Utah Holidays

We had a fun family gathering at Keith and Kim's on December 28.  Neal, Katrina, Daniel, and Anna came from Idaho to visit from December 26 to Dec. 31. 

 Kira, Daniel. Amelia and Talisa

Keith, Neal, and Jason took the older children sledding at the retention pond near their home.  

 Daniel and Neal, above.  James and Grant set the record for going the most distance.

 Talisa

 General view of the retention pond. 

 James, Grant, Talisa, and Daniel checking out Julie's I-pad.  She always brings great games for them to try. 

 Jason, Julie, Neal and Katrina try out the new game Seven Wonders. 

 Kathryn Ann holding Anna.

 I-pads mean real togetherness. 

"Riding on a pony, going to town, just make sure you don't fall down!" Neal plays with Kir while Kristilyn and Lillian watch. 

 Katrina and Anna. 

 Keith and Kira. 

 Julie and Jason

 Kim holding Kira, Talisa, and Keith in front of their beautiful Christmas tree. 

 Kira

 Neal and Anna.  Neal and Katrina were able to do sealings at the Jordan River Temple to celebrate their 10th Anniversary. 

Daniel and Talisa playing marble pick-up-sticks.   There was a lot of sickness over the Christmas season and hopefully everyone will soon recover and feel much better.  

Christmas 2012

We had a delightful Christmas, 2012.  Christmas Eve we had all of our Utah families together.  After dinner we gathered downstairs for our traditional FHE.  Julie and Jason spent the weekend with Mike and Desi in Colorado because Jason had an interview there.  They enjoyed spending time there with family and Mike and Desi were gracious hosts. 

 Amelia on the trampoline, Lillian, Kristilyn expecting in March 2013, Talisa, James, Kira, and Grant. 

 Kira was very serious about her part as the Angel on our family pageant. 

 We did the story twice so people could get to do the parts they really wanted to do.  In this one Mark is Joseph, Talisa is Mary, Julie is a shepherd with Lillian and Amelia as sheep. Jason was a camel and Keith was a donkey.   James and Grant were Wise Men and they were very concerned about bringing good gifts for the Baby.  They filled the wooden chest Mike brought from South Africa then requested a basket to fill with things for the baby--snow men, fire engines, a magnifying glass, etc.  When the "sheep" saw the gifts they were enchanted and were happy to play the part of the "Holy Child." 

 With the second replay Keith was the angel, Talisa was the donkey, Kira was the camel, Krisitlyn was Mary; James was Joseph, and Lillian was the baby.    John read the narration from the Bible and Kim took lots of pictures.

 We watched a video presentation of the Nativity Story. 


 Christmas morning, Julie and Jason, John and Kathryn Ann went over to Eliasons.  James can hardly wait to open presents.

 Amelia looks cute in her Santa hat. 

 Kristilyn, Mark and Lillian. 

 James and Grant were so excited and happy. 

The little girls got Little Tyke shopping carts that had to be assembled.  They just wanted to play with the components but Jason and Grandpa got them put together while Mark assembled Grant and James' gifts in the basement. 

 Jason and Julie had happy Christmas morning. 

 After the little ones went down for their naps, James and Grant had a wonderful time with the shopping carts.  Boys like anything with wheels.


Lillian and Amelia sign a lot of words.  Here they are reading a book with Grandpa.   Lillian is signing "please." 

Melody called.  She and Brandon celebrated Christmas Eve because he was off and had to work on Christmas.  She spent Christmas morning with her dear friend, the RS president, and other friends.  

About 4:00 PM our Utah family  met again in West Jordan for turkey dinner.

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Kira played with the Fisher Price Nativity set under the tree.  George and Bill came up for dinner and were delightful company.  We had a wonderful visit.  We gave the grandchildren clothes and the adults family history and a Shutterfly book of pictures from 2011.   

Mike called on Wednesday.  They had a very nice Christmas.  We talked to Emily and Mordecai and they were excited.  Little Ivy weighs 7 pounds now at two months and is doing very well. 

 Carters arrived about 7:00 PM on Wednesday.  The roads were quite slick so they took their time and came carefully. 

 Daniel is thrilled over his remote control car. 


 Anna has gained several pounds in the last few weeks and is much happier and lively.  She looks more like a three year old than a baby. 

