Thursday, December 27, 2007

New Palmer Bloggers

A New Experience
Welcome to our blog page. Is blog another name for ramblings? This is a new experience for Barton and Jeanne (It will be mostly Jeanne doing the posting). I have enjoyed reading the blog pages of other family members so thought I would give it a try.

It is different than a web page or a news letter where there is more control over the design, look, and order of the articles.

I am a novice at this and as time permits will learn how to add pictures, links, and other items to make it more interesting. Hopefully this blog will help those we love to know that we are still actively engaged in whatever experiences life give us.
Jeanne
Christmas Celebration
We had another joyous Christmas season. The excitement started on Dec. 14, when Ann came to Kirtland and brought my mother and Tamra, to spend a few days with us.

Os Sat. all the women went to a wonderful play and luncheon put on by the Stake Relief Society. They do that every two years and it is wonderful.

Ann and my mother went home on Wednesday and Tamra rode back to Orem with Barton and I on Friday.

On Saturday, Dec. 22 we were able to go to the Jordan River Temple with our niece, Joy. (Barton's brother, Richard's daughter) After the service we went to her sister, Reva Ann's home for a nice luncheon. We were able to spend time with Richard and Reva who came from Washington for the occasion.

On Sunday we spent time with my Mom and my sister, Nancy and husband, came for a visit. They live in St. George now and are not always in town when we go up to Orem.

On Monday, Christmas eve we went back to Reva Ann's home for a dinner and program. Those attending:
Old married couples:
Barton and Jeanne
Richard and Reva
Our married nieces:
Reva Ann and Clint and 4 children.
Jill and Austin
Guendolyn and Eric and 2 children
Our single ladies:
Ann, Tamra, Joy, Laura
Honored guests:
Jeanne's mother
Eric's mother

A good time was had by all and the children put on a good play of the first Christmas. Reva Ann knows how to do a good party.

Christmas morning we spent with my mother. Ann, Tamra, and Laura came for breakfast. In the afternoon Ann and Laura left to spend time with other family and my local family members came to spend time with my Mom. Tuesday we had a traditional get-together with the Mughans and played the crazy gift exchange game. It was also my brother, Richard's, birthday so we had cake and sang to him. Those attending:
Old married couples:
Allen and Neva
Nancy and Kieth
Barton and Jeanne
Richard and Betsy
DaNieces and family:
Liz and Doug and 4 children
Monica and 2 children
Michelle and 1 child
Our single ladies:
Karna, Tamra, Valerie
Honored guest: (It was her house)
Jeanne's mother

Next year Doug is in charge and that should help with communication and giving enough advance notice so that people can plan their schedules.

Current Church Activity

We are assigned to help the branch at Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. The chapel is about 5 miles from the four corners monument in Arizona so if you look at a map and find where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico meet you will know where we are on Sundays.

Jeanne teaches the Young Women and Barton fills in in Sunday School as needed. We are assigned a few families to home teach. We have been doing this as a couple for 3 years but Jeanne was helping in Young Women as a member of the Stake YW for 2 years before that.

We really like the people but sometimes miss our own ward family. there have been families move in, babies born, changes in callings, etc. that we are not aware of. We go to activities but church in our ward but Sunday services are the same time as at Teec.

Our stake has about 8 couples with this calling that go to two branches and the Shiprock ward but there are also other couples called to work with branches not in our stake. Their calling is more like a service mission and they are called as "member mentor missionaries". Salt Lake is monitoring both of these programs to see how they are working. The purpose is to help the people on the Navajo reservation to become self-sufficient temporally and spiritually.

Happy New Year

New Year's Resolution:
Keep in touch with family and friends by getting email addresses and creating a blogspot.