Christmas memories

This Christmas was wonderful. It was so nice to spend time with family and friends. I got spoiled and got a camera and a laptop (all for the sake of blogging :). I don't have pictures, but we also did dinner at Grandpa and Grandma Bates house which was fun. Santa even came to their house. Here are some other highlights. I know it's a lot but I just couldn't pick what to post!

So, I love the tradition of opening pajamas on Christmas Eve together. It is so funny every year though when we tell our kids that they get to open one present. They get so excited so they rip it open to find.... pajamas. It is so funny how disappointed they always are. I act so excited to try to get them excited but they just sit there with a funny look on their faces. It just cracks me up.

Christmas day we went to Grandma Barnhill's house for dinner which was really nice. This is Erik's sister, Colleen. I think Evie looks so much like her.

The day after Christmas my Mom booked all of us rooms at Radium Hot Springs lodge. We used to go there when we were kids with our extended family and it was always so much fun. So this year we were excited to go. The first day we had a nice dinner at the restaurant. Here is a picture of me with my siblings (the oldest is missing, he lives in Texas and wasn't able to

come).

After dinner we did our annual talent show!!

Asher did karate, Hunter sang Jingle Bells, Lexi did a beautiful dance and did her Daddy Dance as Erik sang "Evie is my Little Girl".

And the best of all....... Erik and I did a lip sync to "Baby it's Cold Outside". My sister Candace choreographed it for us. It was so much fun! I'm sure I just made a total fool out of myself but I didn't even care. It was just fun to dance and sing with my hubby. There were dips and lifts, but that's a tad embarrasing to share, so here is a bit of a tamer clip :)

Another highlight was a Christmas story my Mom wrote with my kids' names in it. My mom is a talented, accomplished writer (goes to show that talents are not genetic at all!) so it is a real treasure. We also acted out the Nativity which is always fun. Hunter did not want to be the Angel so my brother in law Brad stepped up to the plate and even wore the costume!

I love my ward

My friend and I were talking on the way home from an enrichment activity last night about how much we love our ward.  I love the sisters in our ward.  I just feel like there is so much to admire about all of them and I could spend hours visiting.  Even the ones I don't know very well I just admire from afar.  It has really been a blessing for my family to be in this ward! 

On another note...I got this magazine called LDS Living from the church book store the other day and it is so good.  I had never heard of it before, maybe everyone else has, but if not, here is the link to subscribe ldsbookscanada.com.  There is nothing like a good magazine to read in bed with my blow dryer:).

My Asher Basher turns six

Six years ago today, my life was changed forever when Asher was born.  Every mother can remember the feeling of holding their first baby in their arms, and falling so madly in love. I knew he was so special and my spirit felt a feeling that I had never felt before.  Little did I know though, the Angel I had been given.  He is more than I had ever dreamed of in a child.  He has such a special spirit.  It is not anything I do, it is just who he is.  I am so grateful that I get the opportunity to be his Mother.  I thank Heavenly Father every day for that blessing.  Happy Birthday to my sweet six year old boy who is NOT ALLOWED to get any bigger! 

CANDY CANDY AND MORE CANDY

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE candy.  Ever since I can remember, without fail I would build a gingerbread house.  I would buy graham crackers and candy for my family even when I was little to make sure that we did it every year.  I don't even really eat it once it is done, but it is magical for me to think of a whole house made of candy!  I always just let my kids go to town on it, so it may not look so pretty, but it is so much fun none the less.  Hunter just stuffed his face the whole time as though he has never had candy before, and never will again....but not with this Mommy!

Nutcracker

Lexi and I were able to go to the Nutcracker together.  It was so so so much fun.  It was so nice to spend a day just with my little girl and some friends.  In the middle of the dance, she leaned over and put her head on my shoulder and said "Thank you so much for bringing me to this."  She loved watching the dancing, and so did I, besides the "package" dancing around (if you know what I mean :)  It felt magical and I will for sure be doing this every year.  I love my little Lexi Lady! 

This one is for my girls one day.....

My sister put this quote on the family website and I just love it.  I was talking to my friend about how easy it is to put ourselves down so others don't feel inadequate around us, but this quote is a good reminder of what we should do.  

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."   

Jesus Supper

I love things at Christmas time that help us to remember the true meaning.  Someone gave me the idea to do a "Jesus supper" which we did last night for the first day of the advent calendar.

We tried to eat foods that Jesus would have eaten like flat bread, grapes, cheese, fish, figs and raisins. The kids loved sitting  on the floor and using their fingers. There was something very calming about it.  Lexi kept calling it a "royal lunch", which it was!