Oregon and Idaho Christmas Celebrations - and a Bonus!

What a wonderful time we had during the month of December - well, we actually started on the 30th of November.  We had five Christmases!  Who does that?  Well, we did.  This blog shows two of them.  We started with the Oregon families - Wayne and his family and Vikki and her family.

We have a Christmas tradition each year of giving to each family a gift certificate to a book store of their choice and dinner out.  Each family goes out to dinner and then shopping for books.  Then they take them home, wrap and put them under the tree until Christmas morning.

Dinner before shopping

Max found something he really liked at the book store

Another tradition is to give each grandchild an ornament that hopefully will depict something from their year.

Each of the Modjeski boys had the #7 on their
basketball jersey - total coincidence!
So they all received the same basketball player
ornament with the #7 on it - clever, huh?

Then on Christmas Eve (this year it was on November 30 since we were leaving Oregon on the 3rd) we had a yummy ham dinner and all the trimmings.  Always so good - not only the food - but the time together.  My favorite time!  And we always have a spiritual 'program.' Remembering the reason for the season.   Vikki (my daughter) doesn't like me to call it that; but I have yet to find another word that works quite as well.  Any suggestions?

Our 'program' for 2014

Just couldn't resist sharing this so-cute picture

We had the pleasure of having our wonderful sister missionaries with us on this evening.

A dynamite duo!  Sisters Jensen and Kerr - friends forever

A Christmas for FEET.  A great gift from Modjeskis - Foot Massager with heat.  And notice the slippers.

I love that we can see the Christmas lights that Wayne and Max put up.

His favorite book from Gramma and Grampa

And then.....Jay (and Wayne) entertained us.  Very funny!

So that fun evening and those good-byes are now behind us and we head toward our next Christmas -- in Idaho.

We spent the first night in LaGrande and then on to my sister's.

Sandie and I always have such a grand time together.  We laugh - a lot!

And so do our husbands!!  They have always been such good sports!!

Good times and good food

Aren't we cute?

Another fun Christmas

They liked their ornament

We were able to spend some time with Craig, Mason and Caitlin

We went to Mother's grave and did some cleaning and put up a little Christmas tree

Finished result

We stayed a couple extra days with Sandie and Dale, as our little Annie, Utah, had a terrible flu bug.  And we were quite concerned about catching it and spreading it across the country as we travelled.  Of couse, we loved being able to stay in Kuna for a couple extra days; however, we were also sad not to be able to spend that time with John and his family.

This is the bonus:

We had the opportunity and blessing of staying with Paul (Michael's brother) and Heather in Saratoga Springs, Utah.  Heather and I spent a wonderful day together shopping and going out for breakfast while Michael took Paul to his doctor's appointments.  I wonder who had more fun.  Although, it was really good for the boys to have some quality time together.

Heather and I laughed and had such a good time together.  She took me to some fun places.  She also helped me choose a couple more temple dresses.  Which, I really thought I should have -- since I only had one.  She was extremely helpful.  It was such a great day.

We visited Holdman Studos, Inc., at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi.  These stained glass pieces are part of a Creation Project for the library at Utah Valley University (UVU) for their 75th anniversary.  

Absolutely breath taking!

Also in this studio they are creating the windows for the Rome Temple.  It was so amazing to walk around that facility and see so many different phases of the temple project.  I was given one of the #1 leaves being used in the windows of the temple.  I will treasure this beatiful piece of glass.  I highly recommend Holdman Studios.  You could even make something for yourself - a blown glass flower, bowl, etc. 

I know I said in the last blog that this one would be about our training in the Salt Lake Temple and our travels across the United States.  As you can see, it's not.  It will be coming; however, I have three more Christmases to share.  And THEN I can share our training and travel.

In the Beginning....there were good-byes!

On August 22, 2014, we received our mission call to serve as ordinance workers in the Washington D.C. Temple.  We are so grateful for this calling and feel blessed and humbled by the trust the Lord has put in us.

So then the process began about what could and could not go with us.  Of course, it's not just about the clothes; it's also about the jewelry, the perfumes, the pictures, the kitchen items, the tools, the golf clubs, etc., etc., etc.  Many hard decisions were made in this area.  Funny story:  when I told Wayne's family one night when we were skyping that I wouldn't be wearing any of my Moonlight Path fragrances in the temple, Allyson said, "So, Gramma, then what do you smell like?"

There was a tremendous amount of reading and studying that had to be done in order to "sign off" on our missionary website.  It was a wonderful time but very intense. Reading Preach My Gospel was a highlight of our preparation.  I would highly recommend it to everyone.  

Before we left, our good friends Debbie Hansen and Fontella Young put together a great surprise farewell party.  Oh, and was it a surprise! Many friends and lots of good food.

Not only were many of our good friends there but also Michael's brother, Dee, from Idaho and another brother, Joel, and his wife, Trish, were there from Washington. 

What great brothers - Dee, Michael & Joel

Joel, Dee, Jackie, Trish & Michael
There just is nothing like family!

We spoke in church on November 30th; and once again we were supported by family, friends and ward members.

That night we had our monthly "Family Home Evening with Gramma and Grampa."  We also did our Christmas Eve 'Program' with gifts and individual ornaments.  We were honored to have the sister missionaries from our ward join us for dinner and the festivities.  These two young ladies are a dynamite duo.  And we feel blessed to have been able to spend time with them in the weeks before we left.

Sister Kerr, Jackie, Sister Jensen

We had such good help.  It would have been extremely difficult to do all that we had to do without Wayne's help.  He even took the day off from work -- to do more work!

"Gramma, I can fit my carseat into the back!"






We rolled down the windows to get the last few items in...

Stuffed to the ceiling!!

Max waving good-bye as we drive away  :(

Saying good-bye to the Modjeskis. We've never been away from our daughter for any extended period of time.

Michael was able to get Stephen's way- past- due birthday cake to him as we were leaving.  

Sour Dough Chocolate Cake!

Happy belated birthday, favorite son-in-law!

Our beautiful Mt. Hood as we begin this journey.

Good-byes in Idaho to my dear sister, Sandie

My 100-year-old Aunt Wilma in Idaho

Saying good-bye to my good friend, Bev, in Utah

And yet another good-bye -- to John and his family in Cedar Hills, Utah

A fun place to say good-bye to Jeffrey and his family - Red Robin

Good-bye to Brittany (oldest granddaughter) at the old train station in Salt Lake City after dinner and the annual book shopping

And a final good-bye to Jeffrey from his office building in Salt Lake City

And our very last good-bye -- from Brad's house in Virginia
Brad and his roommate, Andy

We are so excited for the opportunity to see Brad more often in the next few months

Okay, so now the good-byes are behind us.  The next blog will be about our training in the Salt Lake Temple and our travels across the United States.