Butchart Gardens--Christmas Eve

We took a few hours on Christmas Eve and visited Butchart Gardens.  It was so beautiful to see all the lights.  The theme was the 12 days of Christmas.  We had gone to the island to deliver last minute gifts and an apartment problem, so we took a few hours before we could catch the ferry back to the mainland and went through the gardens.  The Christmas lights were so beautiful.   Can't wait to tour through it this summer when all the flowers and color is out.

 

 

Eight maids a milking

Calling birds (cell phones)

Ladies dancing

 

 

Geese a laying

 

 

December 26 - The day after Christmas--Boxing Day in Canada

Well we survived Christmas away from home.  We were so thrilled to talk and Skype the kids in the morning on Christmas day.  Oh what fun it is to see Christmas morning in the eyes of children.  We so love our grandkids and our kids.  They are all so supportive and each sent us packages so that we had presents under our little tree.  We enjoyed opening each one up and reading the letters and looking at each book.  Thanks to them for not forgetting us.   It was fun to go get packages and to see some were for us, just like a little kid, (guess I'm just a kid at heart).  .  We had 3 dinner appointments on Christmas day, so we were well stuffed.  We visited with Faith who is from Kenya, then to the Newmans and a taste from the Philippines, and then to the Silvers for a taste of Utah.  We enjoyed the day, but were tired when we got home.  We had an interesting Christmas eve.  We left early in the morning and boarded the ferry to Vancouver island with our car full of those last minute Christmas presents.  We delivered to Nanaimo, Duncan, and then Victoria.  Hopefully those missionaries were able to open their presents on Christmas morning.  We attended to an apartment problem with some Sister missionaries,  where their apartment was growing mold.   We are moving them out today, so that took some time.  It was fun to play Santa and deliver.  We grabbed a quick Christmas Eve dinner, but all we could find was a place with Salmon Corn chowder (very fishy) and some pink looking pasta stuff, (causing me extreme heart burn for the rest of the eve).  haha  We missed that Prime Rib Christmas Eve dinner.  We went to an open house for Boxing Day this evening, it was fun to get to know a few of the ward members better.  Now we are at home and it feels good to just take a minute and be lazy.  Christmas is everywhere, but I wanted to write.  I am going to just add a few pictures, because they tell the story better than me.

Driving onto the Ferry.

Elder Nickels making the 2 hour ferry ride more enjoyable with his I-pad.

Off we go to the Island, here comes Santa and Mrs. Claus.

 
This is our view on Christmas Eve.  Waiting, and heartburn!!  Where are you Santa with a Tums when I need one. 

I thought you might like to see just a bit of one of our package delivers from Point Roberts.  This is a one day delivery that we brought in.  We had to put them in the front office and then we sign them all in and put them into the backroom by zones.  Then the zone leaders try and deliver them to their zones.   Al going into the post office.

Point Roberts on a clear day in December.  Kind of nice to just listen to the water and feel the peace that comes with the sound of the waves hitting the beach. 

December 15,2013--Christmas is coming

Well Christmas is on its way and we are busy getting ready.  We got all the missionaries their bags delivered that we made for them.  They all seem to love the pamphlets bound together.  We are in the process of trying to find room for all the packages that are coming in for the missionaries.  We go to Point Roberts Washington 3 times a week right now and pick up Christmas parcels.  We get about 40-50 each pick-up.  It is such a busy little post office.  You stand in line for well over an hour to get to the counter.  Al and I wanted to get our packages mailed to our grandkids so we left at 6:30 am last Friday morning to be there the moment the post office opened.  We were first in line at 8:00, which the post office doesn't open until 8:30.  By the time they opened, the line was out the door, so we were so glad we went early, we had a stack to mail. (and it was all ours, no mission mail).  We did pick up about 50 packages for the missionaries and were back at the office by 9:30 am.  The tunnel was clear, the border was clear, and the wait at the post office was nothing.  We were pretty proud of ourselves.  We made our grandchildren their ornaments this year.  It has been fun.  I will post a picture of them after I am sure they have received them.  They are certainly home made, but we enjoyed doing it in the evenings.  We couldn't miss a year, we haven't in the last 15 years.

Al waiting at the door of the Post Office.

We had our packages all ready to go.  We hope the grandkids like their ornaments.

 

 

We have put up a small Christmas tree and even have a few presents.  The Heider's sent us the 12 days of Christmas so we actually look like we have gifts.  We also have a mini tree from our 12 days gifts.  

The Silvers and the Boehmers and us are keeping track of each package that comes in and if a missionary doesn't receive a package we will go shopping and make sure that they do.

 

Merry Christmas to all.  We love all our friends and our family.

Christmas season is upon us

December 6, 2013--Christmas season is upon us.

Well it is the beginning of the Christmas season.  It does seem strange to not be home and involved in all the festivities.  But it is wonderful to be around all the great young missionaries.  What wonderful youth.  They are all so obedient and so willingly to help and to spread the gospel.  I sure enjoy when they come into the office each day.  They are like a ray of light walking in the door.   I have been working on the gift that the mission office/President is giving to each missionary.  I had all the pamphlets that they use in their teaching bound together.  I laminated the front and back with "The Living Christ' Proclamation and "The Family Proclamation" and then put into a gift bag full of goodies, of course.  The senior missionaries, in the area, came in and we had a good time assembling all 295 bags. 

Sister Easterbrook, Sister Ripplinger, Sister Boehmer, and Sister Tilleman.

Sister Silver and me.

 

The missionaries were thrilled with their gift.  It was a fun project.  I wish I could give them each a great big gift, they deserve it, they work so hard. 

 

On Saturday, November 30, Al and I took the ferry from Twwasawen to the island of Vancouver.  It is a 2 hour ferry ride, then we drove 1 hour to the town of Duncan.  We were checking on an apartment problem that the sisters assigned there were having.  It was fun to be on the island.  We got the problem solved and made it home the next day to a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. 

 

 

 

Waiting for the ferry.

Kind of a gray day, but the water is always beautiful.

Driving onto the ferry.  It was a fun adventure.  Hope to go again, especially in the summer.

Don't know why the pictures are so blue.  (need to check the camera).

 

 We attended an awesome choir presentation that evening in Vancouver.  It was absolutely beautiful, I don't think I have ever heard Silent Night sang like that.  It really helped give me the Christmas spirit.   We are getting about 80 packages a week to the office from parents and friends at home for our missionaries.  Our poor little office is bursting at the seams.  It is wonderful to go and get all those wonderful packages.  We are keeping a list of packages, so that if a missionary doesn't receive a parcel for Christmas we will make sure they get one.  I am so impressed by those young people who are here on the Lord's errand and are not well supported from home, but they come anyway.

 

 

Love you all and hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season. 

We take a moment and go out to dinner.