Our little Christmas

We woke up early on Christmas day (I mean early, really early) to see what Santa brought us then rush up to Salt Lake to see Ari & Lincoln open their Santa stuff! 

So here is our cute little tree & stockings filled with delight

...and Scout clearly excited about whatever is in her stocking (spoiler alert: it's catnip!).

 And our Morning Christmas faces! 

I'm taking that she wont hold still for a picture a good sign that she likes her new toy!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent with the Nevins!

There was about 20+ people (and presents!) squeezed into Mom & Dad's house! 

It was fun to spend Christmas Eve with the whole family! I mean, even Mike was here! 

Dinner, opening presents, and games! 

And....pictures:

             These cousins were being adorable.              Just adorable. 

 And we were all quite excited to open presents!

Well most of us at least....

 These ladies love cute things! (oh, and Dan)

              Backyardigans make him dance!            Oh! Hello, Kitty! 

                   I love my kitty gifts!                          #creeperbomb

Family Groupies:

 

 Togetherness. :)

The Saturday before Christmas we took the train up to Salt Lake with Ryan & Kristin to see the lights at Temple Square!

The train ride alone was an adventure! (It seems like the train would be even more fun during the day so you can see out the windows & also when it's not so packed!)

Temple Square was just as pretty as it is every year with all the twinkling lights! 

Christmas Eve!

So I don't know why this picture is making the lights flicker on the tree but it is super cool! 

(really, I have no idea how the twinkling lights appeared!!!) 

Early Christmas present

Andrew couldn't wait to give me my gift until Christmas. So I got to open it early!!! 

And I couldn't have been more excited about it! 

MATCHING HOODIE/FOOTIE PAJAMAS FOR SCOUT & ME!!! 

Kitty on the other hand.....

 She very much hated having it on. She had to crouch when she walked and had no balance at all. 

It was pretty funny. 

#badkittyparents

#butsheissocute

Nutcracker Ballet

So, for the first time ever I got to see The Nutcracker Ballet! 

Angel & Mike took us to see Ballet West's production in SLC. 

It was so festive & fun! It was wonderful to hear a live orchestra play that music. And the principal ballerina was truly amazing. She made every movement look so effortless, even when balancing on her tip toes. Amazing. 

And here's a picture to prove that I force Andrew to take cheesy pictures together wherever we go. 

Lookie what I made!

Just posting a couple of my cute Christmas crafts I made this year!!

An Advent Calender. These are just little stamped brown envelopes,

inside filled with one Christmas-y thing to do, read, make, or think about each day! 

 This is my new Christmas card wreath. 

I have since added lots of friends & family's Christmas cards! 

And this (although not completely finished yet) is from where we will hang our stockings!

Goodness it has been a long while.
I'm hoping to eventually catch up and start this whole blog thing again!

But for now, I'm just going to share a quote. I heard this quote for the first time yesterday, and I cannot stop thinking about it.

“There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer: no disease that love will not heal: no door that enough love will not open...It makes no difference how deep set the trouble: how hopeless the outlook: how muddled the tangle: how great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world..."

― Emmet Fox

The love he talks about is not limited to our own human love, but also by the love from our Heavenly Father. The love from our Savior. The love that abounds from the atonement. Because that love, specifically, is the love that will conquer & heal all things. Although, even among each other, it is always about love. Love is what brings us peace and joy.

That's all.

Happy Day!

Another Year's End

Fast forward of 2012!