Christmas Time

Christmas time is always a big and exciting time of the year. We loved all of the activities like putting up the decorations, Christmas Tree, and Ward Christmas Party. Funny story...We went to the wrong ward Christmas Party. We had just moved in Thanksgiving Day. We had missed a Sunday due to sickness, so I didn't know that it was supposed to be at the Stake Center. I had signed up for a Breakfast Casserole...and brought it! But we didn't realize until after the Primary put on the play and they said the ward's name that we were at the wrong place. By then we had already eaten! Oh well, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We didn't know anyone yet and so strange faces was a norm.

It snowed before Christmas and the kids loved playing in the snow in the back yard. We made some sugar cookies and delivered them to our neighbors Christmas Eve, but no one answered. We were trying to keep up with the Hebdon tradition. We were unable to go to Arimo as planned due to both kids having really bad diarrhea. We were afraid we couldn't make the 5 plus hour drive without some accidents. We were very sad, but it was nice being together. This was the first Christmas Joe had off for a couple of years.

For Christmas Eve we read the Nativity while we acted out the parts. JoJo really wanted to be the shepherd, Addie wanted to be Mary and an Angel, and Daddy was Joseph, Mommy was the Wiseman. This is a tradition that we try to do every year. And it helps us to remember Christ and his birth. We also watched the Living Scripture's " A King is Born". The kids enjoyed watching that. I think as they get older and begin to understand various concepts this will be a tradition that they will hopefully remember and feel gratitude for our many blessings.

Santa Claus brought both kids a bike. Addie had blue and JoJo had green. They LOVED their bikes! We gave them a Catching Fish Game, Candy Land, clothes, matching"Minion" Jammies, and some movies. Grandma Sally and Uncle Phil got JoJo a set of cars and 3 dinosaur that you could build or take a part with a screw driver. They gave Addie Peppa Pig set of wooden puzzles and a package of fingernail polish. She loves to get her "snowpies" painted. That's what she calls them, I don't know why. Grandma and Grandpa Hebdon gave them Christmas Eve jammies. Addie's were "Frozen" and JoJo's were "Cars".

Addie as Mary

Addie as Mary, Daddy as Joseph, and JoJo as the Shepard, Mommy (not pictured, Wise man)

Addie also wanted to be the Angel

We made sugar cookies and decorated them.

The kids loved decorating the Gingerbread House.

Ward Activity Santa, last minute JoJo got shy and wanted mommy to help him.

Addie still is too shy to see Santa, but looks so cute!

JoJo patiently waiting in line and trying on an Elf  Hat.

The Bare's had us for Christmas and gave us a Little People Nativity. They loved it and the music.

They really loved putting up the Christmas Tree. This was the first time I let them help decorate it. They actually did a pretty good job. I had to spread things out a little bit and Daddy helped with the higher branches.

JoJo as the Shepard

Addie with Frozen Jammies.

They LOVED the lights and decorations.

Addie's 4th birthday

Our baby girl turned 4, and she was so excited!! We asked her multiple times what kind of a cake she wanted, and she chose "Moana". So that is what we did. I have seen a few styles that I liked and decided to combine a few. I also used a different frosting recipe....so it started to lean a bit...but with some dals, it didn't fall over until the next day! Too funny...

We wanted to invites some family over. Grandma Sally and Uncle Phil came and brought her a "Spirit" style horse and doll. Great Uncle Randy and Aunt Kathy (whom I didn't get a picture of) brought her the pants that she is wearing and a white kitty sweatshirt. We got her "My Little Pony" Jammies (shirt is what she is wearing), a Moana figurine set that we used for her cake, a few movies. Grandma and Grandpa Hebdon gave her Rainbow Dash doll from "My Little Pony". JoJo gave her Mrs. Potato Head.

Addie with Rainbow Dash Doll

We invited our family to come after church for the Moana Birthday party. We had Tomatoa (crab) crescent chicken sandwiches, Heart of Te Fiti sugar cookies, nuts and raisinettes, and a variety of fruit.

Addie and Grandma Sally

Uncle Phil, Daddy, JoJo, Addie, and Grandma Sally

Birthday Decorations

We sure love Addie and are grateful she is in our family. She is so thoughtful and caring. She is often thinking of JoJo and making sure that if she gets a treat, that JoJo does too. She plays well with others at the playgrounds and includes kids of all ages and genders. She has a big heart. She loves her new room and often jumps off the window seat...despite her parents asking her not too. She jumps on her bed and has bent the frame...but she is just so active and loves to be doing things. She doesn't play with toys that well, but likes to be running, jumping, and singing all of the time. She definitely keeps us going.

