'tis the season

let the christmas festivities begin! we spent friday evening picking out the perfect tree (thanks, s, s, & z!!!) and drinking hot chocolate and watching elf. i love, love, love that movie! it got me excited for christmas and snow and festive decor.

time to tree hunt!


"the tree" for me & e


"the tree" for s, s, & z

e carrying in s, s, & z's tree!!!

da boys "making adjustments"

the happy fam with their awesome tree (yes, z has a hatchet...)

our reward for "hard work" (homemade hot chocolate in the works)

saturday morning e prepped our tree and positioned it in the house. it's huge and drop dead gorgeous! we are spending today spangling the thing... apparently obtaining a tree and decorating it is a three-day process!

our tree

we enjoyed some spontaneous fun yesterday afternoon by packing up some tinfoil dinners and boiling hot water and driving up the canyon. we slid around in the truck, built a huge (and so warm!) fire, and tested the ol' sleds for some pre-running. it snowed the entire time! z was hilarious and very entertaining. she was fascinated with the snow and did really well with sledding (i think she's a bit of a speed demon...like her mom!). e and i "ice-skated" on the edges of the stream. the middle section is still flowing. it was awesome! so relaxing and fun.

sledding

z chillin' with the big kids

the fire!

s & s

me & e

the tinfoil dinners baking in extremely hot coals. yumm-o!

z spilled a little hot water on my chair...she said, "uh oh" and tried to wipe it up with her finger

and as for the "grounded" aspect of life, i have been extended another calling (yes, that puts my current total at 3 right now), though I have been assured that I will be released from primary sometime in january. i have been called and accepted to be the YW CAMP DIRECTOR!!! whoop whoop!!! e and i are stoked! it's ward camp (my fav) and they are considering "roughin' it," which i prefer, and i'm toying with the idea of making e the cook. i have to run it by my supers, but he said he'd love to head the food (the girls would help with cooking it, of course!), so i hope they say yes!

life is good. we are blessed, madly in love, and having a grand ol' time celebrating this miraculous holiday season! loves your way!