Christmas in Seattle

We had a wonderful CHRISTMAS in SEATTLE this year! Steve and I received some great gifts, such as those shown in the pics, and we appreciate all the others given to us from family members. 

We opened presents after church, which was trying for Tommy but he was most patient and made it fun for all of us. Go Cougars!

We both really liked this awesome Air Force hat from Kaeli and had to get a shot with both of us wearing it. Go Air Force! (I wonder if David would approve?)

This is the Nativity re-enacted with some of the very important key actors.

Every time I visit Seattle, despite what I regularly hear from the weather report, it was sunny and beautiful. We walked down to the beach and enjoyed the brisk breeze.  

 We also went for a ride on the ferry across the Sound and had a grand time!

We visited the Teddy Bear Suite in downtown Seattle.

We also got to go to the science museum and watch a movie in 3-D but it would be sweet to get some glasses like these!

Not sure how he does this but like everything else, Steve is amazing! Here is Greg posing in front of a wonky mirror; He looks buff!

This is also at the Science Center in the Butterfly Room. Looks like Hawaii! 

We had a great Christmas and look forward to more wonderful times together with the McCall Family.

Christmas Dinner with Grandpa Wagstaff

Steve, Amy, T. and Anna had a wonderful Clam Chowder Christmas dinner with Grandpa Wagstaff. We had a nice time visiting, and sharing the most recent article from the Ensign by Elder Russell M. Nelson. What a wonderful time of year to be reminded of the Savior, His gift to us, and how we can better serve and help one another.
As we visited with Grandpa, it was a neat moment when he told us how proud he was of each of us and how much it meant to him that we had all served and completed a mission. We expressed our gratitude to him of how much we appreciated his righteous example, hard work, and dedication to family and the gospel. None of us would be here if it weren't for him, our other ancestors and their good choices.
Elder Nelson pointed out in his Christmas message this month several scriptures that ask the question "Who shall declare His (the Savior's) generation?", meaning, "Who shall declare His genealogy?" (Isaiah 53:8; Acts 8:33; Mosiah 14:8, 15:10). Which, points out the importance of the Savior's parentage and the importance of our own family history.

We are so grateful for our family; those that have gone before us, those that are with us now, and those that will yet come. What a wonderful time of year to remember our eternal family history; that we are all children of God, that Jesus Christ is our brother and that we can all one day, "be home for Christmas". Merry Christmas!

Charles Dickens

Just saw one of the most well done and inspirational stories remade! Charles Dickens' "Bleak House", produced by BBC is phenomenal! If you need a good read or several hours of motivational entertainment, try this one out. I got my copy from the library and recently returned it but it would be a good permanent addition to our home collection. Here is a link for a quick preview...
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi932223769/

Charles Dickens was a genius for creating stories that highlighted both the good and the bad in society and in people. It is refreshing to read stories where not all of the good people die and the bad guy get's his reward in the end. In Dickens' books, from what I have thus far experienced, tragedy does strike, but all turns out well in the end for the hero or heroin. Another great book of his was "Little Dorrit", which Steve, Anna and I all recently spent a few hours enjoying. I have previously read "Great Expectations", "Tale of Two Cities", and "A Christmas Carol" and hope to read more but these two recently discovered gems are one's that I will find great enjoyment in for a long while.