Pipes of Pam: "Once Upon A December"

It's no coincidence that we, as in mankind, cap off each year with celebrations and happy things.

We need to focus on positive and happy things to prepare ourselves to face another year, which will inevitably be full of challenges and hard things.

Preparations for Christmas always begin that happy aura in December.

We sent this Christmas card this year that features our happy trip to the Canadian Rockies with our children and spouses.

For a surprise, our sweet and generous daughter, Stacy, has collected sparkly crystal trees for us, many from an Anthropologie outlet near her.

I've had fun collecting sparkly trees, too!

First Christmas party up this year was our ward party on December 5. Our stake does a very smart thing. An artsy guru is picked and called to head up a large committee to decorate our stake center cultural hall to use for Christmas dinners throughout December for each of our 11 wards in our stake. It is so very beautiful every year!

A fun program follows a delicious dinner - our ward always has tender roast beef.

Our HOA at Sunbrook had a delicious catered dinner, then a children's choir sang for us. They sang such fun Christmas songs.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus passed out goodies to the kids.

Our dear, dear friend, Mary Brady, passed away from Alzheimers last month. Her husband, Bob, took care of her in their home until the end. We have known Bob and Mary from when we were Aggies together at USU and have been in touch all through the years since then, and it was so hard to watch happy and delightful Mary gradually go away. She passed away November 26, but her funeral wasn't held until December 20, so all of her kids and grandkids could be there; none of them live around here. In the meantime, Bob had to hang out by himself. We invited him over for turkey dinner after church; I roasted a small turkey so we could later have turkey sandwiches. When you spend Thanksgiving away from home, that's the only negative - no left-overs! Roger took a quick selfie.

We have been so thrilled - Dixie Stoddard, our friend and artist, painted and gave us these two Nativity scenes. Last Christmas she gave us the lambs and star picture and this Christmas, the baby Jesus scene. Aren't they sweet? She paints a scene every week from our Come Follow Me lessons, she is so talented! And she is the kindest, cutest lady ever!

I know I say it every year, but it's just not Christmas without going to hear my sister, Kay's, Keynote Christmas program in the Tabernacle!

I am so proud of her, sharing her talents to select beautiful arrangements and rehearse the ladies until all music is memorized. Their blend is always perfection and the variety of songs was so enjoyable! It's hard not to sing along!

I didn't get a photo, but I sang a sweet Christmas song in a quartet for our Relief Society Christmas party. We had a couple of power singers, but with practice, many friends said it sounded great! I love to sing in harmony!

On December 12, Roger went on a hiking adventure with 12 others from our ward to Buckskin Gulch, which is a 2 1/2 hour drive to the Utah/Arizona border in the Vermillion Cliffs wilderness. It is one of the world's longest slot canyons, roughly 16 miles.

As you can see, it is a challenging hike through narrow spaces. He said they all enjoyed the challenge and the beauty. We have so many of God's beautiful creations around us!

Our wedding anniversary is December 14, and this year we celebrated it up north, because we took a quick trip to SLC to see our dear friend from when we all lived in Ogden, Jan Noyes, reprise the part of Elizabeth in Savior of the World in the Conference Center. She called us about it and really wanted us to come, so she obtained tickets for us on December 17. On Monday night, we celebrated our anniversary by having dinner on the newly-renovated The Roof, atop the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

I had shrimp scampi, Roger had a steak and we shared a wedge salad.

There are gorgeous views right across from the temple, and I had this one right across from me!

Our cute waitress brought me a free piece of chocolate anniversary cake.

The little story behind this - Jan decided to audition for the part of Elizabeth, which she had played 25 years ago in the musical, Savior of the World. Her husband, Dave, and her son, Andrew, also had parts then. They are a very talented family! Jan has since moved to Texas. Dave died about a year ago. Their oldest daughter, Deborah, lives in SLC near the Conference Center, where this musical plays from the end of November through a little beyond Christmas. When Jan told Deborah that she was thinking of auditioning, now being 80 years old and legally blind, her daughter said, "Oh, no, Mom, you'll just get your feelings hurt!"You have to know Jan - she is a force! She auditioned anyway, got the part, and temporarily moved in with Deborah and her husband for the duration of the play! She is the Real Deal in talent and is our close and wonderful friend! We're so glad we drove up to see her and catch up for a few minutes!

