Activities # 2 and 3!

I said in an earlier post that we are doing a bunch of family activities for Christmas this year, and yesterday we were able to do 2 more things. First I must say how proud I am of Mike and Colby. After not picking up a trombone for at least 3 years, they performed at our ward Christmas breakfast with the Johnson men and did a fantastic job!! It was the best part of the party! Then the whole family met at our house for lunch and we headed over to The Festival of Trees. For those of you who don't know what that is, anyone can decorate a tree, whatever size they want and however they want, and then they are on display for a week. People can come and just look at the trees or actually buy one and all the proceeds go towards Primary Children's Hospital. It's a great fundraiser and a good way to get in the holiday spirit. This year was a little different for us in the way that we were looking for ideas so we could decorate a tree next year in memory of Mac! I guess that was a little too much for me, because by the end of the festival, I was in tears. Memories just flooded me; making a tree 9 years ago in honor of my nephew who was barely alive after open heart surgery; the days / weeks I spent at the hospital with Alex the first 3 years after we adopted him; Mac. It was nice spending it with the family, and I think Josh and Cali got some good ideas, but I was an embarrassment to the family once again! Once home, we went up to visit Mac and decorate his grave for the holidays.

All in all, a nice time getting into the holiday spirit. I hope and pray that we can all feel the true meaning of Christmas this year, and enjoy the love of family. I am so grateful for the family I have; the one that raised me, the one I married into, and the one that I have been honored to raise here on this earth. I am one lucky lady!!