Night of the Nativity

Well the big night has arrived.  The ward activity committee decided they wanted the primary to do a nativity for the ward Christmas party.  So guess who was in charge.  I feel like I have done nothing but this since the first of the month.  We don't even have a tree yet.  I just haven't had time, but today that is on the agenda.  Anyway back to the nativity.  I don't have any pictures because I forgot my camera.  Can you believe that.  It was a great success.  Tuesday night we had sat up 150 chairs well we had to set up 3 or 4 more rows last night.  We involved a lot of people.  We had everyone singing.  The kids were so excited and I guess that is what tells you it was a true success.  We even had non members, less active members and people we did not even know show up.  The activities committee sent flyers home from the school and handed them out everywhere.  It was great and none of our cows (sunbeams) and sheep (CTR5) fell off the stage even though there were a couple that were close.  We even had a pushing match going on at one point.  There were donuts and wasail afterwards.  Christmas can now begin at the Robison house.

Matt being transferred

I found out today that Matt is being transferred to Rapid City, SD. He is going to be the Assistant to the President. His address will be at the mission home which is:
Elder Matt Robison
2525 W Main St STE 311
Rapid City, SD 57702-2443
He said to make sure and put both his first and last name on the letter because there are other Elder Robison's. Hopefully we will hear from him soon.

Thanksgiving in Texas

Well I was really planning on getting these posted right as soon as we got home.  I have been running ever since and have not had a minute so they are a little late.  We left for San Antonio on Monday, November 24th.  We had an absolutely great time.  

Here we are our first day in the warm weather.  It was great weather.  We landed in the afternoon and found our hotel and then went on a walk to the river walk.  This is us on the river walk.  Dave isn't the best photographer in the world.

More pictures on the river walk.

The second day there we went to the Alamo.  Rachel and I had been there but we had to show the guys.  We enjoyed seeing a bit of history.  Of course Kaden kept complaining that you shouldn't have to learn anything on a vacation.  Heaven forbid.  

Here we are eating.  We did pretty good at this .

On the river walk tour.  It was great fun and very relaxing.

Dave counting his golf score.

Dave cheering after a great shot.  We searched for an inexpensive golf course.  We found one on the internet that was under $50.  We drove and drove to get there and then this is what we got.  The grass was dead everywhere except around the greens and it was muddy.  It was kind of like playing in a cow pasture but you can see they still had fun.

Then the big turkey day.  We went to Doug and Cheri's(Dave's brother) house.  They were great to feed us.  We had a great Thanksgiving day.

Rachel and Kendall getting ready for dinner.

The boys waiting for the feast.

Dave, Doug, and Cheri putting the final touches on.

Kendall, Rachel and I got up a little early on Friday and walked to see San Fernando Cathedral.  It was pretty cool.  It is one of the oldest cathedrals still in use.  We walked out of our hotel and it was overcast and cloudy.  In Idaho it would have been cold.  The humidity hit us immediately.  You could feel it on your skin a mist was everywhere.  There was no reason for me to take a shower today.  By the time we got here I was in full sweat and my hair had turned into a frizzy mess.  Then we were off to Sea World.  Pull the hair back and enjoy the day.

Here is Lyndon, Doug and Cheri's grandson, Destiny and Gordon's son.  

Brenan, Rachel, Kendall, Kaden, Sterling, Cheri, Dave, Lyndon, Destiny, Gordon, Maddie

Everyone at Sea World.  It was so weird to hear Chrismas music playing and seeing all the decorations when it was so warm outside.

Kaden and Sterling trying to call the dolphins over.

Lyndon looking at the fish.

Finally getting the dolphins close enough to touch.

In one of the shows they were singing Christmas songs to the audience.  They sang to Destiny and Lyndon.  This is them on the big screen.  Lyndon never cracked a smile he just kept looking at himself on the big screen.

Here we are on the river ride at Sea World

The end of the day getting ready to go.  Here we are in front of the Anheiser Busch horse stable.

We went to the river walk Chritmas parade.  It was Friday night the lit it all up and had a parade on the river.  It wasn't the greatest thing but here we are waiting for it to start.

In the airport waiting to catch our flight home.

