year
(thanks, Jewel and Johnny!):

National Historical Register Correction

This is the marker by the blacksmith shop.

I noted it had faulty info on it, after typing Grandpa Fugal's mission letters,

so I'm making note of the exceptions, for posterity.

It claims the construction was begun in 1897

whereas in state architect records it says 1896.

It says it wasn't completed until 1903 because two of the brothers,

Jens and Niels were on (two-year) missions.

Well, it must have been Jens and Christian because Niels was 12 in 1897!
(Plus Grandpa's mission lasted almost three years -
I actually have no idea how long the others were.)

Now, the errors may be shared all around,

because the state record also says, per Christian's widow,

that all three brothers ran the shop until each of them died.

No, only Chris ran it until he died (and he died last).

No doubt he may have let them have ready access,

but Jens and Niels were fully occupied in their own businesses

long before they died.

Now Christian's widow didn't enter the family until 1911

so that might be part of some misconceptions,

but Chris lived until 1962 so that's over 50 misinformed marriage years

(interviewed in 1968).

Seemingly just can't trust those in-laws! *wink*