BACK...SDRAW

I guess I am going a little BACKWARDS with my posts!!! Haha. Christmas seems to have come and gone very quickly this year. So I want to just recap the evnts frm this Christmas time that really meant a lot to me.

The family participated in the ballet of the Nutcraker for the 4th year. Every year the kids tryout for different parts and then it is posted at the dance studio of the rolls they got. This year Tom was Drosselmeyer and Mother Ginger, Hannah was The Sugar Plum Fairy, the Russian, a snowflake, a flower, and a party lady! Justin took ballet classes and landed the rolls as: The mouse King, Snow King and The Prince of Flowers along with a party man. Rylee had a duet this year as Drosselmeyers invention of the GIRL Harlequin! She was also a snowflake, a flower, a party girl and she did a trio as Chinese!

I have taken sooo many pictures that all the pictures will take up so many pages!!! But I want to post a few of my favorites:

Hannah was a BEAUTIFUL Sugar Plum Fairy

Justin as Flower Prince. He was in the Newspaper with his Dewdrop Fairy

Tom as Drosselmeyer. Handing over the Nutcracker to Clara.

Justin as Snow King. He partnered a lot! He is sooo strong!

Rylee as Chinese. Look how high she jumps!!!!

    Everyone practiced for 3 months and it turned out to be the best Nutcracker ever!!!!! Cheri Kehler is the director and choreographer and is AMAZING!!! This show gets me in the Christmas mood every year!!!

After Nutcraker and all the Christmas shopping was done, Shavaun came in from Arizona to spend 2 weeks at home!!!! I love waking up and going to bed everynight knowing all my babies are safe!!!!

Christmas Eve our family went to visit my sister Rebekah and her sweet family who just moved to San Diego (tear) It's not too far away but I am used to her being in Menifee like 10 minutes away!

At La Jolla

San Diego Temple

The two best things at Christmas, Family and Christ being born.

We ate dinner and then went to La Jolla shores ( nothing like a California Christmas and going to the beach), we walked around and took pictures.  After going there we visited the San Diego Temple to see the Nativity and the lights. I had never done that before.   As soon as we stepped out of the car my whole body got chills and not because it was cold, it was the other kind of chills! There was beautiful Christmas music playing and then you saw Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus and lights everywhere!!!! My picture doesn't do it justice! Our two families walked around the grounds and on the other side was the WHOLE nativity with wisemen, shepards, the animals and Baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph. The spirit was so strong!!! I wanted to stay and just feel a part of what it would have been that night. I wish everyone could see this!  I am so grateful for Family and for Christ being born. My testimony has grown so much!