christmas {2015}

this year was incredibly fun for christmas this year.  lily understood everything that was going on, got the concept of santa, and was totally into it.  it was so fun to watch her come out on christmas morning to the presents santa left and see her be so excited.  there was a large gasp and "santa left all these for me!"  i loved it.

dress-up was a major theme gifts this year

at the oakland temple on christmas eve.  i am grateful for
my little tribe and for the gift of the savior's birth that we
celebrate this season

lily's offerings to santa, complete with carrots and water for the reindeer

christmas break with lily

swings always equal pure bliss

lounging in the climbing contraption

so much going on this bed

baking bread with daddy; lily loves
being a sous chef...and she has the outfit for the role
now.  Thanks, Grandma Eileen & Grandpa Ken!

lily lately

it was cold in her room, so she felt it necessary
to sleep in her gloves and hat. 

puzzles are lily's latest thing; she loves them.  kevin is a big
fan as well, so the two of them spend time putting them together.
i hate puzzles, so i just observe.  seriously, there is nothing of me in this child.

nap time

sometimes the night shift is just too much.

decking the hall.  literally.

"i just wanted a smiley face on me."

oh, christmas lights!

we spent a delightful evening in san carlos with the thurmonds looking at christmas lights.  it was such a fun time wandering the streets, chatting, and watching lily and ren play together.  it was pretty close to a perfect evening.  

group shot!
i love this so much i might just have to print and frame it.

lily was very excited to see snoopy

these two.  my heart melts, every time.
especially when they were so excited to see santa and
go talk to him.  i really cannot wait to watch them grow up together.

niles canyon railway: train of lights

the niles canyon railway: train of lights was a fantastic outing.  i want to make this a yearly tradition. 

santa & mrs. claus are always a hit

watching the scenery go by in the open car

the train is a relaxing way to travel

santa is coming to town!

my parents spent thanksgiving week in alaska with my youngest brother, and while there, paid a visit to santa's house in the north pole.  they put in a good word for lily and sent her a reindeer.  it's pretty adorable.  

deacon dave's {2015}

deacon dave's is a house about a quarter mile from our house.  it's kind of a livermore landmark; deacon dave sets up his front yard in a massive christmas scene every year (and it's different every year).  we managed to get there just before he turned all the lights on, and there was not a huge crowd.  this is the way to do it every year.  i love this place.

thanksgiving in yosemite {2015}

we headed to yosemite for thanksgiving this year (no camping for us; we stayed in a hotel like civilized folk do when it's snowing and 30* temperatures) and had such a good time.  really, the whole trip was so much fun and yosemite looks like a currier & ives image when it snows.  lily loved experiencing her first snow (it snowed the day we arrived-Wednesday-and stayed on the ground the whole time), built a snowman, and had a couple snowball fights.  seriously, i think her life was made.  it was such a good time, i can't wait to go back and do it again.  

sharing a little pre-thanksgiving dinner
hot chocolate with hiccup.

well, hello yosemite!

i just can't stop looking at this photo.  i love it.
i am so in love with my little tribe, and am so
grateful to have them for eternity.  we have so
much fun on our little adventures, i can't wait to
see where life takes us next. 

just having a little chat with john muir 

lily brought her own carrots and grapes to dinner
one night.  and insisted on putting them on her bread
plate.  i'm not sure why she insisted on bringing
her own appetizer, but whatever.  we just roll with it.

good morning, el capitan

on a hike to yosemite falls, we came across a family of deer;
three bucks and four does.  lily was enthralled and wanted to bring
one home as a pet, after she tried to go pet one.  it took some
doing to get her to move along on our hike.

yosemite falls

it is so easy to hate

it seems that with the attacks in paris this past weekend, the world unified for a brief moment in grief.  and then promptly divided in pieces over the syrian refugees.  my facebook feed has been full of people with opposing views; that the united states should close its borders to all refugees, or just those that are muslim.  that we should have a database for muslims and make them carry identification cards marking them as muslim.  then there are those who want our borders open, that our country give shelter and refuge to those fleeing terror, instability, and death from their own country and government.

i find myself shocked at the hatred for these refugees.  shocked that people in government want to deny aid to men, women, and children desperate for a chance to live.  that is what syrians escaping their country want; they want a chance to live because staying means death.  staying in their country means they will be destroyed.  these people are willing to risk everything to escape.  they aren't moving.  they aren't seeking opportunity.  they are seeking survival.  why do so many see muslims as terrorists only? i am appalled at how citizens of this country are treating syrian refugees.  i am especially appalled at those who claim to be christian are acting.

hatred is so easy.  it is so easy to let hatred, fear, and judgment rule your life.  but choosing love, choosing to act upon that what our Savior has asked of us: to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort**. that is how hatred is driven out.  it won't be fast and it won't be easy.  it will take people choosing love and charity (the pure love of Christ), and to keep choosing love even in the face of overwhelming evil.  even if that evil is from people allowing hatred, fear, and bigotry to rule their lives and decisions.  because the more i choose love, the more i can let that light shine, and allow it to penetrate those around me.

this is the only world i have.  this is the only world that i can raise my daughter in.  i choose to teach lily to love those around her.  to be careful, but to never let fear rule her life and her decisions.  to teach her to not allow hatred to fester, and to remind her that we are all children of a loving Creator.  i choose to teach that by example.  because when i let fear and hatred win, that is when satan wins.  when i choose to love my neighbor, and give help to those in such desperate need, i am following my savior.  because they are not just syrians, or muslims, or refugees.  they are my brothers and sisters.  i cannot claim to be a follower of Christ and allow hatred to rule.  i cannot claim to be a Christian and not do all that i can to follow His teachings and commandments.

hatred has no place in my heart or in my home.  we choose to let love be spoken here and to carry that with us into the world.

*matthew 25:31-46
**mosiah 18:9

this girl...

this girl cracks me up everyday.  

fridays with lily {oakland zoo with cousins}

lily has been wanting to play with her cousin, elika, for the last couple weeks.  so, it worked out that we could meet up with elika, mia, and aunt kati at the oakland zoo. it was a perfect day and lots of fun.