Probably the very best Christmas EVER!!!!

This is Nates new guitar, he is in heaven. he even named her (as he informed me all guitars are girls) Harmonie


This Christmas will go down in the record books as the very best one ever. Doesn't get much better that having two 6 month old Grand babies, a wonderful missionary phone call, (more about that later) all the kids at home, and a gorgeous snow storm. I couldn't have ordered it any better. In our fun little house sometimes I worry that we all seem to be under foot of each other. We had 8 adults, 2 babies, and 2 very large boxers. It never phases me, but I always hope that the kids wont find it too crowded, or to crazy to keep coming. To me it all just adds to the fun, and the whole experience. Santa was really generous to Adam and Lily, they both loved their toys, but mostly Adam loved the ribbon and paper, makes for easy gift giving next year. Being all together is the best thing about Christmas. We eat, play games, eat, sing songs, eat, laugh, and then wind up the whole evening with more eating. It was a great Christmas, thanks to my family for their love and patience with their crazy Mom.
So as we end this 2008 and I look back on all of its happenings I am amazed at what a wonderful year it has been for our family. We have been blest in so many ways. It gives me hope for this new year, that it too will be full of new things and wonderful blessings. Happy New Year to you all!!!

Feliz Navidad from Paraguy

Christmas tree from the fam. Ornaments that friends had written on for him ot put on each day. I mailed it the week before Thanksgiving so that it would arrive on the 1st of December. It was an ornament a day for him ot put on. But crazy mail system Steve didn't get it until the week of Christmas















Steve's missionary Christmas! Probably wondering what the heck is with the phone, well it's hard to tell but that was Steve's Christmas day call. It shows the out of area number and the time and the date. A little obsessive I know. But it was absolutely terrific. I was on cloud nine. He sounded sooooooooooo good. He is loving the work, and the people, and his great Mission Pres. Pres. Bradley. What a blessing that is for a Mom to know that he has someone like this good man to help care for her son while he is away. We all got to talk, mostly me, of course. But we talked for just over 1 hour, but the time flew bye. Hanging up is always the hardest, when we say goodbye it leaves such an empty feeling. But I know that he is happy and that the work in Paraguay is moving forward like it should with his help.

To Grandmothers house we go!!! and everyone elses, too

Every Christmas season our family has a tradition of a traveling dinner. For those of you that aren't familiar with a traveling dinner it's simply an evening of traveling from house to house gorging yourself with delicious food. Also it gives us an opportunity to see each others decorations. Years ago Fred's family had this as a Christmas tradition when I came on board. It was way fun. However with six brothers and large families it became to crazy to get to everyone's home, let alone fitting over 50 of us into our houses. Fred and I later adopted this as one of our own little families traditions. This year we began at Matt and Jess's home for yummy appetizers. It was all sooooooo good. I could have been happy to stay behind and just fill up on those. Good job kids, they were scrumptscholesent (family word)!!!!
And of course no meal is complete without a beautiful salad. Missy is always the salad master. At each home we have to remind ourselves that this isn't the main course, so try not to fill up on that particulair item. Or what the heck eat as much as you want, that 's what I do.
The fun thing about this year is the best gift that this Grandma could ever have. It's the two new little cuties! Adam and Lily, what wonderful little additions to complete our family.
Well it's time to move on to the next house. That would be Mom and Dads home for the main course. When Fred's family did this dinner his Mom always had the main course, but it consisted of German food, as she is German. I cooked the German meal a few times but it way too much work. So in trying to keep with the whole international theme now we have French dip sandwiches. Hey it's foreign!!!





Finally to the best part of the whole evening. We head to Grandma Haws house for desert and gingerbread house making. This has become a favorite activity for the kids. And this year, fun fun for Grandma and Grandpa as we got to take care of the babies while the parents designed their houses. Nate beaming from ear to ear, quite proud of his masterpiece. Matt brought some of his own materials for his plan. If you look close enough you can see his landscaping design. He created a licorice tree. He had thought about this all week, nice addition Matt.

The big question is , "how many Hall's does it take to fill a decorating bag". Really though, good team work!!!
At the end of our busy evening, of eating and eating and designing a little sip of the good stuff is always in order. What were you thinking? It's IBC rootbeer.
The best part of the entire evening is being together as family, enjoying each other, laughing, eating good food, and getting caught up in the spirit of the season. The holidays to me are all about family. Building memories, creating traditions, and strengthen bonds that will last through the eternities. It's always interesting to me as a missionary Mom, the peace that comes as we are all gathered together as family and one is serving our Heavenly father. I miss Steve but always receive a felling of joy in knowing that he is doing the Lords work. And as stated on a plaque that sits on my mantel, a missionary is someone that leaves his family for two years, to teach others that they can be with their families forever. That's what it's all about is family, and nothing makes me happier than to be with mine that I love

Six months!!!!! Are you sure??????

Oh my gosh six months!!!! It's hard to believe, this picture is a baptism that Steve walked into after only being in Paraguay for 1 week and that was 4 months ago. In his latest Email he sent the picture of the burning of his 6months and said "it's hard to believe that six months have already gone," he went on to say that it seems like only a few weeks. and that he hopes that from here on out time will slow down a bit." As for me it seems like years since I have seen Steve. But love to hear how well he is doing, and how he loves serving.