The Christmas Season

FINALLY! I am posting our Christmas season! We had the opportunity to go to Arizona this year and spend Christmas with my side of the family. It was so new and fun with all the new babies born this year. It was also a very special and spiritual time for our family centered around the true meaning of Christmas, Christ. Brittny and Phil blessed their son Benjamin, Brittny went through the temple for the first time and was sealed to her family! Busy and spiritual! We had a wonderful time with family! I must warn you of picture overload!

SaNtA!!

(This picure is out of order) While in Arizona we took the girls to see Santa during a shopping trip with Grandma and Grandpa. Try not to notice my back side and concentrate on the girls! ha!

CHRISTMAS VILLAGES

We went out to eat as a family before visiting the Christmas Villages. I love Zaida's face in this picture!

We decided to see Santa in warm Arizona this year. The line was forever long and it was bitter cold. The girls were having so much fun they could have held out, I on the other hand desperately had to tinkle. ;-)

TEMPLE SQUARE LIGHTS

I love how my child is always the goofy one...I wonder where she gets it??? Her freak flag flies for sure when she is with cousins and friends.

The Berrett clan. We were missing the Lloyds and the Jacobsens.

From the Gateway we rode the tram over to see the lights. The kids got a kick out of it.

We had a lot of fun braving the cold and seeing the beautiful lights with family.

CHRISTMAS IN ARIZONA

Special story behind this angel. She has been in our family for over 20 years. My good mom has kept careful track of everyone who put the angel on the tree each year (we used to fight over who got to do it). It was Sienna's first turn this year and she was pretty excited.

I love my mom's tree! I used to think decorating the tree had to involve a certain color palate or beautiful ornaments. This year I loved decorating my mom's tree because all her ornaments contain a special memory. She gets everyone an ornament every year so we can look back at where we were over the years. Her tree is full of memories and I love it. I am starting my own memory tree next year.

The new babies went to see Santa for the first time! Benjamin and Ava sat on Santa's lap for the cutest darn picture!

We went over to Leslie's house to see her new baby Jamison and of course get our girls together.

BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST

Tadd and Kelly came in the night before my birthday. We decided it would be fun to have a birthday breakfast at LeGrande Orange. I really have to thank Nick for getting me a bar of soap for my birthday. I opened it and immediately went to smell my pits...as we were walking out I noticed the same bar of soap in the restaurant as you wait in line to order your food. ha!

Brittny, Phil and Benjamin were sealed together later that day. It was so special and beautiful. I was so glad I was there to witness such an emotional union. Benjamin did awesome!

Zaida is a papa's girl. (notice Nick's face in the background) Such a tender picture RUINED! Thanks Nick for Birthday present #2!

The sweet family!

We all went to dinner afterwards to celebrate.

I love this picture..I guess mom and Kelly didn't get the "look like a retard" memo from Nick and Tadd.
There is a lot of ME in the next few pictures...it's my birthday so I do what I want!

ME and Sienna

ME and Brittny

ME and dad

Yup you guessed it!! ME and mom

The girls look thrilled in this picture...

CHRISTMAS EVE

Gotta love my onesi pajamas! I have had them since I was in Junior high! The morning of Christmas Eve we decorated our Gingerbread house! The frosting in those kits is HORRIBLE!! I now have Carpal Tunnel.

Later that evening we went to see the Mesa Temple lights.

It was a nice break to walk around and enjoy the lights without freezing.

We then headed over to Brittny and Phil's house for dinner. My mom made a yummy meatball soup and I made a yummy creamy artichoke and sun dried tomato soup. Brittny made "to die for Orange Brownies" by Paula Deen and Christmas Cookies she helped the girls decorate. We discussed the symbolism of Christmas and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas". The girls opened their pajamas. Such a fun night!

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!

Santa left a letter for Sienna telling her what a good little girl she was this year. He also told her he could not deliver her new art easel to Grandma's house, that it would be waiting for her at her house when she got home. The art easel is not pictured here but the piano was another fun gift they came home to. Sienna loves being the "artist" and Zaida is quite the musician.

Sienna opening her art smock. She thought is was pretty cool seeing her own name on the front.

Aunt Kelly made Sienna a special Rapunzel blanket. Thanks Aunt Kelly and Uncle Tadd!

The girls looked beautiful in their Christmas dresses!

Uncle Phil was doing the craziest things to get the girls to laugh. It even got a good laugh out of Grandma and Grandpaaaaaawww .

How can you celebrate the holidays without several mean games of ping pong?!?

Well that's it folks! We had a wonderful holiday as always, but it was truely spiritual this year thanks to the Tew family.