Recent Happenings

Yesterday was our firstborn's 40th birthday.  We are so grateful to be parents.  Bubba says he's glad he let the teenagers survive so we could have grandchildren.  The following pictures will show some random things that we have done recently.

Sunset out our window

Sisters Snelson, Scheu, David, and Sister Norton

David's Baptism (we helped to contact him singing in the park)

Fiesta celebrating a temple sealing

Thanksgiving in the MTC

Dessert was a banana split bar

Thanksgiving dinner at the MTC with guests

Thanksgiving dinner with new missionaries

Sisters Seastrand, Sullivan, and Thunborg

Sisters Stepp, Sullivan, and Smith

Bubba playing barber and President Jackson

Halloween Dance with the YSA

Dimitri and Marina (married Russian teachers)

This is what we do every Sunday!  We love it!

Missionaries going to Spain, Russia, Albania

Love my piano

The maestro

With President and Sister Sitterud

One of our outstanding teachers, Juan Arnal

Abby and Lauren (Americans)

Making Chicha Morada

The master chef getting ready for Thanksgiving

Chicha Morada

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Muddy shoes from tracting in the rain

The tree we are going to use for our devotional

How many kids can fit in the kitchen?

And this is what they made--a Peruvian dish

The missionaries singing at
Retiro Park

Only the 2nd time that we have had chocolate and churros!  With our 3 friends that just finished study abroad in Paris. One is the granddaughter of the Madrid Temple President, sitting between the other 2.

Nana with the B6 (Barrio, or ward #6) Hermanas, Stepp and Norton

In the Temple Hotel Reception area

The entry to the MTC, 4th floor

Deck the Halls

We have several trees in the MTC.  This is in the Sala Grande, or Main Meeting Room.

Belen (nativity) in the comedor (lunch room).

The MTC is ready for Christmas!

We're getting ready for Christmas, now with Thanksgiving almost over (we're hosting a dinner at our apartment tomorrow for the American kids in Madrid).  We're so grateful this season for the opportunity of being here, of learning about this wonderful country and the incredible members in this part of the vineyard.  Yesterday we had the rare opportunity of being in the Madrid Temple on Thanksgiving morning with all the missionaries from the MTC, some (from Russia) in the Temple for the first time ever.  The last line of "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" reads, "Come to God's own Temple, come.  Raise the song of Harvest Home."

Chocolate Churros at San Gines in Madrid

For those familiar with Spanish culture, you know about chocolate churros.  I'm told they're quite different in Mexico and Latin America; I don't know.  I had never eaten them before I came to Spain.

With the world's best Spanish tour guides, Paco and Suzi Serrano

The mecca of Spanish chocolate churros is a little restaurant hidden away on a little sidestreet near the center of Madrid, and area called "Sol".  The name of the restaurant is San Gines.  They make their own special brew of chocolate.  Anyway coming to see us: I promise you an outing to San Gines and the best chocolate churros on the planet.

Inside the restaurant.  Pictures of lots of famous people on the walls here.  And a lot of people waiting for a table.  We found a table for 4 in the basement.

Putting on weight has not been a challenge for me here in Spain.