Christmas Dinner

I LOVE the Christmas season! This year we had a great dinner and had tons of fun spending time together. We did however miss my brother and his family, wish they could have been here with us!

"It's the most wonderful time. . .

. . . of the year!"

Decorating our gingerbread house
This year Amber did the smartest thing EVER. . . she bought a pre-assembled house, so not only were we lazy and didn't bake the gingerbread pieces, but it was even already in the box as a house so all we had to do was the fun part DECORATE!


Me and the girlies

I cant decide if we liked decorating or eating the decorations more!

Who's Lady and Who's Tramp?!?

SO THANKFUL!

I have so many amazing things to be thankful for! I am especially thankful however for my family! My definition of Family has definitely been molded throughout the years. It now not only includes those with whom I share my blood, but has expanded to friendships that I cherish and that mean the world to me. I don't know what I would do without my "families". They are both always there for me through thick, thin, and CRAZY. I am thankful for the examples they set for me and their ability to love me for who I am ha. I hope you all know that I love you and am so grateful for the impact you have all made on my life.
THANK YOU!

JuMp, JiVe, and. . .Ahhhh!

I Love, Love, Love jumping pictures!! I feel they capture a joy that is hard to capture in just a smile.





I also LOVE and adore these girls! We always have so much fun together!! We played at the park at took pics of the kids and of course I had to get in on some of the fun!

HaPPy HaLLoWeeN!!

How Can I Be?

How can I be,

Like my brother Nephi and my father Lehi of old?
How can I be,

like captain Moroni and the wars that were told?
How can I be forever

like the promise to the three Nephites?

I wanna be Samuel the Lamanite
I wanna be Benjamin the wise
I wanna be like Abinadi
Oh tell me how, can I be like them?

How can I be,

like Alma the younger a strong servent of the Lord?
How can I be,

like mighty Ammon whose heart was his sword?
How can I be a strippling warrior

and learn to fight by faith?

I wanna be Samuel the Lamanite
I wanna be Benjamin the wise
I wanna be like Abinidi
Oh tell me how, can I be like them?

How can I be,

like my brother Joseph when he prayed in a grove of trees?
How can I have,

the strength that he had and the love he had for God?
How can I be courageous

and strive to choose the right?

I wanna be Samuel the Lamanite
I wanna be Benjamin the wise
I wanna be like Abinidi
I wanna be like Jesus Christ

Oh tell me how, can I be like Him?

(I was shown a video on You Tube of this song being sung and fell in love with it. Let us strive everyday to be like him.)

New York, New York!

So this is posted a little late, but better late than never I guess. While I was in Philadelphia I had opportunities to do tons of fun stuff! Since New York is only a couple hours away we were able to go there a couple times. It is like a whole different world over there!

At the financial district in NYC looking across the Hudson at Jersey

See the tiny Statue of Liberty behind us. . .

Looking out over the construction at ground zero from the World Financial Building

This statue ot the world originally stood in front of the World Trade Center. After 9/11 it was miraculously still standing in this condition. It was moved to Battery Park as memorial of that event.

We never actually went to Empire State Building, but we accidently saw it once (here) while trying to find our way somewhere else.

Of course no New York trip would be complete without Times Square. Not gonna lie it was a little overwhelming! And everything so soo tall.


Hanging out in Central Park

We had fun riding the nasty subway. . .and even had a little entertainment in the meantime

I dont have a picture but we also were able to walk down Canal Street. That is where they sell all the knock off stuff. It was definitly a different experience. After being taken through a secret door in the back of a store, through a back room and hallway, down a set a stairs, and going in the "second door on the right". The idea of buying a purse became a little less appealing and a little more like I was comitting some hanis crime.

And a midst all the CRAZINESS of this city it was amazing to find some peace and Celestial Beauty. . . The Manhattan Temple