Just Over 12 Hours To Go

You have just over 12 hours to repent, resolve to change your life and write it down! We need written proof to show you around the 3rd week in January that you have already fallen off the wagon.
Mine are already done. How about yours?

Good Friends

Once a year, after Christmas, we get together with a group of our friends that we have been friends with since time began it seems. As a matter of fact, Jason is responsible for hooking Ross and I up. We are forever in your debt Jas! Or on other days, we just blame you;)
Anyway, there are a lot more of us now with all of our kiddos. It is so fun to see all of them play while all of us big kids catch up on each others lives.
The best kind of friends are the ones when you don't see each other for a year and you pick up right where you left off. And you know that you can still count on them for anything.
Thanks Jason and Mary Jane for letting us trash your house! We love all of you guys!

The Non Stop Christmas Party

It was such a great year. We had fun seeing family and friends, eating too much, playing secret Santa. We had many an opportunity to help out others this year and it really brought the spirit for us. We are so blessed and we are happy to impart of our substance.
The Stahle party this year was awesome! We always get a visit from Santa Kirt and his trusty sidekick, Buttkiss. (Buttkiss is a stuffed monkey that helps hand out the toys to the kids. He got his plastic eyes poked out by Tyson this year for trying to hoard presents.) We also got a visit from the one and only Rudolph! (a.k.a. Clay and Colt, the 2 coolest cousins ever!) It made the kids excited and the adults laugh their aces off.
The Christmas Eve party at grandpa and grandma Walker's house is always a hit. We were all spoiled rotten as usual. Some of us a little more rotten than others, but we won't say any names!
Christmas Day is always fun for me because I get to see the huge smiles on the boys faces. Somehow, Santa always comes through. Make sure you ask Ross about his rockin' new shirt he got from his loving wife;) Ross hooked me up with a tv for the gym so I can use my workout dvd's or watch a little something while on the dreadmill. You are the best honey!
Later that day we got to go to Aunt Emmy's house for a late lunch and more presents. It was a lot of fun. My sisters and I did a cool thing this year. We did a charitable Christmas. We all have so much so we decided that in lieu of gifts for each other, we took the money and gave it to different charitable causes, people in need, etc. It was awesome. I think we will do that every year. Next year we are going to include mom and dad in it too.
Such a fun time of year.

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a magical Christmas. I pray for all of you and know that we will all be blessed in our journeys through life. Remain faithful, have joy and let love abound.

"Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!"

Poppy the Popcorn Man

We had a rip roarin' time at the Keith's Christmas Party last night. One of the cool things about where we live is that there are way fun people that love to party. Never a dull moment in the Valley!
We had great food which led all of us to eat way too much once again. What are the holidays for if not to overeat? We played some really fun games that led to Ross being nick-named Poppy. I am not at liberty to explain here as children might someday read this blog, just know that it was freaking hilarious!
We missed Chad and Kelli since Kell has the flu:( Get better soon!)
Thanks Brian and Sherene! You guys know how to throw a great party even if you can't count Sherene;)

A Few of My favorite Christmas Things

My friend Kelli inspired me to write this post. Thanks Kell!

1. Snow. I love snow. It makes me happy. I love the way it looks and feels and smells. Yes, I think there is a smell to it.
2. Kindness. Usually at this time of year, my faith in humanity is restored. I am amazed at the things people will do for each other.
3. Reverence. There is a certain reverence that comes at this time of year for me. I stand in awe. Which leads me to #4.
4. My Savior. His birth. His life. His death. His love for me. His love for all of us.
5. The nativity. I love looking at different depictions of how people think it "looked". I have an overwhelming respect for Joseph and Mary and the things they went through and their willingness to do it.
6. Freedom of Religion. and part of that, Joseph Smith Jr. Happy Birthday to him this month too.
7. The song O Holy Night. It's my favorite of all time.
8. Candy canes and hot chocolate.
9. Gingerbread houses.
10. Playing Secret Santa
11. When I find the "perfect gift" for someone.
12. Family. Ross and I have the best. Our kids, parents, siblings, etc. I am so grateful for all of them.
13. Friends. We also have the best of friends. We have added many to our circle over the years and are always looking for more.
14. Traditions.
15. Watching my kids getting the spirit of Christmas.
16. Peace. Hope. Joy.

I could go on and on but I will stop there for now.

"Hello? Is this thing on?"

Corbin has great comedic timing. He is always saying the most hilarious things. We took a trip to the Valley Market the other day and he had a few good ones.

We are walking into the store and I notice he has tennis shoes with no socks, holy jeans, and a Lowe's ball cap. (He's ready for the runway I know)
"Corbin, where in the heck are your socks?"
"Mom, I don't care about socks. I care about Lowe's."

In the store he climbs into the back of the cart. "Ok woman if I'm going to sit in this thing you are going to have to be a good driver." (snickers from the lady buying avocados)

We go down the candy aisle and he wants me to buy a bag of treats for just him.
"How about I buy a bag you can share with your brothers?"
"How about you buy a bag just for me?"
I give him the "look".
He points at himself with his thumb, shakes his head, "I've got good ideas!"

I know, kind of random but he just makes me smile.