fa la la la la ...

Merry Christmas (a little late)!  We hope your Christmas was filled with love, family, and fun like ours was.  We feel so blessed to live closer to family now and love being able to spend time with our families.  We spend Christmas at Nate's parents house with Tiff and her family and the cousins had such a great time together.  We had a Mexican Fiesta on Christmas Eve complete with a pinata.  The kids loved it!

They then wrote Santa a little note and made him a plate of cookies (with carrots for Rudolph) and were off to bed.  It is a tradition in the George family that you have to get up and get dressed before you can open presents, so needless to say, the kids were anxious to see what Santa brought!  They loved their new teepee and cowboy and indian dress up clothes.

On Monday morning, we headed up to Kelley Canyon for ski lessons.  There wasn't much snow, but we had fun none the less.  Hayden went up the chairlift for the first time and did great sporting his wedge the whole way down the mountain.

Overall, my kids just loved playing with their cousins.  They dressed up, went bowling and played this cute dance game on the Wii.  It was the perfect Christmas.

After our time in Idaho, we headed down to Utah to see my family.  All Hayden wanted to do in Utah was go to Chuck E Cheese, so that's where we celebrated Nate's 29th birthday.  He's a good Dad, huh!

Happy Birthday Nate!  You are the best thing that ever happened to me! xoxo

We hope this finds you all well.  We are so blessed to start the new year off in our beautiful, snowy mountain home and to have the gospel in our lives.  Here's to a great 2012!

here comes santa claus ...

Merry {early} Christmas!  We are definitely in the Christmas spirit around here and are excited to spend time with our families and friends in the coming weeks.  The kids have been super excited with all that the Christmas season brings and they make everything about Christmas so much more fun.  Cora is especially in love with our Elf on the Shelf, Sparky, and is usually the first one to spot him each morning.  It is pretty cute.

Another highlight of this winter season is living so close to the ski hill.  It is only about 20 or 30 minutes to the ski lift for us.  Hayden hit the bunny hill for the first time a few weeks ago.  He was super shaky and nervous on his first run but quickly got his ski legs and was soon cruising down the hill.  Nate took him again on Saturday and after his first run, Nate took the bungie off the front of his skis and he skied the rest of the time without it.  I think we will take him on the ski lift next time and see how he does. 

We spent Thanksgiving with my family and it was so great to be able to spend so much time with loved ones.  As you can see, there are a ton of cousins for Hayden and Cora to play with and they loved decorating gingerbread houses together.

We were also able to see my beautiful niece Maddie dance in the Nutcracker.  Hayden was enthralled the whole time and hasn't stopped talking about the awesome Nutcracker/Mouse King sword fight.  It is our new favorite game to play around the house.

We also hit up the {freezing cold} Spanish Fork Light Parade.  We got our groove on to stay warm and I had a great time embarrassing my nieces with my killer dance moves.

Santa Claus came to MD Nursery last Saturday and it was pretty funny to see the kids reactions.  Hayden ran right up and was so excited to tell him his extensive and ever changing Christmas list.  Most recently he wants a flying car and a talking robot, neither of which he is getting!  Cora on the other hand had a very different reaction.  She wanted nothing to do with him, but I was secretly happy to get the classic crying Santa picture!

After she got off of Santa's lap, she stepped way back and had this look on her face.  It was too funny not to capture.

Our friends the Hansen's had us over to decorate gingerbread houses.  I'm pretty sure I did most of the decorating and the kids did all of the candy eating, but it was a fun night anyway!

As for Cora Belle, she is a little handful these days.  She is talking up a storm and cracks me up on a hourly basis.  She loves her green smoothies and spends most of her days undressing herself only to redress in her snow clothes.  What would I do without her!
We hope this finds you all happy and healthy! We are so grateful for all the good things that 2011 has brought for our family and can't wait to see what Christmas and the New Year bring.

families can be together forever ...

