The day after Christmas the kids and I headed for San Diego. We made it just in time to see the annual Larson Family Christmas Talent Show. It was filled with great music, talents, and treats.
We had a wonderful Christmas. It was our first in New Mexico. It was complete with great company (aka family), beautifully wrapped presents (wrapped by me of course), thoughtful gifts, and very fattening food.
Christmas Eve is always fun. This year we had a traditional Blair Christmas Eve...a first for the Larson's. It included hor d'oeuvres, sparkling cider, opening some presents on Christmas Eve, and lots of family. It also include luminaries at our house and Aunt Tammy's. It was very fun and festive!
We just received the January 2010 Ensign and found out that my Dad had an article published. He didn't even know that they were going to publish it. It is on page 16, "Walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death", it talks about his struggle with cancer. We love you Dad.....Great Job!
Today is Elijah's 12Th Birthday. I can't believe how quickly time has passed. It seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital.
We love Elijah and are thrilled to see him grow up! It will be fun to see him pass the sacrament in the next couple of weeks. We are so blessed to have him in our family.
My day did not start out the best....I had just finished getting the kids dressed and ready for school and we were almost out the door, when I heard Ethan crying. I went in the living room to see what was the matter and discovered a disaster. Ethan and Elijah had leaned up against the fireplace glass with their winter coats on. The nylon (aka plastic) had melted all over the front of the fireplace and their jackets were ruined (btw, I just bought them....of course). Ethan, for sure got the worst of it, it even burned a hole in his shirt. In their defense, it was 8 degrees outside this morning! Here are a few shots.
I spent all day trying to clean it up. I searched the Internet and was surprised to find that other people have had this happen to them. It is not 100%,clean but I am willing to settle for 90%. Not only was it on the fireplace, but after smoke was billowing from Ethan's back, he practiced his "Stop, Drop, and Roll" technique and got it on the carpet. I am just happy that none of the children were burned and our house is still standing!
Every year we put up our Christmas Advent Calendar, and the kids love to see what is going to happen every day.
Here is a run down of what we have been doing!
Day 1: To start of the season we made a stop at Starbucks for the kid's favorite Hot Chocolate with Peppermint. I have admit this event will be repeated on our Christmas Countdown....Even I love the Hot Chocolate.
Day 2: We read, as a family, a wonderful Christmas story called Silent Night, Holy Night. It is about English and German soldiers who stop to celebrate Christmas amidst a war.
Day 3: We were suppose to go to downtown Farmington (a three minute drive) to see the "Parade of Lights". The kids vetoed me and flatly refused. I don't really blame them, it was 12 degrees outside.
Day 4: We went to our wards Christmas Party. It was great! My sister Tammy was in charge and did an excellent job. It's weird not to know everyone in our new ward like we did in San Diego, but they are wonderful people and we look forward to getting to know them better.
Day 5: Last night we went to the college here where every year they put out luminaries. You can either drive or walk through the college. There were over 27,000 luminaries and it was BEAUTIFUL. We walked through the college and listened to the music and drank hot chocolate. Thanks Gavin and Michelle for taking us! Here are a few pictures.
After the college, we went to the cemetery (I know it's weird), but they do the same thing as the college. They had the whole cemetery lite up with luminaries. We took a Christmas Tree, and a Poinsettia plant to put on Samantha's grave. I know it sounds strange, but it was also beautiful.
Day 6: Tonight, (after accidentally missing the 1st Presidency's Broadcast) we watched the video "Joy to The World". What a wonderful way to bring the true meaning of Christmas into our home. How grateful we are that we have a Savior who came to this earth and prepared a way for us to return to our Heavenly Father. It is a wonderful video and I recommend it to everyone!
Isn't it wonderful to have a holiday just for being thankful. I truly am thankful for many things!
It has been great to keep track of some of things that I am grateful for, but my list is not complete. There are many more things that I am thankful for, but I just wanted to document a few more.
I am grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. I grateful for my testimony of Joseph Smith and that he truly did see our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father, who shows tender mercies to me hourly, who loves me unconditionally, and who wants me to be better continually.
I am grateful for a testimony that families can be together forever. It has been a crazy year, but my testimony has remained firm. I know that I will see Samantha again some day, and what a joyous day that will be. My heart aches to see, touch, and hear her again, but I know that those things will happen again for me. I love and miss her, but can't wait to see all the things that she has been doing. 
I am grateful to be the mother of such wonderful children. They inspire me to be better, and I love each of them so much.
I am grateful for a husband who works so hard, who plays so hard, and who loves so much. He is the best!
I am grateful for all of my family and friends....I am blessed to have each of them in my life.Today I am grateful for the little things. First off, we live in a small town, with not a lot of shopping options. But I am grateful that we have a Target. Who doesn't love target? You can just about get anything there, and today I went twice to get everything I need!
I am grateful for Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate. My mom and I love to go and get one when she is around. It is a special holiday treat that I look forward to.
I am grateful that today I was able to find something that I have been looking for, for awhile. I have been on the hunt for two weeks to find Terry's Chocolate Oranges. Everywhere I have been they either don't carry them or they are out of them. Today on an quick trip to Smith's with my Mom, I spotted them, not a lot of them, but nevertheless I was so excited to find them. I bought 14 (I promise I won't eat them all on my own), but I am very very very grateful that I found them!
