Happy New Year!!!

 

 

From our Family to Yours.....

 

We wish you a Merry Christmas  and a Happy New Year!

 

For our Christmas card/letter  that I sent out to others we don't live close by to, I made a family crossword puzzle.   I really messed it up, but next year I think I will try to do it again, but this time I will get it right! 

Favorites of Christmas

(All in no particular order)
1.  Christmas Movies    I love watching a Christmas movie while wrapping presents, baking,  getting dressed in the morning.    I can't express in words how much I love them.  The more cheesy they are the better!

2.  I love getting Christmas cards in the mail.  The more news they hold, the more I like them.  I love the pictures.  I look forward each day for some fun cards, through mail or email, I'm not picky.   Below is a picture of how my friend Makinzee  displays them.  I am going to to do it that way next year.  Taping them up has just lost its appeal.



3.  I love Christmas baking.  We have some traditions we make each and every year.   Some of my children don't believe you can  have Christmas without the usual baking. 
We always make 7 layers bars (my mom's tradition)   Peanut Butter cups,  and Sugar cookies.   One of Matt's favorite traditions was making Sugar cookies and also receiving a package of fudge from his Grandma each year.  So I make fudge, of course, too.    

            

4.  Giving the 12 days of Christmas or receiving it!!!    This year some family has picked our family to do the 12 days of Christmas.  They have been wonderful!!!!  It has been so fun to be generously spoiled.   I love that because we have received this, that we see the goodness in EVERYONE.  You don't know who is doing this kind act, so you feel gratitude for everyone!!!  Thank you, thank you!!!  They are quite sneaky too.  Below  are some of the  fun gifts we have received.

5. Giving Neighbor Gifts  I love giving gifts.  This year I bought my neighbor gifts very early so I got a steal on them.  And it had 2 books in one!!  I love a bargain.   I gave these out as well as some other things too! 

6.  Christmas Music-----I love listening to Christmas CD's, Kara playing the piano and singing.  In fact I am doing it right now!!!!    Kara is singing tonight at a Benefit concert for the Road Home, a homeless shelter.  She gets to sing at the Masonic Temple in SLC.  The program is below, but it is hard to read.

Above is a song from Kara's recent Candlelight Concert. I loved this song, until Spencer told me what it really is implying, but I still like it.  (It is a really bad copy.  Matt and I switched users to get the best angle).

7.  I love being with family  I love having my family all together.   When I think of Christmas I think of my family.  I think of my mom and dad who have both passed on.  I miss them dearly, but I am grateful, as I focus on my Savior's birth, that he made it possible for me to be with them again. 

I am grateful that this year--all of my children are home and we get to spend Christmas together. I realize that this is a real luxury the older my children get.  I am grateful for the time we get to be together. 

 Above are my some of my siblings, Matthew, Mark, Katie, my step mom Sheryl and their families while visiting in Seattle this Christmas.
From left to right: Mikayla,  Brittany, Suzanne, Brighton, Matthew, Nathan, Sheryl, Katie,  Abe, Cougar, Mark,  Miriah, Jett, Layla, Cumorah and Caleb.  

8. I love Christmas lights  I appreciate Christmas lights. As a child I can never remember our family putting up Christmas lights, so I go overboard.  My husband is great about putting up lights. I really appreciate  him for doing this. 
   

9.  I LOVE the spirit of Christmas.   I love how everyone is a little bit more kinder, patient, and giving.  I love that Christmas helps us focus more on our Savior.

10.Reading the Story of our Savior's Birth  I am grateful to be reminded each year of the simple birth of our Savior.  I am grateful for the perfect life he led, the example he was to us, and that he laid down his life so we can live eternally.  I can't think about the Savior's birth without thinking about the Atonement. 

I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!!! 

Christmas Parties

For our Ward Christmas party Kara was asked to sing.  She sang three songs:  Mr. Grinch, All I want for Christmas is you, and Silent Night! The program was very nice and the food was super, duper yummy.  Then we ran Kara to another Christmas party.

The next week we had a R.S. Christmas party.  We went around to sisters homes and they shared some of their favorite traditions.  Then we went back to the church and had yummy food.  Each sister was asked to write a spiritual event/experience they had and each sisters experience was compiled into a book.  What a treasure!  I have loved every  minute of reading it.

On another night  I went to our annual Ornament exchange party. So much fun to visit with friends and have a good time.

Above are just a few of us. 

Then we had our ward Hawaiian  Youth Christmas Party. The Beehives were in charge of it and luckily my advisers were so helpful. Not to complain, but  I have been feeling pretty bad over the last month since I barely take my shot, so it was a relief.  Thanks to all the men who helped clean up too.  It was wild and crazy, but then it was over!!!  Yeah.

Then we had Matt's work party the next night.  And it was fun to get together with everyone.  Very long, but so nice to visit with old friends and meet new ones too. 

 Another night we had our Ugly sweater party.  Last year I did it at my home, but because I feel so you know what, my friend offered to host it.   I had wanted to have two parties on separate nights,  as I wanted to invite more people, but I will have to do it  at another time.   Thanks for being patient with me.

 Above Matt and us before the party started. 

And above Matt playing one of the games.  Such  silly, fun games.   It is amazing how creative people can be.


Kara performed at a Christmas party last night.  She did a beautiful job singing.  She still has three  more singing performance that she will be doing this week.  One for a benefit concert for a charity and another for a concert and another for choir.  She keeps us running.

Incidentally she just started in a new play.  She has the lead part, being the evil one.  It is a play sort of like the 12 dancing princess.  It is hard to imagine her being evil, since she is so darn sweet, but I am sure she will do a wonderful job.  She is running between dance lessons, piano  lessons, voice lessons,  early choir performances,  teaching her piano students and play practice several times a week.  I don't think we could keep up if  we had several young children to add to the mix. 

I was excited when I realized that tonight I don't have to be anywhere.  HOORAY!!!  Both Kara and I did a happy dance when we realized it, too bad Matt can't be home too!!!!

Putting up Christmas

 Our tree!   My cousin Jana taught me last year how to make the big bows on the tree.  It was fun to do, but I am certainly not as good as she.

My Nativity that my Aunt Jan made for me.

 

I love decorating my dining room. I especially love the chandelier. 

 

 This is the Nativity that Coby brought home from Bethlehem.  We love it and we love the music that comes with it.

 Colleen and Coby came over for the last time before heading to Las Vegas. It was fun to have them both over.  I don't know if we will see her before she leaves on her mission.  We love Colleen and we know she will be a terrific missionary.  

The last month according to my camera

 Decorating pumpkins for Halloween

 Thanksgiving day preparations.  Kara was a big helper.  She helped make the green bean casserole and she made the sweet potato casserole and everyone helped prepare a lot of the food together. It certainly made it much more FUN!!!

 Colton made the mash potatoes.  We made them a little different today.  We prepared everything and then made them in the crock pot.  They were yummy.   Above Colton  having a little too much fun sweeping.  

 Sitting down to eat.

 It was a beautiful clear day on Thanksgiving. 

 Everyone helped clean up.  It makes it go by so fast.  Then we hung out and talked until we went and saw the movie, Lincoln. Spencer didn't join at the movie because he went to go and spend time with his girlfriend Ann.   After the movie we came home and had yummy pie.   Spencer had made his usual triple berry pie.  It is always one of  my favorites.  All in all a wonderful day!