Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

 

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John by Pearl S. Buck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of our family’s favorite Christmas stories. We are now sharing it with our grandchildren.

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Home

 

Home by Penny Parkes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a well-written, poignant story that beautifully and powerfully illustrates the importance of loving, caring parents. Anna was abandoned by hers in her childhood, leaving her to be raised in the foster care system. The reader meets Anna as an adult, but with flashbacks, the story of her childhood unfolds. Heroes in her life love her and nurture her, but it isn’t until the end of the book that she finds closure from her past. There are so many beautiful lessons and people in this story. It dragged a bit in the middle, but the ending made it worth powering through. I give it 3 ½ stars. Bad language, as always, brings my rating down.

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Brielle Hospitalized

 Our oldest grandchild, Brielle, suffers terribly with migraine headaches.  Especially the last year has been intense.  She is a junior in high school and is absolutely brilliant.  She has four AP classes, is in position to be a National Merit Scholar, and does it all while in pain.  They have sought help from many doctors.  They see her, give a prescription and say good luck.  

Finally they found a doctor who is truly trying to help Bria.  They have tried many things, including outpatient infusions of medications. but nothing really helped.  So, after a difficult struggle finding a bed in a hospital (RSV, Covid, and flu patients are filling all of the beds,) they got her admitted to administer drugs by IV.  

We visited with her on Facetime while she was in the hospital.  

They administered drugs for a week, but it didn't really help.  We continue to pray for her and for her doctor- that she will be able to find something that will help this precious girl.  

Nobody's Fool

 

Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Richard Russo (winner of the Pulitzer Prize) is a genius at characterization and relationships. This book is certainly not plot-driven. There really isn’t a plot. And the main character, Sully, is not a stellar person- he gambles, spends foolishly, cheats, etc, but he also is generous, caring, and funny. He is real and somehow still likable, despite his faults. The story is set in a small New York town and, though it is 549 pages of very small print, it only covers a few days in time. It is funny, sad, and though you have to look for it, complex. I think I would give it barely 4 stars, but the language, as is my practice, brings it down to 3 stars.

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My Hymnbook

 On the fourth Friday of each month, I post one of my or one of Ken's favorite things.  This is one of my favorite things.  

My old hymnbook is one of my favorite things.

There is a story here. I love the hymns.  A few years ago, I did an intense study of the hymnbook:  I played and sang each one, I pondered the words and looked up the scriptures that relate to the words (bottom right under each hymn.)  I read about the history of each hymn, it's author and composer.  I wrote copious notes right in my hymnbook, surrounding each hymn.  In the first presidency preface in the front of the hymnbook, it says that the hymnbook should stand next to the scriptures. I came to understand that in a profound way.  Studying the hymns truly increased and strengthened my testimony of the gospel.

My friend, Marsha Burdick made the beautiful cover for my hymnbook.  It is old and worn now, but I can't bear to part with it.  The book itself is falling apart.  It is literally held together with velcro, duck tape, and prayers!

Another thing that makes my hymnbook special is that I have people that come into my home sign their favorite hymn. More than once I have passed it around at family gatherings for signatures. Sometimes I take it to church and have people sign- like when I was ward choir director I passed it around and had people sign.  Recently, when I taught the gospel doctrine lesson on the Psalms, I passed it around and had people sign it.  I love to look through the pages and see people's favorites.  It gives me insight into their souls.  

When asked what I would grab if there was a fire and I had to escape quickly, my list would definitely include my old hymnbook.  It is irreplaceable.  It is definitely one of my favorite things.

A Keynote Christmas

 One of the most important parts of Christmas for me is singing with the Keynotes.  We went to rest homes on the 7th, 9th, and 12th.  Our concert in the tabernacle was December 13th.

Singing at the rest homes and assisted living facilities is a highlight of every Christmas season.

There's not a picture, but at one assisted living facility, there was a sweet lady on the front row that was dancing in her chair through the whole program.  When we were singing White Christmas (which happens to be when I sing my solo. We all have little solos in the songs) she got up and started dancing around the room.  She went all over, in and out of the other residents.  It was so cute.

Then, at a nursing home, a lady in a wheelchair kept escaping from the aide that was helping her.  She would walk her chair up to us and sing with us.  We did get a picture of that.

Our performance at the tabernacle was fun and went really well this year.  

Me introducing "Christmas in About Three Minutes."

Keynotes is such a blessing in my life.  I'm already looking forward to our spring season.

Christmas Under the Stars- Amy Grant

 We watched this show of beautiful music on BYUtv.  It was so uplifting.

Gifts for My Keynote Friends

 Each year, the Keynotes have a Christmas luncheon at which we exchange small gifts.  This year, I made a diamond dot bookmark for each of them.  It was really fun and I think they turned out pretty.  

Red Cliffs Temple Update

 It has been awhile since I posted pictures of our new temple construction progress.  It is looking so beautiful.  It is projected to open sometime in 2024.

I am grateful for people who have drones and take pictures of the temple and post them on social media.  I could never get such good pictures.

Withhold Not Good from Them to Whom it is Due

 As we studied Proverbs, I found this powerful scripture.  When we see something good in someone, we need to tell them.  Is it shyness or pride that keeps us from complimenting someone?  If it is in our power to do so, we need to let others know we see their good.  

Christmas Decorations This Year

 We are not doing much decorating for this Christmas.  
We are going to be gone for Christmas and for much of the rest of the month.  So we decided to keep it simple.  Really, our only decorations are outside.  Ken put up our nativity scene and Joy to the World sign (thank you Michelle!) and I put up the wreath on the door.  And that does it, folks!  For the first time, Ken did more decorating than me.  2-1.  Go Ken!

