Christmas Festivities

This is the set up for our Christmas brunch at the Stake Center. Everything was so pretty! We had the Senior missionaries, the young Sister missionaries, the Facility Management missionaries, the Temple missionaries, and a few other guests -- there was about 70 in attendance. We had a nice brunch and a FUN program afterward. A nice Christmas morning.





This was the food table.








And this was the drinks table, with Elder Hamblin, Sister Bennett, Elder Bennett, and Elder Huffaker.





This is Sister Halladay -- the "kiwi thief"!! She is the Sister they had to send home with some heart problems. They checked it out and found that it was due to an automobile accident she had shortly before she came on her mission. Some depression on her heart. They cleared her to come back, so she returned the first of Dec. She is quite a character, but she is without doubt the top missionary in getting referral cards. We were happy to have her back.




This is Sister Stanger and Sister Huff. These are the two that have been in the Pittsford Ward with us -- and we go teaching with them. They are adorable! And excellent missionaries. They were the ones to teach and baptize Kong. Sister Huff just got transferred this week -- we will miss her! Though she is one of our "training Sisters" here at the sites, so we will see her often.

Christmas Aftermath

This is our little Christmas tree with our Santa gift and some pretty pink roses Ray gave me.





This is a close up of the "Face to Face" First Vision Sculpture that is a replica of the BIG one we had at the Sacred Grove in the Welcome Center. We really wanted this one as a remembrance of our mission here.



This is my very favorite Christmas Card! It's from Jacob and Brooke and contains a personal recording of a Christmas message
from each of them. It was so fun to hear their voices! Glenn said Jacob found the card -- THANKS, Jacob! Inside the card it said, "Love You Bunches" and plays "Jingle Bell Rock." What a treat!








This is our Christmas card wall. Lots of fun cards, photos, and wonderful greetings from family and friends! Thank you all for your thoughtfulness in remembering us at this holiday time. We loved the pictures and letters we received.

Thanks!

Dear family,

Well, Christmas is over for another year. We just wanted to thank each of you for your phone calls and gifts -- it really brightened up our day to hear from all of you. Holidays (& especially Christmas) can be a lonely time without your family. We do love all of you and appreciate all you do for us. Thank You, Thank You!!!

It sounds like the weather has been really crazy -- actually everywhere! Kevin's family even getting some snow and hail. And Krist & Brent getting snowed and drifted in!! Snow also at Glenn's and we read in the newspaper that many roads had been closed in Utah because of the storms.

We had snow and BITTER cold about a week ago and now this morning they are predicting a high of 60 degrees tomorrow. CRAZY!!!! This morning I can even see some "green grass" showing thru the snow across the street.

All is well with us and we did have a really NICE Christmas -- activities seemed to keep us busy yesterday and now we're tired to start the weekend. HA!!

We hope all of you will post some Christmas pictures on your blogs, so we can enjoy some of your Christmas. (Glenn, remember you were going to post some pictures of you new truck???)

Love you all, Mom (& Dad, too) 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

We wish all of our Family and Friends a Very Merry Christmas! And a Happy, Happy New Year!


These are our meager little outside decorations for Christmas -- candles in the windows and our tiny tree and presents. But at least, it greets us with some color and cheer!


This is Elder and Sister Hamblin going to work at the Grandin Bldg. on Monday (22nd). This mountain of snow was scraped from our parking lot. In the background is the Towpath Retirement Center where we do our service project with "Meals on Wheels." This mountain of snow, continued snow, 14 degree weather, and wind chill enough to freeze you to the bone greeted our Christmas week. Tho' it has tempered quite a bit and should be more pleasant for Christmas Day.

Most of the senior couples went out to Honeoye Falls (near Mendon, NY) to Brother and Sister Tuttle's place for a live animal and children Nativity Program for Family Home Evening on Monday night. It was in a big barn and it was cold, but the half mile walk to and from the barn was REALLY COLD and the wind chill was definitely sub zero. I don't think I've ever been soooooo cold in my whole life!!!!!


Just thought I'd add a picture of three of our sweet Sister missionaries -- Sister Nielsen, Sister Silva, and Sister Porter. This was Sister Porter's last Site mtg., she finished her mission and went home on Monday this week. She is from Kaysville. These Sister missionaries are really WONDERFUL, sweet girls!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like CHRISTMAS!!

