"DON'T THEY KNOW THAT CHRISTMAS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HAPPY TIME?"

I love coming home for Christmas and sleeping next to this...

...and this.  I fall asleep by the fire/under the tree almost every night.

I love going to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert every year!
This year before the concert, my aunt and uncle took Adam, Kellee, and me to dinner.
Joy Luck is yummo. :)

Cousin Kell-bell, Adam, and Me.
The set was almost as gorgeous as the music.
The featured guests were AMAZING!

Me, Mom, and Shandee.
My favorite part of the concert was when the snow started falling!
It was so magical, that I couldn't help but bounce up and down in my seat a little bit.

Of course,  I didn't get my traditional post-concert-mistletoe
kiss this year
(which is most definitely a favorite.   Ahem!).  Oh well.  More Christmas concerts to come. 

I love when my whole family gathers for our annual Yule Log Dinner.

We caught an elf! :)

Lyndee carried that baby Jesus doll around all night.

Story time!  We also celebrated Kenzie's 8th birthday.
Happy Birthday, my firecracker redhead niece! 

The tree is always a big hit with the little ones.

A few of us even got a little snoozy, though.  

So much good food plus the warmth of the fire put us right to sleep!

But as soon as we woke up, the fun started all over again!

This year a new favorite memory got added to the list when my dad sat all the little ones down for a story.
He told about how one day a man was driving down the street late one night, and he saw a little old man with a cane walking alone in the cold.  So he pulled over, and offered the little man a ride.  He graciously thanked him, explained what he was doing, and got into the warm car.  When they pulled up to the little trailer home that the little man lived in, the younger man noticed that it was covered in beautiful twinkling lights.  Noticing that the man was looking at the lights, the little old man explained that he loves putting lights up because he hopes it makes it an extra special time of year for the neighborhood children.  The old man thanked the younger man for his kindness, got out of the car, and disappeared into his little house....  

As the younger man drove home that night, he thought how nice it would be if he took all of his little
grandchildren to sing Christmas carols to this lonely sweet old man.
At that point, all of my nieces and nephews began to recognize that this was a true story - that the younger man was their Grandpa Russon!  They were all so excited about filling a big stocking with good food and candy, and taking it to the little old man.  So we all piled up in our cars, drove over there, and left the stocking for the man.  Granted, the little man didn't come to the door so we just sang to the rooster that was sitting outside of it, but it was a Christmas miracle that I will never forget!
I'm grateful for growing up in a home where my parents frequently took and still take opportunities to share their testimonies, tell us how much they love us, and teach us precious life lessons like this one.
May well ALL remember to do such things for the ones we love!

Speaking of sharing, please watch this precious little video of love!  This is the Christmas story told by 4 year old Brinley (she is in Savior of the World with me).  It is so tender, you won't want to miss out on it.  I promise!!

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a Merry Christmas!