A trip to Montgomery, Alabama...

The fourth graders at Kenny's school have a tradition of traveling to the State Capital in Montgomery and spending the day touring Historic sites that make up the tradition and culture of the state of Alabama. I was lucky enough to be able to go along as a chaperone and take in the sites of places I have only heard about and never seen in person. From the place where Rosa Parks got on the bus and changed history forever, to the steps of the capitol where the Confederacy came to an end. Walking down the same road Martin Luther King, Jr. led the infamous march to the capital gave each of us a new perspective on the history we have here in the South. Pictured here are Kenny and a group of his friends standing in front of the Eternal Flame monument built in honor of fallen ward heroes.

A bit of Christmas cheer...

When you least expect it the teenagers of the world can certainly surprise you! We scheduled a Christmas caroling trip to a retirement home near our church. All the youth and their parents were invited to join us! We had a tremendous turnout and the residents at the Cogburn Health Facility enjoyed a bit of Christmas in the halls of their home! Most of the residents were bed ridden. Only a few could get around by wheelchairs. So instead of them coming to us we took our show on the 'road' and caroled up and down each wing of the home until each resident had a carol sung by their doorway! I don't know if it was just the large group of youth we had with us that night or the acoustics from the hallway but I could've sworn we had a choir of angels singing with us!

Christmas with the Nikolakis's...

Seventeen years ago Jessica's teacher Ms. Nik lost her father on Christmas day due to a stroke. She was a junior in high school then and since that year Ms. Nik, her mother, Ms. Peggy and her brother, Mr. Johnny have traveled out of state on vacation for Christmas. Not being able to stay at home for the holidays because it proved to be too painful at first and then continuing the tradition because it was something they enjoyed doing. This year however Ms. Nik took in a young boy in her class named J.T. as a foster child and because of him they decided to stay at home for Christmas.

We were invited to their home early Christmas morning before we went to the homeless shelter. We opened presents and had a wonderful southern breakfast of grits, sausage and eggs! Kenny and Jessica kept J.T. company and Ms. Peggy found the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on satellite for us to listen to while we opened some presents. What more could I have asked for?

Jessica and JT are very good friends at school and Kenny loves having a younger "brother" to play with. It was a fun morning for all of us and we enjoyed being around friends who hadn't been home for a Christmas morning that was full of excitement and joy for a very long time.

Hawaiian Cast Party...

One final gathering for all the people that helped out with our Ward Christmas Luau! Food was flown in from Hawaii and more was cooked right in our own home. There were so many more people that showed up to our Christmas Luau than we had expected that most of the dancers and singers didn't have the chance to sample any of the food. What better way to thank them for their help than by throwing our own little mini Luau! Laulau (Pork wrapped in Spinach Leaves), Lomilomi salmon (Diced tomatoes and onion with raw salmon), Poi (Smashed Taro root), Kalua Pig (Roast pork with sea salt)and Kim Chee (Fermentated Spicy Cabbage) were all on the menu for our final cast party! Put a little IZ Kamakawiwaole music on and it felt like we were right back home in Hawaii! Thanks Keola, Ulu, Beverly, Hanalei, Elder Reis, Elder Tovo, Elder Enu, and Elder Sebreros our Honorary Hawaiian!

Christmas is for giving...

This year we spent Christmas day at a homeless shelter in downtown Mobile. We shared a religious service with them and distributed toys and clothes to those standing in line. The kids donated three bags of their own toys that day and I watched as the saw first hand how different some people spend their Christmas. The hardest part of the day for me was when I was helping the men find clothes that they could take with them in preparation for a chilly evening ahead and one of them said, "I just need a pair of socks, ma'am." My heart sank as I knew that there were no socks in the clothes that we had sorted for them. I replied, "I'm sorry sir. We have no socks today." Needless to say Arnold's closet got a thorough cleaning when we got home that night and all the extra socks I could find in there were sent to a new home. A more deserving home. A home where socks on a chilly night make all the difference in the world. We are so thankful for all that we have and for the friends and family that we are able to share it with! We love you. Have a very Merry Christmas!

Hawaiians at school...

Boy! December just rained Hawaiians here in Mobile! Jessica had her class Christmas party the week before school got out and sure enough the theme was "Hawaiian Christmas". Although the food ended up being more untraditional with ChikFilA nuggets and Pineapples from a can...the entertainment was strickly local! Elders Reis, Tovo, Enu and Sebreros serenaded the group and even got a few parents dancing! Our school will never be the same again! Mele Kalikimaka!

Hawaiian Christmas luau...

Nothing like a bit of Hawaii here in the deep south! 40 lbs of cooked Korean rice, one 250 lb wild boar cooked underground in an IMU, 1 gallon of Korean kim chee, 4 sheets of Coconut haupia, 6 pans of Pani popo, 15 bowls of macaroni and potato salad, 100 dinner rolls, 250 shell leis, and 462 guests! Who could ask for a better turnout than that?