Christmas for the Hale's

We have had a great Christmas! It is all about family! We loved spending time with them. Grandad and I went to work with Mike on Monday, the 22nd, and spent the day in the mall, at a movie ("Four Christmases" - not great), and just sitting in the car reading our books. After Mike got off, we went to Salt Lake City to stay with Marc and Gretchen and the boys. Mike had to work on Tuesday in Murray so Grandad and I spent the morning delivering gifts to his brother and sisters. I had an appointment with the chiropractor in Provo at 1 pm so we spent the rest of the day down that way. It was Chris's birthday so we went out to Red Lobster that night to celebrate with them and the Dunfords. We stayed at Niccole and Chris's until Christmas morning. Christmas Eve was spent having the traditional snack and decorating sugar cookies. Chris's parents, Carlos and Judy, were there, too. It was great to all be together.

Grandma Dunford & Jake

How fun it is to be with grandkids on Christmas!! I only wish we could have spent the day with ALL of them!!

Grandpa in his Christmas "Jammies"

Brigham, Hiram and I got up about 5:30 on Christmas morning. We were so excited to see what Santa had brought. Brig and I stayed in his room visiting for a while before Hiram woke up. Brig wanted hoped Santa would bring him a Nintendo DS. He wanted one so badly. I explained to him that I wanted a new Apple Touch Ipod .... but that I didn't think I would get one because they were so expensive, just like the DS. When I finished trying to prepare him for disappointment, he turned to me and said, "Grandma, if you don't get an ipod you will just have to try to be a better girl next year"! I guess he had a point. He didn't get his DS and I didn't have the heart to tell him that I got my Touch ipod from Grandpa when I got home later Christmas Day. However, his grandpa and grandma in Draper gave him an MP3 player later in the day which he was really excited about so I felt it safe to share with him that I had one, too.

Waiting to see what Santa has brought!

Jacob checks out all the "loot"

We traveled home shortly afternoon. The rest of the day was spent together .... just Grandad, Mike and me. It was the first time that we had been alone to open gifts and it was a rather quiet event. We received a lot of great gifts (we thank all of you!) and we had time to enjoy them and put them away. It IS nice to have that much of the mess cleaned up. I think we will keep up the decorations until after New Year's Day, though.
Snow, Snow, Snow!! We have had a very white Christmas and the snow continues to come. We have had very few days that it hasn't given us some of the white stuff. It makes the holidays even better! But hopefully, it will give us some relief after the New Year begins. I still like warm weather better!!

This was just one snowfall! About 12 inches!