Four tree's....it is true!

Here is our patriotic tree. This tree came to being after Sept. 11, 2001 and Kurt asked if we could put a patriotic tree together. I was touched by his feelings of patriotism.

Here is a full shot of it. My new idea is for Rick to build me a small stand that has wheels on the bottom so we can wheel this tree into the storage room and cover it for next year! Hope it works! The other fun thing about this tree is I have had many friends who have given me patriotic ornaments to make this tree even more special.

This is the missionary tree. When we first moved to MIchigan we had a few Christmas Eve's with the elder's and sisters. We would buy clear ball ornaments and have them decorate them with their names and anything else they wanted to do to the ornament. Now it is placed in Rick's office with a train surrounding it. The grand-darlings loved the train this year!

This is our fancy tree that is our only live tree. We found this one at my girlfriend's, Dad's Christmas tree farm. We picked it out in less then five minutes then we had it cut down. This one use to be in our formal living room in Kalamazoo but now we have it placed in our big family room.

This is the kid tree that sits next to our fireplace. One of my favorite moments of the season is when we got home Christmas Eve and Kylie ran upstairs from the garage wanting me to show her every tree. It was magical! This post is especially for Nicole and Sarah...loveyoutwoandthanksforalwayscommenting. That last part was code for them....
I love Christmas...ok? I also love snow......

Park City visit 1/1/11

Kelsey, Cara and Kenzie Patterson in Park City. Kenz is here visiting from Kalamazoo for the week! We are thrilled that she is here.

Cathy, Kels and Rick at Cesero's at PC.

Kenz and Cara in front of the ice skating rink at the resort. It was three degrees when we were there! A bit nippy!

Cara, Kenz, Kels and Jen on Main Street in Park City. The store fronts are so fun!

Cara and Cathy just hanging out at the resort! Not for too long because of the cold....

Happy New Year 2011

Kurt and Jen at the party!


Our kids having way too much fun!

Cathy, Rick and Kurt. Kurt just graduated from University of Utah and made it on the dean's list! WE are so proud of him and this accomplishment! Way to go Kurt!!!

Jamie and Conrad and their girls! Notice the cute party hats that Jamie designed!

The Smith girl's sporting their new apron's that cousin Carol made each of us! WE love them!

Grand darlings shots...

Cannon and Reese playing with his Santa toy. They are such good sharers....

Cara and Reese with Cara's soon to be opened sewing machine!

Kurt and Cannon Christmas morn.Kylie and her Mom.

Jen and Cannon opening up his Santa gift. It was great having all of our children home for Christmas.

Cannon enjoying the bouncy ball that Santa brought Kylie.

Kylie opening her Barbie and horse set.

Reese and Cannon hanging out with Bapa.

Bapa and Cannon. Cannon was having a blast using the box as a drum!

Christmas Morning in Alpine

The tree is ready with gifts all around. Thanks girls for helping me with the wrapping!

Rick and Cathy Christmas morning...thirty years of Christmases together. Rick got his neopreme chest waiters!!!

Conrad and Jamie Christmas morn.

Kurt and Jen with their Ute gear! Kurt graduated from the U this month! So proud and happy for them!

Cara, Mom and Kels. The girls always give me my Mary Engelbreit desk calendar! Love it!

Almost Christmas day!

I'm still in my "cute" outfit from our Christmas Evening! The kids all have their jammies on. Reading some Christmas stories, etc.

Our little miss Reese. She is a little dolly.

Kurt and Jen watching the girls make the bundt rolls.

Jamie and Cara making three pans of bundt rolls. A first!!!

Conrad and Jamie and their girls. All ready for Santa to visit our home..... ready for a long winter's nap!

Jammie time!

Cara and Kelsey being silly! Love this shot.

The girls and the joke, jammies! I got these from some Grandma's....

Reese with her new jammies. Wide leg is in...ok?

Cannon and Bapa with the little one's jammies.

Kylie and her new nightgown with short sleeves. A special request....remember they do live in Arizona.

Christmas Eve 2010

Aunt Cathy and Ella. I made her, her first quilt!

We decided to dress up in "fun" Christmas wear and look dorky to meet the Hilton's at the airport! We had to make a quick stop at Craig and Kathleen's to deliver some little gifts.

Here we are at the airport fashion runway! We had a lot of fun greeting Jamie and Conrad and the girls.

Here is another shot of us!

Conrad's outfit was really meant for Jamie but Jamie talked Conrad into wearing it! The boys look groovy!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We took these pictures last summer before Jamie & Conrad headed off to Arizona. Kylie is four....what can I say? We were all dying laughing at her melt down....Conrad's expression is priceless!

All the grand-darlings are happy here!

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas....let's all take time to reflect on the many blessings that Father in Heaven shower's on us every day. Life may not be perfect but we all can learn from our trials and I know that I have learned to lean even heavier on our Savior as I go through difficult times. I am so grateful for the example of my Savior. I hope one day to be more like Him. It all started with a family....and we are all one big family. Love to all who read this and our family is grateful for all of you who make our lives even more meaningful. We are truly blessed.

Nativity/chili night!

Saturday night we had Brent and Jenn and their two little boys, The Vance family and Janelle Cammack from our Michigan days over for chili and then off to see a live nativity that came complete with camels and every animal one could imagine. Well.. almost! No zebra's or elephants! They had it in two barns where you could pet camels, llama's, goats, sheep, donkey and horses with Roman soldiers on them! Then you could see the people (all dressed up in period costumes) weaving baskets, working with leather, measuring food, etc. then you walked between the luminaries to another barn that had young people singing Christmas carols and when you walked inside there was Mary and JOseph with a real baby laying in a manger with swaddling clothes. It was very moving. Thanks to the Hayes family for doing this for our community.
Afterwards, we came back home and Jeanie provided us with a hot beverage bar with different hot chocolates, wassail, etc. What a fun evening. Brent and Jenn went home before I got my camera out...shoot! (no pun, intended). Then the remaining girls stayed up late and watched Eclipse. It was most definitely better than the second Twilight movie. Good memories and new traditions?