Every Day A Blessing: December 2015

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Ending on a happy note....

Eli: Mom, how do you spell CRAP in Spanish?

Every Day a Blessing 2015 Top 10

This year was a year full of happiness and sorrow.

Bitter and sweet.

I'm so grateful for all that has happened. It may not be what I've wanted, but I'm grateful nonetheless. I choose not to focus on the severe struggles, anguish, and heartbreak.... but I also acknowledge them. Without them, I wouldn't grow.

So. Top 10

10. Vacations!!!

9. Birthday Parties!!

8. I get released as Primary President!! Great getting to know the kids and adults, good learning experience!!

7. Jody teaches lots of classes at UNR and works hard on PhD.

Doctor Lykes is almost here!! So proud of him.

6. VEGETARIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The year free of animal cruelty. For the children, they had meat here and there, maybe a handful of times the entire year. On Christmas, I also had a small piece of meat. The point of this was to eat healthier, be aware of where our food is coming from, and contributing to a kinder earth.

5. Books, books, books. I read over 200 and the girls did, easily, too.

4. Papa gets his SILVER STAR award from the Post Office.

3. BOLLYWOOD!!

The obsession. The passion. The final words.

(The picture is for you mom!!)

2. Maria gets baptized!!! So proud of her wonderful decision.

1. Yaya returns home to Heavenly Father.

2015 was a blessed year. Thank you so much Heavenly Father.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Christmas Fun!

Papa gave this collection to us for Christmas too. I used to go with my Mom to the Disney store and she'd let me pick one each time we went. I would get so excited to add to the collection. I haven't seen it for years and it was fun to get it out for the girls and Eli to enjoy. It's now in Christina and Maria's room

Christmas at Papa's

Dad cooked a wonderful meal.

I even ate a small piece of meat!

It was nice to spend time together.

I read a few pages of some things my mom wrote years ago.

It was a good time. It was sad.

It was our Christmas this year.

Aunt Valerie is hanging in there with her chemo. She recently had a double mastectomy. She is such a trooper and was even washing dishes!!! We sure love her.

We were all spoiled and the kids loved all their new, exciting toys!

Dad did a great wrap job on all my gifts he found throughout the house.

Hooray.

Sterling Silver heirloom for the kids.

Glad to be able to eat a great meal together and just relax.

SHOES!!!!!!!!!!! And new outfits!!!

Aunty Pam and Uncle Bob have sent us new shoes for quite a few years now. They are some of our favorite gifts!!! (And most practical too!!)

Jay & Rachel also sent us some cute Gap outfits.

The kids were super excited to pose in all their new Christmas stuff!!!

So grateful for such generous family!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We read some scriptures while the two little children acted wild on Christmas Eve.

Note to self- remember children under 4 can't sit still. Plan Better Sofia!!!

We baked cookies for Santa and called it a night.

In the morning everyone was very excited and happy and grateful to open gifts. We were all very spoiled!!

Ella loved her new potty!!

We even got snow... a white Christmas hooray!!

Paula Deen, you and your butter recipes never fail.

Thank you pinterest for overnight casserole recipes, so easy and delish!

The big gift was 2 huge tubs of legos I found on craigslist. There were over 100 mini figures and 10,000 legos plus a bunch of huge boards and table to build on. It was a steal. And I'm glad I wasn't murdered in the storage center where I had to pick it up.

We had a lovely morning and were grateful Papa could join us too!!

Light Scavenger Hunt

The children and I had a lot of fun looking at lights this year. It was something fun we used to do with my mom and we'd get hot chocolate at a gas station.

One of the first songs that came on was one of my mom's favorite Christmas songs. It made me so happy. It was her sign to us that she was with us enjoying the beauty of the season. The lights. The lights we put up to remember there is always hope in the darkness.

The light of our Savior.

We found some really fun houses in the Bud Beasley area. Our favorite was this amazing nativity that was whale themed!!!