Christmas traditions

M2B =) days 661 - 667.  Sunday, November 27th - Saturday, December 3rd happiness:

Sunday, November 27th happiness:  Joe and I watched Christmas movies today.  Lots of cheesey Hallmark movie channel Christmas movies.  I loved every minute of it.

Monday, November 28th happiness:  Today we started MY favorite Christmas tradition - The nightly reading of Christmas stories.  Each night we choose one story.  We turn off all of the lights except for the Christmas village and the tree and we cozy up on the couch and read a story.  

It is my favorite tradition because I always feel the spirit.  Most nights I can't get through the story without crying.  And it always reminds me of what Christmas is supposed to be about.  Yes, the lights, and the gifts and the goodies are fun, but that is not what the true meaning of Christmas is all about.  These stories remind me to think of others, and to try to give what service I can, and to try to help out someone who truly needs it.  I love it!

The first story we always read is Joseph's favorite:  Christmas Every Day!

Tuesday, November 29th happiness:  Tonight Brian read HIS favorite Christmas story.   It gets me every time.  I cried, He cried.  It's so good!
Sorry.  I forgot to rotate the photo before I uploaded it.  I'm not going back and changing it now.  You will just have to rotate your head to the side. =)

Wednesday, November 30th happiness:  Today was the first day in weeks that I didn't physically feel just awful.  I may finally be kicking this thing!  Woo Hoo.

Thursday, December 1st:   I spent much of the afternoon/early evening at Sheri's house working on the lights on her tree.  I had a little helper named Evan.  He helped me sort the lights, and test them to see if they were still working.  He wanted to put ornaments on the tree So badly, but I had to keep telling him to wait until the lights were done.  It is so cute how excited he is.

Friday, December 2nd happiness:  Lights on Sheri's tree - done!  My little helper was so excited. 

You may not recognize him though.  He has recently acquired a cheeto 'stache:
Saturday, December 3rd happiness:  Thanks to Joe, we participated in another Christmas tradition tonight - dinner at Serranos on the first Saturday of December, followed by looking at Christmas lights.

A couple of years ago, we happened to go to dinner with the Trezise family on the first Saturday in December.  Joe declared it to be a new tradition and we have been doing it ever since.  We did invite the rest of the family to join in on the fun too.

This year it was a little crazy as times and locations got moved at the last minute so we could make sure everyone could be there.  We made it!  The food was good, and the company was great!

You know what happens when you try to photograph teenage boys?  They make faces at you!
Ro was being a stinker and wouldn't let me take his photo.  Finally I told him that I didn't WANT to take his photo, I just wanted a photo of Josh.  Guess who showed up in the background?
After Serranos it was temple lights.  It was rainy and super cold - just how I like it.  It also meant that there wasn't very many people there.  No crowds.  Yay!

We went with Sheri and Ian's family and Darrel and Trina's family.  


When we got home, Brian made us a cozy fire.  The perfect ending to a fun night.
Happy Day!