Christmas

We always get our tree early in the month so we can enjoy it longer! Conner can't wait to set it up.

At this point we were doubting our decision of getting our tree at Home Depot instead of our trusted tree lot...was it worth the discount? 

I think if we forget to leave our shoes out again next year, Sinterklaas may just pass us by.

I was so sad, too, because I had just painted us new wooden shoes! Doesn't everything look much better in our wooden shoes than our dirty, smelly sneakers?

 Cousin Jeff and Megan were married December 18th. It was lovely and her dress was beautiful!

My mom, Marissa, and I spent all day at the wedding, luncheon, setting up the flowers, and attending the reception. We love those Speechlys!

A short break at Grammy's. Poor Grammy slipped on ice and broke her shoulder only a few days before. She was unable to come to the temple and luncheon, but we helped her get ready for the reception.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir mini-concert on Sunday. It was incredible. We had been watching Alfie Boe on the 25th anniversary of Les Mis...we couldn't wait to see him live! It was better than we expected. Thanks to our friends Brian and Jenny Tanner for the tickets!

Weekend Downtown with the Nielsen's. It was so busy that we ate at Chik-Fil-A, then we browsed through City Creek, saw the candy windows, didn't last long at the temple square lights due to the rain, then headed back to the hotel...

where I ordered room service-yum!

The Joseph Smith Memorial Buiding.

The ward Christmas breakfast.

 Lindsay and Spencer's Christmas party.

 The Grammy Party.

Luckily we convinced Grammy NOT to cancel...her shoulder wasn't feeling great. She was a trooper. Played the piano and everything!

 Feliz Navidad!

 Even Jon and Jenny's family Skyped in.

 Little Grammy and her baby sister, Aunt Lou.

 The Grandpa and Grandma Egbert Christmas Party

 Silent Night.

Nielsen Christmas Eve Party

We let Craig believe that we enrolled him in a year's membership to the Human Fund for Christmas. (Seinfeld-Conner's idea). It was actually kind of funny. Then we gave him his real present- a camelback. He loved it.

 Doug and Jami got us exactly what we asked for. We love it!

 And Jerrie got her magnet board,

 and a birthday calendar Jami and I made.

 Christmas morning. Headed to work!

 A Christmas visitor...

 Egbert family Christmas Day dinner...they waited til I got home from work that night.

Mom and Dad's Christmas present to us. We all got to pick our own picture of the Savior to hang in our home. We love it.

 Rapunzel's tower.

 Our tree on Christmas Eve. Thank goodness we got it straightened out.

 Just getting our own Christmas started at ten o'clock that night.

 Surprise!

It was a busy month! We loved it all. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. We are so thankful for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe in Him, His life, His teachings, and Atonement. We know that it is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can return with our Father in Heaven and be with our families forever. Merry Christmas!