Twas the night before Christmas...

With the wedding over, we could now concentrate fully on Christmas! On Christmas Eve, our tradition is to spend it over at Brandon's parent's house. Usually Jeremy and Tisha and their kids are there too, but this year they were vacationing in Cozumel so it was a smaller celebration. We still had fun though. Brandon's mom always makes sure to plan lots of yummy food, and fun activities for the kids. After we ate and lounged around for a bit, Nana brought out some presents that Grandma Simmons had sent for us and the kids. She gave each of the kids a cute little stocking with some nick nacks and 2, two dollar bills! Thy were thrilled! She gave Brandon and I a framed picture that she had painted. The last time we were at their house, Brandon had mentioned to her that he would love to have one of her paintings, and she remembered. It meant so much to Brandon. I didn't get a picture of it, but it was so pretty!

Nana always gets each of the kids a present to open on Christmas Eve that is some kind of fun activity for them to do that night. Levi got this fun game, that blows up little styrofoam balls, that you shoot with a nerf gun.

Nana got Alexis and Tori some bracelet making kits =)

They all had fun playing with their new toys for a bit. We then started watching Pirates of The Caribbean. After about a half hour we decided we would rather play a game, so Jana got out Yahtzee. That is me and Brandon's favorite game. When we were first married we would always play it, so it brought back some fun memories and we had a lot of laughs =)
After the game, it was getting late, so we decided to open up our Christmas Eve pajamas. The kids each got some warm jammies and new slippers!

I got Brandon some Superman Pajamas, and he got me some cute green festive ones from Old Navy (actually, Cindy picked mine out in Utah and wrapped them up. So it was a surprise to both of us! I love them! =) ).

We headed home around 8:45. The kids were so excited to get things ready for Santa to come!

We took a few pictures in front of the fire place, and then opened the gifts that they each had made each other. Levi was excited to sprinkle his reindeer food that Alexis made him, all over the front lawn for Santa's reindeer. Alexis wrote a long letter for Santa, and they set out cookies and milk for Santa, and carrots for Rudolph.

After that, AJ, Cindy and Lyla got back from my parents house, so we took a few pictures of all of the kids in front of the tree.

Growing up, on Christmas eve all of my siblings all slept in the same room. I have to keep the tradition going!
It's so much fun to see how excited the kids get for Christmas. It brings back so many fun memories from when I was a kid =)

Sleepover Time!

We were so lucky to be able to spend so much time with family over the past month. Kristalyn, David, Mason, Carter and Kacianna, came out about a week before Christmas. David has a new job working at the emergency room at Provo Hospital, and unfortunately was required to be on call on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We were so sad that they wouldn't be able to stay here for Christmas, but since they came out early we took advantage of the time we did have to spend with them. Even though things were quite busy with the wedding, the kids actually got quite a bit of play time in. One night we invited Mason to have a sleepover at our house. This was Levi's first sleepover, and he was so excited. It took quite a bit of begging, but his sisters talked him into letting them sleep downstairs in the basement with them. Carter really wanted to stay too, and crawled up right in bed with Alexis. It was so sweet, and broke our hearts to have to tell him he wasn't staying. (He still likes to climb in bed with his mommy and daddy in the middle of the night, so we thought he might get scared if he woke up and they weren't there)The kids set their beds up, watched a movie for a little bit, and then were fast asleep. =)

They all did great and had such a fun sleepover together. It's so much fun when cousins come to town =)

Handmade with Love

I am an activity days leader inour ward. we planned a Santa's workshop for the girls this year.We provided tons of different materials and ideas, and they were left to use their own imaginations to create presents for each of their family members. It turned out to be such a fun activity. Alexis loved creating her gifts. She was so excited to put her gifts for us under the tree. Seeing how much she enjoyed this, I thought it would be fun to have the other kids participate as well. They each got to make a present for each other that would be opened o Christmas eve. I didn't get many pictures, because they really did everything on their own. But since I had to help Levi a little I got a few pictures of him making necklaces for his sisters.

Since Alexis already had her gifts made, she decided to make presents for some of her cousins. She put a lot of thought into each one, and did them all on her own. She made mittens for Benji.....

