MERRY CHRISTMAS ELDER GILL!

THE Highlight! We had a 2 hour video chat with Elder Gill!!!!!! We spent christmas morning listening

to Colin's experiences thus far in his 2 months in Kentucky. He looked fantastic and sounded great--so comfortable and happy in his role as missionary. Hearing about the people he meets and works with was

priceless. What a gift for us to be with him! We met his companion Elder Ritchey and got a call from a darling family he is teaching who is planning their baptism in January. They had wonderful things to tell us about Elder Gill and called just to express their gratitude to us for allowing Colin to serve.

THE LOL surprise of the day was finding Brian in hog heaven with his gift from Josh: a new Axis and Allies game. He sneaked off and spent the afternoon organizing his ships and artilliary into containers--plotting his next strategy for the game that lasts 6 hours--(and that's a minimum--what?!)

AND THEY SHALL FIND THE BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES...

Tradition. Tradition! Gills, Walkers, Rays and Clarks have been getting together for years (15?) on Christmas Eve for the annual Nativity and dinner. This year, we introduced 3 new stars: 2 of the cutest wisemen ever known: Nathan and David. And little Cody made his debut as the Baby Jesus--he was perfectly behaved! Nathan (age 2) kept us thoroughly entertained as the wiseman who really only wanted to sword fight.

All-time family favorite: Singing carols around the piano--doesn't get better than that!

Amy sets up her bed under the tree with Apollo awaiting Santa's arrival

The INN crowd

Mission reunion! Elder Quinn (now Jordan) Elder Gill (now Nate) with new member Alex Paquette (visiting from Quebec)

"Giving, not getting,brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world's busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ."Thomas S. Monson

a carl bloch christmas

Carl Heinrich Bloch (May 23, 1834 - February 22, 1890) was a Danish painter. He was commissioned to produce 23 paintings for the Chapel at Frederiksborg Palace. These were all scenes from the life of Christ which have become very popular as illustrations. The originals, painted between 1865 and 1879, are still at Frederiksborg Palace. AND he's my personal favorite.

NO MORE A BRACE-FACE

Somebody got his braces off--i'm not saying who but his initials are JMG

but who can tell...?

Took a half-way break to see the neighbor's pet zebra ...(?)

Working off the turkey and mashed potatoes!

Lots of people claim to have invented the term Grassy Knoll, but only one man did. Here is the scoop.

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/gk_name.htm

(Mindy is pointing to the 6TH floor window of the text book depository from where Kennedywas shot)