Merry Christmas Eve - The Preparations Keep Going!

I love that the shopping is done and we can just relax and enjoy being together. On Wednesday night, Keenan and I enjoyed the evening with friends from his mission (MaryJane and Erin McGuire, JoAnna and Jeff Lyons and kids and Holly Harvey). We had yummy pea soup, bread, gouda cheese and apple cake for dessert. We had the usual gift exchange. Jo had to select the gift wrapped in Justin Bieber paper because she likes him. We've been getting together for this party for years - since before Kamiko was born. It's always fun.

JoAnna Lyons with the Justin Bieber present

I'm wearing the God Jul apron dad brought me from Sweden!

On Thursday, we had mom and dad and Mike come over for dinner, then we went up to South Jordan to our friends' house to see their nativity sets from all over the world. It's a humanitarian project. They buy from artisans from 3rd world countries and sell them on their website, then donate any extra to humanitarian projects. In 8 years, they have donated over $150,000 to humanitarian projects. Quite the effort and shows what a difference one person can make.

Friday, we went shopping with Mike. The world didn't end, as the Mayan calendar had predicted. I did let Kobi spend the night on Thursday, against all rules, since the world was ending. It was a special occasion, after all. We shopped then enjoyed lunch at Jason's Deli. I went to work to pick up a present. It was an attachment for the Blendtec. I also got a card with a little Christmas bonus in it. Yippee!!! That makes three of us who got bonuses - Kamiko, Allie and me! I bought black boots to celebrate.

Saturday, mom and dad and Mike came over for turkey dinner with all the fixins. I then relaxed and watched a Christmas movie on the iPad. I watched another one on Sunday. I love the cheesy made-for-TV Christmas movies.

Church was nice on Sunday. I wore a super cute red corduroy skirt Rachel gave me. The primary lesson was all about the wise men following the star and giving gifts to Jesus to worship him. We talked about gifts and especially gifts of service. They acted out the wise men's visit and made cards with acts of service in them to give on Christmas. Cute Taryn Wendell and I were dressed opposite of each other so we had to take a picture. I love that Gage Nebeker took the picture and cut part of my head off. Pretty good job for a 7 year old. The kids are great. Rachel Rose prayed in her closing prayer that their new primary teacher will be nice. I am sure he/she will be.

Thanks for the skirt, Rachel. I feel like Christmas. You can't tell, but I was wearing my new boots!

Alaina, Gage Nebeker, Taryn Wendell, Rachel Rose and Jack Stephenson (he joined us from next door)

me and my curly blonde-haired buddy, Taryn. I love this girl!

The cupcakes I made for them to decorate were good - at least Gage thought they were!

Got enough sprinkles, Gage?

In sacrament meeting, we had a number of people bare their testimony of Christ. I especially liked our neighbor Dave Sweetwood's comments. He said he prefers Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays. There are a lot of holidays and all are fun, but if all other holidays went away, it wouldn't have much effect on us and our eternal well-being. If, however, Christmas went away, that would have a dramatic effect. Very true. I am one who says "Merry Christmas." After church, we kinda relaxed, ate left-overs and I watched another Christmas movie.

After church, Melia did work on her bedroom. She decorated this wall, using pages from various magazines. It's much like one in Allie's room. I think it looks really cool.

Somewhere in all of this, Mom and Mike and I took a trip to the new outlet mall at Traverse Mountain, right by us. Mom and I couldn't believe the bathrooms. We had to take a picture. The grande lobby was just as impressive. In fact, Mike suggested we hold our family party there instead of at mom and dad's house. :)

Lounge area attached to the bathroom! Wow!

Merry Mickey Christmas!

We went as a family to Disneyland last week as an early Christmas present. We flew out Thursday night, rented a car in LAX and drove to Anaheim. We got some groceries at Walmart before checking in at the Park Place Inn, probably the closest hotel to Disneyland that's not on property.

The park opened at 8:00 am on Friday. The kids decided they wanted to be there at opening. I told them it was their choice. They wanted to do it, so we got about 6 hours of sleep and woke early to get ready, eat our free breakfast and get our tickets. Boy, it paid off getting there early. I've never seen the park so empty. We walked from ride to ride, starting with Space Mountain, and rode a ton of stuff before meeting up with Derek and Rachel and Rose around 11:00 am.

We even had healthy snacks, including a veggie tray. That's what happens when your mom is a Home Economist and Weight Watchers member. You have to have good stuff in addition to the junk.

Allie and I were ready first so we went to get breakfast while the others finished showering.
This is her breakfast sandwich.

Notice that there is NO ONE in the picture besides my family. That's how empty it was at 8:00 am.

Allie walking right onto Space Mountain - NO LINE!

There are usually a ton of people here taking pictures. Again, notice the lack of other people in this picture.
Kamiko laughed that I had about a 2-inch verticle leap to get onto Keenan's back. 

