December 2014

December is always busy and goes by too quickly! Just like that, another year has come and gone!

When you have an older sister, you sometimes run around the house in pink fairy wings. :) The kids were having fun playing together: wresting, and doing tricks. 

The kids found a package with this foam forms inside (I don't really know what it's called) and had so much fun with it! It got everywhere though and took forever to clean! 

We love all the family get togethers around Christmas time. I was terrible at taking pictures, so I only have pictures from the Swalberg family party.

We're so lucky to live 15 minutes from downtown Salt Lake and temple square! It's always pretty cold, but the lights are so beautiful!

The candy windows (across the street from the temple at City Creek), and more lights!

Neal decided to make popcorn chains for the tree this year so we popped a bunch of popcorn and got started. After a while, Neal changed his mind because Jacob kept grabbing his string and was eating the popcorn faster that Neal could put it on! Lydia thought she'd put popcorn on anyway, so she grabbed a handful and started decorating.

It was one of those crazy stressful days, and we needed to grab a few last minute things from the store. We loaded everyone up in the car and headed to Walmart. After getting everything and waiting in line, I remembered something else. Neal and Jacob stayed in line while Lydia and I ran to grab it. While I was standing in the isle, a little boy came up and handed me a little bag, then continued on with his mom. I looked down at what he had given me. It was a bag with a five dollar bill inside and a not attached that said, "You've been R.A.C.K ed!!! Random Act of Christmas Kindness" It really touched me and made me stop and reevaluate what was truly important. I had gotten so caught up in trying to get everything done, that I was not in the spirit of Christmas.  I'm so grateful for a mother who remembered to teach her children what the real reason and meaning of Christmas is. I  truly needed the reminder to stop, take time, and look outwards for ways that I could be kinder and serve more. It was a little Christmas miracle to me that I'll never forget.

We spent Christmas Day with Neal's family this year. We were all spoiled by Neal's parents, especially the kids. Neal's favorite gift was the BYU jerseys his parents gave to Lydia and Jacob. :)

Bradley made a snowman with the kids. They loved it!