Temple Square

Tonight we had the pleasure of going downtown to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in temple square to hear Brianne's choir sing! I have been looking forward to this for a while and we were so glad that Gamma and Papa came along too! This tree was right in the lobby of the building and was STUNNING! We were up on the higher level by the choir to watch them sing.
Brianne was fortunate enough to get to sing a solo part since the usual singer was not able to come. She did a beautiful job- made me cry! They sounded so great!
It was fun to see all the people stop and watch and listen. They even got some applause from family and others who were there.
It was really such a pleasure to go and do this and I hope they'll be more like it every year!
After the performance we went out to temple square to walk around and see some of the visitors center and were hoping we'd be there long enough for the lights! We went into the south visitors center with Chan's parents and were able to show them the temple replica they made that shows what the rooms in the temple are like. It was so cool and they thought it was neat to be able to see for themselves what it was like.
We also went into the visitors center where the Christ statue is. It's so beautiful there and Chan's parents thought it was amazing. Kathy's exact word's seeing that were "You can't come in here and feel nothing- I don't care what you believe in there is a spirit here." I thought that was awesome...And very true! And I LOVED this picture of Brianne so I had to throw it in!
The tabernacle was also a favorite. We got there just as they were doing the presentation on the acoustics there. They tear a piece of paper, drop two pins and a nail and you can hear all of it perfectly from standing in the rear of the building with NO microphone. It's way cool! And then they played a recording of the Mormon tabernacle choir singing God be with you till we meet again..... amazing.
Right after we left that building the lights came on! Yay! So I snapped a shot of the kids with the lights behind them :)
I love the Nativities they have on temple square- but this ones my favorite because they tell the story of Jesus' birth. It's neat.
Right before we left temple square I asked Tom to take a picture of our family and he snapped this GREAT picture! He is quite talented I must say! It was so fun to see all of that with them and we left there and had a yummy dinner together before heading home. It was the perfect Christmas night! I loved every minute!

Service Star

This fall when I was at a Relief Society activity I came across this really cool idea for a Christmas gift. It was a poem that you would attach to a star and this is what the poem said:

Here is a magical Christmas star,

With a tradition old and true.

May it bring you warmth and love

From our home to you.

Now everyday till Christmas,

Find someone in your home.

And secretly do a deed of love

So your identity won’t be known.

And when the secret act is done,

Place the star upon their bed.

They in turn do a secret deed

For another, it is said.

And like the star so long ago,

Lit the sky for all to see.

May this star bring light and joy

To your lovely family!

Merry Christmas!!

I just LOVED that! I knew immediately that it was what I was going to give my neighbors this year. So I went out and found very inexpensive star ornaments and gave them one with the poem attached. Then two weeks ago the kids and I went out on a Sunday night to deliver them. Then the Monday following I did a family home evening and told them about the gift and told them that our family was going to do it too! I chose a star ornament right off our tree and I was the first to start it off. Once it got going it was fun to see what the kids would think to do for each other! I have to say that it's been wonderful to see the service done for each other but it's been even more wonderful to see the kind words to each other and behavior in our home improve. It's amazing the spirit it's brought to our home! It's exactly the type of spirit you want in your home during the holidays and ALWAYS! I'm so grateful to the person in my Ward who brought that idea and even more glad that we tried it! Now YOU can try it in your homes too!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Choir Concert

This past week Brianne's choir performed their Christmas concert. I was excited because the ladies who are running it now always find unique music that is fun and has the Christmas spirit. The boys were kind enough to volunteer to take the pictures and I guess self portraits were first on the list!
This one is not very flattering! But it's funny!
As usual Brianne was prepared! She never misses a practice and always does her best to memorize all the lines (which she has done perfectly to this point)! She did such a great job! I can always hear her out of the crowd and I'm sure that's because I am her Mom!
She had a speaking part this time instead of a solo which is what she wanted. It was a silly line too and there happened to be a microphone malfunction right before, but she handled it perfectly and was able to be heard no problem!
I was so proud of her and the choir! They did an awesome job! They have one more performance this week at the Joseph Smith Memorial building so there's one more post to come! Way to go Brianne! We love you!

Christmas Decor

This year Brianne and I were able to put up the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving while the boys were at a football game. It was perfect and the decorations including this tree (pictured above) looked beautiful. Then a week or so later an entire section of lights went out on this tree :( I have avoided getting a pre-lit tree forever because of this exact issue! Chan bought this tree for me last year as a gift and thankfully I saved the receipt and I called Costco and to their credit they allowed me to return it. But that posed another problem... I need another tree! I was starting to panic!
Enter my fantastic sister in law Brooke! She overheard our conversation that I was having with Chan at work and she offered to let us borrow this one! They got a new tree this year and they do plan on using this one again too in the future, but for this year it's on loan! It looks so pretty too! WHEW, disaster avoided! Thanks Brooke!
So after a hectic couple of days the snowflake tree was up again! This picture turned out so pretty! I just love my snowflake theme... it makes me happy! Even Carter commented this year on how he likes this tree. He said he likes that its all the same colors etc. Funny too because I would have thought he liked the other tree better!
My Mom bought me these new trees for my piano when she was here this fall. I just LOVE them! I was wanting to do something new there and I think these are the perfect thing! Thanks Mom!
The family room tree is getting so FULL! With the ornaments I got when I was a kid, to the ones that my kids have gotten (and are STILL getting every year) there is almost no more space for ornaments! But next year this tree will be a little different because we inherited a new tree from Chan's parents that we're going to try out here next year! It's a bit bigger so hopefully we'll have some more space on that one!
It's still a favorite tree though because of all the memories associated with all those ornaments! It's so fun! I even find myself going down memory lane when we hang them all :)
This is our front door. I have had this wreath forever! I actually put it together myself- my friend made the sign, I made the bow and I bought the wreath and just wired everything on. It's a favorite part of my holiday decor! :)
We have another new addition to our decor this year. New outdoor lights. Chan and I splurged on these LED "light show" lights! They have remotes and have patterns, runners, and flashing options! They are SO COOL! Here's a shot of it with the multi colors going.....
Now the red and white are on....
Now all green... etc etc! Aren't they fun! Chan installed them so beautifully! I was seriously impressed! The only thing missing is some SNOW! Bring on Christmas- we are all ready!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party!

