Temple Lights 2012

This year we celebrated Christmas a bit early. Regina's family was headed to Utah to celebrate Trent's parent's 50th wedding anniversary over Christmas, so we arranged our celebration early so we could ALL be together. Christmas is never the same with parts missing, so I'm glad we were able to celebrate with as many of us as possible and be able to include Regina's family in our family celebration. We always miss Ryan & co. when they don't come home for the holidays, and we wish they bought a house here in Phoenix instead of in California.

 

We turned our annual Temple Lights night into our Christmas celebration. We all met at Regina's house, ate soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, did our white elephant gift exchange, and still made it to see the beautiful lights.

 

Our gift exchange was fun this year...there were some fun things passed around. And some not so fun things...just ask me.  I opened the "Hawaiian Vacation In A Box" again this year...this is the gift that seems to keep giving. Everything except an actual Hawaiian vacation. Pretty sure we'll be seeing that gift again next year.

 

Carsen opened a box full of iPad accessories. He decided to keep it, but it was stolen by Grumpaw...and then stolen again by Derek!

 

 

Mike opened an awesome handset that plugs into his iPhone...making it hands free. He had a good time with it until Brooklyn stole it for herself.

Some other gifts in the pot this year included a giant licorice that Robyn and Blip enjoyed, a neck massager, the jar of pickled butt, and our yearly snow ball fight in a box.  Randi ended up with my mom's jar of pickled butts to put back on her shelf for a couple more years.  She stole it from Carlys...who looked just thrilled to have it. I know there were some other cool gifts, but for the life of me I can't remember three weeks later...guess I should be better about journaling in a more timely manner.

 

 

 

 

 

After our snow ball fight and dinner, we all headed to the Temple for the fastest look at lights ever. We all bundled up and did a quick round....then headed home.