Snow Dog

They say that there is nothing friendlier than a wet dog ...

... and they're correct, of course.

Christmas Day 2019

We had a white Christmas this year and woke up to snow on Christmas Day. Fortunately, the precipitation cleared up a bit late in the morning so that we could drive out to Grantsville to spend a few hours with JB's parents and her side of the family. Nearly everyone was there except Nicole and Spencer, who spent the holiday in England. (Incidentally, Nicole served in the same mission my dad served in many years prior.)

There were not one but two cheese balls there, along with a number of other holiday goodies. (Where I'm concerned, I'm pretty content with a cheese ball for a holiday party.) The kids also had a plethora of their toys to play with, including this wickedly awesome Nerf toy gun of Tatum's (one I could only have dreamed of when I was his age):

As the snow began to fall again out in Tooele County, we were back on the road and headed home to spend the rest of the day with Leia on her first Christmas Day and to watch cheesy Hallmark movies. We hope that you and your family and loved ones had a wonderful holiday, too.

The First Presidency's Christmas Devotional

It's good to have friends in high places, and one of mine is good old Pepe. We've known each other and have been friends since literally pre-school.

Pepe has been a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (or the artists formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) for many years now. Most of those years, at about this time of year, he has generously given me tickets to attend the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional down at the Conference Center. It is always a wonderful experience attending an evening of inspirational Christmas messages, as well as listening to music from the TabChoir and Orchestra at Temple Square.

JB and I went on our first date, in fact, to the devotional two years ago. Last year, we attended once more, just a week after we got engaged. And for the third straight year, we attended Sunday night for the first time as a married couple.

The Conference Center was beautifully decorated.

The devotional itself was marvelous. The speakers were Sister Sharon Eubank of the Relief Society General Presidency; Elder Terence M. Vinson of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and finally our prophet, Pres. Russell M. Nelson. It was incredible to sit just a stone's throw from a prophet of God, hearing his inspired counsel.

The TabChoir and orchestra performed "The First Noel," "Silent Night," "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," and the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's great work Messiah. Years ago, Dad taught me years that you always stand for any performance of the "Hallelujah" chorus, following a precedent set by the British king George II, who was so moved when he first heard it that he stood up.

And so, when in Rome, etc.

After the devotional, we took a stroll around Temple Square, in spite of a light snowstorm, to see the lights, which are always a beautiful sight.

It's an added bonus to have a beautiful person at your side.

White Christmas

I don't know if it was particularly the White Christmas Bing |Crosby dreamed of or the one from his nightmares, but whatever it was, this was the scene outside this morning:

I didn't care much for all of the new snow while on my way to our one-hour church meeting (sacrament meeting only), as the roads weren't that cooperative on the way into Bountiful. But they were cleaner and better on the way home, and I'm grateful for the snowplow drivers who left the comfort of home and family on Christmas Day to clear the roads.

Looking out at the scene now as the day winds to its close, I daresay that all is calm, and all is bright.