CHRISTMAS IS HERE!

Packing up to go to Utah!

McCrea's first trip!

We headed up to Utah for Christmas this year. We stayed with my parents at the Molloy Palace. I had to have everything wrapped, packed and ready to go. We left on the 19th and we stayed for over three weeks. We spent the holidays with my 7 siblings, spouses and 13 nieces and nephews. It was chaotic, but fun (depending on who you talk to.) We all enjoyed going to see the lights at Temple Square, seeing our friends, making a traditional German dinner for 30+ people with all my sisters, and enjoying the beautiful snow. Chad got to go snowboarding. He ended up getting frostbite on his big toe, from loss of circulation. He still has lost some feeling in his big toe, but the black is going away.

Temple Square with the family

Christmas Eve

We enjoyed a Christmas Eve celebration! We ate a yummy German dinner, played with the kids, and we had all the kids do the traditional Bible story play. Lorelei was a "princess" shepherd and McCrea was baby Jesus this year. He protested and didn't want to be wrapped in swaddling clothes, but it was so cute. We all had to do a talent for the talent show, this is my mother's favorite tradition. So, Chad found a two string (the other strings were missing) Russian guitar downstairs in my parents closet and picked out the song of Jingle Bells, everyone had a big laugh. And I had Lorelei and McCrea dance to the song "Santa Clause is coming to town." McCrea was in his Santa's outfit, it was so funny as I tried to get him to move this way or that way to the musice, he seemed to enjoy it, even though he didn't have a say in the matter. It was really funny. We then opened gifts from everyone and just hung out, talked and played games.

My little Santa Man!

Mary (Tia) and Baby Jesus (McCrea)
Joseph (Grahm) Mary (Tia) Jesus (McCrea)



Talent Show
Chad playing a Russian guitar he found downstairs with only two strings. He strummed out Jingle Bells. Everyone had a good laugh.
McCrea and Lorelei danced to "Santa Claus is coming to town"

Christmas morning my little family got up before my parents and saw that Santa had been there. Lorelei was so happy to see all the presents. We opened all of our gifts. Lorelei's favorites were Nutcracker barbie, and Tinkerbell DVD and barbies, memaids, human body book. She also loved her new rollerskates. McCrea liked the moving train and all his toys he can suck on and play with. Chad's favorite gift by far was the Wii. He got two of them, one from me and one from his parents, we took back one of them and got the Guitar Hero. Chad has been in heaven every day since. My favorite gifts were a beautiful earrings I got from Greece, a Canon Rebel, and a beautiful picture of the Temple. It was a great Christmas. We spent the rest of the day opening all that stupid packaging, playing games and taking it easy.

Christmas morning

McCrea's first reaction of Christmas morning

He looks very excited!

Lorelei first look at all her presents! She is so excited that Santa came!

We are all ready for the presents!

Playing horsey on our daddy!

Hugs and kisses!

McCrea eating the yummy wrapping paper!

Opening presents is fun to do!

On the 26th we all got babysitters and all the adults in my family went to dinner and a play. We went and saw a play at the Desert Star Playhouse. It was called "The miracle on 42nd street." They do spoofs on different plays. It was fun just being with the adults and not worrying about all our kids. We actually could have a conversation without being interrupted.



We also got to see a few of Chad's friends, before he headed back home. Lorelei, McCrea and I stayed for another two weeks. We enjoyed being with friends and family. I didn't get out and see everyone as much as I would have liked to, but I did enjoy my visit and had a great time. Some of the highlights were shoveling snow, Dinosaur Musuem, Highschool Friends Party, Twilight with my girlfriends, spending a night with my sister at the Marriott without my kids, and going to BodyWorld. It was a lot of fun. I miss everyone already!