It has been a crazy week for our families.  Both Nate's and my grandfather have been sick for quite a while and this week it seemed like the world crashed down around us when they both passed away.  I can't even begin to describe the examples both Grandpa Creer and Grandpa George have been in our lives and heaven sure got two of the most Christlike, loving, choice spirits this week.   Oddly, they were both Grandpa Joe to us, Joseph C. George and Joseph E. Creer and we will miss you both so much.  How grateful I am to know that through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we can be together as a family forever!

Joseph E. Creer

August 30, 1921 - November 8, 2011

For My Dear Grandpa Creer:
I don't even know how to begin to describe the way you have changed my life.  In my earliest memories, you are right there, front and center.  I will never forget when you gave me The Little Mermaid for my fourth birthday and I squealed with delight and almost knocked you over from excitement.  I loved when you and Grandma would pick me up from Kindergarten every day and we would go to KFC for miniature chicken sandwiches.  I remember cousin sleepovers when we would play night games in your backyard and then snuggle all together in the sunroom under your watchful eye.  I loved your famous hamburger soup whenever the Walker's would come down and your eagerness to listen to every story that I dreamed up.  You created amazing memories for each of your grandchildren with your annual Christmas Eve and Easter parties and trips to the Marathon in St. George.  You serenaded each member of your family on their birthdays with your famous harmonica skills and filled our lives with so much joy.  I personally treasured our drives up to Idaho where I learned to love the classics like Patsy Cline, Perry Como, and Engelbert Humperdinck.

There was never a birthday, program, or report card that went unnoticed.  Never once do I recall a harsh word ever escaping your mouth.  You were a gentleman in every way possible and loved Grandma Floss with every fiber of your being.  You were also an amazing father to my Mom and showed her through your example how to be an amazing parent to me.  In your 90 years, you never let a day go by without giving it your all.  You taught me the beauty of hard work, of loving your neighbor, and giving of yourself to those in need.  You loved your Savior and your testimony of the restored gospel showed with your every action.

I have developed into the woman I am today because of you.  Your quiet confidence is with me whenever I am having a hard time and your unwavering devotion to your family and friends has made me realize that family is what is most important in this life.  You served your country, your church, and your family with your full heart.  Your generosity and love for your fellow man is awe inspiring and I pledge to continue on with your giving spirit.

I don't know a better man than my Grandpa Joe.  He lived a life to be proud of - full of service, generosity, love and laughs.  I love you Grandpa and I can't wait for our joyous reunion on the other side!

Joseph Carl George

April 18, 1927 - November 5, 2011

To Grandpa George:

Grandpa, honestly I feel like I have been away for the past 10 years.  I know over the past years, your health has declined due to Parkinson's Disease.  So while I unfortunately haven't lived close enough to attend family reunions and Sunday dinners, the memories that I do retain are those of a happy, healthy grandfather.

As I was visiting your home during the last days of your life, my mind reflected back on Sunday family dinners, games, and popcorn.  My grandpa made one mean bowl of popcorn, and I loved going to grandma and grandpa's house for a Sunday evening of popcorn.  When the entire family would get together, the night would definitely consist of a game of picture cherades (similar to pictionary).  Grandpa was always the judge that would think up creative phrases and puzzles that we would try to describe with drawings.  I definitely enjoyed those Sunday nights with family.

If there was anything that demonstrated grandpa's work ethic, it was his Garden!  What a garden my grandpa had for a number of years.  Specifically it was his raspberries and apples that were such a treasure.  His garden supplied the food storage for many of his family members over the years.

The last tribute to my grandpa must mention his devotion to the gospel.  Grandpa was the example of quiet dignity, and he was an example of service in all aspects.  He was always in tune with the Spirit and truly an inspired man.  While he was not raised in an active church-going family, he made decisions that obviously not only affected himself, but his children and grandchildren as well.

We are all so grateful for the decisions you made to become active and involved in the church.  Your legacy lives on in all of us.  Love you grandpa!