2012 Stratford Christmas Up North . . . . . . . . . . and Elsewhere

2012 is the on year for Thanksgiving with our kids and the off year for Christmas. 

I do want to share that, before Christmas Day, some special musical things happened.  Our stake had a Choir-Go-Round with each choir in the stake visiting two different wards, two weeks in a row.  I picked and our core group rehearsed a lovely arrangement of, "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful," with it changing key three times and accompanied with piano and violin.  When our INSTA-CHOIR sang for the 3rd Ward, Roger explained that he was a counselor in the branch presidency, and that we have had an INSTA-CHOIR ever since our branch formation.  He then invited whoever wanted to come sing with us to bring their hymn book, come up and take a music map. We had over 40 in our choir.  The next Sunday, in the 4th Ward, a larger ward, we had about 80! It was such a thrill to direct them.

  Then the next Sunday, our branch had it's Christmas program in Sacrament meeting.  We sang, "What Child Is This?", it was our branch's turn to sing, "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful, "and our guest violinist, who was a music major from DSC, played a gorgeous medley of, "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and "The First Noel."

On December 23, I got to hear Kay's Keynotes Christmas program in the Tabernacle (Roger was home sick). I know I say it every year, but it is true - it is better every year.  They sounded glorious!

Roger and I headed up north on Christmas Day to Roger's Mom's house.  Flu and bad roads delayed our journey by a day, but we arrived in time for a fabulous feast as only Lois knows how to do.

She roasted a turkey, baked a ham, made rolls and pie and had all of the other Stratford Feast trimmings!

Craig, Roger, Pam, Lois and Susie are enjoying the delicious food.

  Shaylee Shupe, Pam, Shellie, Lois and Susie are sitting 'round the table, stuffed and happy.

Lois is the Hostess Queen in the Stratford family, and her home is where everyone wants to be! 

 And it isn't just the food that makes us love to be there!

Family hangin' out

Lois's kids, minus, of course, Gordon, and Chyrrl, who was with her kids in her newly-rennovated home

The evening after Christmas we were treated with tickets to, "Savior of the World," a church production in the Conference Center.  Our old and dear friends, Jan and Dave Noyes, were in the cast.  They live near Austin now, but were in Utah, living with their son, Matthew, for a couple of months.  Jan actually originated the role of Elizabeth in the first production.

We met them and Karleen for lunch in The Garden in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. We sat there for almost three hours, catching up.  There was a lot of laughter and reminiscing!

We stayed with Lois until Friday, then Rick, Jodie and family returned from Hawaii, where they spent ten days over Christmas.

They invited us to stay with them when they got home.

It was extra cold along the Wasatch Front at Christmastime, so we're thinkin' they had a great idea!

On Sunday, Mindy, Jeff and kids came for dinner and to spend the evening.  They spent Christmas with the Linds in Alpine, and sick bugs were flyin' around like crazy! They each had bouts of respiratory and stomach flu.  Little Charlie ended up in Primary Children's Hospital with RSV. We're glad they were sufficiently recovered by Sunday to come over.

To add to the Linds' tale of woe, Addie fell off the top of a bunk bed while Mindy and Jeff were in the hospital with Charlie.  They say she had a fat lip, bsides the black eye, and looked quite a bit better by Sunday.

Even with the black eye, Addie is still pretty cute!

And you would never know that this little guy was so sick!

To wind it up, here are a few pics of how a couple of our other kids celebrated.

Here are Ryan and Emily's kids, Anna, Ben, Pete, Becca and Sarah in a beautiful Nativity pose.

Stacy sent some iPhone pics.

This is her craft room.

Their Fifty's family room

Londyn and Maddy's bedroom

Syd's bedroom

We arrived home from up north just in time to go to Kathy and Lorin Nielsen's annual New Year's Eve Party in their lovely home.  They invite the entire branch every year, and also all of our neighbors and anyone else who wants to come.  The food is always yummy, and it is a wonderful time to visit and have fun with each other.

We were all blessed to have a Happy Holidays, 
being with loved ones and remembering our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.