It's the Most Wonderful Month of the Year!

 We kicked off December with a Gingerbread house making party!

I invited the grandkids over and they got to work.

Their houses turned out so cute!

Even Tommy got in on the action

I flew to Colorado the 2nd weekend in December

to celebrate Lucy's 12th birthday and go to the temple 

so she could baptize some family names.

She just glowed when she came out of the temple.

I love that I always see deer on my walks in Sara's neighborhood.

I took Lucy and Leah to see The Grinch!

We loved it!

Lucy had to get her picture taken at the Captain Marvel poster.
She loves Marvel movies.

After the movie, Sara met us downtown for the big Parker Holiday parade.

It was mostly High School bands and horses,

but the weather was great!

I love spending time in Colorado with the Cardon's.

I made a delicious pumpkin roll for Sunday dinner.

The next weekend, Tom and I drove up to Idaho City

for a date to Trudy's for finger steaks

and a soak in the Hot springs.

Tom had a hot roast beef sandwich.

My finger steaks were delicious!

It's always fun to soak in the newly upgraded hot springs.

On Saturday I invited my Sunday School class (13-15 year olds) over to decorate cookies

and deliver them to families in the ward.

We had a great turnout.

My team teacher Jaylynn

For dinner that night we tried a new style of pizza

made to look like an ice cream cone.

It was yummy!

On Sunday night we took Sunday dinner out to Charlie and Lucille.

I made turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls and apple crisp.

Devin and Sarah joined us.

Lucille loves seeing the kids.

Monday night was my Christmas piano recital.

I have 16 students this year.

We had our performance at Willow Park,

an assisted living facility close to our home.

It's fun I get to teach my grand daughters.

I flew out the next day to Salt Lake

where Whitney picked me up just in time for me to attend her

Choir's Christmas concert.

Oh how those kids love Whitney and love to sing!

They all gave her a hug at the end of the performance.

I got to spend the next day with Patty.

I drove Whitney to work and I picked Patty up at the Front runner station

in Murray and we went shopping to Steinmart and Trader Joes

and TJ Maxx.

We had lunch at Spitz, which was probably one of the best salads I've ever had.

Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of us.

That night Whitney drove me to Temple Square so we could see the lights.

We went to the Joseph Smith building so we could contribute to the Giving Machines.

We ended up purchasing clean water because it was the shortest line.

Lots of people in downtown Salt Lake for the festivities.

I picked Whitney up on Thursday at her school and was able to see Pam and Roger on their way

through to take care of Blake for Christmas.

Whitney and I drove back to Boise after her work on Thursday.

On Friday, I subbed the early shift at the temple,

then got my BYU gear on and Whitney drove me down to

BSU so I could help with the BYU tailgate party for the 

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

I love Cosmo and take every opportunity to pose with him

Cougar band performing in the indoor facility

Spencer Linton posing with Spuddy Buddy

Cheesy face with Spuddy Buddy

We got free tickets for the bowl game and 

thankfully it was a beautiful day.

Just a little bit cold.

Devin and Eva sat by us

That's the indoor practice facility that the Cougartown tailgate was in.

Eva and her friend

Gorgeous sunset over Bronco stadium.

BYU kind of struggled in the first half,

but came out the 2nd half and scored 24 unanswered points

which led to a big Cougar win!!

BYU 49- Western Michigan 18

We rushed the field when the game ended

 The next day with Taylor and Whitney both home,

we joined Devin and Sarah for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant,

then we picked the kids up and drove to Caldwell to see the Christmas lights.

It is an amazing experience.

So proud of my hometown.

 Sunday night we had our Gabrielsen family

party at our home.

We served a Cuban pork roast, rice, salad, black beans, chips and salsa.

Missy and Jedd and family joined us for the fun.

Taylor put on his Dutch skating uniform and Jedd loved it

because he served his mission in Holland.

We ate and played games and had our white elephant exchange.

Unfortunately, I again forgot to take pictures.

 Christmas Eve was wonderful.

My friend and neighbor Patricia Manwaring gave us some Manwaring cheese

in the shape of Idaho.

It is always delicious!

 Our Christmas eve meal was from Great Britain of course

because we had just been there.

We had beef pasties, bangers and mash, roasted veggies, scones,

Elderflower drink with Ginger Beer,

and for dessert, sticky toffee pudding, and a chocolate peppermint trifle.

After dinner we acted out the nativity had our Christmas devotional and talent show.

 

Joseph was cooperative mostly

We did our family service and looked at Christmas lights and then went to bed. 

The last two years, Devin and Sarah have spent the night at our house.

I love having everyone home and seeing the piles Santa leaves for everyone.

 

 Christmas morning the kids were very excited!

 

 Christmas breakfast was delicious,

aebleskivers filled with applesauce and nutella, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon,

hot chocolate and juice.

 Twinners

 Time for some games.

The day after Christmas, we had our annual neighborhood progressive dinner.
My friend Melissa has moved out of our neighborhood
so she hosted us this year in their beautiful home.
Me, Lorri Carr and Melissa

Our group has grown but it is so fun to see  everyone's extended family.

Tommy loved their dog Elvis and made Elvis into a super hero dog.

 On the Friday after Christmas we all headed up to Donnelly for a weekend away.

Devin, Sarah, Eva and Sophie,

Tom, Taylor and Brittany (Taylor's girlfriend)

drove up early to ski at Tamarack.

It was a beautiful blue bird day and they all had a wonderful time.

Whitney and I watched Tommy and drove up later in the day.

We got checked into our air bnb and got dinner ready.

We ate dinner and played games on Friday night.

On Saturday we got up and had breakfast

and then went sledding, snow shoeing and cross country skiing

on Cascade lake.

We had a fun day, and then back to our air bnb to watch the Clemson/Notre Dame game 

and play games.

That night after the Clemson win, we went to dinner in McCall

at a Mexican restaurant.

 Sophie and Tommy entertained us with their dancing that night.

Sunday morning we went to church in Cascade and checked out of our place

and drove back to Boise.

It was a beautiful day with lots of new snow.

That night we had a Morris family Christmas party

at Charlie and Lucille's.

New Year's Eve we partied with the Manwaring's

 We went bowling and guess who won the first game??

 After bowling we went out to dinner

and had Chinese food (tradition) at Yen Ching in downtown Boise.

Then we walked down to the Idaho Potato Drop.

 Potatoes everywhere!

 Even made out of ice.

 We didn't stick around until midnight to watch the potato actually drop

but came home and watched a movie, but we did stay awake until

midnight to bid goodbye to 2018 and say hello to 2019.

Here's to the most wonderful and busy month of the year and look forward to 2019.