cool girls...

We are blessed...

Christmas Eve

(Thanks Wilcox's for sharing it with us!)

Christmas Morning...

Hope your Christmas was peaceful and joyful!

A little Christmas fun...

Ward Christmas Party...always a blast!

And Santa was there.....

Christmas Concert....

My parents were involved with a very special Christmas concert put on by their stake and we got to go to it. My Dad arranged most of the songs for the performance, wrote orchestra parts, spent hours making every note beautiful and my mom was a soloist and in the choir.

IT WAS FANTASTIC!

I could not have been more proud of my mom and dad. The music arrangements were AMAZING and my mom blew her solo out of the water! She TOTALLY nailed it. I cannot convey through a blog just how amazing it was. My parents are by far two of the most talented people I know. Here's a few shots from the night...

Dad getting ready for the show...

"Do it right, or else"

(Ha, can you imagine my dad ever saying that?)

Sound check before the show, not yet in full costume.

My girls were beaming when they saw their "boo-boo"singing!

(I was too.)

After the show...

My girls were in love with the ballerinas.

CANNOT WAIT FOR NEXT YEARS SHOW!!!!

mmmmm, mmmmmm good...

This year we spent Thanksgiving at my parents house in San Diego. My little brother and his wife and baby surprised us all and drove down from St. George, and my brother Paul flew in from Utah, so my whole family was there! It was awesome. Plus, a whole bunch more people I love; Grams T, the Wilcox's, the Kaufman's, and DuVall's brother Ryan and his family!

Here's a few shots of the day...

The turkey frying...

The master turkey frier cutting the turkey. BOTH turkeys were AMAZING!!!

Stealing rolls BEFORE the meal....caught you Dad!

Proof that my brother Paul was there....he's the one in the background covering his face. How he managed to evade all cameras that day is beyond me. Love you Paulie!

(Brady you look very nice.)

Brady and Megan (or Brady with two heads, one is very pretty.)

Livi-lou (with straight hair)

Tom-tom! My nephew.

Mom and Grams, aren't they beautiful!

Abbi-girl, growing up too fast.

Ryan and his family. We LOVED having them stay with us!

Wilcox's not pictured because I didn't get a picture of them!!! What was I thinking!

Well, they were there and we love them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Until we meet again...

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially to those we love. Even if we know its only temporary. This week I had the bittersweet experience of saying goodbye to someone I hold very dear to my heart; my grandfather, someone I love for so many reasons.

He raised a wonderful daughter who became my wonderful mother, was a fun-loving and energetic grandfather to his grandchildren, and a hero and favorite playmate to his great-grand daughters. And over the last few years he had become a wonderful and treasured friend. To me. And has left upon my heart an indelible impression.

Gramps, you were a man of honor, decency, loyalty, and love. You carried the worries of the world on your shoulders because your heart was so tender and so big. Your light never shined brighter than when you were singing, or playing your guitar, or teaching your family about music.

You loved my Grams so much and showed us what true love is.

I, and all who knew you, were blessed to know you and be a part of your life.

And while we are left behind to grieve our loss and miss you everyday, I know where you are and I know we will see you again. And I can see you now, as you sang to my beautiful babies here on earth, singing to another one of my beautiful babes who also waits for us. And that thought brings me more joy than I could ever express.

With all my heart, I love you Grandpa.

Gramps with me and my brothers.....many years ago.

Sweethearts Forever

For funsies...

The girls thought it would be fun to try on my boxing gloves. (I know, pink.)

They sure are cute.

Talking Dog...

Abbi is playing with our dog Harry outside...She just popped her head in and said "Mom, Harry just said that he's not my best friend!" Not really knowing how to reply I told her, "Go tell Harry to be nice."

I love this three year old. For so many reasons.