Family Video Chat!!!

This Sunday evening was our first weekly family video chat. It was wonderful to get to visit with all my kiddos, Josh and Leigh in Idaho, Sam and Vivi in Mesa, Tim in Korea, Dad at Grandpa Alger's and the rest of us at home. The Church just changed the communication policy for families and missionaries. We can now email, call, video, and text with our 

Timmy one hour per week on his preparation day. 

Sara was able to tell Timmy face to face about her mission call to Hungary and Romania!!!

It was so great just to hear his voice and for all of us to 

Sara curled Josh's and Noah's hair. They enjoyed having extra body and luscious curls! lol

Lilly stayed the night to catch up on life with Sara.

Monday, the kids had lots of friends over. I love when we have a house full of young people!

Sara had her friend Jacob over to hang out. They played Foosball, Speed and Slamwich and Sara beat him at all three. He handled it well, but cried a little inside or maybe a lot. He's a pretty cool guy.

Gisela and Jim gave us this beautiful plant to share their love at this time of loss, with Grandma Alger's passing.

Sara has been working hard on her art projects. She has been working lately on a color wheel assignment.

Grammy took Sara and I out for Chinese on Wednesday to celebrate my birthday and as a thank you for Sara cutting her hair. It was SOOO YUMMY!!!!

Daniel bonded at mutual with our elders. We love Elder Zemp and Elder Ferguson!

Poor, sweet Leigh had to have a root canal. No fun!

A sneak peak at the costumes for one of our songs in the upcoming GCC choir concert.

Sebastian loves it!

On our drive home from school, I scared Sara with a huge gasp as I saw the white covered mountains in the distance. They were covered in snow!!! We see snow on our mountains to the north almost every year, but only on the tops. With this last storm system, they were COVERED!!! There was snow on all of the mountains surrounding us.

Just over the trees in the middle, you can see snow on the Estrella mountains to our south.

  

This isn't a good picture, but you can see there is some snow at the top of the White Tank mountains to our west. I have never seen snow on them before.

It has been so cold and wet these last few days, but we have loved all the fun weather.

Friday night, we went to the Phoenix Chorale concert. I got tickets for Daniel, Sara, Jacob and I. It was incredible as usual. It was the first time for Daniel and Jacob and they loved it!

The guest conductor was Christopher Gabbitas. He was phenomenal!

Sara caught me unexpectedly.

My choir professor, the Chorale's assistant director, Dr. Kevin Kriegel, Christopher Gabbitas and the Chorale's President, Jen Rogers 

Christopher is absolutely a delightful person!

Sam and Vivi drove about an hour to play in the snow!!!

They were crazy and stuck their faces in the snow to create these awesome pictures.

They are so cute!!!

  

Sunday, I visited a couple of wards for ward conferences. (I was recently called into the Stake Relief Society Presidency.) One of the wards we visited was Gateway Park. They were split off of our ward about 7 years ago, so it was awesome to go and visit with my dear friends. I miss seeing them every week at church. Nelly and I had to take a selfie to send to Amanda Blakeley. It was her birthday!