December 2014

Wow, the end of another year.  This one went fast, they seem to speed up each year!  This month can be broken into 4 parts:

1.  Getting in the Christmas Spirit

2.  Ordner Family Christmas

3.  Douglas Family Christmas

4.  New Years Eve

What gets you into the Christmas Spirit more than visiting Santa??

We begrudgingly let the kids have a chance too :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t forget making gingerbread houses, gingerbread cookies, decorating etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In an attempt to put the Christ in Christmas, we tried to follow his example by feeding the homeless.  I took the older kids downtown early one rainy Saturday morning and joined with others to serve breakfast to the less fortunate.  It really was a wonderful experience—Tay took care of the syrup and Jackson was the waffle man!

2.  The Ordner Family Christmas:  celebrated the week before we headed out to the Dominican Republic.  We all made the classic delicious Thanksgiving meal that Sunday after church; ate; then opened presents.  It was a sweet, happy event.  From Grammy and Granddad, Jackson received catchers equipment, Taylor a makeup vanity, Grant a powerwheel, and Pierce a monogramed overnight bag.  I got Scott some more of his favorite hybrid shorts and he got me new wakeboard boots and a new van (used Honda Odyssey 2010).  I think I was the big winner this year!

Here the kids are anticipating going downstairs to open presents.  Grant reached the top of the stairs and declared “MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time to pack our bags for the DR.  We packed up our bags (all 9 of them), called an Uber X, piled in like sardines (no room for car seat :-/) and headed to the airport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandma Becky!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get ready for an insane amount of pictures.  We’ll start with ones from the mission home. 

Taylor and Grandma Becky put on a Christmas musical performance, playing about a dozen duets on the piano.  Taylor was constantly reminding Grandma Becky that they needed to “rehearse.”

We arrived one day before everyone else, so we used that day to go on a short hike to some waterfalls.  The kids loved skipping rocks with Grandpa John, and climbing steep rocky acclivities with their dad.  The water was freezing, but that didn’t stop anyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course on the way home we had to stop for canya (or in English-sugar cane), Scott’s favorite; and coconut, my favorite!  I always tell Scott, give them more money than they are asking for and Scott negotiates them down to the bare bones.  A skill he picked up on his own mission to the DR!

Then everyone arrived and it was time to head to the resort.  We all got to stay in one huge, truly spectacular, 7 bedroom house.  It made all the difference, when the kids went to be each night, the adults had so much fun playing games and just visiting.   Plus we just knew what to pack this year, how to do Christmas, and it was just overall the best DR trip yet (3rd time’s a charm!).

That is a pool table, built in grill, and private pool out back!  Chefs would come and make us breakfast every morning at this table!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas morning Dominican Style!

Angie and I got Scott and Jay a voucher for a professional wakeboard instructor to accompany them on a guy’s weekend!  Scott got me a subscription to Cosmo.  Grandma Becky and Grandpa John got Jackson a nice Nike watch, Taylor a fairy charm bracelet, and Grant a indoor bat and ball.  Santa brought Jackson football cards; Taylor fairy figurines and a book to go with it; and a Braves lunch box for Grant.  All of Scott’s siblings (and spouses) did a white elephant, which was a hoot. And we got Grandma Becky a head messager and a coconut oil sprayer; and we finally found something John would use—hybrid khaki shorts!

All the grandkids except Rebekah!  (we missed you guys and Tommy!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And no Dominican trip would be complete without a trip to Ocean World! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A group went to do go carts one day and another day Scott, Jay, Trey and Jackson completed the rigorous 3 hour hike up a steep mountain (and rode the cable car back down).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had one hiccup on the trip and that was the day we had to bring Pierce to the hospital.  He got a really bad cough and was having trouble breathing.  It was pretty scary.  But fortunately John and Becky knew of a great pediatrician who gave him amoxicillin and albuterol, and he was back to his happy chunky self in no time :-)

The most special part of the trip was Trey’s baptism.  We did it on Christmas day and the Spirit was strong.  It felt right and good, and it was neat to be surrounded by family and to do it in the ocean!

In that same vein we made it to church one Sunday.  Well Pierce and Grant were sick/sleeping so I stayed with them and everyone else went.  Jackson and Taylor went to primary (all in Spanish) and were asked to sing 2 songs in English (I am a child of God, and I love to see the temple).  They were actually having the primary program that day and everyone was amazed that it was completely run by the kids (kids conducting/leading the music/etc…)  They took a lot of pride in it!

We wrapped up the last 2 days of the trip at the mission home.  It is so fascinating and inspiring watching and learning how John and Becky manage 250 missionaries.  I can’t believe how much Becky has to cook!!!  They both are working tremendously hard, in a hot, inconvenient country.  But they are happy, as all service focused people seem to be.  And with the actual missionaries we were able to meet, it was overwhelming the amount of love and deep respect they have for their Presidente and wife-you can see it in their eyes, and it is so touching.

A few were able to catch a Dominican baseball game (they take their baseball seriously) before they left.  And Scott took Jackson on a day trip to a remote area of DR (Duverje) where he served as branch president for 6 months while on his mission.  Everyone remembered him and were so happy he came to visit.  And they went nuts about Jackson calling him Justin Beiber :-) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time for goodbye.  John and Becky accompanied us to the airport and Jackson, who has never been good at goodbyes, had a really hard time.  Luckily younger brother and sister were there to cheer him up!

 

 

 

 

 

We got home, got the Christmas decorations down, and finished Harry Potter on New Years Eve—just in time for our Harry Potter NYE party!  Jealous of our NYE plans I’m sure!  It was complete with quiditch brooms (twizzlers and rice krispee treats); snitches (rice krispee treat balls and thin cookies for feathers); magic wands (pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate then covered in sprinkles); chocolate frogs, and Harry Potter jelly beans (both compliments of Amazon).

Earlier that day, one of Scott’s good buddies (Aaron Gordon) from BYU freshmen football, came in town for the Chickfilia bowl (he is a sports agent).  Scott and Jackson scored tickets and went too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whew that was a lot of pics to sift through!  There is individual news on everyone, but I am fatigued!  Next month.  We love you all and wish you a blessed 2015!

TFK