Great Minds Think Alike!

For many years we have been exchanging gifts with some funtastic friends. But never in the 23 or more years has this happened. Our friend brought us a nice package of crackers, a cheeseball and a very cute plate to put it on. I just about bust a gut when we opened it because..... that is exactly the same thing we gave them and our other friends. The only differecne is the cheeseball is a block of cream cheese and you pour the Crannpeno jelly over it and serve it with crackers. When I called to thank her she was just a laughing as were I. She said, "We must of got the plates at the same place" and I replied "Yah, at Ross a couple months ago". Don't you just love that store for stuff like this? Then she said as she was laughing, "My didn't come with pedastals though. Then I had to tell her that I had added it with my trusty tube of E6000! "Well aren't you smart," she said. We had a good conversastion about the other couples that we had just delivered gifts to. I'm sure they got a real laugh out of it to. So I hope our friends our enjoying their high and low plates. All the more fun when entertaining.

Honored, but Scared!

A week before Christmas I got a phone call from a member of our Bishopric asking if I would say a few words about our church building that is being torn down. I shouldn't have answered the phone that evening!! I felt honored, but upon thinking about what to say the more nervous I got. Give me a quilt or bag class and I'm fine, but public speaking isn't one of my specialties. We have lived in this ward for 23 years and I have lot's of fond memories here. Our church building was dedicated in 1909 and has been remodeled several times. But the first memory of the building is one told by mom. Both sets of our parents held their wedding receptions there. If you didn't know it one would think our mom's are even wearing the same dress. I shared pictures and stories of both with everyone and then told some of my personal thoughts on attending this great building. We are looking forward to a new one to take it's place.

The backdrops and floral containers were stored in the church closets back then and everybody just used what was there. Look how similiar they are to each other. My parent's were married in September of 1948 and Stuart's in November of the same year.

Our last day at this church building. A permanent fixture on 4th North for several years.

A Candle to Remember

On the eve of Christmas we have made it a priority to visit the Spanish Fork cemetary to remember loved ones. The cemetary is all lit up from the candles and luminars. It's just a beautiful sight to see. This year I found a whole kit of luminars that would do everyone on our list. They were really easy to put together.
Isn't the snowflake pretty all lit up?

Our first stop is my neice's, Kiplyn.

Then we make it around to my parents.

And we visit Stuart's sister Marriden.

Our final visiting place is that of Stuarts parents.

This tradition is something I look forward to every year. What a special way to remember our loved ones on such a wonderful occassion.

A Christmas Tradition!

Our Christmas Eve together each year includes having the kids for a supper of Eble Skievers. These are done in a cast iron pan made up deep little holes. They are a danish pancake of sorts. You roll them in powdered sugar and serve them with jam and applesauce. Of course we have to through in some sausage and bacon too. Someone's in the kitchen with Granpa and Grandma. It's Karas, and oh does she love eble skeivers!

Here's what the little pancakes look like. You just can't stop at one!

Look at these cute kids showing of their new pj's. It wouldn't be Christmas if the kids didn't have new jammies to keep them all warm and snuggly while waiting for the man in the red suit to make his drop. Waiting patiently to open their Christmas Eve package. Hatch is never this serious! I wonder what's up.

Teegan's first Christmas jammies.
We let the marrieds open their gift so they could use it to capture the moments of the next morning. We surprised them with a camcorders. I think the girls were a little surprised!

The look on Kira's face says it all.

Kaitlyn and Mike showing off their gift. They even came with a tri-pod and carrying case.
Then some surprise gifts from Mr. Santa. He gave all the girl's new jammies with matching slippers. What a guy that Santa!

And of course Mrs. Claus couldn't forget the Mr.

Stuart and his new jammies.

And pj's for Jacob! Santa sent Angies jammies through the mail. She phoned us later that night and thanked Santa for thinking of her too.
Something new this year and for many years to come I hope. Mrs. Claus hung little stockings on the banister for everyone. They were filled with a small gift.

We always share a Christmas story with the family and this year's was a very special one. Stuart read a personal journal that his mother had told to his Aunt Mary. She had hand written it for her. It would only come in his poccession the day before. Stuart spent that afternoon typing it up for everyone in his extended family. Stuart's mother passed away several years ago of MS so what a nice thing to pass on to her grandkids and great grandkids. We will cherish it always.

A very happy Grandma and Grandpa. The White house family is growing by leaps and bounds.

Christmas Day 2010

Christmas morning was wonderful here at the White house. This would be Jacob's last year at home so I guess you could say Santa spoiled him just a little bit. My kids have always gone for their stockings first, it's something they like the best. This year was no excetion. The same old things year after year, but that's the fun of it, right?

Jacob and his new gun. This is great for the coyote's I understand. Jacob also got things for his Wii, clothes, DVD's.

Santa was good to both Stuart and I.

Stuart's gift this year was a very nice sweater and scarf, a new fragrance called Cashmere Mist from Donna Karen. It smells so nice. I just have to get used to it after wearing Spellbound for so many years. There's always room for something new.
After opening our gifts here at the house we loaded up the packages and we off to the kids houses.

McKinley was so excited about it all. She was one little crazy girl with all of the fun things she got.

Grandpa and baby Teegan. Just one week old on Christmas. Our special gift this Christmas.

Hatch and his new BB gun. Wow, it even has a scope. This is one lucky kid.

Karas and her Cinderella tent. Another perfect gift for such a princess.

Uncle Jacob playing with Thanye and Hatch in his Tonka get away.

The last few years we have had Christmas breakfast at Kira and Johns. John sure does know how to make a mean breakfast. Maybe it's all about the cute apron! It was a relaxing day after all the visiting was done. We had supper here Christmas night and the kids came to play and hangout. And then it would be Christmas all over again when Angie got here on Sunday! Oh what fun.

These two are hooked on seasoned croutons, so we gave them a case with wishes of a marriage "Seasoned" with love! They got quite a hoot out of their joint gift.

We gave Angie a quilt of her very own. I'm sad to say this was the only sewn gift for Chirstmas this year. What the heck happened there? I hope more handmade things end up under the tree next year though. Apparently I spent all my sewing time on projects for the baby.

Hope all of you had the same wonderful Christmas as the one here at the White house.

Bein' Lazy!

Hi Everyone,
I promise I will get off my lazy butt and put something new on my blog. I have alot to share with you, even new projects I've been working on. Just stay with me, ok.

Merry Christmas

This is the reason,for the season.

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas

and a joyous New Year.

Shannon & Stuart