Next year we'll send xmas cards . . . I promise

Traditions are something that knit a family together. No matter how great or small, traditions form binding ties. They create memories that last a life time.

My Father died when I was nine years old. He was never a candidate for the father of the year award, but I loved him in spite of his faults and in between his moments of unmentionable episodes he had moments of wonder and glory. He made us laugh. He was funny and charming and he loved us desperately. One of our traditions comes from a gift he gave me when I was four. It cost less than $5.oo at the local grocery store and was given to me (so I'm told) after a particularly bad illness. I still remember requesting it.

It is a very unassuming and very used (taped back together in many places) paper doll nativity set. We have used it to reenact Christ's birth every Christmas Eve for 26 years. We even have a script with music (my mom plays the guitar and we sing in all the appropriate spots). My children love the set as much as I did when I first got it. I'll bet my dad never thought it would survive the week when he bought it for me so many years ago. It only feels like Christmas to me once we have done this.

Four generation picture.

Christmas day is when madness ensues. We opened presents at my mom's house, then headed to my Grandma Jan's house for dinner part one and more presents, them we headed to my Aunt Wendy's house for presents and dinner part 2. Exhausting.
Look at the pure joy on Bubby's face!

I had two cousins get engaged this holiday season as well. Candi and Jonathan and Matt and Katie! We could not be more excited! I love weddings! I already love both of the people Candi and Matt have chosen to share their lives with! Congratualtions you four!

Climbing on top of this bed was one of Bubby's favorite things. He has become a full fledged climber. Heaven help us.

These new red shoes were a favorite part of the trip for me.

Usually this would be the end of our busy festivities, but my cousin Kirstie, was married on the 26Th. I was really sad that we were unable to go through the temple with her when she received her endowments (all of our babysitters live in Nevada) and even sadder when we were unable to witness her sealing. I love sealings. They make me feel renewed in devotion for my husband and there is nothing like witnessing a new couple become a forever family. She is the only cousin I have been unable to see sealed. She and her new husband are so in love- it is almost a tangible feeling when you are near them.

We did get to attend their reception and it was really quite amazing. He husband's family's house is really quite large (I've heard 15,000 square ft) I think it was more than half of my mom's street block - and them there were the grounds. Really quite beautiful. The reception was outside in a tent and it was almost warm inside of it. The celebration was merry and full of life and wonderful people.

My girls love to see brides. They become meek and shy, like a lower class citizen would as they stood in awe of a queen. Kiera kept asking me, "mom, when is the white girl going to come see us?" Kirstie was kind enough to make them each feel special and pose for a picture with them. I don't think she knew how much that meant to them. Thanks Kirstie!

Kiera REALLY enjoyed the dessert.

Kirstie and Bradley.

When we left i told Kai (jokingly) that seeing that house made me realize that at some point in life you realize that the dreams you had as a child of wealth and all that it comes with it need to be altered. Teachers don't really make a lot of money. He sighed and said, "Yep, Ryan is our only hope." Ryan who was in the car with us laughed of course. We promised if he struck it rich and let us come live with him, we would cook and clean and do all the menial chores so that he could live a blissfully delightful existence. At this point, his girlfriend, Hayley, who was in the car with us also agreed to marry him in his state of wealth. It was funny. They are still in high school.

Hayley sat next to Bubba on the car ride home. I am so glad for this because he was too shy to cry with her so near. If he would have been alone I am sure he would have wailed until he fell asleep. Once he warmed up to her, he took off his left shoe (like he does every chance he gets) and hit her with it continually until we got home.

After the wedding events were over, life calmed down a bit. We were able to spend quality family time together that didn't involve driving. It involved a few days at the park, one at the children's museum, one at Chuck E. Cheese' and lots of lazy afternoons in the back yard on the play set or in the sandbox. We even got to play a few grown up games when the kiddos went to sleep. Well, one game called Apples to Apples. It was hilarious because instead of being quite and stealthy like the game demands, we ended up trying to convince the judge why they should choose our card.

Bubby loving his uncle Ryan.

This is not a great picture, but it is a great memory of what we do before we sleep. Taking a picture of Kiera with a normal smile is like trying to pin a wave upon the sand (does anyone know that movie/song reference???)

Once we got home, we opened the presents that we didn't take with us to California. It was like the Christmas that wouldn't end.

Half of the power in our house has been off. We had an electrician come to fix it twice and he can't figure out what was going wrong. It is working now and I hope it stays that way because we are tired of going to the bathroom by candlelight.