Our Christmas Lights

Jason did such a good job on our Christmas lights this year. He even put music to them. If you haven't driven by, you really need to experience this. Bless his heart. He just gets so into the holidays.

This one is for my sister Teresa

Two little otters floating around holding hands. This should be you and me, Deek! Love!

Our Fun Trip

Is it just me or is this the craziest Christmas season ever? It seems like there is not a spare minute in the day! I have been meaning to post pictures from our trip since we got back on Sunday and I haven't had time to even sit down to the computer. I wish I had time to give you a play-by-play of the whole trip because it was so fun. Here's the Reader's Digest version:

Dallin at Sea World. This is where the "Shamu Cam" that we watched a million times before our trip broadcasts from. Dallin is still confused about whether Shamu's name is "Shamu" or "Shamu Cam". Probably because we kept asking him, "Dallin, do you want to watch the Shamu Cam again?"

The Wildlife Park in San Diego. The kids loved it!

Disneyland!

Luke turns 50 this year. We're really excited for him.

We ran into my cousin Alisha and her new husband at California Adventure on their honeymoon! How cute are they.

Luke was so excited to see Mickey he ran up and started hugging him from behind before we could stop him. Mickey was less excited about whatever was happening to his rear end. He kept trying to shake Luke off, and when he finally freed himself of the people taking pictures with him, he didn't even give Luke the time of day. See if we ever watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse again.


Sad news about my neighbor from Burley. I hate to have to be the one to break it to my family.


Abby was such a good little traveler! It could have been a very hard trip, but she was so good and made it all worthwhile.

Thank you for the trip Grandma and Grandpa Yates!
Merry Christmas!

My obese gingerbread man

Do you ever feel like nothing you ever do turns out how it is supposed to? How hard is it to make a gingerbread man? I mean, I guess I could have used a recipe for actual gingerbread instead of my gingersnap cookie recipe... but gingersnaps are so good. And I wanted some cookies. So I thought, why not just put some dough in the shape of a gingerbread man for the sake of Christmas spirit and then I won't feel so guilty for eating a whole batch of gingersnaps all by myself. And the dough was so perfect. He looked just like the little gingerbread guy on Shrek. BUT, it was a bad idea. When I took him out of the oven, Dallin said, "Mom, he's FAT!" I blurred the edges of the picture so he wouldn't feel so bad about having his picture taken. It's more like a portrait this way. We didn't even bother to decorate him, we just ate him. He tasted pretty darn good if I do say so. But I think it is a message to me that I will look like that soon if I keep eating gingersnaps like I do...

Here are my homeless kids. I don't think they even knew they were supposed to be disappointed.