JIMMER!!!

We decided (with a little coaxing from Megan) to go to a Sixers game this week because they were playing the Kings, Jimmer's NBA team. We bought some seats pretty high up but once we got inside, some PR people were giving out comp tickets that were lower down because the turnout was not huge. Bonus. The Sixers played so well and the Kings....well....they pretty much stunk. But it was fun to see our Jimmer play. He made the first points of the game and we got to see him sink a three pointer. Here are a few shots from the game.

Evan and Meg in our original "up high" seats.

The warm up shots....also from our high seats

Down close, now. Jimmer with the ball.....Check out the people in the crowd behind him with the purple shirts that spell out JIMMER. I guess he has fans everywhere he goes!

The confetti blast at the end of the game. Pretty impressive!! Evan filled both his pockets with the pieces.

True blue fans

...and the final score. The good news is that since the Sixers scored over 100 points, we got to take our tickets to McDonalds the next day and get free Big Macs. :)

MANCAKES!!!!

Geoffrey had been telling us all Christmas break that he would make us some Mancakes. He learned how to make them from Elder Swenson on his mission in Albania. They consist of two strips of bacon, a fried egg, and pancake batter poured all around the above and cooked all together to make one giant Mancake. We finally got to have them on New Year's Eve morning. Let's just say.....they were DELICIOUS!!! Thanks, Geoffrey!

And So This is Christmas

This year for Christmas we were thrilled to have Geoffrey, Emily, and Jim come home from Utah. Stephanie and Marc spent Christmas in Chicago with his family, and Janelle, Scott and the boys were in Portland with Scott's family. We missed having the little boys and everyone together, but were thankful that we had all been able to get together in November for the wedding.

Christmas fell on Sunday this year which is always nice. It makes us adjust our day's plan for church which also helps us adjust our thinking toward the Savior as it should be. Our ward choir was a little short of voices so we actually brought the music home and practiced it on Christmas Eve with all of our kids including Geoff, Em, and Evan. They all helped sing the special choir number the next day at church. In addition to that, Megan and Grandma Foulk had speaking assignments. It was a very nice meeting. We had our traditional lasagna dinner on Christmas Eve and acted out the story of Jesus' birth. Sunday morning we checked out the Santa loot and stockings, went to church, and then came home and opened the presents under the tree. As usual, there were way too many things and we were blessed to have all that we could ever need. Then we went to dinner at Grandma Foulk's house and enjoyed spending time there with Tracey's family and the missionaries. We were able to talk to Janelle, Steph, and my parents, too.

I am so thankful for the many blessings we have been given, especially the gift of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!!!

Waiting to come down on Christmas morning.....Nate's trying hard to wake up

Santa has definitely been here!

Wow!! Just what I wanted!!

Ready, everybody look, Cheese!

The tall ones retrieving the stockings

This is a sight no one should have to see on Christmas morning :)

We snapped this quick before we dressed down after church

Evan's new coat

The BYU Cosmo Pillow Pet that we found at the Walmart in Lumberton, NJ of all places

The beautiful shams that Grandma Foulk made to go with the quilt she gave to Emily and Jim for their wedding

Meg with some of her gifts

And, of course, a "quick" game of Settlers

A Bonus Visit

After returning back to Boston after Thanksgiving, Janelle and Scott found out that he would need to go out of town for two weeks for work. It was kind of a surprise for them and Janelle decided that she didn't really want to just hang out in Boston for two weeks without Scott. So we talked about it, she found some very inexpensive bus tickets that got them to Newark, and she and the boys came back down for about a week while Scott had his training in San Antonio. He actually got to come here over the two day weekend in the middle, too. Since we knew that they were not going to be able to be here for Christmas, it was so nice to have them come home for "Christmastime", at least. They even got to help us get and trim the Christmas tree.

Uncle Evan and Alan playing in a tree outside

Starting his climb.......

Evan at the top of the tree house

Mama Janelle and baby James

Busy playing

Much To Be Thankful For

We were so happy to have Grandma and Grandpa Tucker join us this year for Thanksgiving. Because they were here for the wedding, they decided to stay and share the holiday with us. It is the first Thanksgiving we have been able to spend with them since we moved to New Jersey. Janelle and her family and Geoffrey were able to be here along with the local "regulars" from around here. Everyone pitched in and helped and it was just such a relaxing time after the craziness of the week before. LOVED IT!! Here are some photos from that week.

Great Grandpa Tucker and James....color coordinated and everything!!

Alan doing a little bead craft

Smooches!!

...and SMILES!!

Grandma and Grandpa = Hand and Foot

Alan and Uncle Evan building in the basement

Scott and Geoffrey headed to the Turkey Bowl - Thanksgiving Morning

Mom (Grandma) helping with the food prep

More loves with the boys

One table during the big meal

...and the other one

James even got to try solid food for the first time for his Thanksgiving Dinner

One of our little centerpieces we made from the bridesmaid bouquets

"This is a great football game, huh Grandpa"

Tracey invited the kids to come to her farm and see the horses...Alan loved it!!

Getting to know the horses

Posing with Aunt Meg

Uncle Evan tried riding first.........

...and was comfortable in no time.

It took some coaxing, but Alan eventually decided that riding horses was "so fun".

A very happy Thanksgiving - 2011!!