The Best Time of the Year

I absolutely love Christmas and spending it with Luke and Claire makes it even more special. So here are some of the reasons why this is the best time of the year...especially this year.
1. Everytime Claire stands under the mistletoe, she will blow Luke or I a kiss.
2. Claire talks non-stop about Santa and gets so excited when she sees his picture...but totally freaks out if a "real" santa gets too close to her.
3. Seeing the lights on Temple Square.
4. Decorating the house to make it look all festive.
5. People are alot nicer this time of year...for the most part anyway.
6. Making Sugar Cookies!!! We love sugar cookies!
7. I love singing the Christmas hymns in church even though I can't sing.
8. We have fun doing Sub for Santa.
9. Luke normally takes me out on a really nice date right before Christmas and I am really looking forward to it this year.
10. Family parties
11. Celebrating the birth of Jesus. We are really trying to teach Claire the real meaning of Christmas and the importance of helping others that are in need.



Today we got together with my brothers and sisters and made gingerbread houses. My mom spent days baking the houses for us to come decorate so we have her to thank for doing all the hard work. This is the first time that all the grandkids have been together at the same time so we had to take a picture.

Our cute little gingerbread house....or as Luke calls it, our "dream home". Apparently we have different dreams :) Ours is the middle one.

Luke came home early from work one day just as Claire and I were getting ready to put up the lights. Isn't he HOT!!

And of course, Claire has to help. She is the biggest helper no matter what I am doing...and then once she goes down for a nap I clean up the mess she created while "helping" me. I don't dare discourage her from helping because in a couple of years she actually will be a big help.