Thursday, December 28, 2006

An Arizona Christmas

The Christmas tree is up.
The gifts they were all wrapped.









Tia hangs Christmas stockings. Still haven't finished the ones I am stitching. One day I was thinking of the 3,500+ miles I have to drive this summer and all the cross stitch floss I could use .... then I remembered that I need to DRIVE!



Aloe vera is ready to bloom in front of the house.


Christmas Eve we went to church for a 3:00 service. So enjoyable with good reminders about the many blessings we enjoy in life.




The freeway on the way home. We got in some good Christmas carol singing and laughing. If you have any questions about why we are pining for the "woods", check out the landscape in this picture. Smog covers the earth like a cotton blanket. Ugh.
Anna as we wait for dinner to finish cooking. We enjoyed scalloped potatoes with ham, ceasar salad, jello and dinner rolls. We missed you all at our table.

Tia investigates her new Easy Bake Oven.



Blayde with some of his treasures.










Alyx reads the Christmas message.



Brock holds down the couch.











The wonderful, fun, quite normal aftermath of paper.

We had a very happy and healthy Christmas. It has been quite a year for us. We have had plenty of laughs during good times and shed plenty of tears during losses of dear friends. We have struggled with decisions to move our family far away from here. Knowing that we will leave a life that is as close to us as the air we breathe. Knowing that we will terribly miss so many people here and so many parts of life that are such a large part of who we are. We hope that God will richly bless all of you and your paths in the coming year. We wish for you happiness, health and good fortune in 2007.

Jari & Anita & family

6 comments:

Kuoppala and Inlaws said...

I love the words and pictures in
your posting. dk

Kuoppala and Inlaws said...

Thanks for the pictures. It was fun to spend Christmas with all of you via the blog spot just now.
We missed you all at our dinner table too!!
Heather

Kuoppala and Inlaws said...

it was so fun to see the pictures, its almost like we were there, thanks much -debbie

Kuoppala and Inlaws said...

I agree with all the other comments. It is wonderful to, in a small way, be there with you through the blog.

Charlie, thanks as well for the pictures from your families Christmas. It is amazing to watch the kids grow.

I was able to talk to some, but not all of you Christmas day or the next. May you all enjoy the spirit of Christmas throughout the year.
-b

Kuoppala and Inlaws said...

Great pictures and story-telling! When I was on cave creek about ready to get on the 101 on my way home from church, I noticed the traffic not really moving, so I just continued on down cave creek! good thing I did! What is on Blayde's head?
Becky, I got your message the day after Christmas, and have been meaning to call you back:)
Jenny

Kuoppala and Inlaws said...

Blayde has a towel from Gran/Gramps on his head. Awesome towel!