My very favorite time of year!!
I LOVE Christmas time!
I love the sights.
I love the Smells.
I love the Sounds.
I love the Parties.
I love the shopping......til the last few days of it, and then I'm done! Ha!
I love the weather!
The decorations!
You name it! I love Christmas time!
It's always busy and hectic, but it's always a special time.
Trav and I celebrate our Anniversary in December, Christmas, and Garrett's Birthday!
One of our family Christmas traditions also happens to be on my Birthday!
We Christmas Tree shop that night!
Let me rephrase that.
I shop for the Perfect Tree and the kids stand by the ones I'm deciding
on to make sure no one else takes them until the final decision has been made.
I realize this makes me a horrible mom.
I've tried to not be this way.
But, I can't help it.
I lose my mind over it.
I lose my mind over it.
Anyway.....moving on!
Garrett's got his own little tradition.....he stands by the generator to stay warm,
while we all shop! :)
We found the perfect tree and headed home!
Trav's job is usually to cut off some from the bottom, because no matter how many times
he tells me the tree I'm picking is too tall.....I somehow don't believe him until we get home
and I realize quickly that he's right. EVERY. DANG. TIME!
His other job is to put the lights on the tree, and then I take a couple of days to decorate it!
I love having the tree in our home all lit up and smelling so good!
We had our family Christmas Party at Grandpa Randle's home.
The kids love getting together!
It was a fun night!
Ty received his Patriarchal Blessing on
Sunday, December 3, 2017.
We started the tradition with Garrett, where the night before,
we go to the Temple to do Baptisms, go out to eat,
and then start our fast for the blessing.
We made it to the Ogden Temple, just in time!
It was a sweet night!
We started the tradition with Garrett, where the night before,
we go to the Temple to do Baptisms, go out to eat,
and then start our fast for the blessing.
We made it to the Ogden Temple, just in time!
It was a sweet night!
What a special day as a parent, to sit there as the Stake Patriarch
declared what a special spirit we have been trusted to raise.
Ty is just that too.
He is a good, and special soul and will do great things for his Heavenly Father
while he is here on Earth!
What a tender day!
We had a super busy December, as everyone does!
I was finding myself in a horrible mood most of the days because life was just too busy!
I decided to get myself out of the funk before the season was over and I'd missed it!
We planned a Family Home Evening, and invited the Hamblin's and Mitchell's to join us!
We also invited Kip.....our dear friend from the ward Trav is over for High Council.
I can honestly say that Kip changed everything about my Holiday Spirit that night!
We picked him up, met everyone up by Layton Park and hopped on the trailer
that the Phelps family so graciously let us borrow!
We sang songs, and laughed and played around while Trav pulled us through
the Layton Park Lights a couple of times.
We had hot chocolate and dessert, before heading home!
We took Kip back home for a little bit to play video Games with the kids before
having prayer with him and taking him back home!
Man.....that was so fun to have him with us!
One tradition Trav and I started a couple of years ago, was to take the kids to the Christmas play
at Desert Star Playhouse in Salt Lake.
The kids love this.
This year, because things were so crazy and busy, I was having a hard time nailing down a date.
One day, I happened to get on their website and found enough tickets at one table to
take our family that afternoon down to the play.
We surprised them and took off to SLC.
This is always so much fun!
We ordered pizza and watched the show!
Another family tradition we have in December,
is to do something with Grandpa Randle and our whole family on Christmas Eve.
Nate, Ally and their family weren't able to join us this year.
They surprised their kids with a trip to California for Christmas, so they were there.
We missed them!
We had planned to Snow Shoe again, since we love doing that, but there wasn't enough Snow!
This year, Christmas Eve was on Sunday, so we knew we needed to do something
on Saturday, December 23rd.
We looked in to a few other options and settled on Dinner at Hire's in SLC,
then going to This Is The Place Heritage State Park for their Old Time Christmas Celebrations.
What a fun night!
We rode the train around the village, made crafts, saw the Nativity,
walked through the old cabins, and line danced before heading home for the night!
We had a wonderful time being together and it was really fun being there!
Christmas Eve we had Sacrament only.
Julia was asked by our Music Director to sing a solo during that time.
Julia stewed over this for a couple of months.
She finally agreed, even though she was scared to death.
I know this sounds like a super proud mom,
but she even brought me to tears at the piano.
I knew how scared she was.
When we got up to the stand, and I noticed the chapel was full clear back to the stage,
I thought she'd turn around and walk off!
But, when I say she was amazing......she truly was.
She didn't sound or look nervous one bit.
She looked up at the congregation and sang her heart out.
The chapel was silent and she truly brought the sweetest spirit.
She sang "This Is Christmas!"
It was absolutely beautiful. Trav and I were beaming with Pride.
Grandpa Randle came to support her too!
That afternoon after church, we decided to spread a little Christmas cheer to our friends!
We had to do this with Mitchell's a few days before, as they had family plans.
