With all the giving and the getting of the hectic Christmas season

We all are somewhat frazzled and seem to be forgetting.

That the birth of Baby Jesus so many years ago

Led to the Christmas festival we have come to know.

So hang this little ornament upon your Christmas tree

To be a good reminder of what Christmas is meant to be.

- Grandma Brown 2010

Last year my Grandma wrote this poem and sent it with an ornament for us. This Christmas she spent in the hospital with Grandpa. It breaks my heart to see them reach the age of day to day struggles.

They have both lived such a long, healthy, happy life together which has always touched me.

However, in this time of their lives, their commitment and desire to stay together at whatever cost inspires me to keep up the good fight.

I love Nate and am so happy to have him in this journey as my companion. Our kids are our pride and joy; an extension of ourselves.Our parents and Grandparents give us so much support and lives to guide us throughout.

FAMILIES ARE ETERNAL!

This is what I am most thankful for this Christmas. What a loving God who sent his Eldest only begotten Son, his pride and Joy, here to earth to pay for our sins, so we could return one day and be with Him. We are His Forever.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Dance Recital

Cara had her first dance recital in Utah. Her class did a ballet to Silent Night. She is so graceful and fun to watch. We love you, Care Bear!

Gingerbread Cousins

Uncle Randy and Lauren

Uncle Steve build Gingerbread houses with his kids every year. They are quite creative and talented. This year Randy and Ann Marie came up from Fish Lake with their kids. (Christmas tree strapted to their car and all!!) Amy, her kids, and our family made 4 out of 5 Allen families together. We missed Jon and Adrienne's gang, but were so excited to have a large group to make a Gingerbread house Fiesta, as Steve named it. I believe we will make it a tradition!

Cara Gingerbread house take 1

We kept an extra house because she was not pleased with this one. I think it is adorable, but she made a new imporved one a few days later.

Shawn's cottage with a "Food Supply"

Ryan's LEGObread house

Cortney's Tree house!

Gingerbread Construction zone

Wilkey Turkey Bowl!

Thanksgiving Race

We did it! Shawn has been running a mile in Gym this semester. He has shaven 2 minutes off his time since school started. I have wanted to run a 5k on Thanksgiving for about 5 years. So we put the 2 together and ran the Human Race at 8:00 am Thanksgiving morning. It was FANTASTIC! Shawn left me pretty quickly, which I told him was good. I stayed behind to make sure he didn't get lost;).
I don't particularly enjoy running (more like jogging) but I want my body to be able to do it. I really enjoyed this race, though. Every moment of it. My heart was so filled with emotion as it pumped along. The morning had a slight chill, but was clear and beautiful! Thousands of people going the same route, many of which I was PASSING!!!!! Not that I was racing them, it just boosted my confidence to leave them in the dust:). I had to stop myself from crying about 5 times. I kept thinking about my state a little over a year ago when I could hardly walk. What a difference! Each step was a way to show my Father in Heaven my gratitude. I am so grateful for a healthy year. I am thankful for 3 healthy, smart, fun kids and the challenge of raising them. I'm thankful Nate is on this journey with me. He is the best choice I have ever made!
Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!

meine schwester

Thanksgiving shopping witha bum ankle makes for quite the entertainment!

Go Cougars!

Our neighbor, Reagan had 2 extra tickets to the last BYU home game this season. Look at the 2 lucky dogs that got tofreeze their tails off at the game! I guess I don't have to tell you how hapy Shawn was to go. But I just did anyway.