Happy and Grateful Hearts

I do believe this is my favorite time of year.  It even beats out summer!

The days leading up to and after Christmas are just so magical.  Holiday parties and shopping and family traditions and just so much love.  I guess that's my favorite thing about Christmas... the general outpouring of love.

I think it is so easy to focus on what we don't have.  But Christmas caters to focusing on what we do have.  We all find ourselves in such different situations but I think if we each sat down and really thought about everything we have been given we would agree that we are in abundance.  God gives so much.  Christmas is a time to focus on exactly that- all that we have been given.

My sister and her husband and kids are leaving early in the morning.  They'll be back for a couple of days before they take for Germany for good, but I am already missing them.  It's hard when your big sis lives a 10 hour plane ride away!  Because they will leave early in the morning, we gathered together tonight to say a prayer and I was especially struck by a line that my mom said, asking that we would each have "Happy and grateful hearts."

Isn't that a beautiful thing to pray for?

My wish for you this Christmas Eve and Christmas Holiday is the same- to have a happy and grateful heart.  We live in abundance.  God is good.

And now, a holiday dumping of photos.  Everything we have been up to the last week... Jazz games, Christmas parties, temple square, etc, etc, etc.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Emily conked out for the whole affair.  Too many blanket in a stroller will do that to you.

Look who was caught doing the dishes!  Ah, such a good Hubs.

And aren't those the most adorable tights you've ever seen on a little girl (and the most adorable bum too!)

 These are my two older sisters.  I couldn't resist.  They are making the exact same pose!

Only one accident from nieces and nephews opening all these presents- my 9 year old nephew Davy cut his finger open trying to open the plastic packaging.  He screamed a scream I have never heard from the tough little guy.  Adults rushed to help him and almost immediately it was determined that he would have to go to the hospital.  I got up to check it out and all I had to see was the blood on his bandage and I was down for the count- the color drained from me and I was woozy as could be.  I ain't got much of a stomach for that stuff.  Eight stitches later, Davy is alive and well and happily telling the tale.

My cousin Marissa is great with child.  She moved to Denver and I miss her every day.  I am not great with child, although the picture looks it.  Don't be deceived.

My Christmas gift to all of you this year is this totally random and crazy video of my entire extended family dancing to Gangam Style at our 10 am family Christmas party on Saturday.  It's how we roll people.  Can you spot:  a little girl bursting into tears, a grown up cousin dressed like a cholo, me trying to give Hubs a kiss, and a five year old boy wearing old man attire.  Enjoy!  And Merry Christmas!