Final Friday Faves of the Year

It is time once again too look back on the past week, and express gratitude for some these, my favorite things:

• Christmas Eve 

We had a nice Christmas Eve - just Charly and I.  We kept alive our family Christmas Eve tradition of getting KFC for our Christmas Eve meal.  

After dinner, we cuddled on the couch together and watched...

...our favorite Christmas movie which we discovered this year - the British version of A Christmas Carol from the year 2000.  It is an excellent interpretation of the Dickens classic.  Very touching. 

•  Christmas Day

We opened gifts Christmas morning.  Charly gave me this book, which I had requested.  I have already started reading it.

My older sister, who lives in  New York, gave me this original painting of one of my favorite things.

 We did have a white Christmas, although the snow didn't start until Christmas night.

We got about 2-3 inches, and then a bit more the day after Christmas.

• Progress on remodeling

The remodeling and updating on our new home is progressing nicely.  All three bathrooms have been redone and the painting is complete.  Charly and I have also worked very hard, including on Christmas Day, to take up the old wood and laminate floor, so that we can replace it with real hardwood.   Charly took up the old parquet flooring in one bedroom.

I popped up the laminate in the other rooms.  It was a big job, but it was actually kind of fun.  Charly and enjoyed working together.  Now the wood floors can go in as soon as our contactor can get it done.

We loaded all the discarded flooring in this dumpster.  It fit just perfectly.  

• Progress on moving

While we wait for remodeling to get finished, we are moving what we can.  I have at least half of the kitchen moved to our new home.

I am loving the high quality Thomasville cabinets at the new place. They are lovely.

• This view 

This is the view from the front yard of our new home.  We get the same view from the living room and master bedroom.

I love being able to see these beautiful mountains whenever I look or go outside of our new home.

• Time at the temple

I loved the light of warmth of the temple on a gray and cloudy winter day.  

Joining with Suzanne of Living to Tell the Story.

Happy New Year to all!

A Few of My Favorite Things From the Last Week

Here are a few of my favorite things from the week before Christmas.

1. Christmas Cards

I love sending and receiving Christmas cards.  Christmas cards are an important and special part of our holiday tradition.  I love keeping in touch with friends and so appreciate many of my blogging friends who have added me to their Christmas card list.  

I will admit that my favorite cards are the three at the very top of my front door. They are from (L to R) my oldest son, Alex, my daughter Tiffany and her family and my daughter Amber and her family.

My daughter Tiffany's family all wrote very special notes to Charly and I in their Christmas card. 

2. Special gifts

This lovely box of fruit and goodies arrived the other day from my birth mother and sister. 

This fun surprise package arrived from my sister in New York earlier today.  I am saving this one to open on Christmas morning.

3.  New Journal-style Scriptures

 A few weeks ago, I bought myself an early Christmas gift of journaling scriptures. 

 They have extra large margins for notes and sketches.  

I have noticed that making notes and drawing small pictures help my contemplation and understanding of what I have read in the scriptures. 

4. Remodeling

Remodeling at our new home continues.  We have redone much of all three bathrooms (new toilets, sinks and vanities and cabinets).  The entire place has been painted and new lighting and electrical work will be done a few days after Christmas.  Charly and I decided to give ourselves the gift of new hardwood oak floors throughout the upstairs portion of our new home, so we have been tearing out the old fake-wood laminate.  The new flooring will take a while to complete, so we are still several weeks away from moving in, but we are excited that we are renovating and making the place our own. 

 5. Student Progress

The last day of school, before Christmas break, we had a special assembly where students were honored for reading growth.  Over ten percent of our student body had over a year and a half's growth in reading level, in just the first three months of the school year.  That is remarkable!  I teach at a Title-one School with many students who live in poverty and function below grade level, but these young people  are making progress.  That makes me feel a true sense of pride and gratitude knowing that my colleagues and I are making a difference in the lives of children.  

Merry Christmas!

All of these wonderful things, the best of all is the true reason for this season - the birth and gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  Matt. 1:23

Take just a moment to watch beautiful, moving Christmas message.  

Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas and 

a peaceful, healthy and happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Looking Back at 2018

Every Christmas since we have been married, we send out Christmas cards to our friends and family members. This is part of our family Christmas tradition, and we love it! Back in 1990, when our oldest son Alex was born, we started sending out a yearly family newsletter with each card. Our family newsletter allows us share our lives - the challenges and the triumphs - with those who mean most to us. Here is this year's Jones Family Christmas card and newsletter:

 Our family Christmas Card this year.

The family Christmas letter we sent out with the card (phone number and email address blocked out for obvious reasons).

Here are a few other photo highlights of our year:

January - Charly walks out of the Health South Rehab Hospital after 56 days in four different hospitals.

 March  - Charly, Debbie and Josh at the Jordan River Temple Open House

 April - A wonderful day at the Bountiful Temple

April - Debbie and Josh at General Conference

April - Josh after Conference 

May - Charly and his friend and teaching colleague from Mesa, Arizona, Gerald Liddy

May - Charly and Debbie at the Gilbert Temple

July - Charly, Debbie and Josh at Grand Canyon National Park

July - Charly and Debbie at Petrified Forest/Painted Desert National Park

July - Josh and Charly at Petrified Forest

August - Hiking Ensign Peak with Josh

August - Josh takes the oath and joins the Navy Reserve

August - Josh with his mom and dad after joining the Navy Reserve

August - Hiking at Great Basin National Park in Nevada

August - Hiking at Great Basin National Park with our oldest son Alex and his wife Jess

September - Attending the Oquirrh Mountain Temple

October - With two teaching colleagues and great friends, Jill and Kathy

October - The birth of our newest granddaughter - Hattie Jo

November - Hiking Ensign Peak with Josh

November - Black Friday shopping at Barnes and Nobel - Charly's favorite store

December - Christmastime in downtown Salt Lake City

December  - Charly and Debbie at the Joseph Smith Building

December - Charly, Josh and Debbie "Lighting the Word" and helping others at the Giving Machines at the Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake City

December - Christmas lights at Temple Square

 December - at little Hattie Jo's blessing with our daughter - Tiffany, son-in-law - Joseph, 

Josh and Charly

 December - Mom and Josh right before he entered Navy Boot Camp

 December - Dad and Josh right before Boot Camp

December - Josh is off on his new adventure in the Navy

To all my blogging friends and readers - Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2019!