Christmas and New Year's Day have come and gone and January 2017 is more than half gone already. It has been a sweet time for us.  We have Heather and Lara and her family to share in the holidays with us and we got to see Erin after New Year's Day for a few days.    We didn't do anything special, but had a wonderful time visiting.

James and Atticus during the Utah Christmas.  Atticus is making a snow angel, I think, and James making the driveway passable.  Look how deep that snow is!

Our backyard during the Texas Christmas.  Pleasant and refreshing.  I remember as a child in Texas wondering why all the songs were about winter wonderland, let it snow, etc, when it looked like this where I lived.  

We had great weather for Christmas, and then after Christmas we had an actual freeze.  Our poor bouganvillea got frostbite and looks pretty sad right now.  I hope it will recover.  It was full and green and gorgeous before that, thriving in the sunshine.  We will leave it and see what will come in the spring.

Now, again, the weather is great.  We had a few days of real rain, and today the sun is shining and just warm enough.

We are going along pretty much as before, reading and working at our callings.  I am really enjoying Primary!  It surprises me a little since I always dreaded it before.  The five year olds are delightful and are really responding well to positive reinforcement.  "I'm so sorry you didn't get the pretzel, but I know next time you will be able to listen and raise your hand and will surely get one."  I couldn't believe how they were absolutely quiet and still while I told them a story this past week.  I gave them each two pretzels!!  And then, of course, it was their turn to talk and tell their stories.

We have had sadness in our ward family with one of the matriarchs passing on.  She was probably the oldest in the ward, just one year older than I, but she had physical problems that her body couldn't overcome and finally had to leave.  She was a dynamic lady, full of life and love for everyone.  I had the privilege of helping dress her at the end and of course it made me think about our time here.  Every day we wake up we are glad to be alive and together.

Heather finally just couldn't stand her work environment anymore.  She was going to have a nervous breakdown, always worrying and stressing that she would be yelled at about something that happened days before.  She gave her notice and her last day was this past Tuesday.  We are very happy for her.  And it wasn't just her.  The manager was really biting and critical to all the girls except her two friends.  One girl finally said, I don't make enough money here to be talked to like that!  But she is still staying to get her year's experience so she can move on.  Heather has had a couple interviews since and we will see how they turn out.  There is plenty of work here in this area and she is experienced and skilled at what she does.

Jer started his first day at doing taxes yesterday.  He says it went well and he is glad to be started doing something helpful again.  It feels good knowing that the people aren't getting gouged for his service like they were when he was with Jackson Hewitt.  

We are hoping to come to Utah to visit at least a couple times starting in the spring through the first of summer.  We will wait till we have more definite dates from the involved parties and will let you know as we know.  And we would be very happy to have visitors here anytime.  :o)

We love and treasure each one of you and pray for your happiness and welfare every day.