Places mentioned in this post: Idaho Falls, Idaho Meridian, Idaho Pendleton, Oregon Lake Oswego, Oregon Two nights before I left on my Christmas trip to Portland, I squeezed in a visit to the Idaho Falls Temple. The Nativity scene and the red floral accessories in front were especially beautiful.  The next evening, I brought my niece, Mari, with me to our Ward Christmas Party. The food wasn't that great, but the decorations were fun and the sing-along was even more fun! At one point, we all participated in singing The 12 Days of Christmas, with a different assignment for each table. My table was given the verse "12 drummers drumming", and when it was finally our turn, we drummed on the table with our hands while we shouted out the words.  Mari has a new kitten, named Angel. She has a remarkable ability to jump up way higher than you would think she could at her age . . . We'll see if she lives up to her name, ha ha . . . Friday, December 13th: I drove across the stat...