christmas time

Merry Christmas! I just wanted to quickly post some of the photos from our Christmas Eve and Christmas day festivities. Also to let you know that, even though I was super lame this year and didn't send out any Christmas cards, I really appreciated hearing from all of you and love you all very much!!! Lastly, I want you to know that I have a testimony of the Savior--His birth, His mission, His gospel and the atonement--that it's real, it's true and He lives!

The Nativity scene on temple square

Christmas Eve we had Jeff & Felicia's family over for dinner, movies and...

...to celebrate this cute guy's birthday! My nephew, Dean, turned 22.

Our dinner table setting (per usual I set down the camera when we start eating).

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CHRISTMAS MORNING

Emma, Morgan and Sarah anxious with anticipation.

SARAH

Santa brought Sarah a Nintendo DS. Can you tell that she's excited? (My children have a tendency to have "psycho" eyes when they're excited.)

Sarah opening her Bakugan sphere (she also got mini Bakugans)

Sarah with her third most requested thing: books! (She also got games, webkinz, crafts & science stuff)

EMMA

Santa brought Emma the one thing she asked for: a Fur Real Kitty. She LOVES that thing! Named it Lisa.

I love this pic--her expression. We got her a V-tech Cyber pocket and it was completely unexpected. She LOVES that thing! Plays non-stop.

Emma opening her "Perfection" game. (She also got pet shop, books, pixos and moonsand, webkinz & games)

MORGAN

Santa brought Morgan that Cinderella barbie behind her. She also got a baby Fur Real kitten w/ a bottle, so that she and Emma can play "mommy/baby cat".

Morgan opening up her Candyland game. She also got Elefun.

Morgan with another cinderella doll (she also got cinderella shoes, tea set, snow white doll, leap pad books, magna doodle, play-doh & books).

Morgan & Sarah with their loot!

Gene (aka Santa) got me these real gold earrings! Love them! Also...

...this Estee Lauder perfume set (love it)...

...and this portable Ipod stereo. Love it. (Also a New Moon game, back massager, etc.)

I (Santa's little helper) got Gene these noise-cancelling headphones, per request (also 4 2-way radios, lap top cooler, ski "tickets" & a Ken barbie-somebody has to be the boy!)

Behold! the carnage!

I hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas/holiday/Hanukkah as we did!

the bearded man in red

A few days before Christmas I took our girls to see THE man, Santa Claus, himself! We don't visit Santa every year--some years they would rather just write him a letter and mail it to the North Pole, but this year Emma really wanted to sit on his lap. Alone. A big girl. Morgan was a different story, and Sarah could care less (she's always prefers the letter) so she went with Morgan. About 10 seconds into it Morgan started crying, but I think it was due more to the fact that I was taking her picture than the fact that she was sitting on a stranger's lap. She managed to mumble something about a Cinderella doll before getting off.

Morgan & Sarah with Santa Claus

Morgan's melt down about half a minute into her visit & Sarah trying to keep her safe from falling. She hopped off and then Sarah got to tell Santa her wish list.

Emma's turn. Funny girl--for wanting to sit on his lap so badly she wouldn't look him in the face!

saturdays in december, part two

Last weekend we joined my brother, sister-in-law and their kids, their kids' respective boyfriends/girlfriends and our grandparents for a nice evening downtown at Temple Square for dinner at the Lion House and seeing the Christmas lights. It was soo much dang fun getting together with everyone--I LOVE my nieces and nephews! After a yummy dinner we all walked around the grounds and it was almost magical. There was a light fog in the air that made all the lights glow with an ethereal appearance. Gorgeous!

The Salt Lake Temple w/ lights and fog.

The angel Moroni atop the temple peeking thru the enormous red lit spruce tree.

Sooo many photo ops!

My adorable kids (Sarah, Emma) with their adorable cousins (Jessica, Lysette, Alyssa & Chelsea)

The "big kids" table at the Lion house. ;)

Jordan, Steven and Gene (some good looking guys in our family!)

The "grown up" table at the Lion House.

One of the nativity displays outside on the temple grounds.

Christmas trees outside the office building w/ fog rising off the fountain

more lights

the tabernacle on temple square grounds

My kids and their crazy cousins acting crazy under the red lit spruce Christmas tree.