Merry Christmas!

For those who didn't see our card, here is the picture that went out. How adorable are my girls??

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Christmas Eve was spent at the in-laws first. Here is their tree!

Here are Ella and her cousin Aneesa with Grandma.

Cousin Chaston (Chazzy-Bear).

Lance and myself -funny shot!

Me and Candace (Lance's sister). I love this picture!

Afterward, we went for some more Christmas Eve festivities at my parent's house. Dad reads the Luke 2 story from the bible as we sing corresponding Christmas hymns.

Here is Ella cuddling with Lexie while singing. The book Lexie is holding is a set of the hymns printed so that we all have a copy -and Mary even transposed them all a bit lower so that we could sing them easier! It's so beautiful with everyone singing in all four parts. :)

More Ella cuddling while singing (that's baby Tessa)!
Grandmother -Dad's mom came from California for the holidays! Dave (who always looks crazy in pictures I take), Lex, and Noah!
Mia just roamed... :)

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It's Christmas day!!! Here's our tree on the big morning. Yes, that is "Biscuit" that Santa brought Ella, and "Cookie Monster" for Mia-babes.

Ella loved him!

Lance got his new "Packers" jersey (it says "Pack Daddy" on the back)!
He got me this gorgeous bracelet -hard to see. I need photography lessons!
Chaedon was excited about his stash... it's mixed in with Mia's toys. :)

Mia was just happy with boxes and the excitement!

...Then she'd had enough.Odds and ends Christmas spew around the house (forgive me, I have to document the cuteness):

More. Yes, I need to get some stinkin' pictures in those frames!
After the excitement at our home, we headed to my family's house for more fun! Here's mom's tree.

Ella -mid-gift-storm.

Mia taking a break in her new rocking chair.Tessa joining her -in her wierd little chair that Rach got her!
Christmas Chaos!!
The fameous holiday rolls! Thanks Rach!!
To top off the holiday bliss, Mia took her first steps!

Merry Eve-y-Eve!

Lance’s family has created a bit of a holiday of the day before Christmas Eve, which is lovingly titled “Eve-y-Eve”! Who doesn’t need another reason to wish each other good will? Merry Eve-y-Eve, one and all!
Christmas is such a beautiful time of year. I love the hustle and bustle of the season. I love the lights, the music, the events, the anticipation, and especially holding Santa’s gifts over my daughter’s head to extort some form of good behavior… Does it work? Not really.
If I don’t get a chance to blog until after the holiday, to all my dear friends and family, Merry Christmas! God Bless!

NFCP, baybee!

Welcome to the annual NFCP -our family Christmas party! It's an excellent event, filled with surprises and good times. The entry will be mostly pictures, since there are such fun ones to share! Here's me!
Grandmother (Dad's mom) is here from California visiting for Christmas! It was great to share the evening with her!

Ella was pretty proud of her cute graham-cracker house...

Ella's up close.This one is mine. I went for the "anti-frill" since I was told that all of mine seem to come out "frilly" -thank you Sarah! So here's a quiet little manger scene.

Lance coulnd't resist, he needed to create Lambeau Field -GO PACKERS!

Here's a few highlights... This is Mary's castle.

Here's Rachael's Poinsettia!

Lexie won "best in show" with her "Betty Boop" cabin. Lovely!

Folks had a great time!

...As is evident by Ella's hair by the end of the evening!
Lexie brought her beautiful sisters Kimmy and Desi to help watch kiddos -thanks ladies!

I loved this shot of Granny!

Here's Seuao with baby Tessa -she doesn't look too thrilled! :)

Mia had a fun time with a pop bottle!The best part of the evening was the announcement of the new Nolan baby soon-to-come! Congratulations David, Lexie, and big-brother Noah! We're SO excited for you!

Some fun pictures!

Here's Mia wishing you all some season's greetings! ...She's not too good with keeping her eyes open for pictures!

Cute little Ella! Not-so-cute Ella. She's crying here, but Lance couldn't resist the shot with the static hair!

Back to adorable!

