Sunday, December 26, 2010

T'was a Holly-Jolly Christmas

Christmas time at the Asplund's was a joyous occasion for Grandma and Grandpa.   The feeling of peace and happiness was in abundance as we listened to Christmas music, renewed old friendships, made our traditional yummy treats and spent special time with our beloved family.  The girls day out included pedicures and manicures while the boys enjoyed Narnia.



We spent an evening with long time friends, the Condies and had a great time catching up on the lives of their darling family.  Tom and Sherri don't seem to ever change, but WOW, how their kids have grown up and are doing such good things in their lives.





Christmas eve was so much fun this year with Karli and Chris and Kaiya & Taylor.  The girls are at such a cute age and are so adorable.  We made enjoyed yummy biscuits and gravy, marveled at Karli's "Christmas belly" (only 6 weeks to go), made cookies, opened new Christmas jammies and shared in their sweet and innocent story of Christ's birth.








Christmas morning was lively and wild at Brittany and Quinn's house.  Of course Ame, Kaipo, Ash and even Nalu were bursting with excitment trying out all their Christmas toys.  We enjoyed yummy Christmas baked french toast and hot choc and tried out new toys and books until Grandma and Gramps were exhausted and needed to take a nap to recover!







So we wrapped up the day with a yummy Christmas dinner , watched a beautiful DVD of the Savior and were gifted with a treasured family picture blanket to keep us warm in Germany.









I am so thankful for the spirit of love we felt in our home this season; love for our Heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer and love for one another.  I wish to keep this sweet spirit foremost in my heart this next year long after the ornaments and are stored away and the lights turned off.  The peace Christ brought, and still brings, was not intended for just one glorious season. I rest my hope on the Savior and look to this new year with faith.

Monday, December 20, 2010

PRECIOUS MOMENTS IN DECEMBER

THOSE ADORABLE GRAND KIDDIES!!










THERE NEVER SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH BOOKS READ, PLAYING DRESS UPS, SNUGGLES, SNACKS AND MAKING MEMORIES.

SAYING OUR "GOOD-BYES" TO JAKE, RYAN, ZACK AND ELLA WAS NOT SO MUCH FUN  WHEN THEY MOVED TO OREGON THIS MONTH BUT WE DID OUR BEST TO HAVE A FOND FAREWELL.


THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A WONDROUS HOLIDAY SEASON AND IT HAS BEEN FUN TO DECORATE OUR HOUSE AFTER BEING ABSENT FOR THE PAST 2 CHRISTMAS'.  EACH ADORNMENT HAS SUCH SPECIAL MEMORIES OF LOVED ONES AND TIMES PAST.  HOW THE SPIRIT OF OUR DEAR SAVIOR ABOUNDS IN OUR HEARTS AND HOME.






WE GOT AN EARLY SURPRISE CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM KARLI AND CHRIS....AN EVENING OUT TO SEE "A CHRISTMAS CAROL".  IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PRODUCTION AND SUCH AN ENJOYABLE EVENING TOGETHER.



Wednesday, December 1, 2010

A MONTH OF THANKS GIVING

November was a month filled with such good family times together.  We celebrated cutie pie Nalu's first birthday and later our oldest grandson Jake's tenth birthday.  We love these special guys and are so thankful for them and the 12 others in between and younger.





We were able to attend Ame'lia's recognition for her artistic abilities, even though the announcer could only manage to introduce her as "Amy H."


Allan enlisted help from two strong men (Jason and Chris) for assembling his new shed one Saturday so we took the little ones to the Treehouse Museum for a fun play date.  There is so much to play with and do there that the kids were almost overwhelmed but they did a pretty good job of tiring out their grandma and mommies!






Thanksgiving day was filled with lots of good grub, thanks to the help of all the girls, a pretty grand performance by the grandkids, Jake's birthday celebration and "treasure hunt", some crafting with the girls, topped off with birthday cake and thanksgiving pies!  What a day!!!







 
My mother has been with us for the past week and we had such a good visit.   One day all the "girls" met for lunch at the new Brick Oven and had a grand time.  My sister Jerilyn and her daughters and all of our girls came and it was a treat to have the occasion to catch up and renew family bonds.





Mother is celebrating her 91st birthday this week so we had a birthday dinner with the Thurgood relatives.  This is most of what is left on both sides of our family .  They are all such good people and it was a wonderful evening to reminisce and listen to wonderful stories of times past.  My mother continues to amaze us all.  She is independent, optimistic, full of life and engaged in meaningful things.  She is such an example to a HUGE posterity of commitment and faithfulness.  I am a better person because she is my mother!!