December Highlights - so far!

~ Going to lunch at Rumbi's with ward friends.

~ Girls overnighter in Park City.

~ Festival of Trees with Jon, kiddies and Shellie. They even had a USU tree!

~Taking Garrett and Rylee to meet Santa Claus at the North Hampton House. When I was little it was on Mary Pulley's Hill and it seemed like we waited anxiously in our cars for hours. Not so long now that I'm OLD!

~Went to the mall with my mom and kids. Again met Santa and got to sit on his lap. Rylee took a little convincing and still wasn't too sure about the old man with a big white beard.

~ My sister McCall and niece Brynlee come for a short visit. We have fun watching the kids love each other. Mom, Jon, McCall and I enjoy a yummy lunch at Cafe Rio - later that night my sisters, mom and I see Australia which was very good and mom surprises us with matching pj's to wear on Christmas Eve just like when we were little. Thanks Mommy!

~ On a Sunday drive, Jon and I take the kids to see the Holdman's Christmas light display. It's very cool - check out their website at: http://www.holdman.com/ for directions (it's moved since last year). Enjoyed watching Garrett's ear to ear grin and couldn't help remembering these are the best moments of Christmas.

~ Smith Family Christmas Party. 75 attendees. Great fun to visit with my aunts, uncles, cousins and watch the little ones take their turn at the pinata!

~At Talking Time, Garrett gets to meet Mrs. Claus and he gets a present!

~Mom and I bake dozens of spritz cookies and sugar cookies. The Swedish wreath spritz cookie was always a tradition at Grandma Barratt's and I look forward every year to making them with my mom.

~The director of the Utah Regional Ballet, Jackie Colledge, is in our ward and gave us tickets to the Nutcracker! HOORAY. I have always loved the Nutcracker so I was able to take Garrett, Mom, and Kaisa to see this favorite of mine. Garrett was so excited to get dressed up and go on a special date with mom. He sat on the edge of his seat and five minutes into it he leans over and says, "momma, I love this show". He grinned and clapped the whole way through.


~ Going to the temple with my family to do sealings for our family members has become a Christmas season tradition. Dinner afterwards is just icing on the cake.

~ Our neighbors saw Garrett standing on the curb watching them ride their four wheelers and so they brought one over and let Jon take the kids for rides. They had a blast and we nearly had to pry them from the machine. Nice neighbors - but now Jon thinks we need one.

~ Finally went Christmas shopping and got everything! Came home to find our sweet kids snuggled up in Garrett's bed. What a great way to end an evening!