Hyde Park Happiness

What a lovely Christmas we enjoyed! It was delightful to have the elders from Dad's stake join us for Christmas Eve. It was a last minute thing, so we weren't very organized, but we had a good time watching some church Christmas videos, singing and hearing a message from the elders. Lauren and Nick came later and stayed all night with us, which greatly pleased Emma!  Even without little ones here, we stayed up too late, but got all of the projects finished that had to be done by Christmas morning.  Of course, it was wonderful to have the Harts and Nilssons join us later on Christmas day and to listen to the cousins play and sing and laugh and have fun together! We all enjoyed a rousing game of volleyball - and have the bruises to show for it!!  It was great to connect with Joe's family and Jenn via Face Time.  There are some technologies I am very, very glad for - and Face Time is one of those!  Bless Apple's heart!!

Here are some of my favorite Christmas memories from this year:

 

I, for one, am looking forward to 2016.  It's exciting to think about what may happen!  I will be contacting each of the family to hear your predictions for 2016 and will post them next Sunday, hopefully.  Here's a recap of the predictions and happenings of 2015 - to get your thoughts flowing for predictions for the coming year... (who made the prediction, which predictions actually happened)

Dad:  Harts will move, Lauren married
Mom:  I will graduate with good grades (3.99 GPA), wedding or two, Flakes will have renters, two new apostles, Harts will find dream home (even though they didn't buy it, it was found and an offer was made on it!), Emma will get a ticket, more than 50% of family will travel out of country
Elise:  Harts move, Joe offered the job of a lifetime, Dad super-successful side venture, Mom deliver 30 babies (only 24 this year, 160 total)
Jenn:  at least one new baby (Henry), at least one new home (their own rental home!!), Lauren will take trip to England
Joe:  Jenn new job, Emma will get ticket (only a warning for having a headlight out), Lauren engaged, Mom paid for births, Garrett back to school, Dad nothing changes
Emma:  Lauren married and pregnant, Lauren will plan trip to So. America
Ruth:  Robert D. Hales will die, Boyd K. Packer will die, wedding or two in the family, Lauren will pass her preview, Nilssons will do a house project
Lauren:  Thomas will travel (went on a cruise, Colorado, Idaho), Thomas engaged, another major calling (Joe - elder's quorum pres., Lauren - primary pres., Elise - RS pres.), someone pregnant (herself!!!)
Thomas:  Lauren married, another child addition (Henry), Mom and Dad new car
Grace:  the cousins will go to Disneyland

Miscellaneous predictions thrown out by family members playing ping pong:
- three new babies in the family or on the way
- two weddings
- four new cars (Joe & Lori van, Ruth and Garrett van, Thomas Subaru, Alex & Elise Lexus)
- one new prophet
- two new apostles
- Grandpa Belliston on a mission
- Garrett will run another race
- a new greenhouse in the family
- Harts will have a girl

You are quite good predictors!  Maybe we should all try manifesting along with our predicting and more things will occur that we want to have happen!  For more information about manifesting, talk with Elise and Alex!

Can't wait to see those of you who will be at Carl's for the New Year's party!  For those who can't be there, we will miss you, but will be in touch.  Love you all!