Believe!

Hi Landon and Mason!  

It's been a good and busy week here at home.  

Last Friday evening our family volunteered at United Way in Provo.  They are in charge of collecting all the Angel Tree donations in the malls and distributing the gifts to families in need.  This night we were deliverers.  We delivered to three families in Payson.  

We could find the bags and then call the families to make sure they were home so we could deliver.  Dad did this because we thought he might need to speak Spanish to a few of the families.  He was feeling rusty so lucky for him all of them spoke english.   

We had fun dropping off the bags of presents to these families.  They were very grateful!  So grateful two of them gave us treats as a thank you!  The first house gave us Spanish cookies and the last house gave us European Chocolates.  We didn't think it was too ironic that we got treats related to the countries you serve in. 

Last week I mentioned that both Jacob and Lydia had auditions.  The elementary is doing the play "Jungle Book".  Remember when you guys were elephants in that play?  Jacob did alright at his audition and got invited back for call backs.  He really wanted Baloo (the Bear... you know "Look for the Bear-necessaries"). We knew lots of kids wanted Baloo.   He wanted to sing Baloo's song for call backs but was feeling a bit self conscience and more serious then previous years.  The night before we worked late and I wished I would have gotten a picture of Dad showing him how to be Baloo.  Dad went dancing around the room singing and showed Jacob how it should be done.  Jacob let loose and did well at call backs and ended up getting the role of Baloo!  He's pretty excited. 

Lydia also had auditions for Mary Poppins at the Hale.  It's a Jr. play but the competition is tough.  She also got call backs for the ensemble which is a lot of dancing .  She had a blast at call backs but unfortunately didn't get casted.  She is ok though as she will have more time to do other things like paint Gracies' nails.  Gracie loves it when Lydia paints her nails. 

I love when the sun sets on the snowy mountains so I snapped this picture one day driving home.  

Lydia and I lucked out big time.  Tickets for the Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert were almost impossible to get this year.  In October I was on the phone for over an hour and never got tickets.  Towards the end of last week, Lydia's friend offered her two extra tickets that his family had.  We were excited to go.  The guest artist this year was Kristen Chenoweth (she plays Glinda in Wicked)

The set and music was amazing!  

 We also loved seeing the lights on Temple Square.  It was a nice evening and wasn't too cold either. 

The ward party was a success!  This is the chapel overflow where we set up the polar express!

 We ate breakfast in the gym first!

 We even special effects as in some steam for the train! 

 Brother Hopkins was a great narrator! 

 And Brother Molen was a perfect conductor!

The mia maids and teachers also helped.  

 Hot Hot Chocolate!

 Neighbor friends!

Gracie loved it!  She was way into it!  I made a slideshow with every family in our ward in it as well as a picture of every missionary (so you were in it too-twice:).  When your picture came up she yelled that's my brother, or when the family came up she yelled that's my family.  She loved it.  

Santa was a member that you probably don't know well.  He doesn't come to church ever but was very excited to come and be santa.  

If you remember the story of the Polar Express it talks about the kid not being able to hear the bells ring if they don't believe.  Those that believe hear the bells, which is the younger children.  It was a great reminder to have the faith of a child and believe.  As we believe our hearts and minds become more opened to the truths, the promptings and the wisdom from our Heavenly Father.