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Thursday, January 5, 2012

AN ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL CHRISTMAS! - Pt.1

    For the first time I actually attended the live nativity pageant that various LDS stakes have been sponsoring in Las Vegas (for nearly 30 years).    I was deeply touched, so much so that I have talked with very few people about my feelings on that night.

One of the things that amazed me is that at the conclusion of the short pageant most of the crowd pressed toward the stage so they could see the infant child - even knowing full well that the baby was not really baby Jesus!   It seemed to speak volumes to me about our desire to be near this child who changed everything - or to experience in some small way what it must have been like on that Holy night.

Victor and I attended other wonderful seasonal presentations:  The Messiah, Desert Chorale's Annual Christmas Program, Signature Production's Holiday Show, the Stake Youth Choir.  We also enjoyed and sang in the Monte Bello Ward Christmas Fireside where there was a wonderful feeling and a sweet flow of talent from our Spanish speaking ward members and missionaries.  Enjoyed friends at two ward Christmas Dinners.  Kept the decorating to a minimum this year and gratefully had a lot of the gift purchasing done early so that we could relax a little more to enjoy the season.

Sometimes the giving is made better when you MAKE the gift.  I worked on Family History calendars and Family History themed placemats to help my siblings, our children and grandchildren know their heritage a little better.  That was a fun creative process for me as well as feeling the approval and support of those featured on the pages.

Because we decided to travel to Twin Falls to spend Christmas with Nathan and Colleen's family (Becky & Charles joined us there too) we had a separate Christmas with Jill and Peter and Aly.  Went out to lunch at Zeferinos (in the Venetian Hotel) and opened their gifts with them ahead of our departure.  The weather cooperated wonderfully and was overcast and cold, making it seem truly like Christmas.

Aly was fascinated by the Silent Statue at the Venetian - but not at all willing to go near her without Mommy!
She was on her best behavior at the restaurant though and afterward loved looking at all the awesome decorations around the Casino shops.   Amazing what a large budget can help you create!


 Jill and Victor enjoying the fading light of the Canal Shoppe's skyline.  From our table up above we got to hear 6-8 different renditions of "Santa Lucia" which apparently the Gondolier's were instructed to sing that day each time they came to our end of the canal!    GOOD food.

At gift opening time Peter was excited to get the number one thing on his list - A hatchet!  Only HE can explain to you why he wanted that so bad!


Unwrapping came to a halt when Grandpa put Aly's little train set together for her.  She played with it for quite a while.  Who knew she would find that so fun amidst all the other things she got?

Merry Christmas everyone - from Aly, Jill, Peter and us Grandparents!

3 comments:

Margene said...

Is our little Poppy related to him. She wanted tools (really a power saw) and a 20 foot rope. She wants to make a zip line.
How fun to have two Christmas.

Two more grandbabies on the way. In Chile there was only one. How fun for the cousins to all be about the same age.

Margene said...

Sounds like you were very busy during the month of Dec singing and attending things. One of my friends had been to a live nativity this year and was telling me about it. She was very impressed by it too. So much for all my comments.

Steve and Nancy said...

Merry Christmas! We spent most of December working on Family History gifts this year too. so much so, that no one else heard from us. I'm glad you had a good holiday. We had a very busy December, but it was a joyous celebration. I'm also sorry we did not get to see you. i hope you are feeling better, Adele. Nancy