Around October-November Addie started to potty train well, meaning poopoo. This has been an ongoing battle....but she finally was able to figure things out and want to go potty like a big girl. She likes to get treats for her reward, especially popsicles. We went swimming at the Rec Center and celebrated her big decision. Yah!!

Grandpa Neibaur's family

Aunt Rose, Aunt Iris, Great Grandma Alta Neibaur, Aunt Karryn, Aunt Ruth.

Great Grandpa Adrian Neibaur, Grandpa Clyde Neibaur, Uncle Gleason, Uncle Kent.

Great Great Grandma Bertha Neibaur.  I think they were all taken in their home in Newdale, Idaho.

Grandpa's funeral and burial

Six weeks after being diagnosed, grandpa passed away. The night of the solar eclipse,  Aug 21st at 10:15 p.m. My mom was there along with her sisters Lanette and Kathy. Grandma was asleep next to her sweetheart. The sisters went outside to talk, and they said it was a bright and clear night. They could see the Milky Way and saw a shooting star. They went to get a camera and came back out to see an ordinary sky. They felt that the heavens were open  and welcomed grandpa home. 

When I got the phone call, it was sad, but a huge relief. He was so tired, and was at the point he was ready to go back home to his parents and baby girl (aunt Trish). Grandma had a difficult time and pled for him to keep breathing. But then, after being given opportunities to serve him, gave a prayer for Heavenly Father to release him. He went home the next night. 

Addie, Jojo and I were able to go with my family to Grandpa Clyde's funeral in Bancroft Monday and then burial in Newdale on Tuesday.

It was a wonderful funeral, very sweet and full of memories of him. Some highlights are:

• Grandpa was given the best advice from his grandfather before he got married grandma, was to give 100%, never 50/50. Grandpa said he had $100 in his pocket, and a wealth of love in his heart. 
• Uncle Chad said he was only disappointed in his father once, when he was a kid. His friends were bragging about the curse words their fathers used, and he couldn't think of one. What a great example.
• When he was growing up, him and his cousins were playing hide and seek. They chose to hide in a barrel  (i think wheat so it had chaff). It was too hot, so they tried to get out, but couldn't. So they both prayed for help. His father Adrian was working, and was prompted to go to the place where the barrels were. He heard rustling, opened it up and found two weak boys. They took them to the hospital and the doctors told them they saved these boys life, they had only minutes left before they would have dies. I remember this story throughout my life. Grandpa would tell it with tears rolling down his cheeks.
• He lost his mom when he was 31 and father at 35. He was only a bishop for 1 month when he had to preside over his own father's funeral.

My mom was in charge of the displays for grandpa:

Their mission plaque for Nigeria.

Their mission plaque for New York, Manhattan Temple mission.

We buried him the next day in Newdale with "his people". It was a beautiful warm day. 

Mom hugging Grandma. Grandma clung to her for quite awhile.

Kevin was one of the pallbearers. One son from each family was chosen.

Grandpa's gun that was given to him from his father Adrian. It was believed to also be William Henry's. 25/30 was the kind of gun.

Mom placing her rose for grandpa.

Addie and I by the casket and floral arrangements. 

There are sprigs of wheat from the farm, potato sack ribbons, moss and cattails from fishing, pheasant feathers for hunting.

13 roses, grandpa gave grandma these roses each mother's day: red for boys, pink for girls.

Grandma with her brother Grant.

Our family with the Neibaur gun.

The kid enjoyed the horses nearby the cemetery. Jojo dared to feed them. Addie dared to pet them. They are getting used to bigger animals.

My sweet grandma and I before she left. Love her so much! !

Grandpa's father, Adrian. He was a WWII veteran.

Grandpa's paretns, Alta and Adrian.

Their children, granpa was the oldest.

Grandpa's grandparents, Bertha and William Henry.

The kids playing with the cattails from the floral arrangements. 

My cousin Jeremy Neibaur built grandpa's casket.

Addie broke open the cattails. Kevin said that would make grandpa happy, kids playing and being happy. It's trud.

The house grandpa built for grandpa when they got married. 

Grandpa's mother, Alta. He often called het his angel mother.