December 2013

 So it's April, and I just uploaded our Christmas pictures onto my dying laptop. Awesome, I know. I was sure doing so would crash it but this is proof that the laptop lives on... for now! I feel like we have to get a new one every two years... am I wrong to think that $1000 computer should last longer than that?? So irritating! So there it is... my lack of blogging is explained! :)

Here is a little bit about how we spent our December....

Chris and I have been married for a long time. I cringe at the actual number because it makes me feel old. :) Like really old. But in 10 (okay plus 3) years we have never bought our own Christmas tree. (Except for the first year we were married and actually bought a real one....which died, and we had to tie the stiff spruce back on our car to return to Home Depot for a new one. We've gone artificial ever since. Which I totally prefer:)) 

Anyhow, for all those years we had this silly little 5 ft artificial hand-me-down tree that was probably at least 25 plus years old -  that my mom and Reed had so kindly given us our second year of marriage. They also later gave us a much better one, but that one is for our basement. 
This little Charlie Brown piece of work sat upstairs in our Living Room, year after year, for all to see. I was fine with it, really, and just grateful to have something, but in my heart I've wanted to get a nice, taller, prelit tree for years. 
Well, turns out 2013 was my lucky year! 
With the help of a $150 Visa gift card I'd been saving (for something real good), and with the rest of the money coming from our good old bank account, and the help of an enticing 20% off sale at Taipan, I was able to talk Chris into purchasing our first tree, that we ourselves, picked out and paid for. 

Aaaand, of course, somehow I didn't even take a picture of the whole glorious tree... but you can see the bottom of it in the pics above...so you get the idea. :)  As for the ornaments, they are still our humble ones that we've had for years... so, maybe better ornaments will come another year, but hey, one thing at a time. :) Finally getting this symbol of Christmas made me SO happy.

I got my tree!! 
From that point, we could move on with all Christmas festivities...& they went a little like this...

  We had to visit our favorite Thanksgiving Point to see the lights, give our regards to the Reindeer, and to have some hot chocolate. Love that place!

Emmie had her preschool Christmas performance. She did a fabulous job! 

(She's right in the middle by the candy cane...)

Love this cute girl!

After Parker got home from school that day, since Emmie was already spruced up, we thought it was a great time to visit Old St. Nick. I have the THIRTY DOLLAR "professional" picture somewhere downstairs (which I am too lazy to get at the moment), but I'll have to add it later. Love that in order to get any sort of picture, (which in my mind equates to any future memory of the day) you have to first buy their crazy expensive one. Yes, I'll whine about it....again... this year.

 Parker asked for the new Super Mario Wii game, Lexi wanted a baby doll, and Emmie a camera. 

 Random pic of this cute girl after church one Sunday...

If you look closely you can see Emmie's earrings.... oh wait- I mean, the ornaments that she kept taking off of her baby christmas tree and hanging from her ear all month long. By the end of December, most of her ornaments were somehow mysteriously missing from her tree....and strewn all over the house...on a sidenote, this is the chosen spot where Emmie likes to "teach" Lexi school. :)

PRESCHOOL PLAYGROUP

This cute little foursome had an exciting day at preschool  and went on the Polar Express (for pretend) - hence their jams. Afterwards it was our turn to host playgroup, and we had our own little Christmas celebration by decorating  sugar cookies and playing Christmas Bingo while listening to some Christmas tunes. Love this time of year! &. I'm tellin' ya, these kids loooooove Bingo! :)

Parker's school has a 'Christmas Sing' every year. Call us bad parents, but we lucked out and first grade was FIRST, so we were only there for about 15 minutes (opposed to an hour and a half - yay for us!), but he did great! He's on the back row middle, in the dark blue, gray and white striped sweater. Awesome pic, I know. :)

Even though it must have been 0 degrees out, we had to visit Temple Square! We froze our little rear ends off & it  was so cold it hurt but so worth the trip! (In my eyes anyways. Chris might have a different opinion on that.;))We randomly ran into Steven and Kylie while eating dinner  in the food court at City Creek. It was a fun surprise to see them for a minute! Somehow however, we managed to lose them before heading across to Temple Square while I took Emmie to the restroom. It was so freezing we just never met up again. We of course had to stop and see Uncle Mark's fountains at City Creek. I have to say they are pretty awesome and I love that they dance to Christmas music. The peaceful feeling on the temple grounds is one that I just cherish and helps me to feel the true meaning of Christmas and what the season is truly all about. Being there makes me feel inspired and in awe and there is just no denying was a special place it is. I LOVE going there!! 

And... finally it arrived! Christmas Eve... oh the anticipation!! :)

How blessed are we to have this cute little trio in our lives?!

More blessed than we deserve, that is for sure!