The family is ordained of God

 

Happiness in Family Life

is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

~ The Family: A Proclamation to the World ~

Sara. Glen, Maci, Quin on Bailey, Gammy, Chad, Papa, Caleb, Annalea
Avri, Liz, Jody, Chandler, Colton, Annalea
Amy, Stetson, Miranda holding Neli
This is the part of our family that had Thanksgiving in San Diego at Chad and Amy's home.

Our strengthened family cultures will be a protection for our children from “the fiery darts of the adversary” (1 Nephi 15:24) embedded in their peer cultures, the entertainment and celebrity cultures, the credit and entitlement cultures, and the Internet and media cultures to which they are exposed constantly. It will help our children live in the world and not become “of the world” (John 15:19).
                                                                                                              Tom L Perry

Miranda

Our mission president encourages visits from our families.  He gave us time off to spend with them.  It was like our week "vacation".  He wants more seniors to go on missions and if others see how wonderful the mission is, more will go.  I know this visit from family helped me, lifted my spirits.

Annalea

We had lots of fun together.  It was in the 20-40 degrees in Idaho, so those from there appreciated the 60-70 degree weather during the day.  Didn't seem like Thanksgiving to them.

Stetson, Chandler and Colton on Seal Beach Pier

Miranda wrote her name in the sand and her dad added the subscript.

Then Jody tried mimicking Miranda and landed flat on his back.  Miranda added the same subscript to Jody's sand writing.

Glen, Neli, Sara
Quin, Avri, Maci
The Quigleys
They came down on Wednesday and drove back to Idaho on Saturday.  It was a FAST trip, they brought Bailey down to
San Diego.(he had basketball practice and couldn't come with the rest of his family).  We appreciate them coming.  It was so good to be together.

Miranda and Liz

We are missed at home in Idaho.
And we miss them!
 

We went one day to Knottsberry Farm and rode rides.  Of course
Papa loved this old Chevy. We watched as Miranda and Jody
rode one of the tall Roller Coasters.

On the merry go round in Knottsberry Farm

Monday was our Anniversary.  Lonnie loves to tell the
people at the restaurants that it is our special day.
They sang to us.

We went to the Discovery Science Center where they had a
special Indian Jones exhibit.  I was able to continue my calling
as mission nurse where ever we went.  I received calls in all of
the places we went.  It  was hard to hear in this place as there were
lots of kids making lots of noise.

Miranda on a bed of nails.

 

Miranda wanted to see the San Diego Temple.  It was closing for Thanksgiving, but we were able to sneak in for a couple of quick pictures.  We were on our way to Chad's house for Thanksgiving Dinner.

 

Chad deep fried 2 turkeys.  Stetson, Colton  and Avri helped season the bird. 

 

There were somewhere around 40 people for our Thanksgiving Dinner.
We were able to visit with the Elders in Chad and Amy's ward.
Chad is the Ward Mission Leader(Amy is a good support and is in the Relief Society Presidency).  He had some people
who are taking the missionary discussions to dinner.  We were
able to share our testimonies.  There were some people from South Africa there
visiting that we enjoyed talking with.

Avri(as a missionary-she has Amy's missionary tag on)

Maci as a Missionary

 

Cousins

Enjoying the warm weather.

Bailey likes to make people laugh.

 

We made pillowcases for Christmas for all the grand kids.  They opened their presents while at Chad's.
We did not play any of our usual Christmas Games, but we did play 5 Crowns and Mexican Train.
 

Quin is using his pillowcase as a sleeping bag.  It is his new "favorite blanket".

 



Glen and Sara getting ready to leave

Jody, Bailey, Liz, Miranda, Stetson on Signal Hill, The Pacific Ocean is in the background, but it is too hazy  to see.

 We were able to go to Chad's work and see some of the dolphins that he works with.  The family was able to touch ("pet") them and they took turns giving the dolphins "high five's" and feeding them fish.  Chad's work is very intriguing.  He showed us where he draws blood for samples to make sure the dolphins stay healthy.  They "talk" to him and performed for him.  We are not allowed to post pictures which is too bad as I had many very good pictures.  We will be obedient.



Neli, may we all appreciate the wonders of life!

Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, ‘I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.’ Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. ‘Where did the years go?’ they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present.”
                                                                                                               Thomas S. Monson
 

I pray that my children and grandchildren all realize how much we love them and are thankful for the time we were able to spend with them!
They  have all made it home safe and sound, and we are back to work.  We visited a set of elders to take care of medical issues soon after they all were gone home.