Happy New Year

During the Christmas break we were able to do some fun things.  It always goes by too fast.  Some people look forward to a new year, but I have a hard time putting away the Christmas stuff and moving on.  I hope I get it done before Ella's birthday....no promises.  We went to a community production of "Little Mermaid".  It was good and fun for Ella to be with cousins.

Ella, Megan and Lanie with Ariel and Price Eric.

Ella and I also saw "Click, Clack, Moo...Cows that Type".  It was very well done and really fun.

For as long as I can remember, my family has always had a New Year's celebration.  It really has become a fun family tradition.  We started it off with a good winter storm to provide snow for Grandpa to take us sledding.  He loves doing it and this year the Grand-daughters could not get enough.  Ella, Megan and Lanie spent hours being pulled around in the sled.   

I was lucky enough to get the first ride on the newly fallen snow.  This is good for me since it got a lot bumpier and I am not as young as I used to be.  Thanks Dad for the ride!

My Dad loves putting smiles on his grandchildren's faces.  Thanks Grandpa!  

My Dad had things down to a science.  When you took a break, we would put our wet clothes in the dryer so they would be nice and warm for the next go around.

Happy New Year 2013! 

 The neighbors don't seem to mind the New Year's music of pots and pans.

I have witnessed lots of examples this holiday season of Dads doing activities with their children.....Byron being no exception.  I watched Byron pull Ella, Megan and Lanie around my parents yard with the 4 wheeler and thought how lucky I am to be married to someone who is such a great Dad.  I know a lot of great Dad's....my own, Ella's, my brothers and brother-in-laws are among the best out there!

This is my first attempt at putting a video on my blog.  I apologize in advance for any difficulty it gives you.

I found some more New Years pictures to share.

Ella and Megan getting ready for the "Final Count Down".

It was a Merry Christmas!

Now that I haven't posted for awhile, I feel like I am a beginner all over again.  We enjoyed this Christmas very much.  We started if off by going and riding the Christmas Express Train that my parents arranged.  We have done it before and it is simple and fun.  It is a very simple, "Polar Express" experience complete with a train ride and a visit with Santa.  It is near my parents home and the people that do it love trains and provide this for the community.

I got a flier in the mail for a gingerbread house at a local model home.  I took Ella and it was really fun.  There were designer gingerbread houses there and you could vote on your favorite.  They had cookies that you could decorate and they had so many choices of things to use to decorate.  It was fun to make a mess somewhere else.

This was Ella's favorite house.  It is a take on the angry birds game.

I was very proud of my Christmas tree.

Ella decorating a cookie. 

This is my favorite house.  I loved all the details from lights to wreaths to the garage door.  I hope they do this next year too.

Byron doesn't like to go downtown during Christmas or actually anytime, but we combined it with a chance to see Blair and Cathy (Byron's brother) and their family.  There was not a crowd at first but as the evening went on the crowds grew.  

It is nice to have the downtown candy windows back.

Ella's favorite was the nutcracker on one side with the rat on the other side.

Ella's favorite display.  She loves the long ears and was so happy to find this display again this year.

Temple Square really is very beautiful at Christmas time.  I am reminded of the "True Light of the World" every time I see the lights. 

Other activities we did: A trip to Gardner Village to see the Christmas Elves.  We enjoyed scones at Winder Dairy.  Byron and I were able to enjoy the luminaries that the Valley View Cemetery does every year.  They put luminaries on every headstone and the cemetery is very large.  It is a wonderful site and gives us the opportunity to reflect on all the people that have been and continue to be "lights" in our lives.  We do luminaries at our house on Christmas Eve too!  We also enjoyed taking random drives throughout the city to look at lights.  We really didn't need to go far....our neighbors display was excellent and they are so sweet to give that gift to me every year!

Ella is at such a fun age for Christmas magic.  Byron loves Christmas too....it is THE only day of the year that he likes to get up early.  This is the first year that he did not have to wake up Ella on Christmas.  She woke us up by jumping on our bed at 3:45 AM....yep 3:45 AM...and there was no going back to sleep for this princess.  I don't really understand why Christmas is the only day that she gets up with that much energy.  If only we could have Christmas every day......just not that early.

Santa knows Ella is a Utah girl.

Ella's favorite gift.....a pink robe.  This is what happens when you get up at 3:45 AM and enjoy Christmas at home and then get in the car for a quick 30 minute drive to Grandma and Grandpa's. 

I enjoy sending out Christmas cards and thinking of all of the people that have blessed our lives and that continue to bless us.  We have so many memories of great times with great people.  2012 has been a year for me to reflect on what is most important to me and I hope I never lose sight of the simple things that mean so very much.