We always make good use of our time when we travel north. We had lunch with Karleen on our way back to St. George. She volunteers at the Church Employment Center, which is in the same building with lots of other Church services, and they have a large cafeteria. When we called to arrange to go to lunch on that Thursday, which is the day she volunteers, she said, " Our cafeteria is having prime rib that day, to celebrate Christmas!" We said that sounded great, and it was!

Roger photographed this gorgeous desert sunset!

We were invited to spend Christmas with Rick and family in SLC and would have just stayed up north for Christmas, but we needed to return home for dear Mary's funeral, and such a warm, upbeat funeral it was, just like Mary! Some of her grandkids played guitars and sang The Beatles, "Here Comes the Sun,"so fitting for Mary!

So, after the morning funeral, we ate lunch, then headed north again to make it in time, 6 pm, for our granddaughter, Anna, and her husband, Jack, to have their little daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth, receive a name and a blessing. They are living in Jack's parents' home while his parents are serving as mission leaders in Vancouver, Canada. Jack is attending medical school at the University of Utah. They held Charlotte's blessing in that home and Jack gave a beautiful blessing to Charlotte.

Four generations above and four generations below

These are Anna's family who could be there. Jack had grandparents and some aunts and uncles, too. Jack and Anna expressed over and over how happy they were that we came.

Ryan and Emily treated all of us to dinner at, "Flower Child."

Next day, Sunday, Jodie fixed a yummy dinner of chicken enchiladas and Abby from BYU and Sadie, Joe and baby Ellie, who have moved into their new home in SLC recently, were there.

This little great-granddaughter is so adorable! She is 10 months old and is doing lots of tricks - waving bye bye, making animal noises and dancing to the music!

On Monday, we drove to see my sister, Patty, and husband, Hal, in Elkridge, and Patty fixed us a delicious lunch. We forgot to take a pic, but it was wonderful to catch up with my sister! It had been too long and I miss her!

We left mid-afternoon and drove to Alpine to see Mindy and kids. Jack was gone skiing, but it was so fun to catch up with the kids and Mindy and trade Christmas greetings! Jeff was at work.

Tuesday night, Rick and Jodie treated us to a jazz game and dinner in the box. There's nothing quite like pro NBA games. Jazz still don't have a great team, but it's so fun to watch basketball played on that level!

Jazz Bear delivering a birthday present to the kid sitting above us

On Christmas Eve, Rick and Jodie took the family to Benihana. Kids love the show they put on!

Jodie decorated their home so beautifully!

Fireplace in the family room

Fireplace in the living room

Frosty Christmas village and hugging my darling Abby

Rick's family had these gorgeous photos taken a year or so ago. They hang in their living room.

I can't believe how gorgeous these sparkly trees are! The two larger ones at her kitchen window light up.

I am looking through the beautiful photo book of Abby's mission to Oklahoma.

Such a happy family on Christmas morning downstairs by the tree! Katie and Easton were home for Christmas from NYC!

Blake likes his Bluey!

This family loves books!

Best Christmas lunch ever! We had Christmas casserole and sweet roll breakfast before this delicious spread!

Mindy sent this pic of their kids on Christmas morning - cute faces!

We drove home Christmas afternoon so we could have a day between us leaving for San Diego to attend the blessing of great-grandson, Theodore Peter, Izzy and Pete's darling new little guy. We were invited to stay in the Gilbert's beach house, and when we arrived, Emily had a delicious basil chicken dinner waiting! Each of their family was so kind to us and excited that we came! I hadn't been able to attend a baby shower for Theo, so we gave them some money and this little furry vest - perfect for Texas!