I had been at Smith and Edwards a couple of weeks before,
and found a Santa Suit on clearance.
I text Garrett and Ty and asked them if I bought it.....if they would put it to use!
They both agreed they would! So.....I did!
I was so cheap, I had to add some cotton.....but even that didn't work out so well! Ha!
Garrett held up to his end of the deal, and boy.....did he have fun with this!
He spread a lot of Christmas cheer in this thing!
So dang funny!
We visited the Mitchell's, Hamblin's, Kite's and Harker's!
From their reactions......I think they enjoyed this too!
Garrett is pretty quick witted and came up with some hilarious stuff!
Just driving in the car with him dressed up spread some Christmas cheer to others on the road!
So dang funny!
Later that night, we spent time reading the Christmas Story from the Scriptures,
opening our family gifts to each other, getting our treats and key out for Santa,
and reading some Christmas stories before bed.
It was a fun and sweet day!
Christmas morning, we woke up to see what Santa had brought!
I love Christmas morning with our kids!
Garrett and Ty each got new suits, clothes, Titan's blanket, $ and treats.
Sis got a cute Polaroid camera, case and accessories, crafts, clothes, jewelry and treats!
Austy got a new bike, clothes and a cool car track that he played with for hours that day!
Grandparents stopped by for a visit and we just hung out all day!
It felt good to just sit and do nothing all the while being together and enjoying the day!
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 27th was free Zoo Day!
Garrett and Ty called Aspenn Kite and Jada Piper and invited them to come with our family.
We were able to spend a couple of hours there before we went to the Harker's for game night!
It was actually a fairly warm day at the zoo....and even though it was packed,
we had a great time being together!
What on Earth?
I know I keep saying this, but how the heck did that happen so fast??!
We have 3 adults in the house now!
I text a bunch of his friends to come surprise Garrett for Breakfast after their BBall Practice.
He got home from practice and then the doorbell started to ring.
Before we knew it.....the kitchen was full of hungry Teenage Boys!
We love these kids!
It was so fun to have them and Garrett was surprised to have them!
They stayed and hung out for a bit, and then we had the next surprise for him!
We got Austin Kirkman and Vandin Burriel to grab dates and come with us to Top Golf.
We got Austin Kirkman and Vandin Burriel to grab dates and come with us to Top Golf.
Gabby, Vandin's date, had just had her wisdom teeth out and wasn't feeling good enough
to come with him, so we told him to still come with us.....which he did!
We got two booths, some food, and golfed for over an hour!
It was so much fun!
Trav, Julia, Austin and myself left when that was all over and went home.
Garrett, Ty and their friends all went out to eat!
It was such a fun day celebrating Garrett and I was so grateful for all of his friends
that came to spend the day with us celebrating him too!
They came back and opened Aspenns gifts to Garrett, Practiced dancing,
then watched a movie and went home.
Happy 18th Birthday Bub!! Welcome to Adulthood!
They came back and opened Aspenns gifts to Garrett, Practiced dancing,
then watched a movie and went home.
The next few days we spent at the cabin, with our family!
Uncle Chub, Aunt Steph and their family and Gpa Randle came with.
Uncle Chub, Aunt Steph and their family and Gpa Randle came with.
We played games, ate til we couldn't breathe and hugged and kissed as the New Year came rolling in!
Ty had to be at the Standard Examiner for a photo shoot for the article
they were doing on the All State Awardees.
So, Dad, Austy and Sis went to the cabin a day earlier than us.
Garrett and Ty had been begging to bring Aspenn and Jada up to the cabin,
and we have a rule that they don't stay over night.....
so, the 3 of us decided on a quick whim, we'd go up for just the day,
that way they could come, we wouldn't miss out, and we'd be back home
for the photo shoot the next morning!
Jada was unable to come.....she had a cheerleading practice, but Aspenn spent the day with us.
We had so much fun playing in the snow and hanging out!
Ty had to be at the Standard Examiner for a photo shoot for the article
they were doing on the All State Awardees.
So, Dad, Austy and Sis went to the cabin a day earlier than us.
Garrett and Ty had been begging to bring Aspenn and Jada up to the cabin,
and we have a rule that they don't stay over night.....
so, the 3 of us decided on a quick whim, we'd go up for just the day,
that way they could come, we wouldn't miss out, and we'd be back home
for the photo shoot the next morning!
Jada was unable to come.....she had a cheerleading practice, but Aspenn spent the day with us.
We had so much fun playing in the snow and hanging out!
The boys and I drove home that night with Aspenn.
We were up early the next day to get the pics and the Standard Examiner,
and then headed back to the Cabin to be with everyone. 
We stayed and had fun just chilling!
We gathered the family around and rang in the New Year with hugs and kisses....
I can't believe it's 2018 and Garrett will Graduate in 6 months!
Time is going by way too fast.......I only hope we have taught our kids what they need to know
to be successful, good, kind people!
Here's to 2018!
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