New Mexican Christmas (conclusion)...

Christmas with the Carters was spectacular. It was fun and simple and perfectly relaxed.

Christmas Eve dinner table.
Chris goes all out Christmas Eve... a traditional Italian Christmas Eve feast complete with crab, spaghetti with clam sauce, stuffed artichokes, Italian bread, mashed potatoes, and cannolis. Everything is authentic--down to the cannoli tubes that have been passed down from Chris's grandmother. Seriously.

The Christmas tree.
This really doesn't do it justice. I haven't seen this many presents under a tree since I was a kid and all the Kemptons came to our house in W.J. for Christmas.
I miss those days.

Jakey on his new rocking horse Christmas morning.

Sweet lion boy.

Handsome Blaine.

Jake getting a legit haircut. My mom and I gave him a little trim at Thanksgiving, but he needed his professional Aunt Jen to really do a good job.

Okay... I think these pictures are hilarious. We could not get the boys to sit still for a picture in their matching shirts. (How Markelle and I always manage to buy the same things for the boys unknowingly, I'll never know.)

Again.

And again. :)

Sleigh Bells Ring...

Steve and Chris treated us all to a Christmas sleigh ride up past Durango. It was snowing and freezing and completely magical.
I loved every second of it.
Thanks again, family!
(We look colder than we really were.)

Call me a total geek--but I couldn't help but think of this poem the whole ride...

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

You better watch out. You better not cry...

Last year's Santa picture at the Farmington mall in NM.
Poor Jack.
But Jake looks pretty pimpin'.

This year's Santa picture at the Farmington mall in NM.

Poor Jack.
But Jake looks pretty happy with his candy cane.

Annie + Curt = True Love

Last weekend was great. Annie and Curt got married in the St. George temple and everything was beautiful... the dress, the weather, the flowers, the dinner, the ceremony, the bride, and the groom.

Annie is seriously the fastest and one of the best friends I've ever had. We were thrown together as roommates (lived together for almost four years) and have been BFFs ever since. I love this girl and am so happy she found someone as amazingly awesome as she is. Curt is a lucky man and I can't wait to see their life together begin to unfold.
(Now, Candice and I just need Annie to move to SLC ASAP.)

Blaine, Jake and I had a wonderful time with Candice and Dave (thanks again!), and we even got in a little frozen custard while we were there.
It was the perfect kick-start to our Christmas vacation.

The happy couple.
I always love the just-coming-out-of-the-Temple pictures the best.

Annie--the beautiful bride.

Jake was in heaven running across all the lawns.

Me. Annie. Candice.
I love these girls and am so happy we are still buddies.

Dave and Candice.

Blaine and Jakey. This kid adores his daddy.

Happy Birthday, Kaiya!

Kaiya is one!
... and she was the cutest one-year-old ever...

Cheesin' it up for the camera.

First birthday cake.

Thinking Pink

Well, I almost didn't believe it, but it's true... it's a
GIRL!
I guess that Carters can make girls after-all.
Needless to say... we are pretty excited.

Festivus Festivities

Just a little documentation of our festivities around here...

It's been crazy lately (but in a good way). We were up in WA for ten days through Thanksgiving, then back home for enough time to put up all the Christmas trimmings, only to take off again to St. George for a nice relaxing weekend with Michelle and Brad (thanks again, guys!).

Anyway, we just said goodbye to Blaine's parents who were here for a weekend of "A Christmas Carol" at Hale Theater and, of course, the gingerbread event. This Friday is Kaiya's first birthday party in Payson, then we are off for St George again for Annie and Curt's wedding (Yay!). From there, we will go straight to NM for Christmas.

Bring it on. I love it.

I absolutely love this time of year.

***

Jake admiring the tree.
I think we may be bad parents... we told him the tree is "hot" (his favorite new word) so he won't touch it.

"O Christmas Tree"

My adorable new advent calendar.

Just goofing off.

Funny man.

***

While the Carters were in town we headed North to check out the lights at Temple Square. I haven't done this is years, so even though it frigid cold, it was a great time.

***

Jakey on Trax.
We may have gone overboard on dressing him (I can't put my arms down!) but didn't have any gloves for him. Luckily, Nona was nice enough to lend Jake hers. What a nice Grandma.

Sean and Jack on Trax.

Happy boys.

Check out that kid's gloves. He looks like E.T.

The fam.

Love this boy.

Pretty temple.

...

The annual Carter Gingerbread Extravaganza.

...

Carly always outdoes us all and this year's tree was no different.

Brent and Markelle's Jack-inspired barn. I love the tractor.

Doug and Jen's public bathroom--complete with stalls, sinks and urinals.

Sean's "happy meal".
Genius.

Our house. Blaine and I weren't sure what to do this year. We finally decided on this beauty and thought we'd call it our dream house. We had big plans for a pool out back, but Blaine fizzled out on me.