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November 2018
Hamilton Newsletter
FAMILY: We had a little snow at the beginning of the month & the girls had fun playing in it - it melted quickly, but we got more on Christmas day! McKinley, Ireland & Kezia also went ice skating, even though it was freezing! They also got to go ice skating with friends later on in the month. On the 7th we headed for the Homestead Museum for their Christmas festivities. We loved hearing stories, looking at Christmas villages, visiting the shops, watching a movie, eating popcorn & hot cocoa, and of course seeing SANTA! :) On the 9th we celebrated our renters’ birthdays. It was Dalace’s actual birthday, and Jesse would be gone for her birthday for winter break, so we had fun making their favorite meals and having an ice cream cake. The 13th was a busy day - it was Ireland’s first band concert, and also Heidi & Jason went to see the Oak Ridge Boys in concert. It was a lot of fun! On the 15th we headed to SLC for some wonderful family time. Tiffany was in town and we had a pre-Christmas celebration, complete with a talent show (McKinley played the cello, Ireland played the flute, Kezia sang a spanish song and played a song on the piano, and the littles sang jingle bells with mom). It was so fun! We also had a FHE/farewell for Grandma & Grandpa Potts. They both talked and shared experiences & it was a beautiful, sweet memory. As per tradition, we had some sickes for Christmas Break, which was a bummer & we didn’t even up traveling after Christmas like we had planned, but we still had a lot of fun, including watching Christmas movies, drinking hot cocoa, going sledding, having a snowball fight, making gingerbread houses, and working on homemade Christmas presents. On Christmas Eve we went swimming at the Sand Hollow Aquatic Center, which was a LOT of fun! Christmas Day was wonderful & relaxed. Santa brought our family new sleds, which were a blast to try out! We were blessed with gifts and also grateful to share with others as we did 12 days of Christmas for 2 families. We also were blessed to receive a nativity 12 days of Christmas and loved to hear the doorbell ring each night with a new piece to our set. On the 29th after church we headed to SLC again for a really quick trip. We had dinner at Grandma Tew’s home and the next day we woke up early, had breakfast with the family at Village Baker, and met Grandma & Grandpa Potts at the MTC for one last good-bye hug! We will miss them so much but we know they will bless the people of Missouri and be an instrument in the hands of Heavenly Father. We did go to some stores afterwards in Provo, including a pet store where we got to hold some ferrets, chinchillas, and guinea pigs. We also went by Crispy Creme donuts! That night for New Years Eve, we played some games and just enjoyed being together. Our 2018 Family Goals went really well and we are so proud and grateful that we read/watched the simplified version of the Book of Mormon, and all of the Bible, too! And we went to the temple 75 times! Such blessings! We are really looking forward to all that 2019 will bring!
JASON : Jason got some action hero movies for Christmas & has had fun staying up and watching them. He also got an Encho Dot & worked hard to set up all the Echos in our home so we could all communicate with each other :)
HEIDI: December was busy for Heidi with Young Womens (especially with the new announcement - 11 year olds come into Beehives next month!), training, traveling, and getting ready for Christmas. She also completed President Nelson’s challenge in October to read all of the Book of Mormon, and underline each reference to Jesus Christ, by the end of the year. What a life-changing, testimony-building, heart-touching experience! At the end of the month, Heidi lost her phone when we went sledding :( They couldn’t find it for a week, but got a text a week later & we got it back! We’re so thankful for this miracle!
McKINLEY:
-McKinley babysat for Becca Donahoe again this month & earned more money to help our 12-days of Christmas families. We’re so proud of her!
-McKinley spent SO much time making her gifts for the Simons, including a superhero pillowcase for Parker, a bookmark for Aunt Trisha, and some puppets she made on her sewing machine for Caden & Rachel. It was so sweet!
-McKinley’s Christmas Orchestra concert was wonderful! Grandma & Grandpa Devenish came & were very impressed. Grandma said they sounded like a high school orchestra!
-McKinley was a big part of helping us meet our family goal to go to the temple 75 times. Thank you so much McKinley! We love you!
-She had a student council and NHS Christmas party this month! One of them was a sock exchange!
-McKinley got a 4.0 this last quarter!
-McKinley was sick toward the end of the month :( She was supposed to do a solo in the ward choir on the 23rd in sacrament meeting, but was too sick :(
-We met with the dermatologist and are trying out some new medicine - we’ll see how it goes!
-For Christmas, McKinley got Wacky 6 (a game), some Brandon Mull books, a long dress & birthstone jewelry, some socks and John Bytheway talks. The Potts also got her the Dragonwatch book! And she got a lovely dress from Grandma Devenish!
-McKinley wrote a beautiful poem for Christmas all about Jesus Christ:
Christ is the reason for this season.
Hallelujah we sing and praise His name.
Reindeer take Santa to houses to give presents, and even Santa knows that the best gifts are given with are given with thought and care.
In this Christmas time we love, we give, we sing Christmas songs, and old Christmas memories we relive.
Some things at Christmas time seem insignificant, but really it's their meaning that's important.
Tiny or big, acts of service is one thing everyone can give.
Mary & Joseph were the parents of all mankind's king, we may sing of them as we go caroling.
And as Buddy always says:" The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!"
