The 11th JOY of Christmas...Let It Snow

JOY came in a beautiful blanket of fresh white snow.

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Snowfall...so majestic and white reminds us of the purity of our Savior... His pure and perfect life. It is the hope that the Savior's Atonement offers us a chance to be as pure as the fresh fallen snow.

The 10th JOY of Christmas... O Christmas Tree !!!

JOY is sitting around the brightly lit and ornamented Christmas Tree with those you love most.

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The Evergreen Tree remains green all year round and is symbolic of Everlasting Life. It's needles pointing upwards remind us
to glance upward to our Heavenly Home.

The 9th Day of Christmas...Oh Come Let Us Adore Him

There is no one that I adore more than my Savior...JOY is taking time to do just that...adore Him...BOLDLY AND BRIGHTLY...What a message to the world.

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Carols, stories, phrases and words remind us of the purpose of the Christmas Season.

The 8th JOY of Christmas...Oh Holy Lights!!!!

JOY ... all the beautiful, bright, festive and glorious lights.

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All the World is filled with the love and light manifested in bright colorful decorations

The 7th JOY of Christmas...A Cupcake of a Party

I can't believe I volunteered to bake anything let alone share it at our Ward Christmas Party, but share I did. JOY was seeing others en JOY something I made.

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Christmas celebrations throughout the Christmas Season, bring us together with family, loved ones, associates...and humanity is often SWEETER at this time of year.

The 6th JOY of Christmas...The Nativity

What a JOY to participate in a special presentation of the Nativity...carols, the Christmas Story, the manger, the animals...Christmas is finally coming to life once again.

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The Nativity reminds us of the events that happened long ago in a far away land...the awaited birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. His birth was one of simplicity, humility and meekness and yet the outcome of this event supercedes all grandeur of all the other momentous occasions in history.

Angels We Have Heard

Now is the Season to acknowledge all the wonderful Angels in our lives. Every single morning, I am greeted by three amazing women. They make me laugh. They make me smile. The get my day started off on the right foot. JOY is the Early Light Academy Angels.

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Old McDonald Had A School

Noah's school, Jordan Ridge had a fund raiser at the McDonalds near our home. The faculty had planned to take employee positions behind the counter, at the drive thru, greeting at the door...naturally, the students wanted to see their teachers work at the Golden Arches. I was dumbfounded at the amount of people standing inside. Surely, it would not pass the fire marshall's code. Nonetheless, it was a JOY to see the dedication of so many from Noah's school. The next day, a letter was sent home...Jordan Ridge made over $1,000 in a short three hours and at least 450 students brought their hungry, grumbling tummies!



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Copy Me

Noah likes to play this game called "Copy Me," where I copy everything he says. Today, "Copy Me" took on a whole new meaning. I was working on the computer and he was copying his drawings on the printer. I overheard him say, "I am going to copy my face..." I didn't think he would really do it. I enJOYed the creativity of Noah AND worried about his eyesight!

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The 5th JOY of Christmas...Dear Santa

Dear Santa, Oh how I wish I could fulfill Noah's Christmas Wishes. JOY will come in trying. JOY is reading Noah's letter to Santa. JOY is knowing that he thought of me in his letter to Santa. Dear Santa, It is a Christmas Miracle that I am in need of this year. Please, please remember...

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Santa Claus became known for his generosity to the poor. He devoted his life to Christianity and Children. He is the Magic of Christmas which comes through our own emulation of this awesome Legend.

Frozen with Delight

It all started out at the Maverick with a whipped, frozen strawberry yogurt. It was delightfully smooth and creamy. JOY is discovering a treat I can feel good about. Since Strawberry, I have drooled over Rootbeer, Cheesecake and most recently Pumpkin.
Hilarious is that it comes in two sizes and two prices. You can put as much yogurt as your cup can hold and I have seen some pretty amazing swirls...It is a JOY to eat and every bit as much to watch others pile theirs high!

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Drawn to You

JOY is watching Liz, Jordan's girlfriend sketch. I wondered if she could draw something that resembled Noah and boy did she ever. Noah was thrilled! A few nights ago, Noah was working on a sketch. I was amazed that it was more than the usual stick figure. He replied, "I learned it from Liz's drawing of me."

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The 4th JOY of Christmas...JOY in the Season

Snowy Window Christmas Card

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JOY is preparing to celebrate the greatest JOY of all--the Birth and Life of Our Savior and to do it as a family.

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JOY is an acronym for Jesus, Others and You. As you put the Savior first, serve others before yourself, then and then only will Everlasting JOY be felt within the heart.

The 3rd JOY of Christmas...Generous Gift

At the head of each of our plates was an envelope containing two letters from Grandma Garff and a check for our Christmas. Grandpa Garff had a love for books... particularly the classics. He had a wonderful library with his personal handwritten notes in the margins. For Christmas, Grandma would like us to come pick out a book or two for a keepsake to enJOY. It was a JOY to witness the light in her eyes as her Grandchildren read the letters silently.

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Gift giving is symbolic of the Gifts given to Jesus by the Wise Men and the miraculous Gift Jesus gives to each of us...His Atonement and Everlasting Life for all.

Let Your Light So Shine

Allie, Johnathan, and Grace played a piano piece. I told a pirate joke, (bad idea :) ) and then I suggested Daniel (Mallory's beau) taking his turn. Lisa leaned and said he was quite the musician and so I pleaded and prodded. Who knew he could play the piano like that? Sometimes I am obnoxious about things, but had I not been that night and we all would have missed out on some amazing talent. JOY was being able to appreciate other's talents and witness their light shining.

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The 2nd JOY of Christmas...Festival of Lights

photos taken by Richard Hart


The Lights at Temple Square were beautiful as always. It is a time to admire, reflect and appreciate the reason for the season...our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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The appeal of Christmas Lights are likened to the stars in the sky and the glistening of moonlight on the freshly fallen snow. Light strings joined together represent the bond of loved ones, peace and hope and of course the most wondrous Light of the World...Jesus.

The 1st JOY of Christmas...Lion House Tradition

A delicious dinner at the Lion House to ring in the Christmas Season... green salad, warm Lion House rolls, glazed ham, cheese potatoes, vegetables and crepes for dessert...sitting at Grandma Garff's table...dinner conversation with Howard, Lisa, Richard and Camille...family photos...Mom and Dad sharing a message of love and gratitude...it was more than a JOYful moment...it was a JOYful evening. Thanks to Mom and Dad for making every season special.

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Photo Shoot

Off to Cabella's...the very next stop. I am not much for guns and this place was chalk full of them. Naturally Noah wanted one and I continued to say "NO, NO, NO!" We compromised at the shooting gallery for youngins. I bought the tokens so Noah and Johnathan could shoot away without harming a flea. I was really quite proud of my boy. He was a good shot. The young adult next to him scored 125 and he was happy... Noah scored 200...that was JOY!

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I'm Walking on Main Street

JOY is being able to walk up and down Main Street, passing all the beautiful shops and not spending a dime. Added to the JOY was the company I was with...Richie, Camille, Johnathan and Noah. We stopped at one shop that was full of antiques...old glass bottles, telephones, barbershop amenities, skis and on and on....There was one store that had the answer to all your problems, another full of candied apples and delicate chocolates and I must not forget the Christmas shop...

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