A Holly Jolly Christmas Week!

Well, folks, this has been a fabulous week of fun! To start off the week our family went to Mesa on Tuesday for some doctor's appointments and Ben got the greatest Christmas present from his podiatrist... He got a little note that said he could go back to his regular duties at work. No more desk work!!! He was so excited! He was more excited to go back to work that to open presents on Christmas morning, but then again he's never really gotten into presents. The first day back he went and got in his uniform about an hour early and put on his gun belt and practiced drawing his weapon to make sure he could still remember how to do it. I went back to our room and caught him practicing and had to tease him about it. It's been good for him to be up and about. (After 3 and 1/2 months I think it would get to most anybody.) So he is back out in the field now and loving it.

While we were in town we also got to do some last minute Christmas shopping and we went and visited the Temple lights. The kids loved it. Here we all are at the temple 12-23-08Allen and I watched a special on the BYU channel about the Christus statue and how our church came to acquire a copy in the Salt Lake City Visitor's Center. It is interesting because the night this picture was taken he was asking me all sorts of questions about it and the next day the program aired! Blessing!On Christmas Eve Ben had to work, but I took the kids down to the town plaza where Santa comes and appears in the top of the Curley School bell tower and then rides his sleigh down the street to the plaza where he sits and lets the kids sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. This is Charlie and Shaelynn waiting for Santa to appear in the bell tower. We were sitting on the side of the street. 12-24-08Allen hung out with his good friend Sarah.Here we are in front of Santa's sleigh. He's climbing down a ladder.Charlie was really excited to go up and sit on Santa's lap and talk to him. Shaelynn did not share his enthusiasm. (Mrs. Clause is concerned.)

So, the little kids finally got to bed at 10:30 and Allen stayed up watching a the older version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory because he had never seen it and he thought he was going to get to help me do the stockings, but I sent him to bed so he would have more of a surprise in the morning. I worked until 1:30 getting everything wrapped and put together and ready to go and then Ben came home.

Here are the kids in front of the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. I like this picture so well that I think I am going to make it a tradition every year to take a picture of the kids all together in front of the tree before all the mayhem starts! 12-25-08

We all had cold cereal, but Shaelynn just wanted some milk!

Ben got Charlie a V-Tech PC Pal that hooks up to the TV and he can play little educational computer games. He loved it! I got Ben a target and stand. He loved it!
Charlie got Elmo PJs and had to change into them immediately!

Shaelynn loved her doll!
Charlie loved his collection of Elmo stories! Allen showed Charlie how to put together his K'nex Elmo kit. Teamwork!

Shaelynn got a rocking chair and rocks at mach 5 speed! Seriously I thought she may have whiplash after she was done! Proof she loved it!
Ben loved his bike! (More especially now that he can ride it!)

Allen made pillowcases for everyone! Shaelynn's has a unicorn on it with her name.She will love it when she can appreciate it! (What a great big brother!)
Charlie's had Elmo and of course he loves it! Mine and Ben's have our favorite candy bars on them. We love them! (Are you getting the theme of love here?)I got Ben the entire "Everybody Loves Raymond" series on DVD and I think his expression speaks for itself. I also got him an electric razor that he is very pleased with! (Mommy did good this year! Score!)

And he got me an air compressor and a table saw!!! (For those of you who don't know me well these are NOT "dog house" gifts) The man knows how to please his woman! And yes, I love them! Woo hoo! (Daddy always does good!)So, one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is in Proverbs that says "Train up a child in the way he should go that when he is old he shall not depart from it." Here is just that! Actually she picked these wood working magazines up herself and started browsing through them on her own!!! That's my girl!!! Look at that smile!!!

I don't think I could ever be more pleased with her!

What a great note to end on! Just kind of makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!