Returned With Honor

I have greatly anticipated the arrival from Sister Brown from the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission.  I have been so excited, that it has been difficult to get a good nights sleep.  The night before she arrived home, I woke up periodically throughout the night tracking her flight, from Port Vila to Fiji.,

The next morning, I again started tracked her flight from Fiji to Los Angles.  I began baking, since cooking is a great distraction for me.  We will definitely have some yummy treats to eat when she gets home.

Once we arrived at the airport, I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.  I promised myself, I was not going to be one of those obnoxious mothers that break all the rules and acts like a lunatic.  Well, I think I broke every rule and more.

I was overwhelmed with feelings of relief and happiness.  Relieved that she made it home safe and sound, and happy to have her back again after serving the Lord for 18 months.  I am so proud of this girl!

The Lee's

My cute niece Ashlee, her husband Landon, and adorable little baby Adam, stopped by for a visit while they were in town.  We ate Cafe Rio at our home (no I didn't make it), and played some intense games of ping pong.  Little did we know Landon has some skills and abilities at ping pong.  I think he may have been the world camp at one time or another;).

And why would you ask is Ben home in the middle of the day on a school day? Well, because when he hears something fun is going down, and negotiates his way into the event.

We loved spending time with the Lee's!

Utes

The Utah basketball team has been exceptional this year. It has been so fun to go watch them. I have 4 tickets, so usually some of the kids come with me, or my part-time-Ute-Fan friend.  Ben and I went to a game by ourselves one night.  He had been working hard around the house and had earned $20.  He left for a few minutes during the game and came back with this necklace for me.

What a sweetie!  If you know Ben $20 doesn't come easy to this kid, so it was a great sacrifice for him to buy it for me.

Signs

The Sunday before Sister Brown came home we got together for dinner and to make welcome home signs. Brent and his daughter Shay were kind enough to come help.  All the signs were wonderful!  If you can't read the sign in the middle, it's because Meagan wrote hers in Bislama.  Kate has been speaking this language on the islands since she got there.  They don't teach it in the MTC, so you have to learn it with the Natives.

Christmas 2015

It's Christmas Day! I only have two little ruggrats at home, so it seems a little quite.  I was so proud of myself for pulling off a surprise gift.  Usually the kids know most of what they are getting, but not this year.  They were very excited to get I-pad minis.

The quiet doesn't last long, as we begin Christmas Day with brunch.  All the kids and Grandma and Grandpa Brown come.  Breakfast casseroles are brought my Meagan and Sarah (I might have made one), side pork by Grandma and Grandpa, and I whip up the able skivers, hash browns, fruit, and juice.  It is nice to have so many helpers!

The kids exchange gifts and of course the best part is watching little Mase open his gifts.  Nana got him a green bike, and an Olaf book.  He loved them, and was so cute about receiving his gifts.  He wanted to ride his bike, so of course Nana let him ride it in the house.

It finally snowed, and besides shoveling, it has been a beautiful blessing.  There is something about the wintery white stuff that make Christmas extra special.

Of course my favorite part of the day was skyping with Elder Brown.  We had some technical difficulty, and ending up face-time instead, but however, and whatever works for me.  I love seeing his cute face and spending as much time as we can talking with him.  His MP gave them 45 minutes to talk, so we didn't get long, but we cherished every minute.

Sister Brown chose not to call this Christmas.  She will be returning on January 14th, so she didn't want the distraction.  I honored her wishes even though it was a little hard.

The Carling's came over in the afternoon to exchange gifts and spend some time with us.  They are always such a delightful bunch.

What a fabulous Christmas!

Brown Christmas Eve 2014

After a fabulous party with the Wagstaff's, we move on to the Brown's where we catch up with their celebration.  Christmas Eve with the Brown's is full of tradition. We have been dancing around the Christmas tree singing Christmas carols since Steve and were dating. This Danish tradition continues strong.

Homemade candy, and gifts for everyone is the next Christmas tradition.  The kids might love Christmas Eve as much or more than Christmas Day.

Wagstaff Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas Eve begins with Scott and Connie hosting a lovely dinner at their house.  Appetizers are abundant, as we visit and catch up with each other.  Everyone contributes to the fabulous food. The entertainment consists of people watching and people interaction as you can see by the photos.  Always a great time!

Christmas Eve is most enjoyable with family!

Temple Square

Temple Square illuminated with all the beautiful lights during the Christmas season is one of my favorite traditions.  This year I was particularly attracted to the beauty of the temple.  I took so many stunning pictures of the temple, I'm not sure which one is my favorite.

With the pleasant weather, the kids and I were able to spend more time walking around enjoying the ambiance.  We were even able to take a small tour to the statue of Christ. I got a little teary as two Sister Missionaries were our guides.  It made me miss my missionaries!

We missed cute Lizzy girl, who was at dance, but had a wonderful time being together.  Families are forever!

Sarah's Birthday

With December being one of the busiest times of the year, we will sometimes combine important events and celebrations.  This year we visited Steve's grave delivering a Christmas wreath, and celebrated Sarah's birthday. During the holidays we particularly notice our loss.  We love and appreciate Steve, and miss him.  We are grateful for the time we were able to spend with him.

Sarah wanted to celebrate her birthday dining at Zupas.  We enjoyed dining, and spending time with each other. Never a dull moment with this crowd!

I love this beautiful, spunky girl.  She is so much fun to be around, and lightens up the room.  She is a very loyal person, and we are so happy she is party of our family. Happy Birthday Sarah!

Santa Party

The Brown Santa party was hosted by Jeff and Chantall this year.  Times have changed, the Little's are great grands rather than grandchildren. Whether you are young or old, believing or not believing, there is still something magical about Santa.