PJ party!

This year we all had matching pajamas, even the boys and the baby, courtesy of Mom. We used my camera's timer thingy to take the family shots and it was an adventure. After the family shots, Julie got to have her photoshoot with everyone. She had to of felt like a celebrity, between my mom, me and Janelle I think we took well over 100 photos in about 20 minutes.

I must have had something on my lense, unless Clayton has a glowing heart because anatomically speaking it's in the perfect spot :)




I find it funny how Grammy and Gramps are perfectly normal in this picture and the rest of us are all crazy. And then Julie's looking at me like I'm nuts :)

The sibs




Grammy and Gramps

Love at first sight

Julie and Janelle and Ben got to town a couple days after sledding.

Here is our first meeting the day they got there:

We already love each other :) Here are some more pictures of her royal cuteness.
She kept eating the faucet during baths :)

Marty was at the perfect level for chewing on.

She loved being on the kitchen floor while we were all in there.


Nap time

SLEDDING!!!

Here starts the documentation of my Christmas vacation.

I supposed to get home on the Friday of the last day of finals but we changed my flight to Thursday because I was done earlier. It's a good thing because we got a boat load of snow on Friday and I would have been stuck in Arizona or something. We went sledding the next day down our AWESOME sledding driveway.


Dad was a pro. He got the farthest down the driveway of all of us!


The cute brother sister picture. We then tried to go down the hill together and here's how it ended up:

Not entirely successful :) ----So funny story, at the end of the afternoon, I was getting tired and wet and went for a last run down the hill and I forgot to steer. I crashed into the tree right behind to blue tarp in this picture. OUCH! I took a few advil and was fine. Needless to say, I came in after that.

London!!!

Some big news that I haven't shared with my readers yet is that I will be going to London in the Spring on my study abroad. I talked about earlier here. I did not get into Ecuador which was my first choice (I can't remember if I ever said that). What I never told you was that there was a group of 8 going to London, that I didn't think I would really have a chance for, but I wanted to go there also! Well sure enough, I am one of those 8! Yes ladies and gentlemen, I am going to London for 5 weeks this coming May-June!! I am SOOO EXCITED!!! This is a NURSING study abroad program so I'm going to still be doing clinicals but only about 3-4 days a week and the rest of the week we play! Weekend trips to Spain and to Italy :) so excited....We will work in regular public health clinics, urban hospitals, rural areas, and all over. We'll get an idea of a different health care system, and the way nursing care is different there. HOORAY!!!! I'M GOING ABROAD!!!!

me = bigtime blog slacking

Contrary to popular belief I have not been off vacationing in the Caribbean, spending away a fortune on Fifth Avenue, or saving the orphans in Romania. (All of which would be pretty cool...) I have just totally slacked off on my blog so now that papers, finals, traveling, relaxing and Christmas are all over and done with I will finish and at this point reflect on my very favorite things about this wonderful holiday season.

I love the Christmas decorations! My mom always does such an awesome job doing up the whole house! It brings cheeryness and the Christmas life into the home with all the awesome stuff up. I love the lights too! Chrsitmas lights are awesome!

FOOD!!!! OH the homemade food! I could die and go to heaven after eating mom's mashed potatoes :) Mmmm!!! I love being home because mom treats me so well and will cook the best ever while I'm here for the holidays! She always does, but I know she puts in extra effort while I'm home, THANKS MOM!!!

Ok, I'll admit it, getting presents is a favorite part :). Mom made me an awesome quilt this year! That's number 3 for me. It's a movie watching quilt, completely movie themed (a popcorn pattern for the back). I also got movie popcorn and candies, The Emperpor's New Groove on DVD--my favorite Disney of all time! (we only had the VHS before), and cool popcorn holders to go with it!

Celebrating Christ's birth is at the center of the season. He is what it is all about! Christ was the ultimate example of giving and through Christmas we try to emulate that example. I love playing Santa. It's much better than getting things from Santa! Giving to people is so awesome, being secret, helping take care of Miss Julie [even though it's just SUCH a burden ;) ], helping mom around the house, playing and talking with Claymeister, giving dad a shoulder massage, I LOVE IT! It makes me feel warm and fuzzy and so good. The feelings is contagious too. It's easy for people to forget and get stressed and frustrated this time of year, but when we are serving and excited, people around us get to be that way too!

I love to be home with my family. Mamacita, Daddy0, Claymeister, Janelle, Ben, and Miss Julie. Miss Julie is 110% the center of attention and loving every second of it for sure! And we love her right back! She is happy about 95% of the time and is so smiley and playful and cuddly. I am so glad that I get to spend tiem with her this Christmas! It's nice to have Janelle here as well as we have not seen each other for well over a year. I love spending time with everyone, talking, snuggling, cooking, shopping, working around the house, lounging, just being together!

PICTURES SOON TO COME...I mean it this time!

My favorite things--Day 11

Today is another easy one! I LOVE SNOW!!!!!! Today was the first day that it has snowed all season. It's really late for Utah, but I knew eventually it would get here. It snowed all morning, but nothing stuck. I've been in the library for a while, so it may have started again and I can't see it. But it was beautiful this morning. I'm excited for there to be enough to play in :). I really hope that is snows while I'm home, because then I'll have time to enjoy it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My favorite things--Day 10

Today is easy. One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is The First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It's a time to listen to the prophet speak and encourage us all to remember the true spirit of Christmas and to hear beautiful music by the tabernacle choir and orchestra. Tonight I watched it from the comfort of my own living room, but it is always wonderful to hear those men speak!