Christmas 2009...A picture is worth 1000 words

There are so many pictures to share of Chrismas Eve and Christmas, I decided to try posting them a new way (click on the collages to make them bigger) I tried making a slide show...but I can't figure that out apparently!

I'll keep the words short...just enjoy the pictures for what they are

CHRISTMAS EVE

Check out these cute babies watching Grandma's train

New Jammies for all, and getting ready for Santa!!

CHRISTMAS MORNING

oh so much anticipation and excitement!!

Grandma Dever came and we had lots of fun (but mom forgot to take pictures...grandma Dever did though...maybe she'll send us some and I can add them) But even without pictures, it was one of the best parts of our day!! We really loved sharing our chrismas morning with her!!

Then it was up to Grandma& Grandpa Walkers...Thomas waited patiently for his turn, and Robert really liked playing with curly ribbon!!

The funnest part of the trip to grandma's was the surprise she had waiting for us...

First we had to line up...

Then we had to listen to the rules...


Then we were surprised with new toys and even more presents to unwrap!!

This was the level of excitement with each opening... (and when we were down to three presents left...they knew they were for Gavin, Hayden, and Ethan...come up soon and see the new toys guys!!)

Then there was only one present left...?what to do?...Grandma had a great idea...EVERYONE open it at once (I thought for sure she was crazy...but it was FUN!!)

All in all a GREAT Christmas was had and Thomas told me today as soon as spring summer and fall are over...it's time for Christmas again...I think I'll need that long to recover!!

Traditions...

One of my favorite traditions we have, is the ornaments on our tree...

Dave came up with the idea when we were on our Honeymoon in Annapolis Maryland...we found this beautiful ornament and that's where it all began...

We decided to give each person in the family a new ornament each year (usually right around Thanksgiving when the tree goes up)...

Here are this year's ornaments...

Dave's

Mine (Dave say's I'm his angel and the green wings represent me getting better at taking care of our garden and stuff like that)

Michael's (my boy LOVES BYU)

Thomas' (he really loves cats!)

Robert's (We will put a picture of him on his first chrismas in the middle)



We also decided to get ornaments from anyplace we've traveled that year

we have a lot from here!

Disneyland!!

Family vacation to Salt Lake


I just LOVE getting the ornaments out each year...it is one of my favorite things that I do to get ready for christmas...I open the box and memories come FLOODING back...

Our first kiss (on Mt. Kissamore...we had smores after)


Michael's First grade gift to us (his handprint)


How much Thomas LOVED the color orange


Some just make me laugh...


Some make me cry... (my favorite ornament from Grandma Walker's tree)

How much my hubby likes to BBQ


Moving into our new house...



Dave's first "real" job...


Each ornament has a memory with it...I LOVE it!!

Even the Star has a memory...it looks like one we saw in the Browning center when Dave and I went to the Nutcracker...I looked for it for 4 years! (had foil covered cardboard until then)


We of course started with just a couple of ornaments and needed other things to fill it up like candycanes, and other types of ornaments...now we don't even hang them all...the tree is getting crowded!

Someday maybe I'll have a pretty, shiny, coordinated tree somewhere in my house...but I'll always have a tree like this somewhere too!



Of course, my favorite thing under the tree is this :)


The plan is to give the boys their ornaments when they have their own homes...sounds like a good idea...but I'm not sure I'll be able to part with them!!

The reason for the season...

This is my new favorite decoration this year...well I've had some of the decorations...just added to it this year

The Nativity, Dave bought me a few years ago...(I want to add the wisemen someday)...this year I added the sheer sparkly fabric and the lights...


The picture of the temple is one an old roommate gave me. I went through the temple to receive my endowment on the 23rd of December, so she gave me this picture of the Salt Lake Temple and the lights on temple square. I will always remember how wonderful that day was and how fun it was to walk out of the temple then walk through the lights (It was a big decision for me to go through the temple just for me...no mission, no marriage...just for me...(little did I know that is a few short months...I was going to meet my eternal companion...go figure!)


The three small pictures are new this year..They are Simon Dewey prints of Mary holding Jesus, Jesus in the manger, and Joseph holding Jesus...I really love them (and at 1.50 a piece...that's a new decoration in my budget!)


The red sign is one from the "after Thanksgiving dinner craft" a couple of years ago...it says "The Magic of Christmas is not in the presents...but in His Presence" So true...I am so grateful for this time of year and the chance it gives us to focus on the Savior and becoming more like him

Merry Christmas!

Caught Red Handed

Looks guilty doesn't he...

