Christmas 2015

Christmas Jammies!  These were seriously the cutest ever!  It was so fun to see them running around all day in them too.  I'm glad that I got them in bigger sizes too, so we can enjoy them in December of next year!

Watching Polar Express before bedtime.

This girl and her cheesy grin!

Our "big" gift this year was a jogging stroller/bike trailer combo.  Porter helped Madison in for this picture.  This has also become Trevor's "rocket" in the garage.  He likes to tilt it back and lay in it.  He has also unladed the entire contents of the outside fridge into his rocket.  I guess he's planning a long trip into the outer space.

Grammie gave Tonka trucks so naturally the boys needed to play with them outside.  They were out there for about an hour just plowing through and dumping snow.

Mid-day naps and movie time.  Porter was excited that he has his own helmet now.

Madison got a helmet too.

Tuckered out...

Christmas came and went way too fast (as it does every year).  But we enjoyed it!  Trevor keeps asking when Santa will come again.  Sorry buddy, it's not for a LONG time!

Porter Buddy

One morning, I came home to Steve shoveling the sidewalk and this little guy waiting for me.  It was probably 10 degrees outside and here he is in his summer jammies with rain boots and a hat.  It was pretty adorable.

Medic volunteer

Since we will be in the Provo City Center Temple district, I have the opportunity to volunteer as a medic/first aid responder.  On Jan 5, I had my first 4 hr shift at the temple.  During that week, it was limited to investigator and VIP tours, so the traffic was sparse.  So I was able to spend most of that shift walking around and enjoying the temple.  It is beautiful!  There were a few paintings that I loved.  First, there's a painting in the baptistry that depicts what the First Vision would have been like from the perspective of the Hill of Cumorah.  It's beautiful!  I also loved the painting in the hallway near the bride's room, of the pioneer girl Mary. I also find it humorous that in the First Aid room in the temple, there's a very large painting of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. It was also fun to hear some of the little details that not everyone would know, or hear what some of the comments the General Authorities made as they walked through with their families.

I'm grateful for this unique opportunity that I have to use my medical skills to serve in this capacity!

Walking to the temple at 7:45 am

Outside the main entrance in the parking garage.
The incription "Holiness to the Lord, House of the Lord is found over 3 exterior doors at this temple.

South side (See the tents to keep the sidewalk and stairs dry and clear)

West side

North side

East side (Although this is not a functioning entrance, they included the inscription here as it was the main entrance for the Tabernacle)

Some of the stenciling that they replicated in the Bride's Room

Something unique about this temple, the Celestial room is in the middle of the top floor, however they have stained glass windows in the halls and into the sealing rooms on either side of the Celestial Room, and then on the exterior walls.  

The posts were patterned after the ones from the Tabernacle.  The one of the right is one that was salvaged from the fire.

Even the door hinges were ornate!

Games with Grandpa

Shortly after Christmas, we headed up to Highland to enjoy an evening with Steve's dad.  It has been fun seeing our boys have a relationship with Grandpa and seeing how he enjoys our kids.  We played a fun new game Suspend that Grandpa got for Christmas.  Trevor thought it was pretty cool.  We'll have to put it on our list to add to our collection!

Happy girl

Madison is our happy girl.  Stubborn, but happy/  Steve managed to snap these pictures at Grandma's Christmas Eve party.  This is how she pretty much is in real life!

Rainbow Forrest

There's a big house in Orem that has lights that can be seen from the freeway.  We managed to find it one night and the boys were thrilled!  Trevor was excited about the Rainbow Forrest!  Pictures don't do it justice.  :)

Lights at Temple Square... Brrr!

We made our yearly trip up to Temple Square.  It was C.O.L.D!  I mean the wind was piercing!  The trip was quick and we snapped a few pictures as proof we were there. :)

Trevor was pretty excited there was a fountain, but was sad that it was too cold to swim in.

I tried to get him to smile...

but mostly he just made faces...

Our family keeps getting bigger!  Every year!

Madison liked dady's shoulders!  I love how her coat covered most of her face.  (That's what you get when you are just over a year old and wearing a 2T coat, I suppose).

Porter was a trooper in the stroller.