Merry Christmas!

This was our fourth (and final!) year spending Christmas in Ohio. It's been very fun to continue old traditions from our extended families as well as create new ones of our own. As always, we started things off with a yummy Christmas Eve breakfast at Cracker Barrel.Bryan and Andrew
Hannah
Logan and Summer
Hannah and Summer in the Cracker Barrel store.
That night, we all gathered around the Christmas tree in our new jammies (thanks, Nana and Papa) to read Christmas books and the Christmas story from the Bible.

Hannah entertained herself while we read.
After leaving milk and cookies for Santa, we went out on the lawn to leave magic food for the reindeer.
I think this may have been the first year in Ohio that we had some snow for our reindeer feeding tradition.
It was so comical to watch each child with their unique method of spreading their bag of food. Andrew just turned his bag upside-down and shook it out, Hannah threw it by the handful as hard as she could, and Logan crouched down close to the ground and very carefully sprinkled little bits of food in deliberate places all over the front yard. I even heard him whisper, "Here, reindeers! Come and get your food, reindeers!"Christmas Morning!!! (Don't they look excited?) The boys kindly slept in till 8:00 and we had to wake Hannah up.
Someone just woke up!
Andrew opening his microscope set from Nana and Papa.
Santa brought remote control cars for both Andrew and Logan.Hannah loved playing Mommy to her baby Snow White doll from Nana and Papa.A wireless Internet router for Bryan!
We were so spoiled again this year! In addition to the Netbook that Bryan and I gave each other, I also got a beautiful picture of the Salt Lake Temple from Brooke and Kody, a red wool peacoat from my mom and dad...
...and an awesome watercolor illustration of our family from our talented friends, the Tugeaus. Don't you just love it?!!
Hannah with her Christmas loot.
Logan's presents
Andrew...nice. (And in case you were all wondering, YES, he did get his alarm clock that he asked Santa for. Good thing.)
Just when the kids thought we were all done, Bryan pulled out one more present. It was a battery from Grandma and Grandpa Anderson that went to their new...
DODGE VIPER POWERWHEELS!!! Wow! Thank you so much, Grandma and Grandpa!

There goes the Lego table! Everyone better stay off the sidewalks!

Easter Traditions

Saturday night egg dying
Finding hidden Easter baskets in the morning - Andrew's in the drawer of the coffee table

Logan found his basket behind the dining room door
Hannah's basket was behind the couch Both Nana and the Easter Bunny gave Hannah My Little Ponies. I thought she would just love them, but she was more interested in the Little Pony purse.
The Easter bunny likes to bring us "outdoor" gifts like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and sand toys. The beautiful wrapped Easter gifts, "breakfast foods," and treats were from Nana and Papa. Thanks!
Dressing up all matchy-matchy for church. Enjoying a yummy Easter feast with friends.
I was dreaming of a beautifully laid table with pastel tablecloths, matching dishes and glassware, fresh spring flower arrangements for centerpieces, and handmade placecards but...
that wasn't exactly in the budget. So we had to make due with the red apple vinyl tablecloth I already had and mismatched dishes and plastic cups. (sigh) At least the food was yummy.

The Kids' Table - what a group!

At the Easter egg hunt, Andrew seemed fairly satisfied with his stash this year. At least I never heard him complain that it was "the worst Easter ever!"
Hannah didn't really get the egg hunt concept, of course, but she did look dang cute sitting in the grass with her new Easter basket, handpainted by Nana (thanks Mom)!
These last three pictures were from my friend, Meghan. So sweet! Her camera is much better than mine, obviously.

One of my favorite talks this last General Conference was an especially powerful message from Elder Holland. It seems very appropriate to share this time of year:

"Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. "

--Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Christmas Back in Ohio

It was so wonderful to get to spend most of the Christmas season with our family in Utah! We made so many great memories that we will never forget. Eventually, Bryan had to get back to work, so he flew back to Ohio on the 21st, and then the kids and I headed back on the 24th.

Since it was Christmas Eve, and I didn't do any decorating before I left for Utah, I really wasn't planning on any Christmas decorations. I thought maybe I'd get out the nativity set and the stockings, but definitely not the Christmas tree!
It was such a wonderful Christmas gift to come home to a clean, fully decked-out house! It was beautiful and thoughtful. I was so touched that I just stood in the living room and cried! Thanks so much, Babe!

Bryan also surprised me with a print of our new family portrait to go above the mantel. I love it, Babe! Thanks!

Before bed, we read the Christmas story as a family...

...and left cookies and milk for Santa and reindeer food out on the lawn! (Notice there is NO snow! That means we'll have another blizzard for Easter.)

Santa came!!!

Logan got his "big red truck"...

...and Andrew got a huge tool set!

Andrew noticed right away that there was no Wii in the stacks of presents, but he was a good sport about it. When all the presents were opened, we found an envelope with a letter from Santa. It said that Andrew and Logan had been SO good this year that Santa left them a special present in the entertainment center. I bet you can guess what it was...

We had a really great Christmas! Thanks so much to the family members who planned so many fun activities for us and spoiled us rotten!
I feel especially grateful this Christmas season for family! Nothing brings me as much joy as my family!