After Christmas and New Year's Eve

After returning from Mesa Saturday night, 

we attended our church meetings in our branch on Sunday,

finally home, but just for one day!

Monday morning we were off to travel Up North.

We met our dear friend, Karleen, 

for a nice dinner of soup and salads.

We always look forward to catching up with her.

Some of our other visits - 

stayed at Rick and Jodie's, got my hair done at Jessica's hair salon, visited Roger's mom,

had lunch at Oasis in SLC, then shopped at City Creek.

Silly selfie at Oasis

My sister, Patty, fixed us a yummy lunch at their home in Elkridge on Wednesday 

and we caught up with Patty and Hal 

and we talked about Preston's book script that I read (he is very talented!).

Then we drove home on scary, snowy roads.

They invited us to stay over, but we had previously been away from home so long,

we wanted to hunker down in our own home.

Kathy and Lorin Nielsen had their fabulous New Year's Eve Party for the neighborhoods and the Branch and Roger and I went over that afternoon to help.

They basically feed the world on New Year's Eve with homemade soups, 
salads, appetizers, ham, veggies, breads, desserts, etc. etc., 
and never really ask for help; 

it's just on a volunteer basis the day of the Open House. 
Kathy also sets beautifully-decorated tables 

and it is a wonderful party 
with everyone chatting and mingling and getting to know one another better. 

Over 100 people come.

I just have a couple of pics that were taken by our branch photographer that night.

That's Jackie Fullmer, a branch member,  in the middle. 

She is a fellow Aggie who started the Aggiettes and I actually had a volleyball class from her when I was a freshman at USU.

This lovely party really did cap off a great Holiday Season for us,

and we look forward to a new year.

We hope 2016 will be as filled with happiness and joy 

with family and friends as 2015 has been.

We count our many blessings,

counting them one by one . . .