Christmas

This year, Christmas was with my side of the family. Celebrations started early with the arrival of John and Ju on the 22nd and went late with the departure of my Dad and Paula on the 28th. The entire week was filled with traditions, fun and love. It was a good Christmas.

Since my kids are getting older, it made it easier and more fun to really get into the holiday this time around.

Mesa Temple Lights (for the 2nd time this year and proof for Joe!)


Christmas Eve at Jess'

Cookie Decorating

The best part of cookie decorating

Nativity Scene

The cast:

Mary: Jess

Joseph: Ben

Baby Jesus: Trent

Angel: Me

Wise Men: Matt and Wade

Shepherd: Seth

Sheep: Ju

Sheep: John

Cow: Logan

Christmas Day!

Seth got a "Lightening McQueen"

Wade got his anticipated "Nintendo DS"!

Logan in his superhero cape
Nothing beats celebrating the holidays. I love the feeling of being DONE with everything after months of preparation! I also love doing nothing but hanging out with those you love. I am thankful for a wonderful and loving family.

Traditions

A couple of weeks ago, my Relief Society had an Enrichment about family traditions. Each woman in my ward shared one of her family tradition's. It was so much fun to hear what some of my neighbors and friends do each year at Christmas time. It also made me reflect on some of my own traditions.

The following is a list of what we do each year. Some are small and simple, but all are fun and meaningful to us.

Pajamas
Who doesn't do pajamas on Christmas Eve? It is a tradition of many, including us. This year, however, I got my boys non-Christmas designed pajamas so they aren't wearing reindeer's in July anymore.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzels
A favorite to all lucky enough to eat! Matt's sisters taught me the fine-art of pretzel making and have made me very popular with my ward come neighbor gift-giving time!

Temple Lights

We are lucky enough to live close to a Temple that also decorates its grounds at Christmas time. There is nothing like visiting the Temple at such a special time of year and to be able to take our kids makes it even better!

(This is a pic from last year, we have already gone this year but didn't take any pictures with the lights in the background)

Ornaments

This tradition was adopted from the Bryner's (Jess' in-laws.) Each year, each family member gets to buy a new ornament. I let them pick WHATEVER one they want (which is hard for someone who likes everything to match!) I write their name and the year on the back of the ornament and it goes on the tree. When each one of my children gets married, he will get to have all of his ornaments for his own tree (let me tell you, there have already been some "special" choices for ornaments that I will be glad to get rid of!)

Food

Christmas Eve turkey, Christmas day quiche, Great Aunt Beth's red salad and hot chocolate are all a must!

Christmas Cards

I LOVE getting the mail in December! Seeing all the different pictures and hearing how my friends and family are doing. So fun!

Cookies for Santa

We bake and frost sugar cookies for Santa each year. Wade LOVES it when he wakes up to see an empty cookie plate on Christmas morning!
(Last year's masterpiece!)

Christmas Lights

The lights go up on our house every year. This year we even sprung for giant Frosty. It has been Matt's dream to decorate our house "Griswald style" from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." Each year we get a little closer to this goal :).

Nativity Scene

Each year we do something that brings the true meaning of Christmas to our celebration. We have watched DVD's, read from the Bible and this year, we plan to act out the Nativity Scene for the first time in our family!

Service

Matt and I feel it is important to teach our children to serve others. We also think it is important for them to know and see that there are other kids out there who don't have a lot and need our help. This year we were able to help a baby girl and her family who has cancer. There is not another feeling that matches the feeling of serving someone. It has been an amazing tradition for our family.

Creating Christmas memories has been such a wonderful opportunity. It is such a fun time of year and I look forward to a lifetime more of new and old traditions with my sweet, little family.

7 months

Oh, he continues to grow and change so much each day. We love our little, Trent, so very much!

At 7 months he:

*weighs 17lbs 7oz

*sits up

*claps his hands

*babbles

*spits by pressing his lips together (not fun when food is in his mouth)

and...

Makes us laugh and feel blessed everyday!

Christmas in Disneyland

Since we have become regulars at Disneyland :), we thought we would check it out at Christmastime and we were not disappointed. Of course, they go all out in decor and celebration--it was so neat! The weather was nice and it wasn't too crowded so we were able to have some great family time at the "happiest place on Earth."

Mickey decorated in Christmas lights (he is sparkling, but it is kinda hard to see)




At the foot of the gigantic Christmas tree (the largest tree I have ever seen, but I have never been to New York...)

Standing in line for "Finding Nemo." If you have been to Disneyland, you know this line is ALWAYS super long. We hit it early and only had to wait 35 minutes. The sad thing was that the ride is totally OVER-RATED! The kids were even bored. On the bright side, we will not wait in that line again!

Trent spends a lot of his Disneyland time strapped to me in his Moby Wrap!



Waiting for the awesome Christmas parade--we LOVED it!

You know you are a mom when "Small World" is your favorite ride :). I really did love it! They had everything Christmas including the outside--loved it.
Keeping our Arizona blood warm...

Some of the other fun Christmas things were a candle holding choir walking up and down Main Street at night, it "snowed", the castle decorated in Christmas lights and icicles, characters dressed in winter clothes and the Main Street decor. I highly recommend Disneyland at Christmas.

Happy Birthday Dad

My dad turned 55 today. He still seems 30 years old to me :). Here is a list of 55 fun facts and things we love about him:

1. He LOVES his grandchildren

2. He is a very good conversationalist

3. My dad knows more about history than anyone else I know

4. He voted for Obama

5. He is fiercely loyal to those he loves

6. He has a hard time sitting still (this is who I got it from)

7. He has the best memory

8. He hates to throw things away

9. He loves to take my kids to "Peter Diper"

10. He is/ was a good skier

11. He makes a good meatloaf

12. He graduated from Utah State--Go Aggies!

13. He LOVES living in Salt Lake

14. He goes to the temple often

15. He was just ordained a High Priest

16. He loves not being out numbered anymore!

17. He is a good handyman and can find a way to fix anything

18. His Christmas lights have been hanging on his house for 10 years :)

19. He was a rebellious child (and adult :)!)

20. He loves his cats

21. He loves his wife

22. He always has to have the house freezing

23. He lives in the house he bought before I was born

24. He reads his scriptures

25. He likes "the Doors" and "Steely Dan"

26. He graduated college early

27. He has friends who live all over the world

28. Some days he wakes up and hops on an airplane for work and makes it back home that night

29. He doesn't have behaviors anymore :)

30. He loves his parents

31. He acts just like his dad

32. He is a solid rock you can always count on

33. He likes to take my boys for walks

34. He loves his son-in-laws

35. He (kinda) wishes one of us would have a girl

36. He is very supportive

37. He would do anything for me

38. He loves the gospel

39. He loves his bishop

40. He loves his neighbors

41. He always gave me a wonderful life

42. He used to have a garden filled with yummy fruits and veggies

43. He didn't yell at me when I ran over the "Dead End" sign

44. He let me go to 3 different colleges

45. He has always been there for me

46. My best childhood memories are because of my dad

47. He loved the Jazz with me

48. He loved my mom

49. He loves my sisters

50. He tries hard everyday

51. He never gave up

52. He is the best dad in the world

53. He is one of my heroes

54. I love him with all my heart

55. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!