Highlights from Christmas 2011

SUPER fun Christmas!!!

Here are some highlights...

Ping pong,

Breakfast at Hof's Hut after picking up Julie and Daniel at the airport and Kathy and Jeff from his parent's home in Huntington Beach,

Christmas Eve dinner,

love hearing my girls sing Silent Night and thanks to Daniel for accompaniment on the piano,

beautiful family picture, (thank you to all!)

Bennett's first haircut,

baby shower for Julie at Denise's house,

another wonderful family dinner,

beautiful Karen playing the violin!!!

We love you all so much. Thank you for coming to our home to spend Christmas together. We think you all are wonderful and are so proud of each one.

We can't wait until the next time we see you!!

Relief Society Progressive Dinner

Tonight we had the Relief Society Progressive Dinner at our house...just for appetizers.

Three of my very favorite people!

We ended up at Sharon Brandt's home where I wish I would have taken my camera because it was just the most beautiful house ever and Brother Doria came and sang three Christmas songs that were SO beautiful!!

Merry Christmas everyone!

YES!! Ping Pong!!

WARNING!!

You can't cry when we beat you!!

YES, we are talking about Ping Pong!

Dad and I are practicing up...

So excited for CHRISTMAS!!

Phil's Baptism!

Yesterday, Saturday, November 20, 2011

We attended Phil's baptism!

The ceremony began in the chapel because there were SO MANY people there!!

The chapel was filled!

The stake president, Kevin Miskin was the main speaker,

A missionary sang a solo while another missionary played the piano.

Stephanie gave the opening prayer and I gave the closing one.

His home teacher baptized him and two of his soccer players who recently became Elders, were the witnesses.

After he was baptized, Phil wanted to say a few words to the congregation, so before the Bishop welcomed him into the ward, Phil went to the microphone and gave his first talk as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It was FABULOUS!!

Here are some pictures of us right after the baptism and before going back into the chapel.

On Sunday, Dad confirmed him and gave him a beautiful blessing.

We felt so honored to be there.

Coat Drive

Warm Coat Drive

For two months now our Humanitarian Committee (which I'm on) has been busy with the annual coat drive in Redlands. What this consists of is getting donations of coats, jackets, blankets, and lots of miscellaneous from all the public schools, the University of Redlands, the City of Redlands, and several other organizations.

Here is a picture of a United Way truck driving up to our storage unit to unload what it had collected.

There was just as much last month or more.

These items will be taken over to the Stake Center by ward members on the night before our committee goes through each and every item. They will be sorted and bagged up for Relief Society sisters to take home, wash, and deliver to the Redlands Family Services where needy families will chose what they want to take home. This is a HUGH undertaking that is greatly appreciated by our city.

I LOVE Redlands!!

Just had to stick this picture in...

Strawberries I picked YESTERDAY from

ONE

plant!!

Another reason why I love Redlands!

4th and Final Phase of Remodel!!

So HAPPY!!!!

The remodel is complete...

well except for the electrician to come...

and we really could not be more pleased with everything!!

Here are a few pictures not only of the kitchen but we moved furniture around in the whole downstairs so it really feels like a new house to me!

We are just trying things out like this and may move things around again before Christmas.

So what do you think?

Notice I didn't take any pictures of the garage yet...it is still a complete mess.

By the way, Happy 11/11/2011 today.

Remodel Phase 3!

We are at Phase 3 of the Remodel and we couldn't be more pleased with the work this team has done!!

Here's Junior putting up the backsplash...

Looks absolutely beautiful!

Almost finished with the fireplace. Those big tiles you see off to the side will go on the hearth tomorrow.

We hooked up the gas line to the fireplace and dad put the fake wood in there so it will look and feel like a real fire without the ashes and mess! So happy!!

I told Junior I want to hear him singin' as he listens to his Spanish radio music.

He laughed but then he got to his trabajando y cantando'.

This is really an art for him!

Finally put our stove back in yesterday.

Got the wires all hidden for the TV.

Well, we should be finished in the next 3 days hopefully.

I'll post final pictures next.

We are SO happy! Really feels like we have a new house!