Time on the Mountain

While we at Grandpa and Grandma Belt's house we had a chance to play in the snow.  It snowed all day, and Adelynne would have stayed out all night if she could have.  Dustin helped Adelynne to build a little snow fort, that I helped him to improve.  (Just a few feminine touches).  I had never built a snow for before, and it was a lot of fun!  

A couple of days after Christmas, Dustin's brother Chris and his family, and his sister Donna and her family, came up to visit with us and the grandparents.  It was a house full of little girls, giggles, and love.  I really enjoy visiting with my sister's in-law and catching up with them on all of their lives.  I wish we lived so much closer so that we could hang out more frequently.

Of course while all of the cousins were visiting, we had to spend some time playing in the snow.

We were also blessed to have our best friends, the Patty family, come and visit on the mountain. Aaron and Niki Patty, and their boys Ethan and Owen are so much fun to be with. Dustin and I and the girls enjoy every moment we spend with them. They had forgotten their camera when they came to play in the snow, so I photographed them during their family play time.

You can tell that the Patty's aren't quite part of the Belt family because they are small, tan, and they have boys. Although we aren't blood related, we still consider them family.

This is me in my angelic state of mind.  One of my favorite past times on the mountain is putting puzzles together.  It puts me in a trance, and I don't like to be interrupted.  

Here was Amy hiding out with her new love-the toothbrush.

Christmas is finally here!

Before getting to Grandpa and Grandma Belt's house we stopped for dinner at McDonald's.  It was one of those times when we were at the right place at exactly the right time because Ronald McDonald himself showed up!  In all my 26 years of life, I have never seen Ronald in the flesh.  I guess there is a first time for everything!  Amy had no interest of getting any closer than you see her below.  Adelynne just kept on playing in the play center with no interest at all.  I guess I was the most excited.  

This was Christmas Eve at the Belt's house.  Adelynne found the angel wings and halo like last year.  The girls were very excited about presents and kept circling the tree like vultures.  And Adelynne didn't like my singing of the Christmas carols (the long face).  At the Belt's house we open all presents on Christmas Eve, except those that Santa will bring on Christmas Day.  Adelynne and Amy loved helping pass out the presents.  I would give them a present and tell them who they should give it to, and they ran to that person.  They were happy little helping elves. 

Opening presents...

CHRISTMAS MORNING

The Loot that Santa brought:

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Amy and her chocolate Santa:

Visit with Papa and Grandma Great

Before leaving California for Las Vegas to visit the Belt family, the girls and I made an all-too-short visit with my Grandparents in Tehachapi, California. I have really wonderful grandparents, I love them so very much. We had a great visit with them. My Grandma has a special talent with her grandchildren, because my girls had no reserves with her. Even Adelynne went right to her Grandma Great (as we call her now). While we were there we went and visited my Uncle Keith's family in Palmdale, and we also visited with my Aunt Jill. I wish I had had more time to visit with all of them, but it was great to see them all. I just wish I had taken more pictures with everyone, but I only snapped two.


My cousin Ty and my Grandma Bennett

My cousin Megan

One last visit with Santa before the big day

Before leaving to go join the Belt Family for Christmas, my parents, my nieces, my girls, and I went to the Lake of the Pines Ward Christmas party. Lake of the Pines (LOP) is the ward that I grew up in. It was a great chance for me to see old friends and mentors that I love. I was grateful for all of the hugs and warm smiles from everyone I saw. Of course Santa Clause made an appearance and Adelynne had once last chance to make her debut. Amy of course would have nothing to do with him, and showed her independence with pathetic sobs. My nieces Heather and Katy enjoyed the visit too.

A much needed continuing update.

While I was in California, pre-Christmas, I had a great visit with my Aunt Donna and my cousin Tammy. I don't have too many pictures with them, so I took the time to snap some photos.

I'm so excited for Tammy, she's due to have a baby boy in May-her first child. I feel so blessed to have a friend in my cousin Tammy. She is only a few months younger than me, and she has always been someone I love to be around. We used to have Thanksgiving at my Aunt Donna's house for years when I was growing up. My Aunt Donna always cooked a wonderful meal, and Tammy, her sister Emily, my sister Amy, and I would always take such care to set the table as beautifully as we could. The four of us would play with barbie dolls for hours. Actually, we would spend hours setting up house by making up bedrooms and living rooms with random books and toys in my cousin's room. Then after all the set up was done, we were too tired and bored to play with the dolls. I remember on one Thanksgiving year we sat around talking about how wonderful it was to be so close to our cousins and enjoy being together. We were all hoping that as we grew older and had families of our own, that we could still be close and get together often. Life was definitely more simple then, and I wish that our hopes of that Thanksgiving were more possible. But when we are together it reminds me of the wonderful family that I have.



I was able to attend my niece, Heather's kindergarten Christmas program at her school. Being there made me feel like I am actually a part of her life on a more regular basis-I really wish I was. I was at the hospital the night she was born, and I was the proudest aunt alive. Heather was so fun to watch as she sang. She even fulfilled the part of "the kid picking her nose." Oh, it was a proud moment! Heather is just a sweet little girl, with no pretensions or prejudices, she'll make a friend out of anyone.  Heather is the one in the green shirt.