Our December 2025 Social Calendar!

 We had such a nice holiday season! It was me and David's first one together, so it was unique and "especially special." We did a lot of fun things, many of them with Sam.

Savior of the World at the stake center

Annual holiday dinner party with friends. Yes, my eyes are {once again} closed (in the first picture) 😑 

Tree-shaped butter at the ward Christmas brunch. The food was delish! 

Then I saw it a couple of weeks later at the grocery store.

We went to the Giving Machines at the Natick Mall. It was our first time doing them, and it was great! The Church does a really nice job with these, and it's a great way to give to good causes that you get to choose.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...

We went to a wonderful candlelight concert with a string quartet at a nearby church. I went last year and really enjoyed it. It was neat to go this time with my new husband, son, sister, mother, and mother's boyfriend this year. Plus I saw my friend Kerry and all of her family. It was a lovely evening.

That's Kerry's mom on the right. I've known her since I was a young teen!

(That's Kerry's mom again 😆)

That guy standing up has played with major celebrities. He was an awesome violinist and singer, and he was very funny and kind.

We went to The Nutcracker in Wellesley with Sam and Veronica.

Of course, the holiday social events calendar really kicked off the with the amazing day trip to NYC for the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular in November. And not included in this post but in posts to come are gingerbread house making, Christmas Eve with my family, and New Year's Eve on the Cape (we did something really fun and unique—stay tuned!).

It was an awesome holiday season! Nine out of ten! (Nine because John wasn't with us!)

John's Mission Pics in Nov./Dec. 2025

 John continued to live and serve in the inner city of Denver in November and December. He and his companion, Elder Reed, got along well and have been a good pair. 

Here they are with Imelda at her baptism. John said she was a golden investigator, and he really enjoyed teaching her and seeing her conversion process. Elder Reed baptized her, and John did the confirmation.

That's a big pizza! Plus, I think John looks like a model in this picture.

But not as much in this one. Selfies; you win some, you lose some. 😆

Well, at least it's not Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, or an energy drink! 

This is a member with Down Syndrome who loves the missionaries. John was really good with him.

One of John's best friends returned home from his mission to California in December, and we went to his homecoming talk. It was good to see him again. I'm excited that the friend gang is starting to return! The other Ben returns from Arizona in June, Conner from Japan in July, and then John in August (seven months away!). 

Here's John's empty stocking on the night of Christmas Eve. I'm so glad that next year, he'll be home for Christmas!

I continue to be very thankful for his time in the mission field. He's learning and growing in such valuable ways and doing so much good for the people he meets. I'm very proud of my son!

November 2025 Randoms

 Here are the randoms of November 2025, at least as far as my phone camera is concerned!

The month started out on a fun note, with going out to visit Nate and Kat with my mom and Jennifer to plan our trip to Scotland in the spring, and then we got lunch, and I had the most delicious lavender hot chocolate ever. 

David and I went for a nice fall walk in the woods near College Rock on a beautiful and mild Saturday afternoon.  

I used to go on this walk as a divorcing singleton seeking for the peace and solace of nature when I lived in the Oak Street house.

Now I have a wonderful husband who goes on these walks with me. It was a meaningful, full-circle experience!

A cute text exchange with Sam. He's not often affectionate like this, so I have to document it when it happens!

David and I went to the Cape for a couple of days, in part to mark the one-month anniversary of our marriage and the ten-month anniversary of our first date. We had dinner at the Old Yarmouth Inn, paid for by a gift card that a friend gave us for our wedding present. Very nice!

This is a pretty handmade wedding gift from another friend. I put it at the Cape house since it has seashells and sea glass.

Evening time

Hi!

We got a money tree plant (in the pink pot) as a wedding gift. They're supposed to be easy to take care of, so hopefully it will stay alive and grow and be with us for years to come.

My college friend Bradley wrote another article for The Wall Street Journal.

A pretty morning picture of the temple. There are few better places to start the day than here.

And a pretty evening picture of the temple. David took this one.

I cleaned out and reorganized the household binder and made a new cover for it.

My friend Kendra is an artist and a designer, and she painted this custom-made English Cottage tote bag that I couldn't stop thinking about when I first saw it in one of her emails. So several weeks later, I treated myself and bought it. I have no regrets, and I love it! It's the only one in existence.

A mission pic from John that, of course, involves eating out. 😆

My niece Hayley got us this personalized mug for a wedding gift. I absolutely love it, and it cracks me up whenever I use it. It's one of my favorite wedding gifts!