CHRISTMAS EVE 2008

Early on Christmas Eve Richard showed up at our door to show us the nice tires that Santa had brought him. We were happy to be able to see them under the mud! Yes, he knows how to have fun - and even more, he knows how to work - because it took lots of work to cut his Jeep to get them to fit!

I wanted to really enjoy this Christmas Eve with our traditional Dinner, Luke 2 Video and Music, Grandkids finding the symbols of Christmas, putting them on the tree, and putting Baby Jesus in the Manger under the tree, matching pijamas, gifts and games - because as our children marry, our children have their other families to join. This year we missed Rory, Heather, Alex and Aurora - but next year they will come and we will celebrate earlier in December all together! We chatted with them on the telephone several times - missing them - but the party had to go on! The best laugh was Cam's - "...but the sleeves are perfect!" (you would have to be there!)

We invited Bailey and her mom, Sheri, and Gary and Debra Brooksfrom down the street to share in our dinner and Christmas program. We love sharing with others - and hope that they enjoy our noisy group.

This year Grandma Gurney was with us - a great gift in itself! We took her with us to "The Forgotten Carols" where Jordan Bluth (cousin) sand the lead role. It is another great way of feeling the Christmas spirit! Grandma Bluth was in Las Vegas with Antoinette's family - recovering from her surgery. We have some amazing 82 year old great-grandmas for our grandkids!

Riley and Ashley brought Chloe (our quassi granddaughter) so Richard would have someone to play with due to shortage of Wii controls!

Looks like Dad (Rick) is separating Riley and Ashley from tough competition - and also, like Jonique and Jacob will only need one chair when they are married!

CHRISTMAS EVE 2008

Jonique says that her favorite night of the year is when the family gathers for Christmas Eve. We have some priceless memories, traditions and a lot of fun. Yes, a family that plays, works and prays together is a family that is strong! Everyone pitched in! Rick made the potato casserole (that the kids call Funeral Potatoes, because they are often served at the large luncheons after funerals), Riley grated piles of carrots for mom's carrot salad (that Cambria calls "The Depression Salad"), Ashley made the green salad, Rick glazed the ham, RileynAsh brought the pies, and Cambria brought the caramel popcorn (not to mention all the other treats and food that we have stuffed ourselves with.

The grandkids arrived in their new pijamas and robes - all dressed up for a party and a good night sleep to await Santa's arrival. They party with us until 8-9 pm, then they go to bed at Grandmas until their parents carry them out of the house to their own beds (after the adults have fun).

Zander and Devanie always create amazing Lego projects that we try to protect from the quick hands of Roxie and Maddaux. Ryan and Cam left for home at 1 am to help Santa come to their home - in hopes of a couple of hours of sleep before the kids were awake to see what Santa had brought!

Richard fell asleep in the chair before we played Russian Rummy - so he got the good night's sleep! In the morning Richard and Jonique woke Rick and I up - jumping on our bed - - yes they are 20-21 years old - and we came in for prayer, to open gifts - and then Richard treated us all to a yummy breakfast of biscuits, Gravy, eggs, juice and milk! It's awesome to have good cooks around! That is a great gift to me! He called Riley, Ashley and Grandma Gurney and they joined us for breakfast and some Wii games.

At the end of the day there are 4 of us - Rick, Jonique, Jacob and me - and this is our last year of kids at home - because Jonique and Jacob will marry in one month! I will forever be grateful for the knowledge that I have of a loving Father in Heaven, who gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ! That knowledge, that they live and that they love us is the greatest gift that I have been given in this life - and I will spend all my days sharing it with others! My other greatest gift is my eternal family - for as I look around the world, I see that it is not something to take for granted - because so many people are not surrounded by this amazing love!

SAND DUNES DECEMBER TRIP 2008

Yeah! After 2 years, high gas prices, struggling economy - we felt we could justify a family trip to the sand dunes (outside of Yuma). Ryan and Cam's kids had a school break (Chandler School schedule) so the rest of us juggled our schedules and decided for some great family time!

Jonique and her fiance, Jacob Beach drove over a day later due to work schedules. Jacob was the winner of the accidents this trip - luckily only his leg was "damaged" when he landed bike first into a witches eye. Yes, that is what you don't want to do at the dunes!


Ashley got a substitute teacher for her little "English-as-a-2nd-Language" students - and she was back on the quad seat again (as powerful as ever)! OOps, she's sitting on my 250 - and that is truly humbling for this power rider!

When we ran out of water Rick remembered that he hadn't filled the trailer, so Riley, Roxie and Rick drove with him to fill the trailer. Roxie played in the water and got to change into one of Grandma's shirts. Roxie can control a whole crowd with her personality!

SAND DUNES DECEMBER TRIP 2008

This was Jacob's first dunes trip - but the rest of these guys are old "has beens". Richard was here last week with Paynes and some of our other friends. Taylor Frost is like our son and he has been back from his mission for a few weeks. Fun group!

Richard is a pro with the Ranger - a whole lot better than 2 years ago when he took me on his test ride and we rolled down a big dune 4 times! Now he knows exactly what this mean machine can do - and he takes it where no man has ever been before! The ride he took Roxie, Devanie and me on didn't end soon enough for Roxie - it was beyond the big rides at Disneyland and she couldn't get back to camp fast enough!

Devanie Doo learns to ride the big quads! She was amazing in following Grandma through the small dunes - like a little duck! Actually, there were some big dunes that shook her up a little - but she did them! Way to go girl!!! At least I didn't find you crashed in the sand (and passed out) like I found Jonique!

JONIQUE and JACOB BEACH will MARRY FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY on JANUARY 31!

Yes, Dreams do come true, and Miracles are real! Jonique found Jacob Beach - or do I say, Jacob found Jonique - and fun and enjoyment quickly turned into a lifetime of plans and a marriage proposal for an eternity together.

Jonique's 20th birthday dinner included plans for them to talk to us about their desires to get married, but everytime that Jonique tried to bring the subject up, her dad and brothers thought she was just kidding and went on talking about guns, bullets and all that guy stuff.

I

was in Texas with Rory and Heather when a text came from Jonique which said, "Hi Mom, Jacob just told me that he loves me". I called her back and asked what she said in return. Jonique said, "I told him Thanks". Rory, Heather and I started laughing - until Rory said, " Poor guy, way to ruin his confidence", but Jonique told Jacob the next day that if she says she loves someone, they will really know that she means it! So Jacob, she means it!

Dad and I have truly enjoyed every minute of these 2 in our home, playing Rook, Russian Rummy, watching them read together, plant flowers together, lots of wedding plans (and they are so easy to make happy) - and then there is a lot of that huggy kissy stuff! I might add, Jacob felt like a son in the first 5 minutes that we talked - there were obvious common grounds like Eastern Arizona College (EAC), trombone, Spanish (mission to Guatemala), has been to the Colonies, loves the Lord and the Temple - and loves Jonique! I thank Heavenly Father for His miracles - and this is a big one!