Merry Christmas!!!

Something very magical is happening.....I am calm, relaxed, and not worrying about 800 million things that I should be doing!!  Is it because Christmas has finally arrived?  Is it because my husband is home for a full 24 hours before he has to go to work again?  Is it because I have a white Christmas with snow covering the ground?  Is it because this morning, Mike read Luke 2 and I realized I have neglected the most important aspect of Christmas, Christ's humble birth?  I am sure the answer to my feelings are all of the above.  For right now, I am totally enjoying this feeling.  Pretty soon we will have to clean up breakfast, get dressed, put toys away, and throw away all of the wrapping paper so that we can go and enjoy Christmas with cousins. But for now, I love this feeling.  I just got off the phone with my family, talking to my brother who is serving a mission in Tennessee.  Addie and Jayne are laughing in the other room, playing.  Spencer and Mike are watching Wall-E.  All together as a family!  I LOVE IT!!!!! 

 I can't help but think of family members who are on the other side of the veil.  I am sure they are looking down on us, enjoying the scenes of laughter and togetherness as much as we are.  We truly miss every one of those members but know through the great Plan of Salvation, we will see them once again.  And that is why our Savior came to earth for us.  That is why he was born in a manger, so humble of circumstances.  That is why men traveled so many miles just to see him.  That is why shepherds followed the star.  That is why I love Christmas!

Here are a couple pictures of our festivities that we enjoyed!   I hope you enjoy them too.

Christmas Programs

Both of my girls had their Christmas programs this week.  They were great!  To be honest, I was kind of nervous about how Jayne would behave.  But what can I say, she was an absolute HAM!!!!! She knew every facial expression out there and used them all within one song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  Where does she get that personality trait from?!  (not her parents, ha ha ha)  

Addie did a wonderful job as well.  I loved the gingerbread man theme.  It was so cute how all month long, her class has been talking about the Gingerbread Man.  They even made a gingerbread man who ran away after they baked him.  All month long they have been tracking his whereabouts through postcards sent from family members around the country.  This is a great FHE idea if you are away from family and want to do something a little different.  I might use this idea next year.  (If I am that organized and I remember)

I am so happy that Grandma and Grandpa were there for both of their programs.  It definitely made my day, and I know it made Addie's and Jayne's day as well.  Not to mention that Spencer loved the attention from them.  Thanks Gpa and Gma!

Let it snow!!!!!!

I love this time of year!!!!!!  I have been dreaming of a white Christmas and now I actually have one again!  (Hopefully the snow will stay.)  Don't get me wrong, in February I will be ready to pull out those capris and put away all of the snow boots.  That most likely won't happen in Utah, I swear it was still snowing in April!  But what can I say....you can take the girl out of Arizona but you can't take Arizona out of the girl!  I still love my spring!

I can't remember when the last time I had made a snow angel, or a snowman for that matter.  So I followed Jayne and made a pretty good snow angel.  It was so fun to be a kid again!

This specific storm happened Saturday night and since we didn't have to be at church until the afternoon, I thought this was a great family activity.  Especially since Mike didn't have to work and all of his church meetings were over.  WE HAD A BLAST!!!!!!!

You can just see the excitement of the kid's faces.  Addie was so excited she even helped dad use the snow blower.