Stitches, Christmas Decorations, Area Books, Santa Claus X Two

Let's just get the disgusting picture out of the way at the beginning of this post. That would be the photo of my foot. With the stitches in it. ICK!!

But I was glad to get the stitches out. And the doctor told me I could wear a regular shoe that very day. That was a pleasant surprise! Only 2 1/2 weeks in a boot. HURRAH!!

Just writing those words makes me feel like this picture is no longer an unpleasant thing. At least not to me.

When I saw these packages of turkey-shaped sculpted butter marked half off a few days after Thanksgiving, it made me think about how much Sarah's boys would have loved turkey-shaped butter for Thanksgiving. Oh well... Maybe next year.

Although, looking at the price of the butter, it's probably a fair thing to say there will never be turkey-shaped sculpted butter on our Thanksgiving table. Ever!

During Sarah's visit here, I got in the mood to dig around in the hall closet to see what kind of Christmas decorations I might find. There was one string of plain green garland, so I put it on the fireplace mantle.

Glen assures me he will NEVER put up the Christmas tree tucked away in the back recess of the closet. He has been looking forward to a 3-year hiatus from dealing with Christmas lights on a Christmas tree. So I decided to put the bag of tree decorations on the garland. I LOVE IT!!!

The photo doesn't do it justice with how beautiful it looks. It sparkles when I turn on the lights above the mantle. 

I got so excited when I found this table decoration in a store and felt like it matched the mantle decoration so well that I just had to buy it. I LOVE this, too!

I found this decoration for the living room in the closet.

There were several wreaths in the closet and they have been hung around the house.

I am happy I decided to bring this olive wood carving that we got in Jerusalem.

We have a senior missionary couples FHE dinner at our house once every transfer (every 6 weeks). These flower arrangements were purchased for that occasion and I have absolutely LOVED looking at them every day since then.

  (The Maughans, the Corlesses, the Burgons, the Sattleys,

Glen, the Coverstons, the Christensens) 

AND ME!!!  

During this round of interviews, I was checking area books with each companionship. 

As usually happens, I learn new and interesting things from the missionaries. This elder was showing me how he is never going to have to wear long-sleeve shirts again.

He's got these handy-dandy cheat cuffs that he attaches to his wrists. As long as he doesn't stretch his arms out too far, no one will suspect there is no shirt attached to the cuffs. (Or so he claims...?)

In Mission Leadership Council we trained on prayer. 

I LOVED the video we showed about two trees the same size being planted at the same time--one in the sun and the other in the shade. Both trees grew and it wasn't until several years later that there was a noticeable difference. 

The tree in the light had grown dramatically bigger and taller than the one in the shade.

We don't often see dramatic negative consequences if we miss a day or two of the small and simple things--prayer and scripture study--that will help us maintain our focus on our eternal purpose.

The compounding effect of a little more sun each day made a huge difference over time in the growth of the trees. The same thing happens in our lives as we expose ourselves each day to the source of all Light.

The compounding effect of daily disciplines with purpose and real intent can make a big difference in all areas of life.

There! Now you've had a small taste of what went on in MLC this month. And here's another "taste" of what went on at lunch in MLC this month.

 At the request of one of our departing missionaries, Sister McClellan made a salad with her delicious "secret recipe" dressing.

The first weekend in December the Del Mar Stake goes all out transforming the stake center into a music hall for their fabulous Community Christmas Concert. We went two of the three nights.

The second night Glen was asked to give the devotional to the choir before the concert began and I was asked to give the closing prayer at the concert.

This was the scene when we first walked into the building.

In another chapel closer to home, and during the daylight hours, I was looking through area books with the missionaries while Glen was doing interviews.

As one missionary walked by with Santa under his arm, I insisted he stop for a photo op with the jolly old fellow.

Then imagine my surprise when I saw the real guy wandering through the hallways.

Another great photo op I just couldn't pass up!!

Quotes of the Week

"Let us be in the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion, and outreach."
--Quentin L. Cook

"We need to know God's laws and live them.  Only by doing so will we obtain true happiness."
--Thomas S. Monson

"You are not competing with anyone else.  You are only competing with yourself to do the best with whatever you have received."
--L. Tom Perry

"You must ask for God's help.  After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again."
--Gordon B. Hinckley

The Zoo With the Grandboys

The day after Thanksgiving we spent at the zoo with Sarah's family. Just posing at a photo op while the men were parking the vehicles.

First stop inside the zoo was the rental station. Sarah had forgotten to bring a stroller and I needed a wheelchair as I didn't think my foot could handle walking the entire zoo.

As we were going down a very steep hill, Glen pretended (I think he was pretending...) he was having a hard time holding me back so I didn't take off rolling full speed ahead down the hill.

Eli to the rescue!!! From that moment on, he became the wheelchair assistant. He held on to that thing everywhere we went. He wasn't about to let the chair holding his grandma get away from his grandpa. He would even stay back with us instead of moving closer to see the animals until we would insist he move up closer to get a good look.

His tender loving care touched us deeply.

Lincoln and Carson are enjoying a snack in their set of wheels.

Even better than the wheelchair ride was the bus ride. That way everyone got to ride. 

The pelican was my favorite animal this time. This one was having a fit whenever another bird would float by.

I decided to take pity on my pusher and walk up the hills. Someone was able to take advantage of the empty chair.

It was so enjoyable spending time with this bunch of people at the zoo!

Lincoln loved the baby polar bear.

The adult live versions were pretty entertaining as they were lumbering around their habitat.

Eli patiently waiting for lunch to be brought to him.

The kid lunches were served in these cute bags and these two boys found another use for them besides holding their food.

As much as I enjoyed my wheelchair ride, the bus ride was my favorite. Especially when we moved to the top, open-air level and could see everything at the zoo so much better than in the window-enclosed bottom of the bus.

Looks like someone got tuckered out in the late afternoon hours. On the other hand, Carson is like the Energizer Bunny who keeps going and going and going...

Since the San Diego Temple is right on the way home from the zoo, we stopped there just as the sun was going down and the lights were turning on.

The next day was a work day for us. We sat down to watch some videos in preparation for our upcoming MLC and the little boys came running to watch them with us. They were so cute to watch each one intently and then we sang our favorite songs in between videos.

That day the Excell family went to watch the sea lions and they hiked the inactive volcano which is nearby. We have not even seen it yet. We had dinner together at Texas Roadhouse. YUM!

The men are all dressed up because

1. this is how Glen dresses 99 1/2% of the time anyway, and
2. they were going straight to the temple from the restaurant.

Lincoln pulled all the books out of this cubbyhole and had a fun time putting himself inside it instead.

Sunday morning was a sad day because that meant the Excell family was leaving to drive back to Utah.

We absolutely loved the time we got to spend with this adorable family.

Glen is right. Eli, Carson and Lincoln are definitely grandboys, who are being raised by grand parents who have grandparents who love them and also love their parents.