WildLights at The Living Desert

Yvonne & Karah joined us at The Living Desert's WildLights this year. It was a chilly evening, but we enjoyed our hot chocolate and the ampitheatre's version of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Tiffani & Karah

The girls with a giant teddy bear.

Christmas Day

We spent Christmas Day with Grandma & Grandpa in their home. What a blessing for Mom to be completely recovered and Grandma to be healing well after her own life-threatening condition.

Grandma & Tiffani

Grandpa & Tiffani

Tiffani & Squeaker

Tiffani, Jeff & Traci










Dancing!

Taller by the Generation!

Chistmas Eve Blessings

We spent Christmas Eve with old friends and new friends. Thank you Jarrett, Debbi, Kendel, Hudson and Rylan for inviting us to your home tonight. It was a relaxed and beautiful evening.

The kids performed an impromtu live nativity:
Joseph - Kendel
Mary - Rylan
Angel - Tiffani
3 Wise Men - Hudson, Peter & Paul

After Jarrett read the Story of Jesus' birth, we sang Christmas Hymns and Carols. We love being part of His family. :-)

Joseph & Mary

Angel










Three Wise Men

The Entire Cast

Jarrett & Debbi

Bridget, Dominic, Peter & Paul

Kendel & Tiffani

Jake & Hudson










Joyce & Bruce

Kendel, Tiffani & Jeff

Jeff, Traci & Tiffani

Kendel, Rylan, Jarrett, Debbi & Hudson

Neighborhood Christmas Caroling

What a wonderful time together last night! Thank you to Everett, Phyllis, Sierra, Alexandrea and Grace-Hope for inviting us to join you on a Christmas Caroling tour around your neighborhood.

These children truly blessed so many with their voices lifted up in song. They were even told by one woman that it was "such a comfort" to have them come to her door! Another couple was just saying the other night that they were hoping they'd have carolers like they did last year (this same group!). Listeners wanted to know if they were from a certain church or group...they said, "No, we're just friends!"

Along with singing, the children gave out cookies and bags of homemade granola.

It was a little chilly and blustery last night! So when we all returned back to the lovely, warm home, warm apple cider and hot chocolate were waiting. The kids played Dutch Blitz. The mamas and papas chatted.

Tiffani, Karah, Sierra, Sarah

Melissa, Tiffani & Karah












Sierra, Emma, Katie & Emily

Melissa, Yvonne, Caswell, Trevor

Sierra, Emma, Tiffani

Sarah, Karah & Tiffani

Grace-Hope, Emily, Emma, Katie, Alexandrea

Carrie, Sierra, Karah, Tiffani, Sarah, Hannah & Katelyn

Yvonne & Trevor

Shining a Light in the darkness!

Everett & Phyllis

Dutch Blitz!

Everett & Chuck

Michelle, Traci, Phyllis & Lilly

Irene & Sherrill

Candy Cane Lane

Kendel and Tiffani strolling down Candy Cane Lane.

The LEGEND of the Candy Cane

A Candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would help us remember who Christmas is really about. So he made a Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the virgin birth and sinless nature of Jesus. Hard candy to symbolize the solid rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus. It also represented the staff of the "Good Shepherd."

The candymaker then included red stripes. He used three small stripes and a large red stripe to represent the suffering Christ endured at the end of his life.

The candy became known as a Candy Cane - a decoration seen at Christmas time. The meaning has faded, but still gives joy to children young and old, whom Jesus loves and treasures.

Ahhh...Paris...

Since Tiffani was 4 years old, she wanted to learn the French language and has loved everything French from pastries to the Eiffel Tower. We found this wall art while we were Christmas shopping and she had the perfect space on her wall after we moved her furniture around a couple weekends ago.

Jeff helped her put up the tower and the words. I helped her with the stars. Wiggly-Woo supervised and napped. We also caught him taking a swipe at one of the lower stars...perhaps thinking it was a spider on the wall!