Soup Kitchen Christmas Service

We have a standing agreement with the St. George Soup Kitchen to serve the meal on Christmas Eve or the day closest to it. It started as a ward service opportunity and now our family plans it and invites friends and neighbors to help. It is very rewarding to spread Christmas cheer and offer a nice traditional dinner to the residents who are down on their luck. This year we served ham, potatoes, candied carrots, rolls and salad. The Care and share provided desserts from grocery store donations.

The Spectrum newspaper ran a front page story on the day before that announcing that the dinner would be special and that gift bags would be provided. We panacked that we may not have enough food so we doubled up on our efforts. I cooked and provided two spiral hams, 3 large potato cassroles, and carrots. Our friends helped out as well: Johnsons, Hatches, Burtons, Bundys, Knudsons, Lukenga's, Davies, Suttners, Empeys, Juan Mondragon, and Enfields. I also got a great deal on 50 copies of "The Christmas Box" book, candy canes, oranges and gift bags put together by other volunteers. We decorated the tables, had Santa there, the Spanish Speaking missionaries helped carol and visit with the people. We made sure that they each had a gift and a hug before they left. It was a lovely day of service and friendship.

Christmas Service

The students at Millcreek High School always participate in Service Projects on the last day of school. We start the day with an awards assembly and then split up and go out into the community to serve. In the past we have made care packages for service men and women and put together newborn kits for other countries. My favorite and traditional activity that I usually take my Teacher Advisory Class to do is to go to the St. George Care Center and visit the people and give them an orange, a card and a candy cane. Some years we have service grants and we can buy slippers for them.

This year Lindsey and Dawson joined us and we had a fun time singing carols and delivery cheer and good wishes. Our favorite resident is Bill who has been at the care center for many years. He has the Savant illness and so he is very smart like "Rainman". He always recites the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas" for us. He can repeat it by heart.

I know that the kids have learned something by feeling the real mean of Christmas when I hear comments like this from Francisco, " Why don't we sing to everyone of them. It makes them so happy!" I was just having them sing every once in awhile. Ahh, service is the best part of Christmas.

Dawson Celebrates his 19th Birthday!

Alexa helps open the gifts.
Dawson shows off his new shirt and tie and the blanket that Grandma, Lindsey and Mom made for him from all of his old pajama material saved from over the years.

We were still in Logan and so we celebrated Dawson's 19th Birthday with family in Logan. We had a delicious roast beef dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Datwyler's home after attending the block Sunday meetings with them. Danielle, Steve and Alexa drove up from Orem that afternoon for dinner after flying in from Portland and spending a few days with the Jackson family. Later we celebrated with more family with several variety's of cake and opened Dawson's gifts. Since he leaves for his mission in just over a week, the presents were all for the mission. He got shoes, a shirt and several ties, a journal, money and a blanket to take with him. We enjoyed playing games with all of the family.

Christmas in Logan

Grandpa and Grandma admire our new family Christmas photo.
Pillow cases sewn with love for the Grandkids.

The Provo/BYU co-eds show off thier new aprons sewn by mom.

Claire, Mayla and Linus act out the Christmas Nativity.

The Flake family present our "talent."

Aw, the big feast!

We journeyed up to Logan to have our annual Christmas party with my family, the Datwylers. Mom had recent heart surgery and was still pretty week so my sister-in-law, Jessie, volunteered to have the party had their home near Smithfield canyon. There is always plenty of snow to get us in the mood for Christmas.

We all brought food to contribute to the magnificent feast; and anyone in Cache Valley will tell you that Datwyler's are great cooks! Tonight was no exception. After dinner we started our traditional Christmas program. Our children played a lovely Christmas carol on the bag pipes standing behind a blanket which was soon dropped to reveal that they were really just mimicking the bag pipes by hitting their larynx with their hand while humming. This is a trick that Lindsey had learned while on her mission. She had performed at a ward talent show.

Stories were recited, including Heather reading a nice story that my visiting teacher's had shared this week. Grandma and Grandpa told a story about Pres. Monson acting out the part of a wise man while a young boy and how he still has the cane that he had used. The highlight of the night was the Grand kids acting out the nativity story as Uncle Scott read from Luke. The younger set(Great grand kids) have taken over the duties from our kids who have been the Bible players for 30 years. Carols were sung, piano recital pieces played and then the big event! Family gifts were exchanged and Grandma presented her home made treasures to the family. Despite her recent health issues, she didn't disappoint. The older grand daughters were presented with very cute aprons made to match their personalities and favorite colors. (They all four live in Provo and plan to have a cooking party soon to show off their aprons) The younger group received a beautiful new pillow case to remind them of Grandma every night that they go to bed. The young marrieds were given a gift card to their favorite restaurant and a hand stitched kitchen towel made with love.

Once again, the Datwyler Christmas Party did not disappoint!

Family Pictures

Getting the Christmas Tree

Our house all aglow!

Our beautiful Christmas Tree!

Samo and Brandy

We went up to our usual spot between Pine Valley and Pinto to get our Christmas tree. The Saaralainen Family and Brandy joined us. The weather was cold and we found a little snow on the North side of the mountain. It took a little while to find just the right tree but we finally found a winner! It was decorated with beautiful pine cones that looked just like ornaments. Very lovely.

We enjoyed hot cocoa and munched on peanut butter bars and chips and dip. A great family traditon!

It is the prettiest tree we've ever gotten up there. It didn't even need any grafting of limbs. It was so nice to have Lindsey back home to help with the decorating. Dan did a great job with the outside, too. It is beginning to look like Christmas!

Lindsey Returns from her Mission!

Now arriving in Gate 22, returning in all of her glory....Sister Lindsey Rose Flake!

Lindsey flew into St. George from Vancouver Canada after serving faithfully for 18 months. It was so great to get her back! She arrived at 12:00 pm on November 13, Friday. There to great her were Grandma Flake, our family, Brandy Iverson, cousin Angie Barr Breinholt and her girls, Rylee and Sadie, Linda Hatch, Laurie Steiner and her daughters Jayme and Shannon, and Roger and Sydne Davies. It was a wonderful reunion. We went right to the Stake Center and met Pres. Topham and he released her from full time missionary service. Then we went back to our home and ate lunch with some of our friends. Oh Happy Day!