Tending Jack, Addie, and Charlie

With Their Mommy, Little Linds Come to "Curious George" (Some of our Grandkids' Name for St. George) to Visit Grandma and Grandpa  

Because THIS was forecast for sunny, 

maybe snows-a-skiff-once-a-year St. George,

Poor little palm trees!

Mindy drove here with Jack, Addie and Charlie 

on Monday, December 2,

to spend three days with us.

She was going to come on Wednesday, 

but wisely came early to avoid treacherous roads. 

She left Friday morning to pick up Jeff 

at the Las Vegas airport, then they stayed 

a couple of nights 

to celebrate Jeff's birthday,
and we took care of the kids.

He is still working at Linc Energy in Huston 

until the end of the year.

Grandma and Grandpa maxed out their energy levels 

keeping up with these cute little guys!

Theirs and my iPad were lifesavers.

Roger and I still marvel at this new, savvy/techie generation!

They had taken a bazilion pics on my iPad like this . . .

I saved a few 'cause they're kinda like works of art!

Addie's imagination is boundless!

She makes up games and sings and sings,

making up words to countless songs.

Jack thinks Addie's going to be a famous singer.

While I was getting ready in my bathroom 

one morning, she was in there with me, 

wanting to put on my make-up, etc. etc.,

so I looked around 

and came up with this brilliant idea.

"Addie, would you dust off Grandma's soap bars for me?"

I handed her a dry paper towel, and she went to work.

An hour or so later, I found this.

I asked her about it, and she said,

"TuTu is taking a nap."

Thursday night was my Chamber of Commerce Christmas Party.

We had a delicious buffet/potluck dinner at Sun River.

We exchanged White Elephant gifts 

and met other Chamber volunteers.

I enjoy volunteering there, 

because I meet such interesting tourists 

from all over the world.

Chamber volunteers who attended the Christmas party

Grandpa and I read countless stories to the kids.

Charlie is so adorable and has the nicest, laid-back disposition.

"Shhh!  The children are sleeping!"

Shhh!

It took extreme will power . . .

Sorry about the glittery bib - only one I have

. . . not to kiss this little guy's face off!

Friday night was our Branch Christmas Party.

We are so tickled that Bob and Mary Brady 

are back from their mission to Singapore.

It's just not quite the same party without them!

We couldn't find a babysitter

(we didn't try very hard),

so we took the three kids with us to the all-adult party.

There were actually a couple other Grandmas and Grandpas 

who had grandkids with them.

We fed them at home

(we knew they wouldn't have chicken nuggets at the party),

and left right after we ate.

But we didn't leave 

before we got to hear Nedje Doujan, 

this fabulous soprano, sing.

When our branch member, Bob Routsong, 

told about how he met her

when they were swimming at the Summit Athletic Club,

I remembered that my sister, Kay, had also met her there. 

They struck up a friendship, 

and Kay had her come help her Keynotes

"be less white" on some spirituals they were singing.

She is a professional singer from Virginia.

I saw her as we were herding the grandkids out, 

and told her I was Kay's sister.

"Kay Hinton? Oh YES!  How is she?

I'd love to see her!"

On Saturday, it snowed and snowed and snowed!

The kids had brought their swimming suits, 

planning to swim in our indoor pool.

Who knew they would build a snowman instead?

Roger built a beauty with Jack and Addie 

while Charlie and I watched through our glass front door.

Our cute neighbor, Lilian, took these pics 

on her way by to the mailbox.

Then I got Roger's camera and snapped a few.

Addie LOVES pink!

So, I found a blue hat for Mr. Snowman for Jack .  . . 

. . . and a pink one for Miss Adelaide!

Charlie didn't want to miss the fun!

We didn't think it would ever stop snowing!

Coming from Ogden, we know snow,

but for sunny St. George, this was unbelievable!

It was over six inches and it was not melting!

Next morning, the sun was shining, but it was c-c-c-cold!

Record-breaking, in fact.  

It has gotten into single digits - for days!

St. George owns one snow plough (out at the airport),

and no one has a snow shovel.

Church was cancelled on Sunday!

What?

 Choir-Go-Round in our stake 

will have to happen another year!

Our front yard

Out our back balcony

7th green of Sunbrook

Looking over the golf course to Snow Canyon

Snow Canyon and Pine Mountain

Home sweet snowy home

We turned on the fireplace,

had our own little Sunday School with the kids,

listened to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas broadcast,

and had a cozy Sabbath.

Mindy dropped Jeff off at the LV Airport Sunday evening,

then returned to her little kiddies.

All in all, it was a fitting beginning to

the Christmas month,

and we count our blessings

for whatever God sends our way.