Merry Christmas

The Hales arrived Monday, the 21st, in the evening.  Tuesday they went to Universal Studios.  We worked on transfers until Wednesday.  Annie and I made swig cookies Wednesday night and then frosted them on Thursday.  That was after our staff meeting at the office to tie up any loose ends for transfers on Monday.  Shelby and Annie helped in getting things set up for the open house for the Ventura and Camarillo zones.  Shelby made her wonderful carmel/pretzel/chocolate popcorn.  The open house was from 4:00 to 6:30.  

We put a sign outside the door that said walk in.  That is why I was surprised when there was a knock at the door.  When I opened it, this is what I saw.  So fun to have them sing to us.  

Tad and Nash found a good place to eat before it got crowded.

The Hales acted out the Nativity for us.  Tad was a bit shy so I held him.  He was a shepherd while Tate and Nash were wisemen and Annie was an angel.

Shelby borrowed bells from some friends.  Singing to the bells was fun.  I would have liked it to have lasted longer but many of the missionaries had other invitations.  They were to be in their apartments by 7:00 unless they had an invitation to be in a home.

Nash was liking the popcorn even on his face.

The kids were excited to go up the stairs to see what Santa had brought.

After seeing what was in our socks we had cinnamon rolls that I had made a couple of weeks before and had put in the freezer.

Exchanging gifts around the Christmas tree.  Tate handed them out.

Nash was the first to run to the water.  He didn't get in very far as it was cold.  It was windy and that made it even colder.  Just because it was different to go to the beach on Christmas, we did.

When we got home we found this.  Many of the missionaries in Ventura wrote us some sweet notes.

We are noticing angels among us.

This Christmas season has been wonderful.  We had zone conference/Christmas devotionals on the 15th and 17th.  The afternoon focus was on angels.  We are angels, there are angels around us and we can ask for angel's to help us.