Dan & Clare's photo shoot

Dan & Clare's photo shoot

Our very talented Sarah also did a photo shoot for Dan, Clare, and Mesia at Memory Grove. I loved all the shots, but just chose these 4 plus the above collage to show here.

What a cute family!

Christmas Card collage

These are the 4 pictures I used for the Christmas Card, but Mark arranged them so they printed 4 by 6 and put their names on it. It was darling. Mark is very talented. He also helped Dan and Clare with their card.

Our four littlest angels...Dallin, Madison, Mesia, and Ellie

Ellie's photo shoot

Ellie also had a photo shoot with Sarah Sunday night after our Christmas party. She was in rare form, even though it was really late. Just loot at those smiles!

Grandma loves you, Ellie

The one we used for the Christmas card.

What an angelic face!

I think she really enjoyed being the center of attention.

Madison & Mesia

Madison & Mesia's photo shoot

Sarah did a darling photo shoot with these two cousins. It was really fun and she got a lot of good shots. Here are just a few. What cute girls. Wish they lived closer together so they could stay close friends.

"Oh...what a weird Santa!"

"I love my cousin, Madison"

Just chillin....enjoying our crackers.

"Do you see what I see?"

Christmas Program

Had our annual Christmas Program and Talent Show on the 9th of December. I didn't get any pictures of the Nativity...to busy trying to keep everyone under control :>)....but I will post some that the other families took later. Here are the Tingey boys as shepherds. Aren't they cute? I borrowed the costumes from our ward again.

Abby, Eliza, Emma, and Gracie singing for the talent show.

The Barlow family performing...they sounded as good as the Von Trapp family from "The Sound of Music"
Sawyer just finishing his piano piece. It was a difficult one and he did a great job. Angela is teaching her children piano...what a job! Way to go Angela!! They are all doing well.
Footnote: notice the "Christmas Candy Shop" on the piano. This is a tradition I got from Helen Dean in our Ward. The Grandchildren love it....as do the parents. By the end of the night there was not much left! However, I have now re-stocked it for our Christmas Eve Progressive Brunch.

Performances

Two fun performances in the last month. Chad and Stafford both are learning the French Horn and did a wonderful job in their school Christmas concert....

And Rachel and Lauren both performed at the Festival of Trees in a dance concert. It was fun seeing these two events. Grandpa and I hope we can attend more of our grandchildren's events. We know they are all very talented and have many occasions to perform. We are so proud of them all!

Tending at Tingeys

Michelle and Dave decided to try a Cancun vacation without a hurricane and without children so we tended for them. It was fun and they were all good kids, but I realized why we have our children while we are young!! I could certainly NEVER survive being a mother now! Emily and Clare both came and helped on different days which was much appreciated!

Ready for bed....they enjoyed having Mesia come visit and I think she enjoyed it too...She would have liked to have stayed the night, I think!

Stafford giving the lesson for Family night on The First Vision. It was wonderful! I was very impressed. You will be a great missionary, Stafford.

Taylor and Dallin performing for Family Night!

Dallin saying goodbye to Mesia.

Thanksgiving

Even though this was an "off" year, we had quite a crowd. Rick & Donna's family were in Las Vegas for a soccer tournament, the Alvey's and Mark & Wendy were at inlaws, but came for dessert, and Brian & Sarah of course were in N.H. We miss them, but are looking forward to Christmas time with them. We did have Clare's parents and her brother Henry from Colorado, and Uncle John. It was a great day, and we all over ate! We have so very much to be thankful for!!

It was also Adam's birthday that very day, so we celebrated with one of our pumpkin dessert cakes. Adam is 14 going on 20!

The Tappens with Dan, Clare, and Mesia!