Life in Our World - I'm the Grandma Now

We went to Seattle and stayed with Ray and Cali’s family for Christmas. It reminded me of my own grandparents coming to our house for Christmas when I was a little girl. Grandpa and Grandma Hoops only lived 30 miles away so Christmas Eve was the only night of the year they slept in our beds. It seemed like a very big deal. As we slept in the Follett’s bed I thought, “Hey. I’m the grandma now.  I think I'm supposed to come bearing fudge like Grandma Hoops.”

I like being the grandma and sleeping with the grandpa in the bed while the mom and dad fill the stockings and put the presents under the tree.

This is what the grandma in me saw this Christmas:

We went to the Follett's a day early as Ray was speaking in Church on Sunday. One of the things he said in his talk was, “Christmas is all about family, love, service, and Christ.”

That statement certainly hit the Follett Christmas celebration nail on the head.

Christmas is all about family . . .

Levin wore this hat e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. all. day. long.  It was pretty darn funny.

And just because Levin yells out, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" but still won't call Cali 'mom' doesn't mean it isn't about family.  As he laughed and played and squealed and ran from one person to the next, I wondered if a little boy could feel more loved than he.  

Since none of our children were spending Christmas Eve together this year, it was a mass texting ring throughout the day. It was just as Ma Bell said, “long distance is the next best thing to being there.” It was fun to get several pictures, texts, and videos of what everyone was doing because Christmas really is all about family.  

Afton enjoying the snow in Colorado

Christmas is all about love . . . 

Ray reading to Levin

Ray and Cali put a lot of time and effort  - which certainly spells love - into their Christmas traditions and celebrations to make things good for their family. 

They made this for Levin's Christmas present and he loves it!  They had noticed that Levin is fascinated with how things work (unscrewing nuts from fans, picking at locks, etc.), so they created a gift he would love and explore.  It was pretty hard to get him excited to open another present for a verrrrrrry long while after he found this.  Ray and Cali took an oil spill tray and reinforced it with plywood then attached hooks, gadgets, locks, lights, knobs, wheels, door jam springs, and switches.  Christmas really is all about love.

Christmas is all about service . . . 

Cali made gifts for their neighbors.  

playing Dreidel.  Cali cleaned every one of us out of our macaroni gelt.

Ray and Cali invited the missionaries over for a very fine Christmas Eve dinner of prime rib and shrimp (where we all toasted a favorite Christmas memory) and a special family home evening.  We sang carols, read Luke 2, and shared our thoughts on the Savior.  

Ray also took Levin and Calvin with him as he helped a man (who he didn’t know) haul his rabbit hutches to another residence because he needed help and  . . .  because Christmas really is all about service.

Christmas is all about Christ. 

Without Christ, Christmas could quickly become a gluttonous holiday filled with spending, ribbon, batteries, candy, butter, cheese, sugar, crackers, chocolate, drums, bells, and lights, but with Christ at its center it's a wonderful celebration of hope filled with love, service, and family.  

And that is what the grandma saw and enjoyed at the Follett's home this Christmas.