Holiday Season 2020

Here's an overview of some of the fun things we did to celebrate the holidays this year. 

Since temple square is closed for construction, one night Mom, Dad, Beth, the kids and I, went on a Christmas light tour and tried to find as many lights as we could. We started on Christmas Street and ended at the Gallivan Center which turned out to be pretty magical. Beth and I got out with the kids to do a quick run through the lights and to see some of the sculptures up close.

These two giant kitties were a big hit with the kids

We also made sure  to visit our favorite holiday house in the  avenues, it's basically Christmas cheer personified.

Beth got out the Santa Village to  add some Christmas magic for the kids at home, they were enchanted with all  the whimsical houses and fun little elves and reindeer.

Vienne really got into the nativity story this year, she added her mini me's  into the story.

(She made a mini me of everyone in  the family and would carry them around everywhere she went, she would even tuck them into their  bed at night, it was very sweet.)

Beth got advent calendars for the kids so  they were very excited for "advent time" everyday!

Dad set up his train for Monty and boy was it a hit! Monty asked to see the "choo-choo" multiple times a day.

Aunt Diane dropped off a package for Vienne and wrote a letter asking if she would like to be pen pals with her. V was ecstatic and wrote Diane multiple letters a day.

Diane would drop of the sweetest and fun packages for V, she always included some  crafts and something fun to  bake. Since Diane was an elementary school teacher,  she knows what kids love and her gifts were always a huge hit with V.

In one package, Diane gave her the supplies  to make candy canes out of pipe cleaners and beads.

We were all SO excited when the Burtons came to visit! They all got Covid tests before they came to make sure they were negative (they had all gotten Covid earlier in the fall, which actually turned out to be a blessing so that we could spend some time with them during the holidays.)

Thomas, James and Will were so sweet and had made special gifts for me, Vienne and Monty out of parlor beads. They made me an adorable kitty. 

They had made V a whole set of care bears! They worked  so  hard on them!

And they made Monty a Train!

V was excited to show Thomas the mini me she had made of him. She even included tiny glasses and an eye patch. (Thomas has to patch 2 hours a day  to strengthen his right eye)

Monty was excited to show   the boys the train.

Everyone is always so happy when the  Burtons come to visit!

We had bread day one  afternoon, we needed to make sure we had cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning!

A very thoughtfully decorated Christmas tree

Monty was very into bread day and helped with each step of the cinnamon rolls.

One night as I was settling into bed, I heard a soft, little knock on my door. Thomas, James and V came in with a note for me.

Thomas had helped V write a note for me, and it was the sweetest thing I have ever received, it makes me tear up every time I read it.

Dear Keke (Kiki)

I love the things you do

Vienne

Karin, Ben and I went snowboarding at Brighton. The snow was pretty icy and it was a pretty crowded day, but we still had a lot of fun together!

This year we started a new tradition, attending the luminary event at Wasatch Lawn where Reece is buried.

There were still flowers on his grave from the funeral. They do a really wonderful job with this event, it was very beautiful.

On Christmas eve, I got a package all the way from Japan!

Sweet Lisa, who is currently living in Japan with  her little family while her husband does dentistry for the navy, sent  me such a fun package bursting with lots of Japanese goodies!

The packaging on everything was the cutest.

That night we read Christmas stories by  the tree before bed, the kids looked adorable in their fluffy, white Christmas pajamas.

Traditional Christmas morning breakfast!

Finding the notes from Naughty and Santa.

Dad was excited for Monty to open this gift, he had a toy like this when he was a little boy and he spent hours playing with it, so he was excited to share the fun with Monty.

Dad had cut out a recipe for this Cranberry pie back in October and we had been asking him to make it all holiday season, we were so excited when he made if for Christmas dinner!

It's so festive!

The Burtons introduced us to a super fun card game called Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza. We would play it whenever they came over, and it was always a good time.

Reading with Mimi.