New Year's Eve 2020

For our New Year's Eve celebration, we went on a moonlight hike to Cameron Lake in Waterton. We are still under pandemic lockdown so any gatherings are prohibited. So we just hiked at the same time as the Hardys (Kendall, Jewel, Ava, Mia, Brooke & Dane) and Erica Burt. No gathering. 

It was such a nice night, although we went early in the evening and so the moon didn't actually make it up over the mountain until we were finished, so on the way up to the lake we just used flashlights. On the way back we just used night vision and could see pretty good.

We had hot chocolate to celebrate the end of the year.

It was so fun to talk to people, and it really was a nice night. We stayed plenty warm since we were bundled up and hiking.

Lucy wished she was at a New Year's Eve Youth Dance, but since there are no activities these days, it was a good substitute activity.

 Let's hope 2021 is an improvement over 2020!

Christmas Day

Christmas was different this year because of the restrictions from the pandemic, but I still felt really grateful, most especially for my family and the love from the Savior.

Carly left a note and cookies for Santa. 

Hanna messaged me and asked if we could wait until 8 am and then she could join us to open presents through video chat. So we still got to go around the family have each person open a present, youngest to oldest. Jill and Larsen got to join us after they opened presents with the Perkins in Wyoming. 

I loved all of the gifts that were given and received. But mostly I love my family and look forward to the Christmas that we can be together again.

We had a Christmas miracle and the wind died down today and we went outside to ice skate on our lake. 

Then we talked to Hanna and Jill again. 

We had dinner at Grandpa & Grandma's - only a small, short gathering. 

We talked to Jill and Hanna one more time as we opened our tree gifts together. While we were talking to them, one of the recent converts that Hanna and her companions are still working with called, and we got to listen to her speak Spanish and talk to him. That was a little Christmas gift to end the day. 

Christmas as a Misionera

 We got to talk to Hanna 4 times this week. First on Sunday night because it was Kaylynn's birthday. Then on Monday for her P-day. Then she joined our Christmas Eve Nunn zoom program. Then we got to talk to her 3 times on Christmas Day. Since they are in lockdown from the pandemic, they can't go to anyone's homes for dinner or any other Christmas visiting. So they were just home all day, so we got to talk to her much of the day. Then they did go on a drive to see Christmas lights.

Sarah asked Hanna to bear her testimony on Christmas Eve. "So just being able to put on my nametag every morning and seeing the name Jesu Cristo on my chest right under my name has made a huge difference on my life because every time I go to say something or act or even the way I carry myself - I actually wrote on the back of my nametag, what would Jesus do, because I literally have his name on my heart."

During our Christmas night call when we were opening our tree gifts, one of their friends, a recent convert,  called the missionaries and so we got to listen to them talk to him in Spanish and laugh and talk to him for several minutes. It was so awesome.

Christmas Eve 2020

 Christmas Eve was so windy - like ground blizzard windy. So we didn't play outside.

We did a few Christmas treat deliveries with Austin driving us in the truck. Luckily we didn't get stuck in anyone's driveway.

Everyone needs goggles to deliver Christmas treats to neighbors.

We had "everyone make an appetizer" dinner.  

Even though we couldn't gather together, we did get to gather on zoom - Sarah's family, Les's family, Grandpa & Grandma, Jill & Larsen, and even Hanna and her mission companions got to join us.

Sarah & her family had a few musical numbers. Our family did sign language to Feliz Navidad (as we mirrored a YouTube video that we found a couple days ago). The young Nunns shared a poem and slideshow about their ranch this year. Julia had also written a Christmas poem about a college student and a hot firefighter so we joked about the handsome firefighter the rest of the night. 

Jill and Larsen shared a Christmas testimony thought. Jill talked about the song, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" and how it talks about being in despair (which is fitting for this year) and then heard the bells and knew that God is there. Larsen talked about his favorite scriptures of the Christmas story - Luke 2:8-10 when the angels spoke to the shepherds and told them to fear not and they were bringing joy. 

