It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Following our fun, festive, food-filled Thanksgiving weekend, we decided it was time to start Christmas! We broke out all our Christmas decorations and transformed the house into a holiday display with lights, stockings, garlands, and more.I love pulling out the Christmas ornaments as we reminisce about the memories they bring.  I love the evenings that I get to sit on the couch with only the Christmas lights to illuminate the room. I love the magic that exists at this time of year. I love the symbolism of the season. I love reflecting on the birth of my Savior. I like to contemplate what he was like as a little child, especially now that I have a young son to raise. Mostly, I simply love being with family. I love sharing our traditions. I love creating memories. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Jonas found a new place to play...under the tree.

Luminaria

Let Christmas begin!! That is seriously how I felt after we cleaned up all the Thanksgiving meal. This is my most favorite time of the year! I love how the world seems just a little kinder and a little more magical. We started the magic with a whimsical walk through the enchanting gardens at Thanksgiving Point. We experienced the Luminaria event for its inaugural launch last year and just had to repeat it this year. I was glad that Mom and Dad were here to experience it again with us (as well as my niece, Kaia). It is simply breathtaking! I get giddy as my senses are assaulted with smells, sounds, and sights of the season.

This year they added a few things - one of which was a Gingerbread display in what is usually their greenhouse. The gingerbread houses were amazing! I loved the scents, but the actual structures were quite impressive.

Finally, we entered a magical world of twinkling lights. We wound our way through Candy Cane Lane, Peppermint Forest, Reindeer World (where Santa's actual Reindeer, Blitzen and Dasher, were!), and so much more. I loved watching Jonas take it all in. He was running everywhere! He would shout out the different colors all while laughing and dashing through the crowds. He was fascinated by the reindeer. I love that he's finally old enough to truly appreciate the magic of the Christmas traditions.

While all of the displays are wonderful, my favorite is still the Light of the World garden with all the statues of Christ. He is truly the reason for the season. The soft lantern lights coupled with the reverent Christmas hymns create a peaceful experience as you walk through the garden. Christ is truly the greatest gift we have ever received. He is why we celebrate Christmas. He is the reason for hope and peace. He is my Savior, my brother, my friend.

Before we left, we stopped at an area set up with games to play and hot chocolate to purchase. Luminaria is the perfect way to usher in the Christmas season...and it's even better when you can share it with family. Bring on Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I am so grateful that we have a holiday dedicated to giving thanks...especially right before Christmas. What more perfect time to reflect on all our blessings and then look forward to blessing the lives of others? I have much to be thankful for that I'm not really even certain where to start. My life has not been perfect. I am not perfect (just ask the kids!); yet, somehow the Lord has still seen fit to bless my life immensely. This year has been especially poignant to reflect on all my blessings. As some of you may know, Jeff and I have been trying for over a year to have another child. We have both felt that this is a righteous desire, but we have been unable to conceive again (following my miscarriage earlier this year). We have tried medical interventions, faith, prayers, and so much more yet this is a blessing that the Lord seems to be withholding from us. Personally, I have shed many tears. I have been angry. I have felt despondent. It is hard to experience a loss that never really was. It is hard to have a desire that will never come to pass; however, gratitude helps. When I have been able to step back from my pain and reflect on my life, I have realized that the Lord has never left my side...even if it is not in our future to have another child. I have been blessed with a husband who loves me more than any earthly expression could communicate. I have parents and siblings who have always been supportive, encouraging and loving. I know they have my back. I have been blessed to create one pretty amazing little boy who brings so much joy into our home. Moreover, I have been blessed to raise four other children who have taught me more than any textbook or university has. I am grateful for their examples of perseverance and love.  I have a comfortable home, warm clothing, plenty of food, etc. I have been blessed with faith that guides me through my life. I am truly blessed, even if that doesn't mean my life is my version of "perfect".

This year was especially fun for me because I got to spend Thanksgiving with my family. It has been a few years since I celebrated this feast with my parents or siblings. This year I not only got my parents, but my two brothers joined us as well! I never laugh as hard as I do when my dad and my brothers get together. We missed Nichole and Krystle, but they were celebrating Thanksgiving together in Florida. We did get a chance to do a FaceTime call with them. Thank goodness for modern day technology that allows us to feel close even when thousands of miles separate us. The day was full of food, fun, food, family, and food. We had our Thanksgiving meal for lunch then spent the rest of the day playing games and going for a stroll at sunset. It was great to simply be with family.

Mom and I cooking up a storm! This year I made EVERYTHING from scratch. 

Just a few munchies to appease the masses before the actual meal.

Talking to Krys and Nichole before the feast.

Jenn (Mikey's wife) made all the delicious pies! Yummy!

 After our beautiful sunset stroll, I went back inside to finally rest for the day. While we were watching TV, Jonas asked me to go cuddle with him. How could I resist?! There is nothing sweeter than the love of a child. So blessed! So grateful!

Pie Night!

I can't believe my last post was Halloween! I promise we are still alive; we've just been so busy with the normal, mundane daily tasks that nothing really noteworthy has happened. Dallin and Danny are surviving school. Jeff is always busy with work (and when he's not busy at work, he has projects around here). Jonas keeps growing in leaps and bounds. I feel very torn about that. I miss my little baby, but I love watching his personality grow more and more each day. And me, well I am just trying to keep up with everyone. Life is good. It's even better now that we're in the midst of the holidays! Tonight we had our annual Pie Night. Each year, before Thanksgiving, we have one night totally dedicated to pie. We invite family, friends and neighbors over to indulge in a potluck of pies. It is so much fun to kick off the Thanksgiving week! It gives us an opportunity to truly feel gratitude for the amazing people that surround us every day and make our lives so great....all while gorging ourselves on sugary delights! I usually try to make several "pies" to start off with then everyone who comes brings another one to share. Tonight I made pecan pie brownies, apple pie cups, pumpkin pie cheesecake, gingerbread cream pie, and peppermint pie (the last two were in honor of the next holiday...Christmas!). There was so much sugar!!...and whipped cream. Yes, I should have known better than to have whipped cream in a can. Next thing I knew, Jeff and Daniel were taking the challenge to squirt some on their wrist, smack their forearms to launch it in the air, and theoretically catch it in their mouths. They weren't always successful...but it was pretty funny to watch. It was another great Pie Night!!