Last opportunity this year

It's just after 11:00 P.M. We usually have a couple of friends in for New Years Eve but it being the Sabbath and they were otherwise engaged, we decided to have a quiet one of our own. I had intended to include some photos with this account but will do that later.
We had a wild and wooley Christmas period. First of all we had been planning to attend a wedding of our Samoan "Grandson" in the Redlands, California Temple for almost a year. This was to have been on Saturday the 23rd at 2:00 p.m. The first thing that happened was that they changed it to Friday at 10:00 a.m. We had tickets to the Las Vegas bowl so this meant a hurry up trip. We went to the bowl which of course was fantastic (although pretty cold) Left there and drove to Barstow, Calif. Had made reservations at the Rodeway Inn. We got in about 11:00 p.m. but couldn't find the place. It turned out the sign had blown down and they had changed the name to Executive Inn. Took many trips up and down the main street to discover that. Finally got to bed and got up early for the 85 mile trip to Redlands. We arrived there at about 9:00 and discovered that the sealing wasn't until 11:00 a.m. (at this point I must comment that this was a Samoan event and all things are possible) So we did some sealings and finally got to the wedding part. It was wonderful to be reuinited with our Samoan Family. They (the Palangi [white] mother of the bride had made for us Hawaiian clothing for the reception. She had planned a more traditional American reception but our dear friend Tasi (mother of the groom) took over, hired a disk jockey to play Samoan music and we had more of a traditional Samoan Fia Fia. It was fun for us but I think the brides family was a little shocked. We stayed over Saturday and found out that five of the family had planned to return to Salt Lake with us. We were pretty loaded. When we got to Salt Lake (long drive) they told us they were going to Clearfield as Vaiola who was going to stay an extra day in California and pick up her husband had given them the key to her apartment. We finally found it after many wrong turns and several phone calls to California but the key wouldn't work so we all came back to our house for Christmas Eve and Christmas day and Monday. Then Vailola came back and we transferred them to Clearfield. Sounds crazy and it was but we surely enjoyed being with them again. So that was a long story and not as funny in the telling as it actually was.
This has been too long so we hope each of you had a very Merry Christmas and will have a wonderful New Year. We will miss you all at our luncheon tomorrow.
We really enjoyed your blogs and the description of your Christmas's.
We dearly love each of you.
Gma and Gpa

All the checks and packages are in the mail. We sent the packages REALLY snail mail instead of express as usual. Soo if you do not have a package by Saturday at the latest, let us know.

We are taking a crazy trip to the Bowl game and California. Sese Talitaina is getting married in the Redlands Temple on the 22nd. (That is Vai's brother) SO at this point we will leave here the morning of the 21st and go to Vegas to the game. Then drive to Barstow after the game so we can make it to the wedding at 10 AM Friday. Fortuneately the game starts at 5 PM. Sese called to get our sizes so we could have a shirt and puli tasi like the rest of the "family". Think they would like us to come. It will be nice because the Whole family will be there.

Grampa and Greg are doing tithing settlement now. It is great for me because I am still enjoying peace and quiet but it has to be harder for the Finch's. We're excited to go to Texas for Hannah's blessing and then to Iowa for Adam's baptism. It is so good to see your growing families and how well you are doing as parents.

Scott grow has a job in DC. Vai will join him in January when all her family leaves. He will be he in california for Christmas but then has to go back to work.

We so enjoy all the pictures and blogs. We tell people all the time what a great thing they are missing if they don't have family who blog. Lots of love this holiday season. May it be a happy and blessed season.