Winter time has come to northern New York! We don't know if the COLD, COLD weather comes from the humidity from the Great Lakes or just from the cold winds from Canada (or the North Pole!), but it is COLD. We had a really nice Interfaith Devotional program at the Fayette Ward bldg. down at the Whitmer Farm last Sunday -- the Senior Sisters sang Pres. Hinckley's special hymn, "My Redeemer Lives" to accompany a special slide presentation. It was a real special evening. The couples also mingled with the crowd and served refreshments and encouraged referral cards. We also stayed to view the First Presidency Christmas Devotional following the program. It was a nice evening.

We had a baptism the end of November. The Sister missionaries had been teaching Kong for quite some time and we have been going with them to teach him for a few months. He is a Laotian man who was formerly a Buddist. He still doesn't speak real good English and is still learning a lot about Christianity and about the Church. His name is Kong Onesengmani, his wife died about a year ago and he has a 13 yr. old son that lives with him and another son who is about 21 yrs. old and is going to school in Laos.

This is our small Christmas tree that is in our entryway porch. We also have a few lights outside, so it is beginning to look a little Christmasy.

We do have a little Christmas tree on our desk in our living room, it's kind of cute and we like it.

Our missionary crew, us and Elder and Sister Bennett (Linda & Gary) by the Christmas tree and Nativity at the Grandin Publishing Co. bldg. in downtown Palmyra, NY.


We bought warm wool coats for the cold New York winter!!!! And you better believe, we really need them!!!

A Time to Give Thanks

It's that time of year again -- when the Holidays seem to sneak up on us and we realize that another year has nearly passed us by. It has been an interesting and exciting time for us -- a time of change and opportunities that we never imagined might come our way. We are so Thankful for all the blessings we have enjoyed and do enjoy from day to day.

First, we are so Thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings of the gospel that have enriched and guided us and our family these many, many years. How blessed we are to be able to serve the Lord again in the mission field and especially here at the Birthplace of the Restoration.

We are so very Thankful for all of our family : Each of our children and their spouses who have been so supportive and loving through all of our adventures and wanderings -- we do appreciate your concern and all you do for us. Our grandchildren and their kindness in remembering us and keeping in touch with us (and those of you who have provided good spouses to add joy and spice to the family -- we are thankful for them too). Then there are our sweet little great grandchildren who are always a joy and delight in our lives, such adorable children, every one!
Thank You, dear Lord!!

We are Thankful also for all of our extended family and many, many friends who bless and enrich our lives almost daily, for your thoughts and prayers in our behalf -- and for the notes and phone calls that seem to encourage us and keep us going.

We are especially Thankful for good health that allows us to serve and to go and do the things that enrich our lives and allow us to enjoy the freedom of mobility. HA!

We cherish our testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the many opportunities we have to share those testimonies with such a wide variety of people from throughout the world. We are Thankful for the many, many blessings that have come to us and paved our path through life with kindness and joy.

We are grateful to have each other and to enjoy the love, companionship and friendship of a long and happy life together.

May the good Lord bless and keep each of you, our dear ones!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Odds and Ends

Our Farewell to the "Face to Face" statue at the Welcome Center. They're taking it to SLC. (Click and enlarge the picture and note the hole in Joseph's shoe and the worn heels too -- I loved this quiet reference to him being a poor farm boy.)


Our Missionary foursome (the Bennett's and us) at the Welcome Center with our beloved Statue before it leaves the Historic Site. (Oct. 27, 2008)


Looks like a farewell to autumn, our first skift of snow at our apartment. Snow on our little pumpkin. Though we have had more lovely autumn days since the snow.


Our beautiful view of the last of the autumn colors, looking across the street from our front porch. (Click on the picture to enlarge and see the beautiful colors).


This is our farewell to Tanessa, Jake and Addi as they load up for the trip to the airport and their flight back to Orlando, FL. It was such a fun visit for us and hope they can come back again soon.

Random -- Before the Grandkids left.

Tanessa and Jake in our front yard by our pretty little tree. (Linda's house in the background).


Addi liked her naps on Grandpa and Grandma's bed. With blankey, binkey, and Ellie.


Jake and Tanessa trying to close the book so they can go home.

Touring the Church History Sites -- Oct 19th 2008

WHITMER FARM, SMITH FARM AND THE SACRED GROVE.

On Sunday we took Tanessa, Jake and Addi to our Ward in Pittsford and then we spent the rest of the day touring the Church History Sites. They had the opportunity to visit the Whitmer Farm in Fayette where the Church was organized on April 6,1830. We also visited the Smith Farm where Joseph Smith's family lived and farmed when Joseph was young. We visited the Log Home and the Frame Home that the Smith's built. We also enjoyed walking in the beautiful Sacred Grove which is part of the original Smith Farm area.