Relief Society Ornament Exchange

 We had a fun Relief Society Christmas activity the other night.  Everyone brought a wrapped ornament.  The first person chose a gift and opened it.  The next person could then choose that ornament or open a new one.  It went around the circle, everyone getting a nice ornament.  It was really fun.  Refreshments and visiting ended the evening.

Here is the beautiful ornament I ended up with:

Growing Up

 Our beautiful granddaughter, Gabriella wrote this amazing poem to enter in the Reflections contest at school.  I was so touched by it and wanted to share it with you.

The power of books to change the world.

A Night Divided

 

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to me by my 13-year-old granddaughter, I loved this book. 12-year-old Gerta’s family is divided on the night the Berlin wall is erected. With unrest brewing in East Berlin, her father and brother went to West Berlin to secure housing for the family. That very night the wall went up, dividing her family. The story is edge of your seat drama from the first to the very last. It is a story of courage, determination, friendship, love, and freedom. I don’t hesitate to give it five stars. It is very well read in the audio version.

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Shoelaces for Christmas

 This was a good, clean movie about reformation.  We watched it on BYUtv.  

Soups!

During the winter, Ken and I make a soup almost every week.  On our Hungryhintons blog, there are nearly 50 soup recipes. I thought I would post the recipes for the soups we are eating, just in case you need some ideas.  Here are the soups we have made so far this autumn/winter:

Green Enchilada Chicken Soup.  We love this soup.  It is easy to make and delicious.

 Hungry Hintons: Green Enchilada Chicken Soup

Halloween Soup is a tradition for many years.  We always make it for Halloween.  It is a recipe I've been making for almost 50 years, so it's tried and true.  It is a hamburger/vegetable soup.

Hungry Hintons: Halloween Soup

Autumn Chicken Stew is newer to our repertoire.  We've been making it every fall for about five years.  Sad story.  Ken cut up all the vegetables for this soup on a day he wasn't feeling well.  It was the first day of his diverticulitis attack.  He never ate a bite of it.  He really didn't eat anything for about a week and spent several days in the hospital.  I ate it and served it to house guests but ended up throwing out the rest after about a week.  It is delicious and nutritious.

Hungry Hintons: Autumn Chicken Stew

Andelin's Gable House Cheese and Broccoli Soup  Our town used to be known by a lot of people for a restaurant called Andelin's Gable House.  Their food was delicious.  Out of town visitors discovered it and word spread.  I have their cookbook and this delicious cheese broccoli soup is one we make every year.

Hungry Hintons: Andelin's Gable House Cheese Broccoli Soup

Wisconsin Cheese and Potato Soup.  Kristen's family lived in Wisconsin for several years.  She introduced us to this delicious soup recipe.  All of us in the family make it, and it is a favorite of the grandkids.  In fact, Audrey lists it as her favorite food.  

Hungry Hintons: Wisconsin Cheese and Potato Soup

I will post more soup recipes as we make them.  Let us know if you try any of them!

Back to the Temple

 We hadn't been to the temple since September.  With a three-week vacation in New England, a sibling retreat, a surgery, and two illnesses, we had a way too long hiatus from the temple.  We had appointments on two different days that we had to cancel because of Ken's illness.  We finally got back to the Cedar City temple on November 30th and then again on December 6th.  

November 30th.  It was cold and windy.

December 6th

We usually go out to dinner after we go to the temple.  A favorite restaurant in Cedar City is Lupitas.  It is delicious Mexican food.  We haven't tried anything that we haven't liked.

It is so good to be back in the temple.

Family History

      On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us. This is something that is fun for both of us.

Ken and I both spend a big part of every day that we are home working on family history.  This includes writing and recording our own histories, grandma and grandpa stories, etc, cataloguing family pictures, blogging (my ongoing project), writing weekly updates to our family, finding ancestors that need temple work done and preparing for that to be done, printing temple cards, sending cards to family members willing to help with doing the ordinances for deceased ancestors, keeping track of what has been done and what needs to be done, going to the temple ourselves, etc.

These things consume part of every day. They are doing our part in the latter-day work of gathering Israel. They are the things I look forward to doing.  They are things that are fun for us.

Traveling Tabernacle Display

We recently attended the traveling tabernacle display.  Our stake is hosting the event for all of southern Utah.  It is set up between two church buildings including our stake center.  Shonna and Blake and family visited it when it was in Logan a few months ago and recommended it to us.  We went on Monday, November 11th.

They had youth be the guides and teach us at each station.  The day we were there, all of the youth were from the Bloomington Stake.  Most of them did an excellent job and presented their parts well and with dignity.  Most of them!

This is where they would wash before entering the tabernacle.

The symbolic minorah

This was the shew bread.  There were 12 loaves representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

The Alter of Incense in the Holy Place.

The embroidered curtains into the Holy of Holies.  Cherubim guarded the way.

The ark of the covenant contained manna, Moses' tablets that had the 10 commandments, and Moses' staff.

The figures on the top represent cherubim guarding the sacred ark.

Symbolic skins.  The cute deacons that presented this part were a lot like a Laurel and Hardy show.  They weren't trying to be funny, but they were hilarious as they argued back and forth.  Hence, I'm not really sure what these were for.

The cultural hall in the stake center was made into a museum of pictures and verbiage explaining it all.  It was very impressive and well done.

If this display comes to your area, we highly recommend it.  It was really well done and so educational.