Temple Square 2010

What an elevator ride up to the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to be even with the tallest spires and the Angel Moroni in Temple Square.

Also at the JSMB an original Art Gallery open to the public. It was incredible, and although it was packed, we were able to take our children around and see the incredible paintings.

The kids and the Christos. 

The Nativity within Temple Square.

Ty apparently thought that "Grab your winter coat" meant "Hey grab any sweatshirt that you'd like". We were extremely lucky to get there early and that it was warmer than usual for the season.

We got to Temple Square early so we could be there for the exact moment the lights went on for the night. This is something we've never done before. It was exciting and a little later than we expected, however, we had fun waiting for the lights and telling stories in the mean time.

I'm telling you, that elevator ride was pretty crazy. 

We tried to find stairs to walk the 10 floors down, but to no avail.

Christmas presents Update!

Merry Insanity!

Last January we talked to our kids about letting Santa help with a trip to Disneyland instead of toys that break and fill their floors (and not the toy buckets!) this year. They were all for it. 

So we decided instead to make this year a "Homemade" Christmas with strictly handmade items to exchange with one another. I'm enjoying the concept and hope that my children understand how much love and sanity (leaving me with insanity) I've put into their gifts. 

I've made: stuffed animals, jean quilts (made from their old jeans and patched with fabric that has special meaning to each of them individually - for example one patch is a picture of the family at adoption day and another is of the Provo Temple where we were sealed as a family for time and all eternity), and matching pj's for Darin and the boys and Rosalie and me. Plus girls are purple camo and boys' are black/grey camo - so as a family we match too. The pj's will be opened Christmas Eve. It's exciting for me to see how the kids like it.

But the work on top of school has left me with little energy for anything else in my life. I get up, go to school, come home, sew, do homework, sew, and then go to sleep only to get up and do it again the next day. I'm using skills I was taught in a 4th grade 4H class with a sewing machine Darin got me last year for Christmas. Now the circle is complete. Although I worry about the health of my little Brother sewing machine. I hope it makes it through one last jean quilt for Ty and Rosalie's pajama's otherwise I have no funds for a replacement sewing machine before Christmas.

Please pray for me and my Brother sewing machine!

Happy Holidays

We decorated our Christmas tree and put out a few other decorations the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I'm glad the kids were able to get into the spirit of the season.

It comes in handy in lean years to have more than enough Christmas decorations on hand. I had a box full of decorations that I purchased 75-90% off last year at Wal-Mart. What a blessing! Including our first ever light up star. I love the elf and Santa caps we wear. We're extra special!

I get decorative talents from my mother-in-law. We both love and feature pink and purple in our Christmas tree decorations.

Falisha even came over and got into the spirit of things!

Rosalie was able to get her hat to stand on end. Awesome!

Falisha a little overwhelmed with holiday cheer.