We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Our Christmas was amazing this year! We had a special treat during the first few weeks of December. My brother Adam, and his sweet wife Meghan and little boy, Steven (who I've never met in person) came in town from Michigan! It was so good to see them and be back together again!

Steven, Adam's baby and Callahan. Actually, Steven, who is 6 months weighs more than Cal, which was funny. He was such a cute little guy with a big open smile and the Deibel ears!

We were able to all go to the temple one day to do sealings on family names. That was such a great experience to have my family all there! It was a special day! I am grateful for my family and the good lives they all lead.

My mom and dad had the best time with all of their grandkids together. Emma loved Steven and couldn't stop asking if we could go play with him again. Cal and Steven liked to grab each other's faces.

The Stoddard family. Yea!

Of course we went to go see the lights at Temple Square. It's always so beautiful, I love how the whole place glows!

Tayla and Emma doing...um...concrete angels? Emma took a break to eat a candy cane a youth group gave her.

Postcard worthy pic?

Callahan enjoyed the lights, but enjoyed getting into the warm cara again even more.

Emma and Mom by the twinkling lights and the water fountains, which she almost fell in once, so I had a tight grip on her.

Emma and Callahan the Sunday before Christmas in their Christmas garb.

"Oh, you look so handsome, little boy!" is what Emma said when I put his new Sunday-before-Christmas outfit on him.

Tavin and Emma trying on their new hats Tavin's grandma made for them for Christmas - so cute! So Emma was just about to get in her jammies when Calena, Tavin's mom called to see if they could bring their gifts over. I said that would be fine, and so I told Emma he was coming over. "I don't want to put on my jammies then, I want to wear my Christmas dress so Tavin can see it!" I thought it was halarious she was out to impress, and even more funny, Calena said she wanted put Tavin in his pajamas before they left, but Tavin wanted to keep his suit on for Emma.

Christmas Eve now! During the morning, we woke up and went outside to make a snowman! It was a little one because this snow was hard to pack! But it was pretty cute and we had a fun time throwing snowballs, making crunchy snow angels and making our little snowman.
We have dinner for my dad's side. Here are some of my favorite people...Grammie at the head of the table, Aunt Christie taking pics, some of my cousins, Callahan (my mom behind him) and Uncle Marko.

Santa came to town! Emma was sure to get down to business and ask him for a baby and a stroller and a crib. And she also remembered to say thank you.

Emma made sure to cling to me the whole time, and Cal liked the beard, but didn't care about the rest of the Santa stuff. We also had a talent show. Emma sang "Jesus Wants Me for Sunbeam", I played my flute, and Dave and I did a "Night Before Christmas" word game for everyone we came up with.

The magic of Christmas was definately alive this year, and I loved it! I was so excited Christmas Eve to help Santa out a little I couldn't sleep, and I loved to see Emma's face on Christmas day! We tried to focus on the true meaning of Christmas the whole month, and always tried to tie everything in with the birth of the Savior, including Santa, and how he does what Jesus would do and how he represents so much.

Time for the Ryerse family party! Aunt Julie and Callahan. He loved the pinata we do for Christmas Eve/Brian's birthday party!

Emma whacking that Sponge Bob. I love how we always ducktape it up to make it harder to break! Emma loves the candy!

Dave's dad, Dan is halarious! After everyone had gone several times, he went to get his "secret weapon" and was spearing Sponge Bob! We were dying!

For Dave's Christmas present, I gave him a copy of the "Gift of the Magi" story by O. Henry. If you haven't read it, it's really great, and doesn't take long to read. http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html Here it is if you're interested. So the present I gave him went along with that a little. On Christmas Eve, I snuck down to the basement with my sister-in-law Stacy. She cut my hair for his present. He loves my hair short, so I cut it to surprise him. I pulled it back before and after so he wasn't able to see it that night and I was so sneaky to keep it a secret until Christmas morning! Here's the before shot...

And after...

He was very excited and liked it. I made him open my hair that I cut also, that was funny. I got him a watch for his main present, which fits in with the story. He really liked it!

Emma had a great time and got spoiled! She got her baby and crib and stroller. She named her baby Rose. Here she is at Grandma Sue's, opening present after present. Kaison, Emma, Cal and Tayla having fun together.

Callahan in his Super C cape! I made those for the nephews, and little tutus for the neices.

Cal liked riding on the gifts the best!

We went over for Christmas dinner at my parents house. Emma got an art easel and supplies from Grandma and Grandpa. She loved it!
The day after Christmas was busier than the rest! We had the Wheelwright (mom's siblings and their families) Christmas party, where we had breakfast, did a short talent show, and tied quilts for the Pregnancy Help Center in Ogden. Then we had a lunch and party for the Curran's (Grammie's siblings and their families). And then we went to see the lights at the Ogden Christmas Village with the Millers. Here's a picture of Emma and Tavin that Dennis took. He is starting up a photography business, and does great work! He does families, kids, anything, so if you are in need of cute family pictures, he'll do a session for $40!

Emma checking out one of the buildings
Welcome to O-Town, folks!

The Ryerse's and the Millers - merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you all! What a wonderful time to celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ! I'm so grateful for His life and love! Hope 2010 is a happy, healthy and prosperous year for you!