So this holiday season don't forget why we celebrate Christmas, it's not for the presents we get, but what we give. It's not about who can sing the best Christmas song, it's about praising Jesus with our music and cheering our neighbors. It's not about making the best gingerbread house it's about how many meaningful memories you make. And most of all it's about Him
IRELAND:
-Ireland got to go to a Christmas movie party at Mahina’s house. They had so much fun and she came home with a holiday watch which she has loved wearing. At the party, Raquel’s knee popped out of place and she was in a lot of pain. It was all very scary, they almost called an ambulance before she was able to pop it back in place.
-Ireland was really busy in school this month! She did a book in a can book report and finished her egypt book. They both turned out great!
-Ireland got a 3.9 this quarter!
-Ireland’s first band concert was this month & she did so well! She is in advanced 6th grade band and they really sounded great! We are so proud of how far she’s come with her flute. She’s very good at making practicing a priority!
-For Christmas, Ireland got some 3D earrings, Harry Potter socks, Echo Dot, 3D drawing pen, Sisters book, glow pillow, and jewelry holder. She also got a beautiful dress from Grandma Devenish.
KEZIA:
-Kezia finally finished her SUPER SIMONS book after working on it all year. It was SO cute!! She even made badges and masks for each of the Super Simons!
-Kezia’s Christmas Program was super cute, as always! She had to try really hard not to laugh when she saw mom in the audience dancing :)
-Kezi was fighting a cold & bad cough this month :(
-For Christmas, Kezia got Poloriod film, a stop-motion claymation kit, an Echo Dot, a rock tumbler, a Why? Book and a Real Friends book. Grandma & Grandpa Potts got her a rock organization box, and she finally got her beautiful blanket and pillow set made my Grandma Devenish!
-For Christmas, Kezia also got $25 for a pet. We got to go to the Baldwins and hold Sugar Gliders. Also, when we were in Provo, we got to go to a pet store and hold Ferrets, Chinchillas, and guinea pigs. She has worked on writing papers for each animal she’s considering. And she’s done pros and cons. Now, she just needs to pray and figure out which pet is right for her as she continues to take care of the dogs and earn money.
LINK:
Christmas time is always a bit harder without you here, our sweet boy. We feel like you were close, though, mom saw (twice!) bright, beautiful shooting stars this month. We love you and miss you!
NOELLE:
-Noelle got to have pajama day at preschool and also have muffins with mommy!
-One day daddy asked Oaklyn to say the prayer at dinner. Noelle was upset & said “Why does Oaklyn get to say the prayer?? Is it because she’s the perfect daughter?”
-Noelle apparently has been watching a lot of the Epic movie because mom heard her say “Bye Flat-face!”
-Noelle often says “Why did Heavenly Father ___________?” (want us to go to church, make Link die, give us itchy tights?”
-Big changes for Noelle this month - she got glasses! She chose super-cute blue sparkly Hello Kitty glasses. She looks so cute in them! She has loved showing them off to friends & family.
-Before we left the place to get her glasses, the guy said “Now you’ll be able to see the whole world!” On the way home, Noelle asked “So, can I see Africa now?”
-Noelle got to go to Gunner’s Christmas party! She had so much fun! Decorating cookies, playing games, getting a stocking with candy, reindeer antlers, and watching a movie!
-Noelle had some hard times this month with “itchiness.” One day she tried on every single pair of pants and, in tears, declared ALL of them TOO ITCHY. She wore shorts that day.
-Noelle says she’s going to have lots of kids. She told mommy she’s going to have 8 daugthers. Mom said “what if your huband only wants like 2 kids?” Noelle thought for a minute & said “Well, then I’ll just put them in a line and only 2 of them can go to him together.” :)
-For Christmas, Noelle got a kinetic sand dinosaur kit, legos, smelly markers, a Paw Patrol Fire truck, a seek and find book, and a UFO toy that flies and she can move with her hand. She got a beautiful dress from Grandma Devenish!
OAKLYN:
-Oaklyn hasn’t had a binky in 2 weeks! She now usually asks for her Link bear when she wants a cuddle. :) Good job Oaklyn!
-Oaklyn calls her baby “Baby Bumblebee” :) (she gets it from the song we sing at our music class)
-Oaklyn fell off her chair at breakfast and got a bad fat lip :(
-One day we were singing Jingle Bells in the car. Mom was singing “Oh was fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hey!” in the pause, Oaklyn said “Got any grapes?” Hahah - from the Duck Song.
-Oaklyn is still NOT a fan of Santa. As we were waiting in line she kept peeking at him and clinging to mom and dad. We said “Don’t you want to see Santa?” And she kept saying “No thanks!”
-McKinley was saying a prayer & said how cute Noelle was in her new glasses. Oaklyn interrupted the prayer saying “NO! I’m cute!”
-We watched Frosty the Snowman & mom would ask “What does Frosty say?” and Oaklyn did the BEST impression, saying “Happy Birthday!”
-Oaklyn had some rough days this month where she did NOT want to nap!! She even figured out how to take the door handle things off :( Eventually we had to turn the door knob around in her room so she would stay in there!
-One day we said “You’re Oaklyn Alice.” She said - No! I’m not Dalace!
-Daddy was praying for Noelle to feel better (she was crying). Noelle kept saying she wasn’t sick! And Oaklyn kept yelling “YES YOU ARE!”
-For Christmas, Oaklyn got lots of play doh and play doh toys, socks, a cool magnetic board, a tea set, Zoom cars that go in a tube, hair styling set, and she got a doll bath set, and a beautiful dress from Grandma Devenish!
