December

I love the month of December. I love the Christmas Season. I love getting out Christmas decorations, lights, listening to music, gift giving and making goodies. Its so fun! Paige actually was old enough to join me in my excitement for the season, which made it even more fun!! We jumped right into the Christmas spirit the first weekend of December. We invited some friends over and we decorated gingerbread men (request of Paige) and gingerbread houses. This has always been one of my favorite traditions. We had a good time. After the gingerbread we ate dinner together and then ran to the Christmas light parade in Safford. Paige really enjoyed it. I thought it was the perfect length of a parade. It wasn't to short or to long, and most of the floats looked pretty good. Paige loved all the lights and the blow up animals/shapes. She wasn't a fan of the sirens from the police cars, semi-trucks and fire trucks. Whenever they drove by making noise she said she was ready to go home. The very next day (Sunday) we got to listen to the First Presidency Devotional. This again has always been one of my favorite ways to jump into the Christmas Season. I have always loved listening to them speak and tell different Christmas stories. On Monday the very next day (12/6) Mom came up to Thatcher with Allison and her kids to dip chocolates. We dipped them like we do every year at Aunt Carolynn's house. Britni, Shannon and Stephani were also there along with Aunt Elaine and Kylane. It was so fun. I ate more chocolate then I needed to but it was fun to just talk and visit. Dipping Chocolates usually just takes about 2 days. We each get to come home with a good amount to give to our friends for Christmas. I can't remember how many pounds of chocolate we used this year but we dipped our version of caramel, toffee, health, almond joys, peanut butter cups, oreo cream puffs, truffle and mint girl scout cookies. (lots of fun treats!!)

Ward Christmas Party (12/18)
The weekend before Christmas we had our ward party. Paige was so excited to see Santa. After dinner we had a short program by the primary children. It was so cute. The kids really did a good job playing their roll. We then sang Christmas carols....and then Santa walked in. It was really fun seeing the look on Paige's face when Santa walked in (pure joy and excitement.) Santa walked around the room greeting different people and as he got closer to where we were sitting I was a little surprised that Paige started getting really nervous. She LOVED santa from afar but not as much close up. Thank goodness Kylee my neice came with us to see Santa. I think because of her Paige got the nerve to go sit on Santa's lap. At first Piage was a little timid but she quickly warmed up.

I was able to catch a picture of her when she saw Santa Walk in. I love it!!!

Paige standing in line with Kylee waiting to see Santa.

I love this picture of her looking up at Santa.
I am grateful for this season that we get to reflect on the life of our Savior and celebrate his birth. I try not to get caught up in the "worldly" aspects of the holidays and remember our Savior. I do however love the "magic" that Santa brings to the Season.

Christmas Dress (12/19)
One of my favorite things when I was little was getting a new Christmas dress. I can't say I still buy myself a new dress every Christmas but I sure enjoy getting Paige one. In the past 3 year I have always gotten a red dress or something close to red. This year I wanted to get her a different color. I thought she looked so cute in it! (Yet I think she's cute in just about anything) I am excited for next years Christmas and having 2 little girls.

Christmas Eve
I have always loved Christmas Eve..and even though this year I was on bed rest it was no exception. We celebrated Christmas in SV with all my family. All of my brothers and sisters and their families were there so it was A LOT of fun and a good crowd. We started the night with the traditional Mexican fiesta dinner. Along with all my siblings Grandma Lunt, Grandma and Grandpa Haymore, Aunt Jan, Uncle Flint and their family, Uncle Ron, Uncle Gary & Aunt Del Anne, Ryan, Camille and their family, Brek and Leah were all there. It was a fun crowd. I didn't take alot of pictures of everyone socializing because I was stuck on the couch but Garet got a few. After eating we had our little Christmas program. This year Paige was a "girl Sheppard" She was so cute. Again I didn't get many great pictures...this time it was because the lighting was bad. Paige loved putting on the "show" as she put it and wanted to do a " Baby Jesus" show every night we were at Grandmas. Actually this past month at home she has been playing Baby Jesus and Mary all month. She found a basket of mine and emptied it for the manger. Then she got some dish towels for swaddling clothes (said Paige) and made a bed for Jesus. She would then try to dress as different rolls (wiseman, Mary, Sheppard, donkey) Its been really cute watching her. Anyways. After the program we had dessert then everyone went home except my brothers and sisters. We took pictures of all of us in our PJ's and then Justin, Karisa and their kids went home. Everyone else stayed at moms. (allison and down)

Kade, Paige, and a little girl I don't know (my cousins friends also came) finishing up dinner.

Justin, Garet, Landon, Mom (in back), Allison, and Grandma Lunt

Paige and I. Don't know what kind of smile this is from Paige....goofy girl. This is where I hung out pretty much all Christmas weekend.

Our Christmas Nativity: Paige, Jacie, Hallie, Cooper, then 2 girls I don't know (again cousins friends kids) and then Karlie as Mary.

