Christmas Eve 2014

 

Cannon joined me on my morning walk.  We stopped and checked out every cactus, sampled several neighborhood playgrounds, played a little baseball and chatted the whole time!  It was the PERFECT way to start off this special day!

We named this little contraption "bowl full of Cannon"

 I love this little boy so much!  I still can hardly believe that my baby is so big!

Soon we were off to Aunt Carrie and Uncle TJ's for a wonderful dinner and family night.

Starting it all off with decorating some sugar cookies

The oldest (grandson) and the youngest Christensen grandbabies:)

 

Aunt Carrie had a brilliant idea and announced that before dinner would be served we had to do family pictures in front of the tree!

That's my kind of girl:)

 oops someones flash was going off and brightened up this picture of Brad's older brother Scott and kids Carly and Adam..  Such a cute family!!

Carrie, TJ and their darling girls--Madison, Cali, Mackenzie and baby Piper

 

And Grandma with her husband Deloy

 

After an amazing Beef Tenderloin dinner made by Uncle TJ we enjoyed the nativity and

some musical talents thanks to my sweet nieces.

Then we sang Christmas carols with Grandma at the piano--and some costume sharing may have been going on.  My silly boys!

 

Pretty soon we were off to bed --I think it is the ONLY night of the whole year that my boys want to go to bed as early as possible:)

 

My heart was so full that day as I reflected on the greatest gift the world has known--our savior Jesus Christ. 

 

I love this quote from Howard W. Hunter:

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude.. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.

Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. Without Christ, there can be no fulness of joy. Without His birth and His Atonement, we would have no Intercessor, no Advocate with the Father, and no Mediator who makes it possible for us to return to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and live together as eternal families."

 

 I am so thankful for Jesus Christ--for his perfect example of how to live and his gift of the atonement. 

 I want to try harder to be more like him and share his love with others whenever I can.

 

Merry Christmas Eve and goodnight!