I love this time of year.....

We rode on the Polar Express train to see the Christmas Village

Cody got a little tired of walking

One of the hundreds of little houses decorated for Christmas in the Village

The boys with Santa

It was a little cold.

Typical Californian's!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I love time. It is my favorite gift to give and receive. It seems like we are all in such a huge rush now a days it is so nice to slow down and enjoy each other and this time of year.

My parents came up for a visit. They stayed for 4 days. We went to movies, enjoyed a Christmas dinner (yum), exchanged presents, and endured the cold snowy weather when we visited the Christmas Village downtown. I am so thankful for the time they took to come and see us and the kids, we really enjoyed ourselves. (hey Dad- I cannot see my neighbors house, now you can say that it is dumping!)

We have had many Christmas parties to attend the past couple of weeks. One of my fav's was Dan's family adult only party. We ate at our favorite Chinese restaurants, you know the one that you can only afford to eat at once a year! So yummy, thanks Doug and Sue! Christmas eve was a very nice evening. We spent the night eating good food and playing games all night at Doug and Sue's house, the kids got the softest blankets and PJ's! The best part of the night was when we sat as a whole family and Doug read parts of the Christmas story from the Bible. We then watched the Nativity movie from the church. This was a wonderful teaching moment for the kids, to be able to learn more about our savior's birth from their Grandfather. After we open presents at our house Christmas morning tradition is, we go to Doug and Sue's for really yummy omelets and more presents. We had a great time with all of our brother and sister's and all of those fun little cousins! I am so thankful for that time making memories and remembering the savior.

Christmas morning was a blast! The kids opened their gifts from Santa and Dan and I. I made a decision last year. I felt like the kids really thought that Christmas was all about the presents and did not appreciate what they got. So my decision was that I was going to cut back, way back. The boys got some winter clothes and two small toys from us. Of course Santa should cut back too! Santa brought one toy for each of the boys. They got a few group games and a movie from Dan and I. I had explained that this is what their Christmas would be like a while ago, we needed to appreciate what we had, we are so lucky to have what we have, some kids don't have anything at all..... that got me thinking. We choose names off of the Angle Tree at church. We then purchased those children some really great presents and dropped them off at the collection home. The boys knew that this one present that we bought was probably one of the only presents that would be under that child's tree this year. That feeling that I taught my boys that day is indescribable. They were so happy for everything that they received today so incredibly grateful. I know that this feeling will stay with them for a long time to come, I think that I started a new tradition for our family. I am so grateful for that time with my boys.

I am so grateful for all of the time that our Savior gave to us. All of his sacrifice and love. We watched a cute cartoon last night about the fourth wise man (from the church). This wise man is trying to travel to see the lord but keeps getting sidetracked by people in need. He never makes it to see the savior before the Crucifixion. At the end he is dying and feels like a failure for not finding Jesus in time, the lord says ye hath done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. This is what this time of year is all about. I am so grateful for time the Savior took to teach us these lessons, and as any mother knows these take a lot of time!

Merry Christmas Everyone!