Merry Belated Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone is having a phenomenal Christmas season. I am enjoying being home among family, being swamped with India homework assignments,and enjoying the magic of the season.
Chances are, if you know me well enough to know that this blog exists, you've heard me make mention of my extended family nativity pageant each year. This year was our 11th year. It continues to be one of my favorite family traditions and a wonderful means of remembering the Savior and why Christmas is celebrated. I hope that everyone was able to take the time to remember Christ, His birth, life and His great atoning sacrifice.

In addition to the traditional Christmas gift of a Barbie ornament from Grandma for the 12th consecutive year (making a grand total of 60 Barbie ornaments in the house), a family friend offered us homemade ornaments, pictured here. There are so many who give of themselves and their means and talents at Christmas and always. I count myself as being very blessed, because I most certainly am. If you are reading this, chances are I count you among my blessings. So thank you.

And I must say, that I LOVE my family! I very much enjoy the bonding times we have, in its many forms and varieties. We've had regular movie nights as a family; the siblings have enjoyed time together around the computer as Kristi photoshopping Emily's boyfriend's head (his name is Scott, by the way) to appear to wear one of Grandma's Mexican dresses; and I've loved trying to photodocument the festivities with the extended family as well, most especially among my sisters and cousins.