Christmas Choas 2009

Christmas really wasn't all that chaotic. It just felt that way because for the first time for several years there were little kids at my parents house. My brother T.J. and his family decided to come up to Payson last minute. It made Christmas so exciting it was so fun to see there excited faces when they realized that Santa had found them at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was a wonderful day spent with family.

Making Gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve

This is what the living room looked like after Santa arrived.

Playing with new toys.

Temple square at Christmas

Temple square is so pretty this time of year! I love it! Last night me and some friends went up to salt lake to see the lights. It was really foggy, well at least we liked to pretend that it was fog but i think it was really smog. I am going to refer to it as fog because then it looks pretty and not gross. :) The first picture was taken with the flash on so you can see all of the fog. The next two are with the flash off so that you can't see the fog as well but you can still tell. I love the one of the temple and the fog.

Tina, Me and Bryant
This Christmas season has been great. It has been and will be filled with many more family and friend traditions. It is also a great time of the year to reflect on the birth of Christ and all that He has done for each and every one of us. I find it hard to truly focus on the true meaning of Christmas with the parties, hoards of people everwhere you go , and everything else that distracts us during the holiday season. This trip up to temple square always serves as a good reminder and always, without fail, gets me in the Christmas spirit.

It's Christmastime!!!!

I love Christmastime and all the goodies that come with! Yesterday after church me and Emily decided to make a bunch of goodies to take to the boys across the hall and the boys upstairs. The plateful of goodies included: snicker brownies, Oreo balls. As well as sourdough, m&m, and sugar cookies. (The cookies were all left over from munch and mingle but don't tell the boys that)

Christmas Thoughts to live by...

"What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. It was said of Him that He 'went about doing good.' As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will be ours."--Thomas S. Monson

AND...

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again."-Howard W. Hunter.