We had a great time.  My boys were great.  They never complained at all.  They did their fair share of teasing and fighting like boys do along with Kendall but we had a great time.  The boys really enjoyed Lyndon and played and teased him constantly.  They would get him so wound up Destiny probably wanted to wring their necks.  He loved them.  He kept calling them his brothers.  I want to thank Doug and Cheri for entertaining us for a week of wonderful time together.  We truly did love this vacation.  Thanks Doug, Cheri, Sterling, Gordon, Destiny, and Lyndon.  You guys are the greatest.  It was wonderful seeing you.  

Tag your it!!!

A fun tag, tag your it if you look at my blog.
To participate, just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold and italicize all of the things you have done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument
Have fun!

Matt's letter

11/25/08
Dear friends and family, it has been a great week. I love my companion and this area. I feel that my time is running short but that is fine. No matter what comes there are things to be learned. I guess I will just share a few experiences from this past week. We received a media referral and it was a request for a Lamb Of God DVD. It was obvious that it was an African name. Achul is from Sudan. He has lived here for 7 years and has a bachelor degree and is still going to more school. He is getting a degree in Project Management. he currently works for John Deere making GPS systems and also testing them. It was great to meet someone with the humility of a Sudanese and with the dream of an American. We had a great lesson. The next out of the ordinary experience was we had our Grand Forks area call and said that a couple from there was here in Fargo at the hospital. When we arrived at the hospital we found out this couple is blind. The wife has cancer and was having difficulties. They had to hug us just so they could know who we were. It was crazy, when we went to see them they were looking the other way and as we walked through the door they both said, the missionaries are here. We helped him give his wife a blessing and then talked to them for a little while. Earlier as we were driving up to the hospital we got a call from the New Town elders. They told us that there was a native family who was at the hospital. Their 8 month old baby fell off a bed and hit his head hard. There is a dangerous amount of pressure in his head. We went and prayed with the family. We couldn't touch the baby because he was in ICU and there could be no physical contact. I don't know if he is going to be normal again or not. I guess time will tell. This is week #5 in this transfer and so it's not long before transfers. I only have 4 left after this one. It's kind of hard to believe that's for sure. I hope that all things go well in San Antonio and everybody has a happy Thanksgiving. Thank you all for everything that you do. Love Elder Robison

I've been Tagged

Number Tag:

1. One word to describe yourself: reliable

2. Two shows I love to watch: The Biggest Loser, Mash

3. Three things that attracted me to Dave: His sense of humor, his blue eyes, his good looks.

4. What is your 4th picture in your 4th file:

The quilt I made for Matt's birthday this last year. These are all his mission pictures from his first year out.

5. Five things that happened yesterday: I took Kaden and Hailey to drivers ed at 8:00 a.m., I went to the Bonneville craft fair, my boys went fishing at Henry's Lake, I went to a wedding reception, I had my tooth worked on by Rachel's dentist.

6. Name six things you can't do: I can't run fast (just ask my family), I am not real good at crafts, I can't do fun different things with my hair, I can't do gymnastics anymore, I can't eat mushy foods, I can't staye mad at Dave for very long at all.

7. Seven people you tag: Marcy, Mandy, Melissa Sutton, Linsday Polatis, Chelsi, Destiny, Brittany

8. Name eight things you are looking forward to: Matt getting home from his mission in May, Leaving tomorrow for San Antonio, Thanksgiving with Doug and Cheri and family, Christmas, a vacation somewhere warm this winter, getting my house totally painted and put back together, working on Matt's mission scrapbook ( I have got to get going), going to bed tonight.

Brenan's birthday

Brenan's birthday is November 12. I always have my school board convention around his birthday. I have never missed his birthday but this will be the first year. He gave me a hard time saying, I can't believe you are missing my birthday. I told him I will stay home but if I do you have to spend your birthday with us. He told me to go ahead and go that it would be alright. We celebrated on November 11th. They always get to pick where we go for their birthday. He picked Stockman's in Rigby. I was glad I like it a lot.

This is our group. I could never get them all paying attention to me. Brenan brought along his friends McKijah(with his head turned), and Allie (sitting by Brenan).

Brenan got some crazy idea to color just parts of his hair bright red. He also did his goatee. He looks a little strange. After dinner we went to Rachel's for cake and ice cream.

Dave and I chilling on the couch waiting for the cake and ice cream. Wondering how we got so

old.

They are teasing McMijah with a game called Ask Peter. You can see Brenan's red hair and goatee.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Brenan, you are a great kid. It is hard to believe you are 17. We love you and are so glad you are a part of our family.