The miracle of this day...

It sometimes gets hard to remember the whole purpose of the madness of this season. I promised myself I was going to do things differently this year so that I could sit back and enjoy everything about this holiday. I did pretty good... but definately know what I can improve on for next year. It sometimes gets frustrating to think that we are supposed to be celebrating the birth of our Savior as we rush to and fro, and spend outrageous amounts of money. WHY do we do this? I haven't figured it all out yet. But I know that next year will go even better than this year, and the year after I will do even better... I am just tired of putting everything ahead of what matters the most. It's easy to do... we are living in a world that takes away from what the Savior represents... and definately from all that he did for us. Often I can barely stand to think about it because I can't bear the thought of His suffering... for me.... and yet, on this day when we should be thinking the most of Him, His birth, His life and His death, we are madly rushing about concentrating on everything BUT Him! There are times when I think of Mary.... I couldn't imaging knowing that I was the mother of the Son of God. How she must have cherished Him... when I look at the faces of my own newborn children it takes my breath away knowing that they were so new, so fresh from heaven and I think of what she must have felt. I wonder if she felt completely inadaquete, or did she have the perfect innocent faith to believe that she was trusted enough with this great privilege that she knew she could accomplish the task given her? Did she doubt herself at times, the way I do as a mother? Did she wonder if all she did was enough? I think of the times that He has comforted me just in the past couple of years... the times He has carried burdens that felt too heavy to carry alone. He was there in my darkest hours, bringing light when I wondered if I could go on, when I felt so alone and scared. The reason we celebrate this day is nothing short of a miracle... and yet, because of the Son, we are blessed with miracles daily in our own lives. So Happy Birthday Jesus... I hope that we can remember all that was done for us everyday.... that will be my gift this year... to remember the gift of thy birth, and the gift of the atonement and to be willing to apply that gift to my life daily! Merry Christmas!

Family party

We went in to town to my brother's house for dinner and a gift exchange on Christmas Eve... it was fun to get together and the cousins always enjoy hanging out. We had what has become a traditional meal on Christmas Eve for us... pizza and Chinese food. We didn't stay long, just a couple of hours but it is nice to have family close enough to get together for the holidays. They got to open gifts from grandma and grandpa and then we were headed home to do the sibling gift exchange and to get ready for Santa's big visit!

Kalli and Ella....

Nate and Willie

Tanner... my son... why do you hate your pictures taken so much??? =)

Willie and Jayson

Tallin... home from Montana

Kailee always seems to attract the babies... she is so good to them... Nater's and Ella

Jace making a grand entrance.... or something!

Caitlyn shows up and we get to show off her engagement ring and announce that we will be having a June wedding!!! Yippeee!

Grandpa enjoying his big brood... love this man!

Daddy and his baby boy! Love these men too! =)

Brothers... Garrett and Tanner

Aunt Kerry and Kinzee Jo

Nate tried to show grandpa his jammies grandma made but Ella was in his way... tripping over his little cousin!

Finally... he got to grandpa to show him his jammies... Nate was SO excited about them!

Just enjoying the company....

Kami opening her jammies....

Bored???? No, just waiting their turn... it's tough to go youngest to oldest!

Hey Kimi...

Willie and his dad...

Little Elves helping grandma...

Still waiting... they tried to talk them into doing oldest to youngest but they were outvoted....

Shayne! Being Shayne!!!

Ella, Jayson and Jace.

The Grinch

The Grinch who stole Christmas from the American Tax Payers... Harry Reid!!! Merry Christmas!

Museum

We decided we needed to get out of the house and find something to do so off we headed to the museum.... Santa was there, though none of the kids wanted to wait in line to see him, but they didn't want to go on the scavenger hunt and find the different elves that were hiding.... they all had a great time and it was a good way to spend an hour or so. We don't go to the museum nearly often enough. I guess that is why it is always exciting for them when we remember to go! Nate thought everything was great and he was excited about it all....

Kalli is showing him that one of the elves is hiding inside the wagon....

Nate was excited about all of the animals, except the crocodile...

Look mom....

Wyatt told me to see which had the bigger mouth... I don't know Wyatt, it's pretty close!

Hayden and his friend...

I said DON'T TOUCH the animals.... =)

Bummy and Willie

Will it bite???

Nater's and Kailee...

look at all the animals Kailee...

ROAR....

Afraid he's going to get eaten!

Which one is the monkey???

Kinzee!

Willie!

Watch out Hayden...

Kassi and Kami thought the greatest part of going to the museum was being able to color!Bummy...

Yes Kinzee??? She thinks she's found another elf!

Nater's dragging Kailee with him... he knows Kailee will do anything for him...

This picture just makes me smile! He freaked out when we asked if he wanted to see Santa, told us no and ran over to the giraffe....

It's funny that with only 10 kids it looks like there aren't that many at all.... my smallish family... haha

Merry Christmas!!!

Mark Chestnut Concert

Thayne and I ran over to another concert last night. Kailee won the tickets yet again from the radio station and the concert was fantastic! I loved listening to him sing and boy could he sing the George Jones songs... Best of all it was just fun to hang out with my husband and listen to great music! Definately going back to see him next year! And hopefully by then I will get a new camera that actually takes better pictures in the dark! =}