Lights at Temple Square (pre New Years obviously)

While Gramma & Grampa were here we went to Temple Square to see the lights with Aunt T and the girls. As you will see, it was quite cold, but worth every bit!


I am pretty sure that SC was warm enough.

SD & SV did complain that their legs were cold...I couldn't find fleece lined jeans until 2 weeks ago. Oh, and yes, SV is bigger (taller and weighs more) than SD, but she is also standing on a small pile of snow, so it looks like SV is bigger than she really is.

In front of the reflection pool with the Nativity scene.

Salt Lake Temple with some lights.

More lights...it was sooooo beautiful.

The cold crew...Aunt T, J, two southerners (Gramma & Grampa) & SC.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning was an exciting one with Gramma, Grampa, Uncle K, Uncle M, and Aunt K all at our house. It was really nice to have visitors.

SV was pretty excited about the Bubble Tape Santa left in her stocking.

SD was too...that Santa really knows what the girls like.

SC received a 1st Christmas Bear.

Gramma & Grampa had a great time, I think.

Uncle K, Uncle M (still not quite feeling well) & Aunt K enjoying the Christmas loot.

Aunt K received a couple of DS games...nice for the plane ride home.

Everyone having fun...right?

Opa found a couple of good used bikes at their neighborhood garage sale, and THEN, hauled them to our house for the girls...SV got the pink one...

SD got the blue one. The bikes are a little big, but the girls grow quickly. SD has already ridden hers, but she needed help getting on and starting to go. It's amazing how much she can do!

Christmas Eve at our friends' house...

Christmas Eve was spent with some GREAT friends as well as our visiting family.

SV & M had a blast playing dress-up, as always...so sad that this was the best picture.

Uncle K hung out with SC a bit.

Gramma & J hanging out near the FABULOUS food.

M & baby T relaxing at the table.

Baby T smiled for the camera.

The girls E & M making the fabulous food...and maybe tasting a bit.

SC chilling in the booster. She can sit there for a while when people are around for her to look at.

This is what the men and older kids did (other than eat a bit)...yeah, video games.

Christmas Eve Eve

My parents left on Christmas Eve to go home, so we celebrated on the eve of Christmas Eve. Uncle M was not feeling well enough to join us...that's why there are no pictures of him. :(

J opened a gift from my parents...a deck of playing cards from Sweden. Their travels this year had taken them to were some of my ancestors lived. Being true to our card collection, we had asked them to bring us back a deck of cards. I thought they forgot, but they were just saving them for Christmas. :c)

Another one of our collections is magnets. Hey, decks of cards and magnets are pretty inexpensive and easy enough to find. A Swedish moose!

Aunt K received a WICKED cheese knife from...SWEDEN!

Uncle K seemed pretty happy about his gift, a cookbook and care instructions for his new - to him pots and pans. They didn't bring the actual pans though.

Oma with her Christmas ornament...not from Sweden.

Books from Oma & Opa, not from Sweden, but VERY WELCOME. SD goes through books so quickly now that it's unreal.

Not quite sure what was going on here except that all 3 girls are in the picture.

J with SC and her socks...yes, they are from Sweden, although it will be a while before they fit her properly. SV received cat socks and SD received bunny socks...of course, mine were cows.

Visiting Aunt/Uncle/Cousins/ 2nd Cousins...etc. before Christmas

Uncle M & Aunt K with SD are enjoying the snow...I think.

I came outside to see a suspicious pile of snowballs near Uncle Ks feet.

Uncle K was trying to hide from...

Uncle M after he threw a snowball.

They never grow up completely, right?

SV wanted in on the action too. She is getting ready to throw a snowball at Uncle K.

Opa wanted to do some service...shovel while it was still snowing...hmmm.

2nd Cousins and the Uncles built a snowman...I am happy to report that there were still 3 ft or so of remains about a month later.

2nd cousins playing in the snow.

SD was making a snowball to throw at the uncles.

Even the cousins were helping the nieces get Uncle K. Uncle M was giving the snowman a hat.

I think that SV needed a break from all the festivities.

Cousin H making Buck-eyes...EXTREMELY DELICIOUS...I still need the recipe...or do I?

2nd cousin to our girls, L was a great playmate for SC...most of the time.

They sure are cute when the are crawling/scooting around the floor. L is bigger than SC, but younger than her too.

SC loves attention and other babies...she was in HEAVEN here.

The one downfall...where do you go for a quiet place to sleep? Uncle Ks arms will do.

Family GuitarTime, before Christmas

Opa brought his guitar to have some singing time with the family. This was a treat because when we lived closer to them, we did this fairly regularly. He even lets the girls take turns strumming while he changes chords. The girls were very patient while they waited.

SC wanted to have a chance too.

SC reaching for Oma.

Uncle K had a great time with his nieces. It had been 6 months since he, Oma & Opa had seen them...the girls have changed a lot in that short time.

SC liked to climb on Uncle K any time he would let her.