A Love Story for our Anniversary

A movie for my little princess, to let her know that love and happiness are real but they're not found in perfect-fitting shoes or beautiful voices!

Best Ward Christmas Party

Last year, in our Vegas ward we had a lady in the ward that does catering so she was in charge of food for the ward Christmas party. No funeral potatoes or jello. No sir, we were spoiled with a fantastic feast! The food this year was actually quite good as well but this year was about the fun! The gym was set up as Whoville with a "skating rink in the middle and shops all around. There was a donut shop where fresh donuts were being fried; a hair salon where the young women were sculpting some creative "who-dos"; the post office for letters to Santa; "Who Studios" for pictures with the Grinch; "Whom Depot" for crafts; and my kids favorite, the pet store sectioned off with a gate and filled with stuffed animals with a short table for coloring and a trough full of crayons and a plate of "dog cookies" (bone-shaped sugar cookies). We had a very theatrical Grinch who really got into it! It was a lot of fun! There wasn't room for tables so they called families off a sign-up sheet to take turns eating in the Relief Society room (like a restaurant). At the end they shared the real reason for Christmas with the Grinch.

The "skating rink"-taped plastic sprinkled with baby powder

Weston at the coloring table, where he spent most the night.

Emma's best Little Cindy Lou Who

This cute little girl was happy to see someone her size and followed Andrew around half the night. She was trying to hug him and play but Andrew was to busy trying to skate and keep up with the big kids.

Dr. Emma on Decorations

Emma loves decorating! She loves when I pull out new decorations and gets so excited to see our house changed! I've never seen a child more excited to bring in a holiday. Our last home had a fireplace to hang the stockings over but this one doesn't so I couldn't find a place for them. Emma was worried that if we didn't hang the stockings Santa wouldn't leave any gifts for us, so she hung them on the doors. When she saw all the Chrismas decorations up she jumped up and down and squealed, "This is the most beautiful Christmas stuff in the whole wide world!" (it's really quite plain actually, but in the eyes of a 5-year-old girl...)

For family night we set up the Christmas tree and listened to Christmas music. The kids loved helping and every time Weston "poked out" a branch he'd say "I did it! Blow it out mom," as he shoved the branch in my face. I'm not sure why.

Our tree has fabric ornaments (compliments of Mama Steed) and stuffed snowmen and lights of course.

And here's the reason for the stuffed stuff. He can't resist and he loves taking the animals off the couch to snuggle. That white bear on the beanbag is his favorite!

This is the only nativity that the kids can reach. Shayla and Brent gave Emma this plastic nativity years ago and the kids LOVE it! Baby Jesus has been lost and found many times but wasn't found in time for boxing up last year. Hmm, I think there's a good lesson in this missing Jesus. Hopefully we can find Jesus this Christmas!

Dr. Emma on Being Sensitive

When I got back home from my grandpa's funeral in California, Emma excitedly informed me that in sharing time (the Sunday I was gone) the president said my grandpa died and I was sad. Then she says "that's sad your Grandpa's gone, but I still have my grandpa!"