Grandpa, Tanessa, Jake and Addi at the Welcome Center of the Smith Farm, pictured with the beautiful statue of the First Vision called "Face to Face" by Dee Jay Bawden. (Incidentally, we just learned last night [Oct. 25] that this statue is being removed from here and being shipped to Salt Lake City tomorrow) -- we are very sad to see it go! It depicts such a tender and loving Heavenly Father and Christ appearing to the Prophet Joseph Smith.


Jake, Addi and Tanessa in the downstairs of the Smith Log Home. It was from here that Joseph went into the grove to pray.


Tanessa, Jake and Grandpa in the upstairs room of the Smith's Log Home. This is where the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith on the night of Sept. 21-22, 1823.


Addi leaving the Frame Home where the Smith's lived when Joseph obtained the Plates. This home is 85% original.


Grandpa, Jake , Tanessa and Addi at the entrance to the Sacred Grove.


Tanessa and Jake at one of the OLDER trees in the Sacred Grove. (see below).


This plaque was placed at the foot of this tree in 1962. This may be one of the very oldest trees.


This is our sweet Addi -- stopping to ponder along the trail in the Sacred Grove. She loved all the leaves!!


GRANDIN PRESS AND THE HILL CUMORAH.

They had the tour at the Grandin Publishing Co. where the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon were published. Then we went to the Hill Cumorah and they hiked up the Hill at sunset and enjoyed seeing the Moroni Monument and looking around the hill. After which we went to the Visitor's Center resource room where everyone could just mill around and enjoy all the touch screen exhibits and videos.

All of us at the top of the Hill Cumorah.

Grandma Hamblin, Addi and Grandpa Hamblin at the Moroni monument, Hill Cumorah.

Sacred experiences in Palmyra, NY

On Sat. morning Tanessa and Jake wanted to go to the Palmyra Temple and our assigned Temple shift was on that morning, so it was fun to have them in the Temple with us. Addi went to Linda's house to play with Cami's kids. Afterward we had our assignment at the Smith Farm, so the kids went with Linda's family and took the trip on the Erie Canal on the Colonial Belle. It takes the ship up through the locks on the canal and is quite an adventure. That night we went down to the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center and had a "private showing" of the movie, "Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration."

Niagara Falls trip -- FUN, FUN, FUN!!

Tanessa, Jake and Adi arrived to visit us on Thurs. night, Oct. 16th. They flew in on Jet Blue Airlines and said they had a great flight, they really liked Jet Blue. We were so happy to see them and loved having them here for a few days. We planned a trip to Niagara Falls on Friday. We went on the Maid of the Mist cruise up into the Falls, it is so fun to go right up into the middle of the horseshoe shaped falls, with the mist of the falls and the majestic sight of all that water almost completely surrounding you. The sound of all that water falling over those high cliffs is almost overwhelming. We were so glad we went when we did because we found out that the Maid of the Mist cruises were stopping the next week and closing down for the winter.

After the cruise we decided to have lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. None of us had ever been to one and it seemed to be THE place, so we had ribs and sandwiches. Jake loved his mushroom burger! Everything was really good.

This is the Hard Rock Cafe in Niagara Falls where we had lunch. It was quite an experience. Thought we'd hang out with the "Rich and Famous" or at least see how they made their fortunes.

Tess and Jake just "hanging out" at the Hard Rock Cafe.


Addi just enjoyed running around and playing in the rocks along the pathway by the American Falls while we waited for our boat ride up into the Falls. Such a cutie!!! Oh, how we love her.


The American side of Niagara Falls, the water just coming over the brink of the Falls. The sunshine was just over the falls so it was hard to see the camera screen, so most of the shots were "pot luck" -- but this one turned out pretty good for a blind point and click shot.

This is also the American side of Niagara Falls -- with the majestic full falls and the autumn colored leaves and bushes. On the stairs that go up the side of the falls it's fun to feel and see the mist and spray of the Falls.


Jake, Tanessa and Addi boarding the "Maid of the Mist" with their ponchos to keep them dry. Addi loved her little blue poncho and would hardly take it off when we were done with the ride.


Jake, Addi, Tanessa and Grandpa aboard the "Maid of the Mist" for our ride up into the horseshoe falls. What an adventure!!

Autumn in NY

Sunset from the top of the Hill Cumorah

Autumn leaves in forest.







Sunset from the Visitor's Center.








Flowers at sign and gate to the Palmyra Temple.






The Apple Shed where we buy apples. It's up north of Palmyra in beautiful apple country.


The full moon, pink clouds, and colorful leaves in the early morning hours on Oct. 15th, 2008. This shot is looking from our house to the west toward the Sacred Grove.