Christmas Day

We were a little unconventional this Christmas Day.  We usually get together to open our gifts and have a nice breakfast, but Ashley and Kyle left early in the morning to drive to Sacramento to pick Grandpa up so he could spend the day with us.  My parents came to our house to watch Scarlett open her gifts before we all went to church.

She loves her little desk.  It has a projector on it that teaches letters and numbers.

The Bradens got Scarlett a cute little scooter with this Hello Kitty helmet and bell.

Aunt Jenny made this adorable purse that Scarlett totes around everywhere now.

Just Dance Nickelodeon.  Woo hoo!

 I think the hit of the morning... her very own camera.

 How do I work this thing!?

 Say "cheese!" Nama and Granddad!

After all the presents, and a little breakfast, Aunt Pam and Marcelle showed up with a nice quiet book for church.  Everyone knows we need help keeping her quiet during Sacrament meeting.

We all went to my parents' ward and enjoyed the beautiful Christmas hymns.  I actually really like having Christmas on Sunday.

 Don't you just love Scarlett's Christmas dress?  Oh, and my 36 week belly.

We had Christmas day lunch as our big meal and had some friends join us.  We had delicious food- ham, balsamic pork tenderloin, cheesy potatoes, killer bread, green salad, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and two types of jello salads.  Yum.  Yum.

Scarlett needs a little snuggle time with Kyle every now and then.  What were they watching?  The Grinch, of course!

Yummy cupcakes for dessert.  After this lick, Scarlett didn't have any more.

Everyone stayed and played games for a few hours, and then when evening hit, and everyone else had gone home, we opened our family gifts.

Scarlett is so spoiled.  So. So. Spoiled.

Needing another squeeze from Uncle Kyle.

Thanking Aunt Ashley for all her new clothes.

Mom and Dad.  This is the first year Dad didn't wear the Santa hat while he passed out the gifts.  I missed it.  But I guess Mom made up for it with the reindeer headband.

One of Scarlett's presents from Nama and Granddad was a treasure chest of dress up clothes.  She was in heaven having Ashley treat her like her personal doll.

We never use "princess"- it is a swear word in our house- but look at our cute little princess!

Grandma told her it was a magic wand, Ashley told her to wave it around and say "bipity, bopity, boo", so Scarlett waved it and said "magic wand, boo!"

Daddy watching his sweet little girl.

After playing dress up, she decided she wanted no clothes.  And that she wanted Nama to swing her around.

After Grandma swung her around a few times, Scarlett decided she wanted to be "nakey" and took her diaper off.  We'll leave those pictures off the Internet.

We had such a wonderful Christmas.  We are so blessed with amazing family, and wonderful friends.  We hope all had as enjoyable a day as we did- celebrating the birth of our Savior, His love, and those people we hold so dear.  Merry, merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

We started our Christmas Eve festivities by going to the matinee showing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical in San Francisco.  It was such a fun show- and Scarlett absolutely loved it.  She danced and cheered and sang the songs... she thought it was great.  She has watched the movie almost every day this past week and just loves the Grinch.  Seeing him in person was quite special.

Great Aunt El joined us for the show- as did Marcelle and Aunt Pam, but they weren't there yet when we took the picture.

"Ma'am with the camera- you, Ma'am!"  Is what the usher yelled as he ran toward me when I snapped this picture inside the theater.  Whoops.

Scarlett has loved having Aunt Ashley home for the last several days.  I'm not sure what we're going to do when she heads back to Utah.

After the show we walked a few blocks to the Parc 55 Wyndham hotel where we had a late lunch at City House.  Delicious!

We drove back from San Francisco, and attempted to lay Scarlett down for a nap.  After listening to her sing and talk for about 45 minutes, and then eventually say "I took a good nap, now get me out", we headed over to my parents' house for dinner and more Christmas Eve fun.  Since we had a late lunch, we did appetizers and finger food for dinner, which was perfect.  I told Mom I wanted to do that every year- a nice lunch- easy breezy dinner.

Scarlett is quite the lover of the camera lately- check out that pose.

Best little friends.

After opening a few presents, we read the story of Christ's birth and then sang some of our favorite Christmas hymns while Mom played the piano.

For the last few years Ashley has given each of us pajama bottoms for a Christmas Eve gift.  Here is our attempt at taking a picture of all of us.  I was setting the timer... everyone was figuring out where they should be, Scarlett was screaming NO!

I loved this test shot- Scarlett took off... everyone else in my life is just so special.  :)

A real family photo- notice Scarlett's can of Dr. Pepper with her straw?  Yep.

Whose belly is bigger!?

I chose to wear my pajamas to Mom and Dad's, and in so doing look much larger than my actual self- Rob's thick, baggy shirt is not doing me any favors.  But hey, I am 36 weeks pregnant.

The Turner girls in our matching pajamas.  Thanks, Ash.

Scarlett got an adorable pair of ornament jammies.  She loves them.

The boys in their almost matching pants.

We had such a great evening, just spending time together.  We have been spoiled with having Kyle back from BYU Hawaii, and Ashley here from Utah.  I love having my family close together.

I also love this time of year when we get to reflect on the birth and life of our Savior.  He is the reason for the season.

We headed home and hit the sack, after all, twas the night before Christmas... Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

"I'll sit on Santa's lap... Maybe another day."

We had our ward Christmas party last Saturday night.  Scarlett and I talked the whole way there about how she was going to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas- "new flops" (flip flops).

We started the night with a yummy dinner, Scarlett even ate my salad.  Some days she is a salad lover (it's the only vegetable we can get her to eat).  She ate it like a true lady, with her fingers.  Whenever I tell her she is not behaving like a lady, she snaps "I not a lady, mommy!  YOU a lady!".

 We just love Ira.  Scarlett was whispering sweet nothings in his ear, I'm sure.

 "I want to tell you something" is what Scarlett says when she wants to whisper in your ear. 

Ally, Scarlett, Chiara and Isabella.

 Listening to the beautiful music being performed.  Ally was the only one I could get to look at me.

 We stood in line for Santa- but it was a no go.  Scarlett wanted nothing to do with him.

When we finally gave up, Scarlett told me over and over again that she would sit on Santa's lap another day.  She was thrilled about the goodie bag she got from him... candy and coloring books, what could be better?  My favorite little kid when it comes to Santa is Ira- when his parents asked if he wanted to sit on Santa's lap he quickly said No, and then told them it was for the big kids.  I love what these little tykes come up with.

Grandma Turner

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we drove down to San Jose to visit Grandma Turner.  I love going to see her- she is one of those people you can just talk and talk with, and the conversation never dries up or gets boring.  She is a wonderful woman and I am grateful to have her in my life.

 Scarlett got a kick out of playing in the tree in the backyard.  I have many memories climbing this very same tree.

 Even though she looked everywhere EXCEPT at the camera... she still looks amazingly beautiful.

 I love this little girl- and she is growing up so fast.  The other day, we were talking, she was telling me about what she did at the gym while I "essersized", and she was answering my questions, and I had to stop and really look at her.  When did my little baby become this little girl I have real, meaningful conversations with?  I just love her to pieces.