Christmas 2011

We spent a week in GA for Christmas visiting Matt's family. The entire family was in town and had lots of time to catch up. It was our first time meeting the newest member in the family- baby Kaitlyn born in Nov. It was def a lazy week- weather was gloomy/rainy so we weren't able to spend much time outside. While the boys had an evening out, the girls had an afternoon out while the boys took care of the kids. Matt was a trooper! Mimi and Poppi also watched all the grandkids while the 'kids' went to the movies one evening. We watched Sherlock Holmes which Matt and I really enjoyed. Here are some more high lights:

all the cousins together!

We loved spending time together as a family- Matt didn't have any work! We also got pics with just the cousins and it was rather funny watching and trying to get a perfect picture!

Coop had a bad cough that scarred us in the night so we took him to the urgent care. Doc said he had a minor double ear infection. His cousin Kai was sick so I think it got passed around.

Hanging out together as a family

We did our big feast Christmas Eve and I enjoyed everyone being together in the kitchen cooking. Matt did the turkey again and it was a hit! He did a great job of brining it and roasting it.

Christmas Eve I helped Kenzie and Kai make cookies for Santa! We left him choc and white milk to drink but he only drank the choc :) They were excited to see only crumbs the next morning.

Christmas morning- our family

Opening gifts

Matt is hard to get gifts for- infact I have to be creative because there is nothing he wants. This year was the best though. Starting off on Jan 1, every day I wrote down a reason I loved him. The sentence always started off as " I love you today because"....I was most excited to give him this along with a picture calendar, planner and small items of fun.

The entire fam! 2012 will bring another addition- Jess is due in April with their first!

Christmas always brings happy moments with family but also quiet moments of reflection. Our hearts are full for a loving Heavenly Father who sent His son into the world- in such humble circumstances- to fulfull his earthly mission as the Savior of the World. My thoughts often turn towards Mary- a chosen, pure, righteous daughter to be the mother of the Living Christ. How blessed we are to know of the eternal truths to make his Atonement a part of our lives. I cannot think of his birth without thinking of that infinite act of love which is his saving grace for us. As Matt says in our Christmas cards: 

And with the Gospel of Jesus Christ that brightens our lives, we are reminded of those things that are most important...and that includes you.  Possession of things are amongst those that are left behind, but relationships with family/friends and lessons learned are numbered with those that can stay with us. 

            As we count our many blessings, we are grateful for our relationship with you.  We are grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ.  We are grateful for the joy that comes in our life as we live His teachings.  We are grateful for the Christmas Spirit, which is one of sharing, giving, serving, lifting burdens, and thinking of others.  And this is the Spirit, the Christmas Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, we pray would fill each of our lives all year long.