New Year's Eve Bash Idea

One of my favorite websites hosted a "creative party" contest. One of the top ten ideas is for a New Year's Eve party. This year I'll be at my parent's house babysitting for my sister so I get to throw a party for the kids. We'll have a little different decor than this, but we are going to have so much fun!

Christmas at the Cabin

Before we went up to my family's cabin at Beark Lake, Kent and I were able to go with his family to the temple. It was a nice way to slow down and be reminded the reason for this season. At this time of year I am thankful for the knowledge of the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am humbled to know that He came to earth for me to atone for our sins so each and every one of us can return to live with Him again. I am grateful for the sweet reminder of the importance of His role in my life. On Christmas Eve we went to be with my family. With over 30 people, things were very busy! We enjoyed traditions including chili dinner on Christmas Eve, white elephant gift exchange, siblings gift exchange, parent gift exchange and a pinata! With all of the storms going on, we definitely enjoyed a white Christmas. I pray you all had a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas in Utah

We are in Utah already, having begun our Christmas vacation. I am hoping to post pictures soon, but until then, I wanted to keep some record of what fun we are already having. Friday night, we left home directly after Kent's work party. We loaded up the kids and drove as far as we could through the wind and snow. Yesterday morning we got up and drove the rest of the way to Alpine for the annual Rigby Family Bingo Christmas party. As usual, we had a great time seeing family, eating delicious food and going home with some wonderful gifts. Today we were privileged to go to a BYU ward to watch our niece, Lauren, perform with her singing group for their Christmas program. Their was a beautiful spirit of Christmas that carried throughout the day. We met up with Kyle and Kim's family (Kent's brother and his wife and their three children). It is almost tradition to eat at Chuck-a-rama and eat. The kids had a great time and Ethan even lost another tooth at dinner! After we ate, we went to the Gateway mall to pick up Trax to ride over to Temple Square to see the lights. We were a little early for the lights so we had some time to go through the old tabernacle, and the visitor's center. The weather was cold but our hearts were warm. It is a wonderful time of year to be with family and feel of the Spirit of Christmas.

Happy Birthday Jessica, Kate and Grandma Faye

Today two of my nieces are celebrating their birthdays that they share with my Grandma who has passed away.. My niece, Jessica Faye (my sister, Camille's oldest daughter) and Kate (my little brother, Russell's baby girl). I am not at my own computer so I don't have pictures to upload right now. They are the sweetest girls and I am lucky to be called their aunt. I love you girls and can't wait to see you soon to celebrate your birthdays with you!

Church Christmas Party

Reagran was in charge of the Christmas party for our church last weekend. She did a fabulous job playing hostess to our ward family of over 150 people!
The serving tables were darling!

The desserts were just as adorable as they were delicious!

The kids had their own tables set up around a huge Christmas tree in the center of the cultural hall with Christmas coloring pages and crayons! What a great party. Thanks Reagran!

This is a picture of Ella with her new best friend, Marin. Marin and her parents (Jonathan and Ranae) just moved into our neighborhood and our ward. We already love them so much. I told the girls to smile and they looked at each other and "cheesed it" for each other. Adorable! I have a feeling you'll see lots of pictures of these two.

Happy Birthday, Jeff

Our brother-in-law, Jeff, is having a birthday. Kent and I both used to work with Jeff, at separate jobs, before he married Kent's sister, Amy. He keeps you laughing and has a great heart. Happy Birthday Bro!

Bravo Bride

If you are planning a wedding, getting married, or just throwing some type of party- here is a new website I stumbled across. It is called Bravo Bride.
It is sort of like ebay for parties. They have anything from wedding dresses to party favors to centerpieces that they may have used for one event and no longer needed. You can find things much cheaper than in the stores. Not everything is great, but it is worth a look if you are need of some party supplies on a budget. Happy Hunting!

Farm Christmas Parade

Saturday night, we met up with some friends for the Christmas Parade. It is so amazing to see the tractors and farm equipment decked out in lights for the holidays. We saw several Santas and loved yelling "Merry Christmas" at each one! The kids were wrapped up tight with coats, gloves and blankets!




Even a house!

Monkey Dooz

I was asked to take pictures of a fun little birthday party. It was held at a salon where the girls can dress up, have their hair done, make-up applied and their nails painted before they have cupcakes and fancy drinks. Here are some pictures of a little bit of the fun these cute little princesses had!

Great Christmas Home Light Show!

My sister-in-law emailed this light show to me. Kent and I got a kick out of it. We are just thankful we don't live next to a house like this one!

Couples Christmas Dinner

Last weekend we were able to have some friends over for a Christmas dinner and gift exchange. Thank you all for making the night so enjoyable!

Trimming the Tree

The kids and I have been decorating the tree since Thanksgiving Day. We are having so much fun. Here is a picture of what you'll find in our front room.

Entertaining vs. Hospitality

I read this post on a beautiful party entertaining blog. As I am preparing to host a couples Christmas dinner at my home this weekend, I am thankful for this reminder of what is really important. I posted it to my blog so I could read it often and make this season a beautiful AND happy one. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...





As you are preparing for your {holiday} celebration, whether you are Host or Guest, keep the stress at bay by remembering this:If the turkey isn’t done on time (or over-done!), if no one likes the cauliflower dish you slaved over, if you accidentally break a wine glass….it is OK. When someone is offering hospitality to others, they are offering to serve them, to open their heart and home to them. While the table setting, decorative elements and recipes ARE wonderful elements, they are not the sole focus of the gathering. Entertaining others can often lend itself to focusing on how beautiful everything looks, how “impressive” everything is. Entertaining can often feel….stressful. Hospitality just feels good.

When we are gathering with friends and family in the name of hospitality, no one cares whether there’s dust on the baseboards or if the dishes all match. No one notices the paper napkins instead of the pressed linen ones. Everyone feels welcome and comfortable. We tuck ourselves into bed with full tummies and warm hearts, thankful for the blessing of loved ones and happy memories.

Not everyone has the gift of entertaining. That’s OK. Don’t let that be the cause of undeserved worry or tension because we all have the capacity for hospitality. Don’t spend your time apologizing that the turkey isn’t moist enough, that some guests have to sit on folding chairs or that you didn’t make enough gravy. No apologies for opening your home and pantry to others! Just enjoy the day and the chance to be a blessing to others.

Happy Birthday, Heidi

Where do I begin? Heidi is one of my friends that I hold closest to my heart. I am so thankful to be blessed with her as a part of my life. As I left my home of Utah, for the very first time in my life, I was lucky enough to have Heidi as my friend. Through the ups and downs of being a "dental student wife" she taught me more life lessons of charity, patience and love. She is such a stylish woman and mom who takes care of herself inside and out. I have the comfort of knowing Heidi and I will be friends for life. It has been hard to be away from her, without even seeing each other, for a year and half- but we have remained close and I am grateful for that. Heidi, you are beautiful and I wish I could be with you today to celebrate you and your life! I love you. Happy Birthday. This is a picture of the last time I saw Heidi. Miss you!