Believe

I have been seeing the word “Believe” all over the place during the season. Heck, I have it in a glass block, as well as a wooden one in two different decorated areas of my home. I guess it’s associated with the idea of believing in Santa –or in the magic of Christmas, etc.
Mom never allowed us to believe in Santa Claus. We were the mean kids who told other kids that he wasn’t real. For her own reasons, she took a very firm stance on leaving him out of her home where the holidays are concerned.
Christmas has been no less magical to me though. A few days ago we had a ward party that I attended. After a few musical numbers, the primary children performed a nativity with the reading of the Christmas story from the Bible. It was so beautifully touching. Ella got to be an angel –and she kept waiving to all of the people she knew. :) This, in comparison to last year’s meal and visit from Santa was so much more satisfying as a Christmas memory I’d like to keep. The magic of this season struck me at that time. It’s the divinity of the Christ-child, coming to Earth to save us all. It’s a time to be celebrated, and revered with humble gratitude.

Do I believe? I use the words from my brother John: “A statement of belief is more powerful than one of knowledge because it cannot be contradicted and it demands no proof. Therefore, I make here a statement of what I have willfully chosen to believe…” and that is that Christ died for us. He died for each of us personally, and he knows us individually. He understands our heads when we feel things aren’t working correctly. He understands our hearts when they burst with the love we have for others, or struggle with losing them. He hears us when we beg for mercy, or sing praises of gratitude. He’s there in the quiet moments of normalcy, be it while making a sandwich for Ella, or driving in my car. I believe that our God is a loving God. When I lost my old high-school best friend Carter to suicide, the note he’d left for his wife simply said (written in a different language) “God Is Kind” –and there it is. I believe there is a plan for each of us. I believe that this magical season is actually so because of the miracle of His life. May we each let Him into our own, and BELIEVE.

Goodbye Ed

Ed is my dad’s cousin. He died on December 14th. I met him a long time ago when he’d come to Logan with his mother; Aunt Barbie (my Grandmother’s sister) to Grandmother’s 75th birthday party. I was 17 years old. He and I connected for some reason, and had a lot of chats during that visit. Since then, we’ve exchanged letters which slowed and turned into only a yearly Christmas greeting. I’d just sent mine to him, but don’t think he received it in time before he died.
I feel like I gained an appreciation for the person he was. He was very interesting, and had some serious mechanical talent. I guess what breaks my heart is how he wasn’t considered much a part of the family in recent years. I recently saw Aunt Barbie’s Christmas card, and he wasn’t mentioned at all, although his two brothers were. I don’t know what his choices were that put him in that position, and I don’t judge those who chose to cut off contact. I’m just sad that it happened at all. He died alone just like Uncle Richard –not feeling wanted and not having the appreciation of love and family that I wish they’d had… Grandmother and Barbie (sisters) both lost a son this year. It makes me resolve firmer that regardless of the choices my children make, they will NEVER be on the outside of my communication and love. I could never bare the idea of having my child die (or take their life) without knowing how sincerely they are loved, needed and wanted.

CHRISTMAS TIPS: TIME TO GET SERIOUS!

Craig Wilson, USA TODAY

I hate this time of year. Not for its crass commercialism and forced frivolity, but because it's the season when the food police come outwith their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through theholidays without gaining 10 pounds. You can't pick up a magazinewithout finding a list of holiday eating do's and don'ts. Eliminatesecond helpings, high-calorie sauces and cookies made with butter, theysay. Fill up on vegetable sticks, they say. Good grief. Is yourfavorite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I didn't thinkso. Isn't mine, either. A carrot was something you left for Rudolph.I have my own list of tips for holiday eating. I assure you, if youfollow them, you'll be fat and happy. So what if you don't make it toNew Year's? Your pants won't fit anymore, anyway.

1. About those carrot sticks. Avoid them. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-maltscotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch.You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Whocares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you'regoing to turn into an egg-nogaholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fillit with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk orwhole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sportscar with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and NewYear's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do.This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. You can't leave them behind. You're not going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mince meat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with themandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, havesome standards, mate.

10. And one final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave theparty or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.Reread tips. Start over. But hurry! Cookieless January is just aroundthe corner.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

My lovely friend Ashlee requested a picture of the tree, so I thought I'd add a few to demonstrate the Christmas-spew that my house becomes! Love it!
Ho yeah, DANISH BUTTER COOKIES a'top my fridge!

Poinsettias here and there...

Children with visions of sugar-plums dancing in their heads! ...How cute is Ella here? She has my mom's Pikachu (actually, it was my brother John's) that she's madly attached to... Gosh, I don't get Pokemon. Joni, I feel you babe (by the way, recognize the "HOME" above the cabinets and the "sleigh" that is all fluff above the tv -my GREAT crafty friend?)!

Yes, that's even "Shrek The Halls" playing. It's Mia's newest thing -she LOVES that movie to pieces, and won't budge through the whole thing!