Want to Know what we do with your Christmas Cards?

Every year we look forward to all the Christmas cards and family pictures that come in the mail or hand delivered.  We tape them to our door leading out to the garage and keep them up until Christmas comes around the next year.  If you look closely, you might see your family there.  We actually got several after I took this picture.  The covered door reminds me all year how my life has truly been blessed by the influence of so many great people.

Our Christmas Trip- Part 5 A Visit to Dale and Tammi's New House

Ivan is the youngest of nine, and I am the oldest of 8.  On our Christmas trip, we had managed to see all of our siblings except for Dale and his family.  So, we were grateful that we were able to stop and see them on the way back home to Arizona.

Dale in front of their beautiful new home in Salem, UT.

I had to take a picture of the fog and the church that you can see from their house.

We hadn't been able to go sledding, so the kids were so excited to hit the hill by Dale's house.

Devan took quite the spill.  :-)

The group at the top of the hill.

It was absolutely freezing, but look how happy this kid was.

I couldn't get over the view that they have where they live.  It must be amazing to wake up and see that much beauty on a daily basis!

Ivan takes his turn.  Of course he has to go head first.

Emma

Winter Wonderland

Who plays at the park at the end of December?  Emma

Our neice, Jill, sledding down the hill.

We had such a great time visiting their family, eating pizza, and playing games.  We wish we lived closer to them.  We're grateful for this fun memory with their family.

Our Christmas Trip- Part 5 Emma's Birthday

Our sweet Emma turned 4 while we were on our trip.  She wasn't feeling the greatest on her big day, but was still a trooper as we sung to her and she opened her presents.

 Beka and Emma before Emma blew out her candle.

Anticipation

Paula, Katherine, and Troy holding Maleah

Grandpa about died on us while we were in Utah.  He gave us all quite a scare.

We knew he was feeling better when he started cracking jokes with his corny sense of humor.  We're glad he made it through his terrible ordeal.

Liz, Kami, and Devan hanging out at the hospital.

Our Christmas Trip- Part 4 Christmas Day

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves—giving of the riches of the heart and mind—and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store.

"Of course, among the greatest of gifts is the gift of love....

"Some, like Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens's A Christmas Carol, have a hard time loving anyone, even themselves, because of their selfishness. Love seeks to give rather than to get. Charity towards and compassion for others is a way to overcome too much self-love" (James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, Dec 2001, 2–6).

 You know it's going to be a great day when you wake up to this smiling face!

 The kids patiently wait to come up to see what Santa may have left them in Utah.

 We all enjoyed Camille's cooking.

 Beka and Emma play with some things that Santa left while waiting to open presents.

 Devan and Ivan successfully find their hidden stockings.

 Chad and my mom

 Camille and Maleah 

 Emma and Beka

 Barry and Katherine

 Maleah and Aunt Kami

 Can you tell that Devan loves Legos?

 Christmas Mayhem

Ivan with one of his gifts

Our Christmas Trip- Part 3 Children's Museum

From Idaho, we headed back to stay with my brother Chad in Lehi.  While we were there, we went with a bunch of my family to the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum in Salt Lake City. There were so many things to do at the museum.  We had a great time.  Here are some of the pictures from our visit.

 Devan and Ivan try their hand at playing music.

Pretend Grocery Shopping

 

Spencer checks out at the grocery store.

Rock climbing was a big hit for both the young...

... and the young at heart!

Emma and Becca had a blast riding in the cars.

Devan found a horse that wouldn't buck him off.

Ivan and Uncle Barry

Emma's favorite spot was the playhouse.  She found a chair just her size.

The KSL set had to be the kids' favorite section of the museum.

They had such a great time pretending to be the anchors while reading the prompter and looking into the cameras.  It looked like an actual television studio.  

My family can be quite comical at times.  They had way too much fun playing with the life flight helicopter.  Here you see Jeremy and Derek trying to escape.

Becca did not want her picture taken.  It was pretty funny. Devan's facial expression cracks me up in this picture.

Valerie pretending to be hit.

Uncle Derek just isn't as agile as his wife. :-)

Our family is full of hams. :-)

I don't know who had more fun playing.  The kids or the adults?

My brother Jeremy

Hoping that it's not going to fall.

The kids put on their 3 bears show for everyone.

Becca and Aunt Valerie