'Tis The Season

We've been packing some fun Christmas festivities into the last couple of weeks, despite mama fighting a nasty cold, we've been having a lot of fun! Here's what we've been up to...




We got our Christmas tree from a lot close to our house. We had big plans of cutting one down in the Uintahs, but it didn't pan out...maybe next year!




We had tons of fun decorating gingerbread houses with some of our very most favorite people. The event was complete with DELICIOUS food, but Lydi was mostly interested in eating the houses :)

Other things we've been up to...

-Shopping (of course)
-Reading (Gary finished his book and I finshed The Glass Castle and LOVED it)
-Checking out fun lights around town...we saw a really cool nativity scene off of 2700 W in SJ that Lydia was loving!
-Playing in the snow...Thanks to Daddy, Lydi has really been enjoying the snow and the four-wheeler!

Under the Weather Has it's Upside

I caught my usual late fall cold just before our trip to Disneyland! Being the big wimp I am, I didn't do much while I was sick...but it gave me the chance to read two books. I loved them both so much I had to share...

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith...I picked this up a few months ago and when I finally had the chance to submerge myself in it, I fell in love with it! It's the story of a young girl (Francie) growing up in Brooklyn at the turn of the century. She is very poor, but fortunate to have a mother who values education and realizes it will be the thing that will give her children a chance at a better life... Highly recommended!

I also read (after stealing it from Gary) Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell...the book is a tale of his journey as a Navy Seal and his courageous battle against hundreds of Taliban fighters. He lost three of his best friends and sixteen other men died trying to save his team. This book enlightened me on the war in Afghanistan and the huge sacrifices being made for our freedom. Must read! (disclaimer #1: harsh language, I'm a little numb to it...others may not be. #2: If you're a liberal this is probably not the book for you)

If you have any good suggestions for me please leave them here! I think I've got the reading bug and I'm counting on it to get me through this cold, miserable winter!