Again, no crowded, so we walked right up to the princesses. Usually there is quite the line.

Cinderella, me, Allie, Kamiko, Mel and Belle

It was fun to spend Friday in the park with Der and family. We rode lots of kid/family rides, then split up a bit, then rode more kid/family rides. Rose was great. She is so cute. She'll be 2 in February. It started to rain about 5:30, so we decided to go back to our room to order pizza and rest a bit. Derek and Rachel decided to head home with Rose. That was probably a good call. We enjoyed our pizza and a nap. When we awoke, the kids weren't sure they wanted to go back to the park. They were tired. They finally decided to go back out. It was a good call. We got to see a great light show at California Adventure park. We also got to hit a couple more rides. It was a great day. Made me tired to think about going again, but it is Disneyland and that's just what you do...you keep going because it's so awesome!

The Teacup Ride. This one's for Grandpa Hunter! Kamiko is the only one who wanted to spin like crazy so he rode alone. Allie and mom rode together and didn't spin at all. Keenan and Mel were in the middle.

Kamiko, Allie and Mel being crazy.

Mom and Allie

The moderate spinning cup - Keenan and Mel

Allie and Melia enjoying tea outside of Minnie's house

Keep trying, Allie. You can do it!

In line for Indiana Jones ride

Indiana Jones ride - Allie and Kamiko

Derek and Rosie on Winnie the Pooh ride

More of Derek and Rosie

Rachel, Mel and Allie on Winnie the Pooh Ride

Ahhhhhhh! It's a Small World!

I love little (and big) kids at Disneyland. My baby brother and his baby. Love them both!

Derek and Rose on Small World

Midway Mania...one of our favorite rides

Melia and Allie in gift shop outside of Midway Mania

Probably my favorite picture of my kids this trip. It shows how fun they are and how much they enjoy messing around together. I'm so happy they get along. It makes taking them places that much more fun!

Saturday we got up early again. Once again, the kids wanted to be there at opening. We got our free breakfast and headed to the park. It was much more crowded on Saturday. The weather was warmer and sunnier, too. That could have contributed to it. Friday was only about 57 degrees and cloudy and windy. It felt a bit chilly. I wore a coat in the evening. Keenan was his usual die hard self and wore shorts and slippers. The warmth, sun and Saturday brought out the crowds, but that didn't deter us. We used the fast pass system to our advantage and even got to ride on the new Radiator Springs Racers ride based on the movie "Cars." We didn't get to go on as many rides, but thoroughly enjoyed the day and even took in the Aladdin show at the California Adventure side. We got yummy corn dogs for a late lunch/early dinner. We finished with a favorite ride - Splash Mountain. We figured it didn't matter if we got wet and cold if we were going to get into the car and turn the heater on. We got to ride twice in a row. It was a most excellent ending.

Tower of Terror. Keenan screamed like a girl. 

The tree inside Small World

Space Mountain again...Kamiko, Allie and Melia

Our Space Mountain photo!

Mom and kids at Radiator Springs...new Cars Land. It is really cute!

Fun with Instagram!

Allie and Mel being cute!

The new cars ride. The line was crazy the whole time. We finally got to ride on Saturday at 5:00 pm with Fast Passes.

We drove to Derek and Rachel's place, about 40 minutes away, and spent Saturday night and Sunday with them. When we arrived at their place at 10:00 pm they said they weren't surprised. They didn't think we could make it til midnight. I'm glad we left early. Rides were crowded and it was fun to visit with Derek and Rachel before going to bed. We awoke on Sunday and went to church with them.

It was their Christmas program and there were some great musical numbers and the bishop gave some nice remarks. There was quite the national tragedy that we missed while vacationing and that was a school shooting. A young man entered a school in Newtown, Connecticut, and shot and killed 20 children, I believe 8 teachers and staff then killed himself. This was all after shooting his mom while she was in bed. Horrible. The bishop had some sweet remarks about peace and love in the midst of tragedy. I can tell that Derek and Rachel really like it in California. I'm glad.

After church, we went and saw Derek's work, the cemetery where Walt Disney, Michael Jackson, Liz Taylor and Clark Gable are buried, and the Disney and Nickleodeon animation studios. Burbank is a cute little town. Derek and Rachel have a very roomy apartment. We really had fun together. I'm sad that they don't live in Utah anymore, but I'm happy for them. They seem to belong there. That just gives me one more reason to go to Disneyland and Southern California.

Derek on rocking horse that dad made for Rosie

Rose eating lunch after church

Rose and Allie

Kamiko and the dogs, Jack and Sam, resting after church

Kamiko and mom got haircuts from Rachel. Thanks, Rae!

Chilling while Rachel cuts hair...Keenan, Derek, Rose, Mel and Allie

Derek and Rose

Kamiko at Derek's computer screen at work. Derek has a dream job...draws pictures, free soda and free cold cereal.