 Daniel's favorite gift was his new Wii game.  Carters will be here until New Year's Eve day. 

We are looking forward to a family gathering Friday afternoon and evening at Keith and Kim's home. 

December Activities 2012

Temple Square is a wonderful place to be during the Christmas season.  

 They began stringing lights in August.  The lights, displays, Christmas trees, nativity scenes and many singing groups all add to the beautiful ambiance of the season. This is a view of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where we serve in the Training Zone on the Third Floor on the east side. 

 Saturday, December 7, we attended dance recitals for Kira and Talisa at Copper Hills high school.  They  were very excited.  Notice the special soft plastic hollow curlers Kim uses for Talisa's ringlets. 

 Kira

 Talisa

 Sunday we had the Eliasons over for dinner.  They've had a lot of sickness this week.  We enjoyed their pictures of their home construction and and their Eliason Reunion during Thanksgiving week.  This is Lillian.  Notice how dark and long her eyelashes are. 

 Lillian and Amelia were eager to check out what Mark was eating. 

 James and Grant made designs with dominoes on the tread mill.  They were concerned that they didn't have enough room to spell their school -Emerson - correctly, but were reassured than an abbreviation was all right. 

 Amelia is such a pixie.  Her bangs are about down to her her eye brows. 

 Monday night we were able to attend Talisa's first grade school program.  They sang many holiday songs with great gusto.  Kira-Keith-Talisa-Kim. 

 Talisa is the only one in her class who hasn't lost any teeth this year.  She lost 10 in Kindergarten. 

 Kira is delighted over her new earrings.

Keith and Kim bought a new Christmas tree this year.  It is beautiful. 

Ivy Elizabeth's Blessing

We had a wonderful trip to Colorado for Ivy Elizabeth's blessing--November 29 to December 2. This picture is of 21 month Ruby Marie and four-year-old Mordecai.  We loved spending time with their entire family. 

 Mordecai did really well in his soccer class.  He knows the rules and can move a ball well. 

 Mordecai loves the computer.

 Ruby thought that she should take pictures every time I got out my camera. 

 Ruby, Ivy and Grandpa Rogers

 Kathryn Ann holding Ivy and John holding Ruby.

 Desi holding Ivy.  Ivy weighed five pounds 11 ounces this week at nearly six weeks.  She's starting to wear some newborn-size clothes though some "preemies" fit nicely. 

 Look what pretty hair Ivy has!

 It is a delight to listen to Emily read because she uses dramatic expression. 

 Ruby loves her baby dolls. 

 Saturday morning we decorated the Christmas tree. 

 Karen Bainbridge. Ivy's other grandma, made a heritage blessing dress for Ivy.  It has pearl beads in the smocking around the neck and sleeves, inset lace, and hand embroidered flowers around the bottom.  It is elegant.  Karen and Richard had to return home before the blessing day because Richard had two trips to the hospital with his asthma problems so they had to leave the bad air and high elevation of Denver to go home to Tennessee.  We missed them very much because we enjoy their company!

 Emily loves to climb and swing. 

 It was strange to be playing outside in shirt sleeves on December 1, after finishing decorating the Christmas tree inside.  

 Emily can now climb on the monkey bars from one end to the other and back! 

 Ivy is a beautiful, alert baby. 

 Getting ready for 9:00 AM church. 

 Mike gave Ivy a beautiful blessing.  The family outside the church:  Mike, Desi holding Ivy, Emily, Ruby, and Mordecai. 

 Mike, Ivy, and Desi

 Emily holding Ruby.  Ivy's hair ribbon is from Kim. 

 We had fun playing with all the toys in the basement. 

Ruby looks very cute in her bonnet from their Nauvoo Bainbridge Reunion.  Everyone in the family had a hat or a bonnet. 

 We celebrated Mike's 40th's birthday on Sunday. 

 It was special to have Desi's uncle and his family there for the blessing and dinner--Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Maria, Izzie, Jessica, and Jacob.  They were fun company. 

Mike with his precious Ivy.  Mordecai is next to him. 

Desi and Mike are always such gracious hosts and are so very kind and considerate of us.  We appreciated running a shuttle service for us to the airport.  Desi's meals were fantastic as always.  We enjoyed spending time with their family.