While I was in the kitchen fixing Robert a bowl of peaches...he decided to fix his own breakfast! (yes I left the box in the front room this morning when I gave him a snack in his saucer)

At least he knows what he did was wrong...

How do you get mad at a face like this...

Tell me...just how do you?!

Anyone wanna come over for a bowl of Cheerios...Robert MIGHT share...no promises!

Snow

It's not much of a secret that I don't really love snow...I think that's mainly because of what it does to the roads and increases my worry about my hubby having to get to work safely. Also, we were responsible for shovling snow for the apartments we managed for way too many years so snow always meant work...and it's so unpredictable...always seems to mess up plans...

But there are things I do love about snow...

...How happy it makes my children (yep...they stayed out until it was starting to get dark)

...How it can make the beautiful place I live even more beautiful......but I won't lie...I wish spring came in January!!

All types of Testimonies...

I think most people who read this blog know how addicted my husband Dave is to football, and how much he loves the New Orleans Saints. (if you don't...just check out his blog...it's on my sidebar)
Well...the Saints are doing EXCEPTIONALLY well this year, along with the Colts, they have one of the longest undefeated streaks in NFL history (I think this is what he told me...sometimes when he starts talking football I hear Charlie Brown's teacher "whah whah whah...whah whah"


The fact that they are doing so well means that their games are televised more frequently. Of course most games are on Sundays, and they seem to have been starting at 11:00 which means he gets ready for church early and watches every last second he can until we leave (at 12:50..on a good week). I can see how torn up he is to have to leave such exciting games!


Well today he was watching a game and it was snowing like crazy. He hadn't had the chance to get ready for church early since he had been shoveling the 3,000 feet of snow we got today. So...he had to tear himself away from the game even earlier so that he could get ready. We had discussed having him stay home and keeping Robert home to keep him away from germs...but HE decided that the place we needed to be was church.


While he was in the shower I was talking with Michael...here is our conversation


************
Michael: What would happen if there was so much snow that it covered up the doors of the church.



Me: Well, the Bishop would call us and cancel church.



Michael: That would be cool and dad would love it cuz he could finish watching the Saints
(and Michael could continue trash talking the Saints)



Me: Dad would like to stay home and watch football I'm sure, but what is he going to do today?



Michael: He's going to church.



Me: So what do you think is more important to dad...the Church, or football



Michael: The church is most important to him.



Me: Yep...it is...now go get ready!


*************
When it was time to leave for church...Dave gave me his pitiful puppy dog eyes and didn't want to leave the game yet...I told him the conversations I had with Michael and told him what a strong testimony he was bearing to his son today...just by going to church. To me too...Knowing how important football is to him...and that his team is having the dream season he's been wishing for since I've known him...watching him go out that door to church instead of making excuses and staying home really meant a lot to me today.



Thanks Dave for being an example to your son and for sharing your testimony in all kinds of ways...I love you!!

I love Saturdays!!

I got to sleep in until 7:30 because my kids were busy doing this...

Then the cutest 7 year old boy in the neighborhood shoveled my walks...

Good day!

For the love of the game (or at least the love of talking trash!!)

I thought that since the Saints were doing so well this year, I'd give Dave's Saint's ornament a front and center place on our tree...well...Michael had a different idea. He has gradually moved his Green Bay Packers and new BYU ornament in front of Dave's saints ornament.

Nope...there's no love of competition in this house...not at all (YIKES!) Sometimes I think Michael likes sports just so he can smack talk his dad!! I think (well, actually I know) that they both enjoy it a lot!

*For those that don't know we have a tradition of getting a new ornament for each other every year. A very fun tradition...maybe it needs it's own blog post.*

White Shirts

As I ironed white shirts this morning, my mind wandered back to a thought I had a couple of weeks ago, and decided to record it here.

Like many sunday mornings, I had spent a good chunk of time ironing shirts (I know I know, Saturday is the special day we should get ready for Sunday...I'm working on it) On this particular sunday I ironed a white shirt for each of my boys (from Robert to Dave) As we sat in church that day and I looked down the row at all of them with freshly pressed creases in their white shirts...I got a little lump in my throat and thought of how many times I would be ironing white shirts for these boys (and the two years when they would have to do it on their own)

Instead of being overwhelemed at the amount of work that would be...I was overcome with gratitude for the opportunity to some day have so many worthy priesthood holders in my home. (And a little overwhelmed at the responsibility I have to raise these boys to be worthy to hold that Holy Priesthood.) I am also grateful to have the biggest of my boys (you know it's true Dave!) already hold the priesthood worthily in my home...it is something I rely on a lot and hope to never take for granted. I am a blessed woman. Bring on the white shirts!!