CHRISTMAS 2016 🎄

Christmas is always a super stressful time for me.

I never really like it.

That's just me being honest......

I have some goals for next year to like it better though!  

Like I really have set goals already of how I can make it better.

BUT......having my kids here with me, makes me the happiest person!

And I got to have everyone here except Dillon...and he has the BEST excuse!

I wouldn't want him anywhere but the Philippines right now, so 

having all of the rest of my family here for Christmas was my best present EVER!

Chris asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I told him:

I just want my family to be together.

I got it.

We spent a lot of time together and it made my heart so happy.

I love the spirit of the Christmas season.

I love my Savior.  I love the gift of His life.

I'm thankful that Jesus Christ was born on this earth

and that we can celebrate His life, especially at Christmas, 

and that it makes people happy and makes people

want to be nice and help other people.

That makes me happy and makes the time of year better!!

I loved the #LightTheWorld campaign that the church did this year.

It truly helped me to feel the spirit more.  

We tried to serve more.  We helped more people by giving more.

That's what its supposed to be about anyway, right?

 in our Christmas Sunday Best...don't they look so cute?

Our CHRISTMAS EVE nativity scene is getting a little slim

looks like we need a few more grandkids to help out!

But the spirit felt when we read the scriptures together

is always the same no matter how many people are there.

I love this cute family and nativity!!

CHRISTMAS MORNING....

is always a crazy scene but we love it!!

I wouldn't have it any other way and I was so happy 

to have the little ones at our house this year to wake up to

look at this fun morning!

 Have you ever seen cuter Christmas buns?

 There's a happy Christmas!!

 A couple days before Christmas we made these fun Gingerbread houses

as a family.  We had so much fun...I love this tradition!!

 Jess & Cam WON the prize for the biggest mansion I think!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAMPA 🎉

For a SURPRISE Christmas present and also

for Bampa's Birthday.....we went to DISNEYLAND!!!

We had the best time.  It was a fun and relaxing time

after the craziness of the wedding weekend.

SOOOOO glad we went 😜

Having fun while the biggers get to ride the rides!!  

My Peeps!

 Disney at Christmas time is more magical than EVER!!

 BUBBLES!!!

COURTNEY ❤️ JON

Courtney and Jon were sealed today for

TIME AND ALL ETERNITY

in the Mesa, Arizona Temple

it was the most beautiful day! 

The sealing was absolutely perfect.  Brad Perkinson

sealed them.  I loved it so much.  One of the things 

that he did that I loved so much that I don't want to 

ever forget, was that before he started he asked

Debbie and I to stand up and walk across the room.

We stood with him across from where Courtney and Jon

were sitting together on the love seat holding hands.

He told us "we can't take a picture of that scene of them together,

but to take a mental picture and keep it in our minds forever!"

It was so special to me and I know it was for Debbie also...

Courtney and Jon also had a Ring Ceremony that afternoon

at their luncheon at the Tahiliani's home.  The luncheon was 

beautiful and the ring ceremony was also.  Before it started 

though, Chris (her dad) talked for just a second.  He was so sweet.

He had the sweetest things to say about her and Jon and their cute

relationship.  We are so lucky to have Jon join our family.  He is

perfect for Courtney!!  She loves him so much.  When Courtney

was sick over the summer he NEVER left her side.... when Jon 

asked Chris if he could marry our daughter?  We knew he loved 

her and would always take good care of her.  We trust him to do

just that!!  Then came the most perfect reception!!  It was at 

the Glauser residence in their backyard.  It was so beautiful.  

The weather threatened rain ALL day long!  We thought it 

would rain on us and we were all so scared it would ruin the

whole thing. BUT, it never did! And the night turned out to be

absolutely perfect!  It was a beautiful night and everyone had so much

fun, no one wanted to even leave when it was over! 

 These pictures are taken by @brittanylesueurphoto (Brittany LeSueur)

She's the literal BOMB!  If you're looking for a photographer, hit her up!

getting ready wedding morning!!! 

HERE WE GO!.........................

 Make-up by... @paintingyoupretty (Lindsey Bouffard) and BOY did she!!
We loved it!!

 Courtney's hair was done by...@hair.by_nat (Natalie Price)

It turned out so pretty!!  Couldn't have asked for anything better!!

Here's the actual wedding day.......coming out of the temple on my cell phone pics!

haha, this is what I got.  We don't have professional pics back from the wedding day yet.

 Elder Baker making his appearance at the wedding!!