Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to all of you! We love this time of year. Food, family, and a warm fire--does it get any better? We got to hang out with Grandpa Erv and Grandma Ruthie on the 19th, and yesterday we visited Fred and Kelly. Jake and Emily were there, and it was so much fun.

Izzy finally lost her sad, loose, little front tooth. So cute!

Isabelle (and I) were so surprised when she opened the last gift box of the morning. When she opened the box to find an American Girl doll from Grandma Ruthie and Grandpa Erv, she just about did a back flip. What a special present! It's just the one she wanted, too!

Dylan flipped out when he opened his new skateboard. You can hear Isabelle on the video saying, "he's got his Christmas wish".

I feel so grateful, and have so many things to be thankful for. Health, a warm home, plenty of good food, freedom, and most of all, the gift of the Savior. We are so lucky to have such fabulous friends and family; we love you all!

Beware

Watch out for frantic holiday shoppers who are trying to get a good parking spot. They might back up really fast without even looking and make the front of your car look like this:

Merry freakin' Christmas.

My Winter Solstice Baby

It may be the shortest day of the year, but it's still a birthday! Dylan turned five today. We had a lot of fun. Presents, pizza, bowling...


and a trip to Build-A-Bear for a new pal. Meet Dylan's new zebra, Spot Stanley Larsen.


What a great day! Thanks for everyone who called, sent cards, and took the time to wish Dylan a happy birthday. We have the best friends and family ever!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

You'd never guess who burst through our front door last night. Santa Claus! Isabelle almost jumped out of her own skin when she answered the door, and Dylan froze--literally. They were so excited to sit on Santa's lap and talk about what a great year they've had. When he left, Luke went outside to tell him thanks, but he was gone. He disappeared, but the kids noticed that there were reindeer tracks on the front lawn that suddenly ended. He must have parked his sleigh right in our front yard, and flown away as soon as he left! The kids want to ask our neighbors if they saw anything suspicious, and Dylan is so mad that he was just feet away from Rudolph and didn't get the chance to meet him. Maybe next year.

Good Luck, Luke!

It's about time I posted, right? I've been waiting for Izzy's other front tooth to fall out so I can post a picture. It is very wiggly, but it just won't fall out.

I do have fun news, though. Luke got in to the Canyonlands Half Marathon. I am so excited for him! It's in Moab in March. Perfect, right? The kids get to see the Delicate Arch, so they are very excited, and I've never been to Moab. It should be tons of fun.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!

Rice Pudding

I found a great recipe for thick, custard style rice pudding. Perfect for this time of year!

1 C heavy cream
4 C 2% milk
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C uncooked rice

Mix all ingredients in a casserole dish and bake (covered) at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Leave it covered and let it sit for 30 minutes after taking it out of the oven. Garnish with cinnamon and serve warm (or cool it in the fridge for later). It's good either way!

Ahhh...

There's nothing like coming home and putting on my favorite slippers after a long day at the theatre. Seeing Isabelle perform was worth every second, though. Can you say personality?

The whole show was inspirational. Kelli and Thayne (from So You Think You Can Dance) did an improv number that took my breath away, and some of the pieces had me near tears. I love movement and the stories that can be told without a single spoken word.