LYDIA'S MISSION CALL!

 Lydia got her mission call on New Year's Eve. She invited Jared and I to go to her calling opening...Eli was so excited for it....we called him and he couldn't be patient. We gave the phone to Lydia and she started crying just seeing him and the anticipation of her call! She got called to the Belgium Netherlands Mission speaking Dutch! Her grandparents were born under the Nazi Regime in 1943 there and then moved to America in 1948. They speak some Dutch so it's really a very cool call to get to go back to where her family is from! Eli and Lydia are a little sad they won't be able to speak spanish to each other, but this is better!! Jared and I for sure felt the spirit as she was opening her call! 

DECEMBER HAPPENINGS!

December was busy as always! Ariele got her mission call to Washington DC, Katy came by for a visit, we took the Stolworthys to the QC SXS (Queen Creek Side by Side) Light Parade - we loved snuggling Della and showing her the lights - even though she probably really couldn't see them, Chloe got her mission call to  Indepence, Missouri, we did the giving machine, the Mesa Temple Lights, Eli's buddies Brasser, Taevin and Nash came over and got some avalanche bars from me and came through the garage like old times, hugged me and got drinks from the bro....I was really missing Eli so they let me hug them and it warmed my heart so much - highlight of my week! Went to the Temple with Sara for our weekly temple trips, went to the boutiques with Tiffany and then with Aubrey, made a Christmas Wreath at the Hall Family Dentistry work party, went with Chloe and Trisha to the Aspen Ortho work party and the twins continued their weekly Temple trips with their friends and did some hot yoga with Aubrey, Amber & Chloe - its hot and hard to breathe, but I really liked it! 

CHRISTMAS!

First Christmas without Emma, ever! Then to top it off....first Christmas without Eli too! I knew it would be bad, but I didnt realize I would get shingles on top of it!! I missed Rodgers Christmas Eve, I missed eating Christmas dinner with our parents at our house BUT luckily we had Jensen Christmas on Monday so I was able to eat and participate there with them and do the minute-to-win-it games! Christmas morning we woke up the twins and opened presents while Eli was facetiming us! He also rotated in and opened his gifts with us too! It was fun to have him be apart of that. The twins were such good sports about the lame Christmas....although they wouldn't sleep together in the BRO as tradition has it...they insisted on sleeping in their own beds, ha ha! After they opened everything I set the table for dinner and helped prep dinner a little bit for Jared, then I went to bed. Jared smoked ribs, made mashed potatoes, honey carrots, salad, rolls and then punch! Dessert was Nothing Bundt Cake. The meal was delicious and Jared did an amazing job. The twins talked to their grandparents and their grandparents had the best time! Eli stayed up Christmas Eve with all of his zone staying at his apartment and they watched all of Lima light up with fireworks as far as the eye could see and then they got to watch Christmas movies and Eli and another missionary made pancakes. He was so excited for his Christmas in Peru and had the best time. That night we had prepurchased movie tickets to go see Zootopia 2....I fell asleep on Jared during the movie. It was the best Christmas could be I guess! Emma spent Christmas in Island Park with the Stolworthys! It was her and Della's first white Christmas! They had the best time!!

New Years Eve we had my family over and Grandma and Grandpa Rodgers bought a ton of Barros pizzas and everyone brought snacks to share and then we paired up all the cousins together (oldest to youngest) and they played Christmas minute-to-win-it games together. I was so happy with Tyler and Tyson being so sweet and kind and loving to their little cousins and really making them feel like they were the best team ever! They stayed till midnight and we watched the fireworks outside and then Alyza, Lucy, Abby & Kate stayed the night in Eli's room, the twins came home from their parties and then we made pancakes in the morning and then after they left, I went back to bed!