Why in the world would I be wearing such a strange holiday outfit you ask? Yes that's a turtleneck, embellished Christmas sweater, festive holiday socks, light bulb earrings that actually light up and a jingle bell bow on my head. Well here's why...
Last year when Chan and I were watching one of our favorite TV shows, the family on the show was having an ugly Christmas sweater party and I turned to Chan and said we are SO doing that next year! That is just a FUN idea! So we called up some friends a couple weeks ago and told them to get ready because it was ON!
Thankfully they were game and said they'd be there! We did a pot luck dinner and invited the kids and enjoyed each others company and then it was time to vote on a winner! The winner is standing to the left of Chan in the first picture. I had to give it to him for the clever necklace that he called his Christmas lights! What did he get you ask? Well he won a fireplace DVD complete with holiday music background! It was fun to see one of our friends show up in the same sweater as Chan! And in the first picture the guy in the yellowish sweater looks pretty normal, but I assure you the pattern was horrible and it was so tight it was like a body suit! Way funny!
Here's a shot of my family in our lovely attire! Out of our family I think Brianne wins with her Deseret Industries 80's sweater with added bows! But Carter is pretty funny too! Someone said we should use this picture as our Christmas card...... NOT! But it was a fun night and it might have to turn into a tradition, but next year I am searching the web for a crazy sweater because I KNOW they are out there!

Festival of Trees

Festival of trees was the first part of December and as usual I am always in awe of the ideas that people come up with! I had to get a couple pictures to show what I mean. This tree was the "UP" tree! It was themed around the Disney movie UP which I just LOVE! And by the way the tree pictures I got do not have the lights on yet- I took them right before the light up ceremony (it's less busy then!)
This one made me laugh! Angry Birds! And funny enough I ended up working this exact section and it was hilarious how many kids would yell out "angry birds" as they saw it! I was asked to watch the Utes tree right next to this one because it had a signed ball from the coaches/team from this years first Pac 12 season! Pretty cool!
This is a shot of the festival from where I was standing. Keep in mind there are trees behind me as well! Crazy right! It's so much fun! They also have a huge section of gingerbread houses, wreaths, boutique, sweet shop, kids area, pictures with Santa and two stages where people perform all kinds of Christmas performances.
This was a favorite for my family! Gotta love the Utes! I can't wait to see what people come up with next year! I hope I'll be able to participate as a host again as well as make things for the boutique. It really is such a neat event and a fantastic fundraiser for our children's hospital!

Draper Tree Lighting Ceremony

Brianne's school choir was asked to come and sing at the Draper Tree Lighting Ceremony the first week of December, so the kids and I were off to support Brianne!
The choir did a great job singing their songs and then they had the crowd join in for the last two songs and there was quite an audience there, so the singing was so great!
When they songs were done the Draper Mayor spoke and then flipped the switch to the lights which were just gorgeous!
This tree was by far our favorite! Will called it the Avatar tree and Carter called it the tree of life! Pretty funny! But it is really stunning!
Here's Brianne and Will under the tree!
Gamma came out to see Brianne sing too! So we just had to get a shot with her! It was a really fun night and honestly I can see us going again next year! And next year I'll bring my camera because these phone shots just didn't do it justice! :)

Ward Party

As usual our Ward/community held a Christmas party! Unfortunately Chan couldn't come because he was working, but the kids and I went over for some fun and yummy food!
This year was great because they had the tables numbered and all the tables competed with one another singing jingle bells! It was so fun and YES our table DID win! We are too goofy and LOUD to NOT win right?!
The Primary kids also got up and sang a song and it was very cute!

But by far the best part was just visiting and eating dinner with friends! However, we also sang some carols before leaving which was also very nice. It was the perfect thing to put you in the Christmas spirit! We loved it!

Visit with Santa

Our annual visit with Santa changed last year when Carter refused to take a photo with Santa anymore because he says "he's too old"! So last year was the first time without him in the photo, so this year I told Carter he could stay home and Will and Brianne and I went to see him! I have to admit I enjoy doing it! I like talking to Santa and seeing the kids (mainly Brianne this year) looking all starry eyed and telling him what they want! And this year as a wonderful bonus the picture turned out great too! I can't believe we're only 20 days away from the big day! Santa better get BUSY!

Christmas List addition...

Now that the kids are older the Christmas lists are getting much shorter, but MORE EXPENSIVE! As they get older the tech things and other higher priced items find their way onto their list. But this year I had to giggle at the addition to the bottom of Carter's list, it reads:

"I would love to have any of these things. All would be great, but I will be happy if you can't. I realize Christmas is not about presents. I am soooo happy with whatever you give me.
Love, Carter"

I laughed pretty hard! It's pretty cute, but I couldn't help wonder if it was a bit of a play on my emotions to milk me for all he could get! I love that kid! Whatever he ends up with I know it won't be coal! :)

He also said something else pretty funny yesterday- I was watching TV and an advertisement came on for an iron ad I must have had a quizzical face because he said, "What Mom?" to which I replied, "I've never seen a commercial for an iron before... that's weird!" to which he commented, "Mom, it's the holidays... they have commercials for the commercials!" HAHAHA! Good one.... and TRUE! Nothing like a good laugh!