"It's Snowing!!!"

Doesn't Mother Nature know that after Christmas it is only suppose to snow up in the mountains? It can snow in the valleys up until Christmas Day to get us all in the spirit of Christmas but, after that it needs to stop! It has snowed here straight for the last couple of days and I am the one who has to shovel the walks and driveway. Yesterday just as I started to shovel the driveway our neighbor down the street pulled up on his ATV with a snow plow. I thought, "God bless him." He looked at me and said, "you beat me to it," turned around and drove off. I thought, "You've got to be kidding me, right?" I kept thinking any minute he would come back and finish what I had just started. "WRONG!!!" This morning I thought Les will have to get up and shovel the driveway or he won't be able to get out. Wrong again!! Being retired has it's draw backs, I have to shovel the drive way to get out.
The dreaded driveway!!! This snow is so heavy it would make a great Snowman!!! For you people who love the snow and are chanting Let it Snow! Let it Snow! STOP IT!!!!! I say stop it do you hear me?

The Annual Wanlass Family Christmas Party

I have always loved Christmas, I think I got that from my Mom. She always made it a special time of the year for us kids and she loved it just as much as we did. We always picked out our Christmas tree around the first of December. It had to be just the right tree. All the branches had to be even without any holes or bare spots. If there were any holes, Dad would cut off the bottom of the tree, take a branch, drill a hole in the trunk, and glue or attach the branch in someway so our trees were always perfect. We had special ornaments that we put on the tree every year like our Santa Clause ornament. We would fight about who got to put Santa on the tree so we had to take turns. I think even after Santa was placed on the tree if no one was looking we would move him to another spot. Icicles were a tradition back then and they were made from tin foil. We would rub our feet across the carpet causing static electricity, then we would walk towards the tree. The icicles would stand straight out as did our hair from all the static electricity. We would sit quitely on the couch together and stare at the Christmas tree as if in a trance. It was as if the Christmas Tree transported us to a fairy land where christmas wishes and dreams really did come true. My sisters and I would lay on the floor for hours with the Sears catalog and dream about what we wanted Santa to bring us for Christmas. We didn't need computers or electronic games to make us happy all we needed was the catalog and we could entertained ourselves for hours. Mary Pulley's Hill was another Christmas Tradition. Mary was an old maid that lived at the top of a large hill in a beautiful home. The grounds were decorated with the nativity, and all the pine trees were adorn with Christmas lights. Christmas Music was piped onto the grounds and as we waited in the long line of cars we could listen to the beautiful music which always made us all the more excited. At the top of the hill was Mary herself with Santa Clause and Santa would quickly ask us what we wanted for Christmas and give us a candy cane. The ward, stake, or maybe it was the town put on a Christmas Pageant in the old American Fork Tabernacle. One year Dad was one of the three wise man and he and two other men sang We Three Kings. As I close my eyes I can see them walking down the aisle carrying their treasures for the new born King. There was always a trip to toy land where we could see, touch and feel all those wonderful things we wanted Santa to bring us Christmas Eve. Usually last but not least, was our family Christmas Party at Grandma and Grandpa Wanlass with all our aunts, uncles and cousins. It was one of the highlights of Christmas. We exchanged gifts, put on skits and just plain had fun together because we were with our family. Mom and Dad carried on that tradition with our own family. My siblings and our children would get together at Mom and Dads or one of our homes and exchange gifts and enjoy one anothers company. As our families grew, we started meeting at a church, and then Mom started renting the Senior Citizens building. There we have all the comforts of home plus it's decorated for Christmas. This year was no different. I don't know if all the adults look forward to it but I know that I do and I know most of my grand kids do. Keagan asked the other day, "when Grandma Wanlass is gone does that mean that we won't have the Christmas Party any more?" I asked her why she asked that and she said, "I like getting together and seeing my cousins, especially the little ones." I assured her that I was pretty sure it would continue to go on.
Look at Grandma surrounded by these beautiful Children. What a posterity!!! And that's not all of them. Bonnie and Mark started the Pinata last year it as you can see by the pictures above it was a great success again this year. Deb and Jim brought it back by popular demand. I'm sure it has now become a standard tradition.

As you can see kids of all ages love the pinata!!

Chris, my grandson took the swing that sent the candy flying to the delight of all the little ones!! Megan and Mandy, Deb's daughters had crafts for the kids to do as well. I've never seen the kids so quite and attentive, this gave the grown ups time to visit. Look at these beautiful kids.


All in all the party was a great success and worth all the time and effort it took to put it on. We don't see the end results right now but as these kids grow into adulthood they will look back on these times and remember the love and happiness they shared with their family, and isn't that what Christmas is all about really. Our Savior came down to earth and gave his life because he loved us so much. He did that so we could be with our families forever. What a wonderful gift!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know, I'm always behind, here it is just weeks away from Christmas and I am posting about Thanksgiving. And to top it off, I was so busy scurrying around making the dinner and getting the tables ready that I didn't even take ONE PICTURE!!! We had a great time though. Doug and his family, Rod and his family and Ashlyn and her family were here, and this year Mom and Christopher, Dave's nephew shared our Thanksgiving with us. It was great. The only thing that would have made it better is if Jer, Bec and the kids could have been here as well. We probably would have had to rent a place or have it at the church to fit everyone in but it would have been great. Dinner was delicious as usual but doesn't it just amaze you how we can spend all those hours slaving over the stove and preparing those favorite dishes and have them devoured in just minutes?!?! We had a lot of fun visiting with each other, especially the kids. They love seeing and spending times with the cousins. Keagan wrote a play, How The Turkey Got it's Gobble which had to be acted out twice because Nana forgot to video it the first time. But it was great fun for all of us. Special recognition goes to Rod for the sound of the Turkey's gobble and Tristen who really got into his character - Doctor Expert Turkey with accent and all, and Aunt Raquel who was Tiny Tim - the littlest Turkey. But Bravo to all the turkey characters. Then after the Play we played our annual Thanksgiving Bingo. Last year Tristen walked away with most of the gifts, this year it was pretty even. Anyway...we had a great Thanksgiving and have so very much to be thankful for!

You have to watch this video!!

Wedding Ceremony - My Waffle Wedded Wife this is great!