Merry Christmas!

Frank with the Christmas stockings

Merry Christmas!

This morning began very early, of course.  You can't really expect anything else when Frank is around.  I was woken up early, around 5:30 by a loud horn.  By the third time he blew that horn, I said, "I heard you the first time!"  It brought back memories to my Christmas with them when I lived with them in Las Vegas 11 yrs ago.  Wow, I can't believe that was 11 yrs ago!

We started with our stockings and then opened gifts.  When we were done, we got ready for church.  Their church was actually meeting with 2 other wards, one of them the Spanish ward.  So, despite the fact that I wasn't in Mexico, part of my meeting was in Spanish (just a few words, they had a translator for most of it) and I sang some of the hymns in Spanish as well.

Patti opening her stocking

After church, the missionaries came over for Christmas dinner.  It was a really good meal: ham, applesauce, stuffing, deviled eggs, salad, rolls.  It was good.  After dinner, we played a game called Farkle.  We HAD to play the game because they had given me my own travel version for Christmas and I needed to learn how to play.  It is a dice rolling game.  It was a lot of fun.  I miserably lost the first round, but I won the second round.

It was a good day.  I'm glad I came for Christmas.  I'm also really excited to go home tomorrow.  Its amazing how much I miss Juarez when I'm not there...

My stocking stuffers and gift from Santa

Opening a present

Frank excited for his new hand-held GPS

Frank and Patti opening my gift to them

Aztec calendar blanket

Sadie excited for her present

Family picture

Preparing Christmas dinner

While we were waiting for the food to be ready,
the missionaries and I worked on this 3000 piece
puzzle my aunt had been working on.

Christmas salad, somehow pomegranate make it look
so festive!

After dinner, playing Farkle

Sushi, Temple Lights, and Christmas Cookies

Me, Patti, and Frank out for Sushi!

Only a few hours left until Christmas!  Today day was quite eventful.  We went Christmas shopping this morning, just to get a few things for tomorrow.  I ended up getting a present for Gizmo, a toy that I think is going to drive him crazy!

After Christmas shopping, we had dinner at a local Sushi restaurant.  I think they love my aunt and uncle there because everytime they go they buy a LOT of Sushi.  Its pretty good, despite the bad tasting water.
From dinner, we went to the Mesa Temple to see the Christmas lights.  This was my first time seeing the Mesa Temple.  It was still light when we arrived, so I was able to get a nice picture.  Then we went inside to see the world nativity display that they had.  They had some really interesting nativity scenes.

Yummy dessert

We went outside and walked around viewing the lights.  They had some nativity/other scenes outside as well.  It was fun.

Finally, we went to a friend's house.  My aunt and uncle take their Christmas pictures at their house EVERY year because they have so many Christmas decorations.  There was something like 35 nativity scenes, 80 Santas, and 4 Christmas trees.  It was intense.  They exchanged gifts, we took photos, and we ended the night by decorating Christmas cookies.  I kindly donated my Christmas cookie to Santa Claus.  It was a fun day.

Me at the Mesa, Arizona Temple

Kenyan Nativity Scene . . . made from aluminum cans

Nativity outside

The three wisemen

Christmas lights

Me, Frank and Patti at the temple

My Christmas Photo

Christmas decorations

Opening presents

My decorated tree

Another Snow Fall!

We actually had real snow today!  It was crazy looking out the window and seeing real snowflakes fall.  Everyone was really worried about the weather, not necessarily because they were worried about not being able to drive in it, but because they were worried about the OTHER people driving in it.  They really don't know how to handle this kind of weather down here.  There were talks of the border being closed.  I'm really glad they didn't do that.  I would have been upset if I had missed my flight because they freaked out about a little snow.  I forgot to take a picture before leaving Juarez, so this is a picture I managed to take on my way to the airport.  This was several hours after it had finished snowing and I think it had already started to melt a little.

Getting Ready to Leave



Ulises wrapping a present

Tonight one of my co-workers had a Holiday Chili party.  I took Ulises to that and we had a great time.  The food was good, the company was great, but I stayed way longer than I should have, especially considering I hadn't packed ANYTHING for my Christmas trip . . . . and I'm leaving work early tomorrow to make it to the airport.  So, after getting back, I then had to pack my things.  I hadn't wrapped the present I am taking with me, so that was first.  Ulises helped me with that.  But I was pretty much on my own from there on out.  Hopefully I didn't forget anything, and if I DID forget something, I sure hope it is something I can do without for the weekend.  Can't believe Christmas is almost here!

Applebees and a movie

Ulises at Applebees for the first time

This was kind of a weird weekend for me, but things seem to be back to normal.  Not really sure what was going on and I'm not going to go into details here.  But I ended up going out on a weeknight, what was I thinking?!?  Actually, I'm glad I went, even though I'll probably be exhausted tomorrow.

So Ulises and I went to Applebees.  It was funny because Ulises wanted Mexican food after we got there.  I told him, this is an American restaurant, there will be very limited Mexican food.  I think he liked what he got, though.

After that, we went to see a movie.  I'm not sure why we did that.  Perhaps we're just crazy, but it was nice to be out and doing something.  We saw the new Chipmunk movie (don't know what it's called in English).  It was in Spanish, of course, which was good for Ulises.  I don't think I missed anything, so it was fine for me as well.  Maybe I'll regret being out so late tomorrow, but for now, I'm happy.

Eating my garlic bread