The Adventures of Two Girls and Their Mama: A Holly Jolly Christmas

The holidays just keep getting better and better now that Lillian can participate more. This Christmas just made me look forward to NEXT Christmas when she will be even MORE excited about all the lights, presents, and holiday treats.

This year we decorated the house as soon as Josh had a moment away from work. Lillian got in to all the excitement and was a great helper.

She bossed her dad around and made sure he trimmed all the bad branches off the bottom of the tree.

Once we swept up all the pine needles, (They drove her nuts. She kept pointing them out to me and even went and got the broom!) Lillian decorated the bottom of the tree. She was so cute. She would tell me exactly where all the decorations should go by pointing and saying, "Here." When we were finished with the tree and the house, she surveyed her work, exclaimed, "All done!" and began putting everything back in the boxes. I had to explain to her we left everything out until after Christmas.

In between all the Christmas hustle and bustle, we had fun going about our normal, every day activities.

We read books,

made blueberry pancakes,

went running with friends,

and waited in anticipation for the garbage truck.

Lillian and I also made a trip to Phoenix for my cousin's wedding. Laura and Chase were sealed in the Mesa temple on 12/13/13. Laura looked beautiful!

I had fun showing Lillian around the temple and reminisced about my wedding day way back in December 2006.

My sister flew down from Utah to take the wedding photos and, while she was here, she took some lovely photos of Lillian for me.

We also went to the Desert Botanical Gardens. I was a bit skeptical at first (I mean, I see the desert every day...) but we ended up having a good time. Lillian learned not to throw temper tantrums near cactus when a barrel cactus spin went into her thigh, and Sam took more amazing photos.

This is what went in to taking the butterfly photo above.

One night while we were in Phoenix, we look Lillian back to the Mesa temple to see all the Christmas lights and to walk through the Visitor's Center. The Mesa temple has the most Christmas lights strung by volunteers in all of the United States. Pretty much every inch of the place is covered and it draws huge crowds.

Lillian also got to see Christmas lights in Winterhaven. I think she liked the lights but all she really cared about were the tractors the neighborhood had pulling the wagons for the hayrides.

We spent the end of the month going from one Christmas celebration to the next. We went to Josh's dad's house so Lillian could help decorate their tree,

then to Josh's Nana's house for our annual White Elephant gift exchange. Lillian loved looking at the Christmas village that Nana sets up each year.

Josh worked Christmas Day so we celebrated our Christmas Eve on December 23. Papa and Grandma Jean came over for dinner and we opened gifts. Lillian received her first Tiffany and Company bracelet

and a beautiful rocking horse she named George.

After several nights of asking, "Santa coming? Presents?" I was happy to finally be able to say, "YES!" We left him cookies, carrots for the reindeer, and a thank you note. Lillian really wanted to eat the cookies!

On Christmas Eve our little family opened gifts together. Lillian read each book before moving on to the next gift and spent time playing with all her new loot. Her favorite gift is probably the tractor my mom sent her. I am sure it will make an appearance in many future photos.

Christmas Day Josh dropped Lillian and me off at the airport and we flew to see Nonna, P-pa, and Sam. They were kind enough to buy me a ticket so we could be with them for a few days. Lillian was fantastic on the airplane and spent most of the ride looking out the window. She was very excited to go see snow and see P-pa, who she hadn't seen since August.