Merry Merry Merry Christmas!

 OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS MARRIED!
Holidays in Texas!

Oh Christmas is a beautiful time! 

We have moved out of our little apartment in Rexburg, Idaho and we're headed home to Texas to visit, my family first for Christmas, then off to Chris' family for New Years.

We love the Holidays so much! Christmas is my favorite time of year! The air is chill and crisp, fires roar, hot chocolate steamy, lights strung up and blinky, the trees green and tall, presents and love for all!

Of course the real reason to celebrate . . .

The most important thing of all is how during this time of year we celebrate 

the Birth of The Savior of the World, Christ the Lord. 

Baby Jesus born, the humblest birth, in a manger with no crib for his head.

I love this picture illustrated by Simon Dewey. We couldn't quite afford a nativity this year so we bought these pictures and put them in frames. Perfect!

We spent one week in Round Rock with my Mom, Dad, and my sister Melissa. Of course we kept most of our Christmas traditions, played plenty of late night games, and ate too much good food!

Even though we moved out of our apartment just before Christmas we did decorate a little and we bought our very first little Christmas Tree! Our theme was Red and Gold!

This is our first little Christmas Tree! So cute it is just 3 feet tall!

 Of course with my family we had to make Ginger Bread Houses!

We had so many kits to make houses! My mom and I sat the longest working on multiple houses but everyone pitched in and made at least one house each!

This is Chris' unfinished home, poor gingerbread little ones don't have a door!

Candy, candy, and more candies!

This was the gingerbread home I made! With two little happy guys to live there!

The one on the left with the frowny looking face is my Mom's (it is my favorite) and the middle is mine and the one on the right my Mom started.

It was funny to see that my Mom also picked to do a red and gold Christmas theme. I love how full my parent's tree is! It just look beautiful!

Look at all those gifts! We had so much fun and we were making bets on who would have the most presents. We all thought it was Chris so we would sing "Oh Chris' Tree Oh Chris' Tree! . . ."

Chris looks so cute by the Christmas tree with a guitar! He tuned it and played a few songs! He is too darling!

My Mom's Gorgeous Nativity!

CHRISTMAS EVE!

Each year for as long as I can remember on Christmas Eve my family would gather together in our cozy living room and open our Scriptures and read the Nativity Story in the Epistle of St. Luke.
This year we read those scriptures and we read the scriptures about what was happening in the Amercia's during the time of Christ's birth, found in The Book of Mormon, 3rd Nephi.

We also watch a movie called The Nativity. It does an excellent job portraying the events as they happened, though it isn't perfect it is still really good! Our favorite!

I took this picture of our glowing living room on Christmas Eve. Beautiful!

This is our living room on Christmas morning after opening gifts! Awesome!

NAUGHTY or NICE?

Finally Christmas morning came and Santa decided everyone in this home was on the NICE list!

My parents were so very kind to Chris and I, we got everything we ever needed and wanted! They have taken such good care of us and we have been very blessed.

To: Mommy, Love: Ariel (too bad I forgot to sign my name on the tag!)

Miss Meliss, my sister, did some beautiful wrapping this year! J for Jocelyn (my Mom). Melissa wrapped all her gifts in this cute polka-dot and put letters on them! Adorable!

Here is Melissa right after we all finished opening gifts, look at the dogs! Haha cute doggies Cody and Pepper! They hung out with us all morning.

We had so much fun visiting my Mom, Dad and Sister.
Christmas was wonderful, my Mom made an amazing Christmas dinner and I love all her home cooking!
Chris had a blast with my Dad playing games and flying Helicopters! We wish we could have stayed longer!

Thank you Mom and Dad for everything!!! We love you!



Santa came again . . .

Wednesday after Christmas we packed up a car and drove to Houston.
We were excited to visit Chris' Parents and his sister Chantel.

This is the lovely tree Shauna (Chris' Mom) decorated. Under it are some of the gifts we brought for Chris' family from us and some from my parents, also the gifts Chris' family gave to us.

Chris' family was so considerate and kind to give us gifts as well! We had so much fun visiting and exchanging presents. We appreciate everything they got for us!

Christmas was so wonderful this year!!! We are so blessed, God has been gracious. Thank you everyone!