Christmas '10

It's so so sad to say that Christmas came and went. But it was a good time (despite the weight gain from all the goodie plates and fudge mmm). After uploading the few photos I have, I'm mad that I didn't take hardly ANY. I'm trying to convince our personal home banker (Jeffrey Michael Giles), that we are in need of a camera but until then, my phone will do and me forgetting to take any pictures. I feel like we have like 10 pictures total to show for our first year of marriage. Anyway, this was the first year trying to figure out where to spend the holidays and Christmas worked out perfectly. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with my family and then left that afternoon and spent a couple days with Jeff's family in Mesa, AZ.

This year was different and didn't spend it doing all our traditions with our extended family like we usually do, so just like Thanksgiving it was just me and my small (but awesome) family. My mom wanted to do something different and go to another church service and worship with them. She wanted to go to a Catholic midnight mass but my dad refused and said he's been to enough of those in his lifetime haha (he was converted when he was 26). So my mom found this church called The Church of South Las Vegas. haha. But it was awesome! There was a live band playing Christmas music. I felt like I was in the House of Blues or something. They did really cool versions of different Christmas songs. And then the pastor did a little sermon about the Nativity and then we had a candlelight service and everyone sang Silent Night. It was really cool. The people there were SO nice. I'm glad we went to a different church because it's just neat to go and worship with people who love Christ like you do.

Afterward we went back to my house and had a huge dinner and then went to my Aunt's for dessert and got to see some cousins I haven't seen in a long time. Then we came home and sat around the tree and read the nativity story from the scriptures. The next morning, Jeff and I opened our own gifts and then went to my parents to be there while they did their gifts. My brother, Sam, became my all time favorite brother because he got us 2 free tickets on Continental Airlines!! He works for JetBlue and they had a Christmas party and did a drawing with different prizes and he won 2 tickets on Continental and gave it to us!!! Ahhh I'm so excited! Hawaii here we come!!! After the gifts we went and saw True Grit and then drove from there to Arizona.

This is the candelight serivice on Christmas Eve. Not a good picture but there was a ton of people there.

Arizona was really fun. We weren't there for long at all, but it was so great spending that time with Jeff's family. I have the best in-laws! They're so fun. I love being over there because it's such a change for me with so many sibling and spouses and nieces and nephews. We just hung out and went to the dog park and played with the kids. Monday, 3 of Jeff's sisters and I went shopping and to lunch and it was really fun. I love them. I finally get sisters and they're hilarious and fun to be around.

Dallin thought it was hilarious putting a bow on Jeff's face. That kid seriously loves Jeff.

Some of the grandkids opening of gifts from Gram. It was pretty much chaos from that point haha.

It was a good weekend! Now I can't bring myself to take down Christmas lights and the tree.