Best Way Out of Class.....Haircuts!

We had a fun time talking with Elder Pierce on Christmas Day. One of the things we brought up to him was the fact that his hair was SO SHORT...even by missionary standards. He started laughing and explained that while in the MTC in Guatemala he had a Spanish class that was really boring. They had him in a class with beginning Spanish speakers. One of the "legal" ways to get out of class was to get a haircut. Well the photo says it all!!! He said he got 4 haircuts in one week. At least he didn't break any rules...right? Leave to Jonathan to find a way out of class!

Christmas Morning...missing Elder Pierce

The first present we opened was the sweet package Jonathan sent us from Guatemala!

Hailey and I got these cool bags. Dave got handmade leather scripture covers and Aden got a tee-shirt and hand woven scripture covers.

We talked to Elder Pierce for about three hours on Christmas morning. His friends Adella, Alex and Matt came over to chat as well. He is doing good but is struggling a bit with homesickness. I'm not sure whether the phone helped with that or not. It was weird not having Jonathan home but we are so proud of him and his decision to serve a mission. Serving others is what the Christmas season is all about!

We hope all of you had a

WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS!

The Pierce family did!!!

Our Christmas Eve...and our new present!

On December 20th Teancum Ashton Gevas was born.

His mom, pictured below,is my niece....so Ashton in my great nephew!

My other niece Marina age 8 is holding him!

He was born three weeks early so he only weighs 5 lbs.

What a sweet addition to our family!

Ashton was appropriately dressed in his Santa wear!

Top 10 Reasons Why I Haven't Blogged....

It has been an incredibly busy week in the Pierce household!

I will try to catch you up with a top 10 list of our week!

10. Thursday night was the Santa Rosa Central Soccer Christmas Dinner. Dave is the president of the soccer league which I guess makes me first lady. We also fed the Missionaries and made dinner for a friend who just had surgery.

9. Friday night was Hailey's final Christmas Concert at Santa Rosa High

(We missed you Brook, David and Carter!)

8. Saturday, after walking, Aden and I went to have breakfast at the Bishop's. We then baked and cooked and shopped!

7. Sunday morning we when to Jimmy Bliss' Homecoming. He just came home after serving a mission in Minnesota.

6. Sunday afternoon we went to out neighboorhood Christmas Party and Cookie exchange. We baked sugar cookies and made wontons for the party. (see #8)

5. Sunday night we said good-bye to Jeremy, Katie and Alexis Whitelock who are moving to Indiana this Saturday! They will be MISSED!

4. Later Sunday night we met Porter James Spencer the new baby of Lora (Scribner) and Mark Spencer. What a CUTIE!

3. Monday night was a cookie exchange at the Harris Home!

2. I baked 100 sugar cookies, 2 cheesecakes, made 200 wontons and a batch of clam chowder for my work's annual Christmas Caroling Party!

1. SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP!!!!!!!!

p.s Just in case you were wondering if Santa would fit in his suit this year....here is proof!

(Thanks Jackie for the photo!)

Yes Karen....there is a Santa!

This photo was taken December 1970 when I was 4 years old! It is always the photo I bring to baby showers when we play that game where you guess which baby or child is who. When playing that game, some pictures are easy to guess but others you can guess who it is by the age of the photograph. I had a sudden realization this morning that my photo will now be in the "older photo" category. Yes, I can not deny that I am getting older....but I am STILL young at heart, and really, isn't that what counts!

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas....

Where's Waldo....I mean Elder Pierce!

Can you find that strawberry blond Elder Pierce in this photo?

How about this one?
Both these photos were taken while Jonathan was in the Guatemala MTC. The first one is his "graduating class" from the MTC. The second one was taken in a small city called Antigua! Yes, he is the only one NOT looking at the camera!

Wow!.....Feliz Navidad!....Early!

We received a package from Elder Pierce TODAY!

We haven't opened it yet....17 more days until Christmas!

Also the Mission Office is moving....

This should be Jonathan's address for the rest of his mission....

21 months and 2 weeks but who's counting!

Elder Jonathan Pierce

Mision Guatemala Ciudad Norte

Apartado Numero 951 A

Ciudad de Guatemala,

GUATEMALA C.A

Wreath Making....California Style!

One on the traditions I loved while living in Boston was the annual Wreath Making Party. It was always a wonderful night with Christmas music, great food and great friendships, plus I learned how to make a traditional Christmas wreath. We lived in the Boston Area for three years. The first year I helped with decorations and clean up at the wreath making party. The next two years I helped to make 200 bows for all the wreaths. Well, this year the lovely women in my neighborhood decided we would have our own Wreath Making Party. It was not very formal. Everyone brought things from their yards or things they had gathered around the "hood"!

We held it outside in Lyn Bell's backyard. (Yes, it was 70 degrees outside).

All of the supplies....
Kristin's creation!

Julie's creation!

Lyn's creation!

And two from ME!

I had worked the night before, hence the tired face...

and yes I made that gold bow...a skill I learned 18 years ago!

Body Worlds!

Our sweet sister Lori and her family have our names for Christmas this year! Instead of sending gifts, she wanted us to have an experience and a memory which we were all on board for! Saturday our families went to the Body Worlds Exhibit in downtown Salt Lake!

This is a display of real human specimens, including whole body plastinates, organs, and translucent body slices! The exhibit featured the heart and the cardiovascular system. It was very well presented and actually quite fascinating, not disturbing as some might think! One of the most profound parts of the display was the lungs that had been damaged from years of smoking. Definitely a case of the "black lung" (cough cough)!

Sam and Aden showing off their bodies!

Aden is holding a human heart that has been plastinated!

Thanksgiving in Zion!

After a long night of driving, we arrived in Salt Lake City. Wednesday night we visited with family and Hailey went to the Jazz game with her friend Kevin McGee.

Thursday we went to the movies. Some saw Australia! Some saw Madagascar 2 and some of us saw Twilight. Can you guess who saw what? We also had fun cousin bonding time! Here is Hailey with Cousin Karly!
Also on Thursday we got to spend time with some of our favorite California transplants, Brook, David and Carter. They moved to Utah in August for school. The good thing is we have been able to visit them twice since they have moved! Carter is so cute and is growing up so fast!

On Friday we celebrated Thanksgiving! The meal was great and the company was even better! There was only one cooking disaster...kind of a big one....my sister in law's oven broke when the turkey was only half way done! With some quick thinking and some kind neighbors the meal was a success!

A good time was had by all!

In the Mission Field.....Finally

A week ago Tuesday, Elder Pierce finally left the MTC in Guatemala. For you that know Jonathan, the "confinement" of the 9 weeks in the MTC was not his favorite. Luckily he was able to split it between the MTC in Provo and the MTC in Guatemala. He is now serving in a city about two hours outside of Guatemala City called Palencia. He already has a Baptismal Commitment from a 10 year boy named Marco whose family they are teaching. Marco is getting baptized this Saturday.

Here is Elder Pierce with President and Sister Torres!
Elder Pierce and Elder Walker (from Layton, UT)