Advent Day Three and Day Four

Advent Day Three: Young Christmas Party

hosted by Great-Grandma Frances and Great-Grandpa Wilford Young.

This is an annual Christmas Party and something we all look forward to all year. For Timothy, it is getting to visit with his cousins. For the children it is getting to see their cousins (second cousins? first cousins once removed? something??). For me, it is the music. The grandparents Young are very musically inclined and the entertainment is always delightful. I love it. Not that I don't love the people--I do. Timothy has some really fantastic relatives.

Miriam and Makay (Rachel's oldest) singing along. They are 16 days apart in age.

Eli dancing like a maniac to the music. He did that the WHOLE time music was played. Spaz.

Emeline sat by Uncle Eric for the performance.

This is one of the people my Eli Wilford is named for. Grandpa Wilford is amazing. He played the bass in the Utah Symphony for years--by ear. He can't really read music that well. Or, at least, he can't sight read. Timothy does most things be ear. As does Miriam. I just figured out. Those Youngs. At our wedding, Grandpa asked us our phone number and then he made up this beautiful song using those intervals. Incredible.

Uncle Lew and Shawn on trombones. Shawn was a double major--math and music. Sound like anyone--uh, yeah, my hubby who uses both sides of his brain equally. Shawn wants to get a Ph.D. in acoustical physics--or something brainy like that. We like him though because he's so darn hilarious.

Aunt Thelissa showing Cowen how to play a violin. Aunt Thelissa is one of my favorite people. It is always a treat getting to see her. (Plus, she is one of the very few people in the world who asks me how my book is progressing in the publishing world--most people have long since forgotten I wrote a book. The publishing world is s.l.o.w..)

Marie on the flute. Marie brought a date. I don't know how serious it is, but bringing a date to a huge family gathering!! I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

Rachel on piano. Aunt Jane on a lap harp. (Blanking on what it is actually called. My mom plays one as well. What is it called???)

The entire group. That's Rinata on the cello. She is an adopted granddaughter. We love her, too. Plus she played a Bach piece (my favorite old composer) on my favorite instrument. I really enjoyed that.

Liam--Kyle and Inez's little boy. He just turned one and he is adorable.

Grandpa opening the present Miriam painted for him.

The whole group: Grandpa, Ashley, Uncle Harold, Artur, Nellie, Rinata, me, Eli, Marie, Shawn, Amanda, Eric.

Grandpa Kenny opening the present Emeline painted for him.

Advent Day Four: Ward Christmas Party and Playing with Presents Received the Night Before

Miriam received an art projector thing so she can trace over a hundred pictures. She's already written and illustrated one story plus made numerous other pictures. She is in love with this present. In fact she said, "Now it doesn't matter what else I get for Christmas."

Eli got this semi that you can load and unload with little cars. There is also a yellow car. It was somewhere else at the time this pic was taken. Eli is also quite pleased with his present.

Cowen, I think, is in love with his present--three automoblox cars that come apart so you can make myriad other cars. Short cars. Long cars. Funny looking cars. He's played with them constantly (as has his dad and younger brother and his sisters) and won't even let me throw away the packaging because he wants them "protected" at night.

I told Eli to smile for the camera.

Miriam and Cowen playing with Emeline's present. It is a monkey hide and seek game. Someone hides the monkey (the kids like it to be Dad) and then the seekers use the wand to find it. The wand acts like a hot/cold mechanism. The children have been loving it. Emeline sometimes gets a turn. We're working on that.

The little darlings.

More of Eli smiling for the camera.

The ward party was also very nice. It was a Saturday brunch--so pancakes, french toast, hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, sausage, milk. We enjoyed it a great deal. I was able to find a seat near a new family I've been trying to get to know better. The mom's name is Maude and she is a native Canadian from Montreal. Yes, a native French speaker. Her accent is pretty cool. We chatted about her and Kami's efforts to raise bilingual children. Interestingly similar even though her hubby is fluent in French (they met when he served a mission in her area) and Kami is not quite fluent in Spanish.

Then Santa came to visit (well, Santa's helper because Santa is too busy in the North Pole getting ready for Christmas) and my children were able to tell him what they wanted for Christmas and get a candy cane. Miriam=anything, Cowen=pocket knife, Emeline=doll. Emeline wouldn't actually sit on his lap, but she clung to Miriam and inched close enough to reach out one arm and get the candy cane. Eli said he wanted to sit on Santa's lap but fell asleep while waiting in line--Timothy was holding him.

After the party, while everyone else took a nap, Miriam and I went to Walmart. On a Saturday. In December. Grr. But I wanted to go then to get Eli's other birthday present. Walmart didn't even have it. After Walmart I tried Shopko and then finally Target, where the present was secured. We went home and Miriam helped me wrap it. Then everyone else woke up and I made them clean up the house for the Sabbath. Now my house is tidy and vacuumed, bills have been paid, a roast is thawing for tomorrow, and the laundry is done. Lovely. Time for bed.

PS--I got a CRAZY phone call from Switzerland during supper. Total shocker. Pretty much made my day as sweet as can be.

Hope you're all enjoying the countdown to Christmas as much as we are. Merry Christmas to all, and a special, very special, merry Christmas to the Bell family.