Sarah asked Hanna to share her testimony also since she got to join us. Hanna talked about seeing the light of Christ in other people. She also talked about how important it is to put on her name tag everyday with her name next to Jesu Cristo as she is a representative of Him everyday. It brought tears  to our eyes to hear her. So thankful for her service as a missionary.

Grandma shared several Christmas memories and Grandpa shared some closing thoughts. We love them and mock them. I'm sure our kids will mock us too, oh wait, they already do.

We are about to play a zoom game and Santa Claus knocked on our door. What a surprise. He wanted to talk to Katie to see what she wanted for Christmas. She told him she wanted a sled and light up shoes. She was so excited when Santa said that he loves light up shoes. Then he told Julia he would bring her a smokin' hot firefighter. As Santa was headed out the door to continue delivering his gifts, Katie said, "I love you." There's nothing like kids and the magic of Christmas.

After the family party ended, Santa stopped at the Sommerfeldts to wish those kids a Merry Christmas. While he was talking to them, his red Santa pants fell down. It was so funny. Tammy had tears she was laughing so hard. After Santa left, Zane kept saying that he couldn't believe Santa's pants fell down. Santa said he either needs to gain a few pounds or get a belt.

Our kids opened their Christmas Eve pajamas - from near and far.

Kaylynn's 45th Birthday

My family took good care of me for my birthday. They made breakfast and then grilled steaks for dinner.

Austin gave me a new hiking backpack and hiking poles. Lucy & Carly gave me a hairbrush. Jill gave me a shirt and a sweater. My mom gave me hot pads she crocheted. Buck & Martha gave me ice cream, raspberries, & flowers. My friends gave me a blanket, candle, soap, lotion and some money. I was also grateful for all of the birthday messages that everyone sent.

Hanna got to call me on my birthday. That's a good birthday present.

Today was Christmas church - although it was definitely unusual. The Alberta Health guidelines don't allow singing so we couldn't sing the Christmas carols, just listen to them. It definitely wasn't the same. There were some really great musical numbers (they can sing, just not the congregation). They also showed a video with a Christmas message from the Stake Presidency (go Austin).

I was still grieving that Jill and Larsen couldn't come for Christmas (stupid COVID). I had prayed that I would hear angels sing since we couldn't sing. Although I didn't hear any angels, I do know that Jesus Christ lives and knows who I am, and I am thankful we can celebrate His life and mission.

 

Grandma Carol's 70th Birthday

 What do you do to celebrate your Mom's 70th birthday when you are in the middle of  a pandemic and your siblings are spread across 3 states and 1 province? A zoom party of course.

First, we each shared a couple memories of my mom. Lots of the memories were about how she spent so much time sewing for us, and also of her coming to our life events (babies, baptisms, surgeries, etc).

Then since she is 7 decades old and there are 7 kids, we each took a decade and gave her a gift to represent each decade. I had the 1990s so I gave her a framed drawing of the Savior with the woman at the well which represented her time in the 90s as a young women's president, seminary teacher, and mother of 7 kids with 2 weddings and 2 grandkids, and all that she did to teach all of us to love the Savior and to be covenant keeping women. 

All of my siblings gifts were so thoughtful as they represented her being born in Utah, moved to California, went to BYU, got married in the Oakland California Temple, taught at BYU-Idaho, and then served a mission at the Idaho Falls Temple Visitor Center.

My parents let Julie come over if she would wear a mask so she could hand them each gift. (Thanks to Julie for wrapping them and being the gift coordinator as we all mailed things to her).

Winter Hike to Crandell Lake

 Today is Annie Jo Lee's 13th birthday, but we are not supposed to have any gatherings in Alberta because we are in a State of Emergency from the COVID pandemic, so we just happened to be in Waterton at the same time as the Lees. We hiked to Crandell Lake in the snow, and the Lees packed in wood, kindling, hot dog sticks and food so we could have a campfire at the lake. There was a breeze off the lake so it was a little tricky to get the fire started, but luckily Taylor built a good starter even though he didn't graduate from scouts:) but Julia was actually the one who got the fire started.

It was actually the perfect winter day to hike and celebrate Annie Jo and be together without "gathering."