How We Spend Our Time

I have been trying to do this post for several weeks now but I keep forgetting to get a desired picture and so I kept putting it off. I have decided I will just do it and if and when I remember to snap a picture I will come back and add it.

With that said, in September we were called to team teach the Sunbeams (3 year olds) in Church. There are between 5 and 7 kids, depending on the week. Two of the boys are very active and give us a run for our money. As Wayne has commented, it is babysitting with a theme. In my earlier years I taught the Sunbeams and I can remember being a wreck by the time I made it home. I have mellowed so much since then. All I can do is smile, they are so cute. I am told we will have more kids when we get our new class next year but they are all very mild mannered.

Just after we accepted the Sunbeam assignment, we were asked to work with the Fresno City College Institute program. They wanted it to be a Service Mission but since we babysit Adeline 4 days a week we did not think we would be able to give enough time. As it turns out, we are down there enough to qualify for the mission. Basically we provide food for the students. Tuesday mornings we (Adeline included) go to fix breakfast for whoever shows up. It is more of a come and go type thing so we usually go in about 8:30am and stay until about 11:00am. We return on Friday to do lunch for the Friday Forum where they have a guest speaker. There can be anywhere from 30 to 45 people to feed. When we are not cooking we are to just hang out with the kids. It has been a challenge but I think I can match names and faces for everyone there now. Wayne also stocks a "store" where the kids can purchase food for breakfast, snacks or lunch on their own. They also wanted us to visit the Single Adult Wards to do recruitment but with our Primary calling we are unable to do that. We are really enjoying our time with the students.


These pictures were taken at our last Friday lunch before Winter Break so there were a lot of kids just hanging out and having fun. There are chess sets set out all of the time and a closet full of other games. As you can see in the background, there is a ping pong table which is usually always in use and a pool table, also in use most of the time. There is also air hockey and darts. I look at this great facility and all its activities and just keep thinking about how the kids in Guam would love to have something like this available to them.

This is Michelle Vargas. She has received her Mission call and will be going to Florida soon. She will be one awesome Sister Missionary.


These are some non-members who seem to show up on Fridays. I think Wayne said they are on the FCC track team. We sometimes see them in the building but I think it is just to have a quiet place to pass time. This day, Wayne convinced them to join us for a free meal.

This is about half of the group we had for the closing social. A great group of kids.

This past weekend was a bit of a busy one, all dealing with food. After our duties at the Institute, Wayne, Ashley, Josh and Adeline joined Stacy at her company Christmas dinner. I stayed home to work on some crafts that Ashley was going to take to a Craft Fair the next morning.

Saturday morning Stacy had her office Christmas breakfast out at Sunnyside Country Club. Grandma and Grandpa took all of the little ones to join her. This is a much anticipated annual activity - mostly because of Santa and the stockings that they receive with a $10 bill and a gift card from McDonald's. There is a wonderful breakfast followed by company awards, a sing-a-long

story time, which the kids are amazingly quiet for,


and then the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. This couple is wonderful. Not only are their costumes fantastic but their personalities are so perfect for what they do.
Preston informed Santa that he would like a Lego Mindstorm


Ashlyn asked for a motorized Jeep ATV so she can ride with the little boy next door


and Adeline just screamed. I think I sat her on his lap a little to fast. She did not like it one bit.

These are the bags I crocheted for the craft fair. Unfortunately, hardly anyone attended the fair and only one of the bags sold. I think I will use them for gift bags now.

Saturday night was our Ward Christmas party. We had an Ugly Sweater Party. It was quite different than any previous Christmas party but it was really nice. The meal consisted of soups, salad and bread. So much easier than a turkey dinner and everyone really seemed to enjoy it. They had a really cute skit and Ashley won the ugliest sweater contest. We borrowed sweaters from my mother but I did not tell her they were being used as Ugly Sweaters. I just told her we needed Christmasy sweaters. Didn't want to hurt her feelings.

This week is being spent in shopping with the hope that it will all be done by next week and I can concentrate on a peaceful, family oriented Christmas. It is not so simple as our Christmas was last year but it is so good to be with family this year.