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Frank and I came to Utah to spend Christmas with my family. Isabella was a little overwhelmed when we got to my mom's house. There were all 7 other cousins and 6 aunts and uncles around. If you've ever been around my family you will know they are LOUD!! We walked in and everyone wanted to give Bella hugs and kisses, but she'd have none of it. She sat on my lap and just stared at everyone for about 30 minutes. Then she got on Katie's shoulders and has been loving every minute with her cousin's since!
Every year my mom does a "Grandma Party" with the grandkids. My mom makes sugar cookies with all the grandkids for Santa Claus. Santa then comes and brings everyone an ornament. You have to sit on his lap to get the ornament though, which is pretty funny for the grown men in our family. My brother is almost 6'3" and over 200 lbs - he looks VERY uncomfortable perched on Santa's knee.
Christmas eve Stephanie and her family, and Travis and his wife came to dinner at my mom's house. The older girls put on a live nativity and recruited Doug and Frank to be in it.
That's Frank in the blue turban he's being very wise. Isabella refused to be an angel!
Alesa's family came to my mom's house about 9:00 that night. My family has a tradition of giving the kids new pajamas every year. This year we got all the kids matching pajamas. They went to bed all in the same room. 8 kids and 5 adults all in my mom's house over night -- it was a lot of fun. We were up until 2:30 helping Santa. It was a fun first year for helping Santa. 
We caught Santa in the act! The kids that were questioning if he exists were VERY convinced after seeing this picture!
Christmas day we were very laz letting all the kids play with their toys. Bella didn't even want to open her toys she was overwhelmed with all the activity! She's not used to all this excitement!
On the 26th, Alesa's daughter Savannah got baptized so we drove to Alesa's house and have been here since. We went and saw the lights at Temple Square. It was a balmy 14*. Every time I think we might move back to Utah we come in the Winter and we both change our minds.
The lights were beautiful as always. Sunday morning we got up and went to see Music and the Spoken Word. It's a television program that the LDS Church puts on, it's a non-denominational spiritual message with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing. It was AMAZING to hear them sing live. I've ionly heard them in person once when I was 8. As Frank said, it was like there were angels in the room. The program was being recorded and broadcast live so we had to be VERY quite. Not so easy when you have a cough like 3 of us did! They have been doing the program every week since 1929 - pretty amazing!
Since then we have just been hanging out and relaxing. It's Stephanie's birthday today so we will head back to Logan to celebrate with her.
Frank went home last night so he could go back to work - Isabella and I will be here until Wednesday night. I'm sure we will be EXHAUSTED by time we get back home!
I hope everyone has a VERY happy New Year!
