Christmas Celebrations

Our newest tradition around Christmas time is to go bowing on Christmas Eve. It was, once again, spectacular. We bowl, we cheer, we tease, we dance, we eat, it is just awesome to be together.


Barbie made our bowling shirts this year (the IX stands for 2009). She is a pretty "crafty" girl. I thinks she goes to Michael's at least once a week. I think Colby won again this year (another tradition?). He definitely has style.

And here is our post-bowling photo.

After bowling we headed to Grandma Nona's to do luminaries (another, much older, tradition that makes me miss my sweet dad). It was cold, so we bundled up. They turned out beautiful, of course.

Emma decided to do some snow angels because the angles came to announce the birth of Jesus. So, Michael and Sarah followed suit.

We spent the evening visiting, making yummy food and playing Beetles Rock Band. It was so fun to hang out together. We were even lucky enough to have the Robin, Lynn, Tyler and Grandma Mary over for Christmas Eve this year.


I love this picture because as I have gotten older everyone tells me how much I look like my mom. I think that I look like my aunt Robin too. It was really fun to see these ladies "rock out."


There was a lot of LOVE!!!!


Christmas is truly a magical time of year. How lucky we are to have a time set apart to celebrate the birth of our Savior. There is just something so peaceful about the love, snow, good food, kindness, and family -- how perfect.

I love, love, love to watch my kids have such fun at this time of year. Christmas morning . . .


And then ahhhh . . . the chaos commences.

Isn't it awesome!!!!!

I think one of my favorite things about this year was being able to see my kids with their cousins. You would never think these two boys lived nearly 3000 miles apart.


Cousins are the best, I can testify of that. I can't imagine my childhood without my cousins.

Having said that . . . so are aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, great grandmas, great grandpas, great aunts, great uncles, second cousins, good friends, sisters, brothers . . . my heart is so full. I love you all. Merry Christmas!!!!