The Belated Christmas Post

I have no excuse for the tardiness of this post.  I've just been distracted.  So, in an effort to catch up quickly, I'm just going to go through the highlights of the Holiday Season.

We got so many beautiful cards!  It was pretty cool to see so many that had pics on them that I had taken.  Kind of a boost to my ego.

White Elephant Gift/Ugly Sweater Party:

So fun!!! This is a tradition that we are definitely going to have to continue.  Our gift? A date box. Adorable, right?

Me and the girls:

Talk about some ugly sweaters!  I think I may have won this one with my hobo Santa. ;)

Sunday evening checking out the lights at the temple:

Pardon my lack of make-up and unfixed hair.  I was sick that day with a stomach bug. 

Nativities in the Visitors' Center:

Christmas!!!  It was actually kind of low key this year.  Brandon got me a new point-and-shoot camera, which I desperately needed.  Mine was 8 years old and pathetically outdated.  My favorite present, however, came from my parents.  They got me my first set of temple clothes.  Up to this point I've always rented them, but not now. I'm so excited and they are so beautiful!  Brandon got pretty spoiled this year.  Every year he surprises me with something fabulous, but I was bound and determined to surprise him this time.  For years he's been asking for a shotgun and for years I've come up with other ways to spend the money.  This year I finally did it.  I got him the Benelli he's had his eye on.  Of course, I couldn't just wrap it and stick it under the tree.  The shape of the box would have been a dead giveaway.  So, I had to come up with a plan and, boy did I!  A while after we finished unwrapping the presents and cleaning up the wrapping paper, another box mysteriously appeared under the tree.  It was a normal cube-shaped box, kind of large, but definitely not a shotgun.  When B opened it he found another wrapped box.  Inside that was another and another.  When he got to the fourth, final and smallest box, he opened it up to find a wadded up piece of wrapping paper.  He laughed his head off, thinking it was the best joke I'd ever played on him.  I just sat there laughing, too, giving him a moment to accept that it was really a joke and there was no other present coming.  After he was convinced it was the end, I reached under the love seat (who ever thinks to look under a love seat for hidden presents?!?) where I had stashed the goods.  He was so excited!  You would've thought I got him a brand new car.  He spent the rest of the weekend reading the manual and playing with his new toy.  He was adorable!  Needless to say, he admitted defeat.  I am the champion gift-giver!