December Highlights

December was a great month! Very busy and very entertaining!

To start off the month, Ashley and I flew to Seattle to go to a wedding. It was so fun to get away with my little girl! We were able to catch up and enjoy each other, all by ourselves! Good girl bonding! My cousin Craig, married a good friend of mine from hight school and college. Their daughter Kelsie got married.  Ashley and Kelsie are very close in age and they have always been good friends. Neither of them had a sister, so they were sort of like sisters!

AShley wrote a great blog post about our trip here.  

We flew in on Thursday and stayed until Monday morning. My brother David picked us up from the airport and took us downtown. He worked a few hours, while Ashley and I went shopping! We saw some of the normal tourist sites.

Pikes Place Market

The bubble gum wall

The piggy bank

Next stop was the department stores. I was on a mission to find Frango's! (I bought about 5 boxes to take home. Yes, I ate almost all of them!) They are the best mints ever! Seattle used to have a department store called Frederick and Nelson's. (I worked there when I was home from college each summer.)  They made the best mints called Frango's. They are a staple at Christmas time in the Seattle area! My sister Julie always asked for a box of them at Christmas time. It was a lucky thing to draw her name for the family gift exchange, because you knew what to get her! Frederick and Nelsons went out of business in the early 90's and Macy's took over making the traditional Frango mint! Thank you Macy's!

Ashley was pretty excited to see the 1st Nordstrom! 

Me and my Frango's and Ashley and her Nordstrom!

We stayed at Julie's house the first night. That was great. Friday morning we went to Bellevue Square and did some more shopping!

 This is the largest "mall" Apple store in the world! It was huge! It is pretty brave of them to build their biggest store in Microsoft Country!

Julie and Ashley holding their iPhones in front of the Apple store

Julie and Gary bought my parents house many years ago and they are doing some remodeling and look what they found! The original laminate floor! Julie yelled for me to come see it and we just stood there and a flood of memories flowed over us!

Lunch at a very earth friendly cafe.

That afternoon Ashley and I went to the Temple with Kelsie and family. It was great to see so many cousins there! This is the "Johnny" tree. A family friend gave it to my family when my brother John passed away. It was a small little bush! We got permission to plant it in the temple parking lot and I take a picture by it every time I go there! I can't believe how big it has gotten! That means Johnny has been gone a long time. I miss him!

The Johnny tree

 Ashley and Kelsie

Mauri, Kelsie, Ashley and I

That night we went to a Wedding Dinner for the Bridal party and family. Ashley was one of her bridesmaids. It was really nice to visit with cousins there!

My Aunt Dorene and Uncle Dave. (my dad's sister)

My cousin's. Doug, Kevin and Cheryl

 Saturday the 15th was the wedding day! It was a beautiful ceremony. Kelsie looked stunning!

College roommates! Allie, me, Mauri and Suzanne

Kelsie and Cameron

 After the wedding, I went to lunch with my old roommates. It was great to catch up! Suzanne had her fresh returned missionary with her and her husband Mike. It was great to hear about Blake's mission. 

Allison, Alison, Blake, Suzanne and Mike 

After lunch I headed down to Puyallup and helped Mauri set up the reception. It turned out really pretty!

Julie, Aunt Doreen and Gary

My cousin Doug and his wife Denene

My brother David and his sweet wife Rebekah

Jeff and Doug (I couldn't believe how much Jeff looked like my Grandpa Westra!)

Family! Love my sister and brother!

Cute niece Natalie

Aunt Dorene and Uncle Dave

Ashley and I

Kevin, Cheryl, Julie and Gary

 Sunday morning we drove out to Davids house and spent the night there. I LOVE it out there. It's so peaceful. I feel like I am at a cabin in the mountains and I feel so relaxed there! 

Here is the river we played in this summer!

So pretty!

 Dave takes after my dad. Big bowl of popcorn with lots of butter and salt on it! 

I taught Rebekah and Natalie how to crochet these headbands!

Nat was pretty excited about hers!

Ashley and I had a great time together in my favorite city! I'm so glad our hubby's let us get away for a few days!

Tanner loves riding his longboard! He wanted an action shot to go on our Christmas card!

I came home and finished getting the house all ready for Christmas! I love all the new decorations I have gotten at the market where I work!

My Santa table

I have started collecting Nativities. I love them all!

On Christmas Eve we went over to Joanna's house. We had a nice dinner and had a good time visiting with Jenn's family. 

All the little kids were snuggled up watching a movie

Santa came to visit! The kids loved it! 

Christmas morning! We had a great day! Ashley and Scotty came over late Christmas Eve and spent the night with us. 

John's new shirt

The boys...

Panoramic shot! 

Scotty and Ashley

Ashley got tickets for the family to go see Les Miserables Christmas day! it was amazing! (we should have let Tanner see something else.... he hated it and made us all miserable!)

Happy Birthday Ashley!! My baby girl turned 22!

Opening presents
 

Afton and Tanner

Ashley's favorite dessert

Jack and I

Scott and Jenn

 Mitchell's mission farewell was the December 30th. Cindy's boys came down for the weekend. It was so great to have them! It meant a lot to Mitch!

The kids playing the Wii

Scott and Jenn came over for some cards.

Mitchell gave a great talk in Sacrament meeting. I was so proud of him! My nephew took a picture of him... I know it's not appropriate, but look how good he looks! He looked all grown up! It freaked me out a bit!

We had a little luncheon after church. We served Mexican food!

All the high school friends

Riley, Nickee, Preston, Colin and Jordan.

All the cousins! Curtis, Afton, Ashley, Spencer, Mitchell, Jack, Kevin and Tanner

Scott, Jenn and Scotty joined in! 

His good friend Hunter

Jack with his church back pack on.

Bishop Hodson and his beautiful wife Jan.

The kids waiting for lunch

Lots of friends came!

Jamie and The Jarman's

Silly Tanner and Dix

Afton Playing with my nativity set

I love how the shepherd is hanging out with the angel!

We tried to spend as much time as we could together as a family in December. We took advantage of every minute we had together! We worked hard to get Mitchell all packed and ready to go to the Mexico, Culiacán Mission!

I'm sure I forgot something in December...oh well.