Coloring books for Mason and Carter........

And dolls for Kacianna and Lyla. I loved how happy Alexis was as she watched each of her cousins open their present.

On Christmas eve, after we got home from Nana and Papa's house the kids were so excited to exchange gifts. Alexis made Tori a potpourri sachet and Levi some reindeer food for him to sprinkle on the lawn. Tori made Alexis a bracelet and painted Levi a wooden figure of an airplane. Levi made Alexis and Tori both necklaces. Hre they all are with their gifts.

This was such a fun new tradition that I hope we will keep up over the years. It was so much fun and so meaningful for them to create their handmade gifts for each other. It was a wonderful start to Christmas =)

A December Wedding

On December 22nd. My little sister Katie was married to a great guy! Forrest Clark. What a special and fun day it was. Katie met Forrest a year ago at school. He is so perfect for her and a great addition to our family. I had the pleasure of helping to plan a lot of the wedding with my mom. Katie has been dreaming of her wedding since she was little and had a lot of the details planned out in her mind. With her being in Utah at school, it was up to my mom and I to make sure all those details came together just as she dreamed for them to be. It was a lot of work (especially for my mom), but so much fun, and the day turned out so wonderfully! Katie was simply beaming all day long. She was truly a glowing bride and it was so touching to see her so happy and in love.

Alexis and Tori were so thrilled when Katie asked them to be junior bridesmaids. When Alexis found out that she wouldn't be able to attend the actual ceremony in the Temple, she was devastated. We were able to have several conversations about the Temple and what a sacred and special place it is, and a place that she should always strive to go to some day. She was very excited when we told her that when she was 12 she would be able to go there to do baptisms. After the ceremony as Katie was getting ready to come out of the Temple, Alexis and Tori waited anxiously outside. They held her bouquet all ready to hand it to her as she came out. I love this picture of them standing and looking towards the Temple doors. As they stood there a couple walked out. Alexis said to them, "Can you open that door a little wider so I can see in? I can't go in until I am 12!" What a tender moment. I hope that she will always be excited and look forward to attending the Temple someday.

Being a December wedding, it was quite cold outside! The sun was shining but boy was it freezing! The kids were such good sports as we took pictures outside the of the Temple.

Daniel and Charbel had to take turns standing with Benji the the annex, because he was shivering so much =(

We are so happy for Katie and Forrest. Katie has always been such a wonderful example to me. Although she is 7 years younger to me, I look up to her so much. As she was in high school she had her share of trials, and I found my heart breaking for her as she went through some of the things that she went through. What impressed me so much was how her faith and testimony never wavered. She was never afraid to stand up for what she believed in, and was such a shining light amidst the darkness. As I watched her go through the Temple and be sealed to Forrest, I just knew that her faithfulness had paid off and she was being blessed for her faith. I have never seen her so happy. It was a true pure happiness. We love you Katie and Forrest. Congratulations!!

Birthday Celebrations

On December 6th we got to celebrate 2 special birthdays. Michael, and my Grandpa Barker. We started out the night by heading over to my parents house for dinner and cake to celebrate Michael's 14th birthday. The kids were so excited to help him celebrate. We had a yummy "breakfast for dinner" and then watched him open up his presents.

He liked the shirt we got him =)

After that we hurried over to the rehabilitation center that my Grandpa has been to surprise him. We met some of my aunts, uncles and cousins there and then my grandpa's wife Emmy wheeled him out. He was so surprised and touched to see us. A few times throughout the night he would start to cry and say how surprised and happy he was. Emmy bought the two birthday boys some festive Christmas hats to wear.

As we sang happy birthday to the two of them, my grandpa grabbed and held Michal's hand. It was so sweet.

Grandpa let Michael blow out the candles =)

I was so grateful that we were able to spend this night with my grandpa. He has been quite sick over the past month. When I had one to see him the week before when he was at the hospital, he wasn't doing too well. It was really hard to see him like that, so I was so glad that he was feeling so much better now and on the road to recovery. I love my grandpa so much, and am grateful to have been able to spend this special evening with him.