Our complete Nativity with the addition of Kade and Brycen (and another kid I don't know in the back by his sisters)

Garet, Paige and I in our matching pjs. This year mom bought all the material and we all made our own families pants. It was fun with everyone matching. Mom said she bought 42 yards!

Grandma & Grandpa with all the grandkids: Kade, Taylor, Teagan, Madi, Hallie, Jacie, Paige and Karlie

All the "Haymore" girls: Madison, Marlee, Allison, Karisa, Mom, Me, Jacie, Hallie, Grandma Lunt, Paige, Megan, and Karlie

Grandma Lunt and Paige- It was so fun to have Grandma Lunt there with us!

Grandma Lunt with the Great Grandkids of the Steve Haymore family

Grandma Lunt- I thought she looked cute in this picture

Paige getting her stocking ready for Santa to come. (I love how her stomach pokes out here.)
The whole gang!!

CHRISTMAS DAY!!
I remember as a kid waking up really early Christmas morning. I couldn't wait to see what Santa had brought us. It was always so much fun and really exciting. This year was no exception besides the fact we woke up a lot later then we usually did compared to when we were kids. Megan, Jordan and Jared woke up fairly early saw their presents and then went back to bed. The rest of us didn't wake up until our kids woke up around 730. It took awhile for Paige to completely wake up but when she did she was excited. Paige got a bike this year from Santa, Garet got a video game and I got 2 watches. There were lots of presents to unwrap under the tree because the amount of people that were at mom and dads. It was fun watching Paige, Kade and Teagan open up presents. While we opened up presents we had the usual hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, pull apart and orange slices. It was all so yummy!!!
The rest of the the day I just laid around (because I had no other choice :) but the kids just played with their presents and we all visited. Grandma and Grandpa came back down along with Ron, Flint and Jan for the traditional ham and potato casserole dinner. We had a great day. It was fun to be surrounded by all the family.

Paige just saw her bike from Santa and is on her way to check it out.

It was hard to get Paige to take a picture. She was just to excited.

Paige checking out the contents of her stocking.

Unwrapping presents. She was into opening presents a lot more this year then last year.

Our little family Christmas morning,.

New Years Eve
Garet and I really didn't have any plans for New Years. We were kinda waiting around to see what the Goodman's were all doing. When we never heard anything we decided very last minute to go to the cabin with my parents, aunt Jana, and Grandma Lunt and play in the snow. I was still trying to take it easy because I was just taken off bed-rest so I didn't get to play a whole lot in the snow. It was really pretty though. As soon as we turned onto the dirt road there was nothing but snow. It took us awhile to drive from the dirt road to the cabin just because of all the snow. We got there Thursday late afternoon so we didn't have a lot of time to play before it got to dark. It was pretty cold up there to because the sun wasn't out. Friday morning was a little warmer because the sun came out. We had a good time playing in the snow though. That night was New Years Eve. We had different kinds of treats and snacks and played games. Saturday morning we played some more in the snow and then got ready to go home. We had a good time. Paige loved the snow. I am so glad that we had the right clothing for her. I know if we didn't she wouldn't have lasted very long.

This is the road when we turned off onto Turkey Creek.

Paige and Brandi excited and ready to go play in the snow.

Again I'm so glad we had the right snow attire.

Uncle Jared was nice enough to take Paige down the hill a few times on the sled.

Paige and I

Dad and Mom

Garet and I- this is where I sat most of the time watching the kids go up and down the hills. Boy did it look like fun. wish I could have gone on a ride.

Paige had fun going down the hills but decided she liked playing in the snow more.

New Years Eve party..Hallie, Brooklyn, Grandma Lunt, Austin, and Jordan

Brandi, Brenna, and Megan

After eating all his snacks, Garet took a little nap while we played some games.

Playing a game of catch phrase. We played a few games but this one was a favorite. People of all ages can play this games.

Mom eating a snack....we had a good selection

Happy New Year! I love you Garet!!!!

Brenna, Me, Paige, and Megan...and our tiny snowman. From the moment we new decided we were going to go to the cabin and play in the snow all Paige wanted to do was build a snowman. We tried and tried to build a better snowman but the snow was really powdery....this is all we could do. Paige was pleased so that's all the mattered.

Dad brought the horses. i wasn't aloud to ride them because of baby but Jared took Paige on a little ride. she lobed it.

And now a close up of Jared and Paige

Garet tied a long rope to the back of the truck. The kids all sat on their sleds and held onto the rope while Garet drove. They had a good time doing this. I sat with Garet in the front.

Hallie Brandi and Brooklyn also were in the truck with us...until they decided that it looked like lots of fun and joyed the other kids.

Paige even decided that it looked like fun so she got brave and took a ride. She had lots of fun until snow started getting in her face. (Kyler, Paige, Megan, Breena, Brandi, Hallie, Jordan, Brooklyn and Austin)

Close up of Paige and Megan

Paige on the sled by herself.