LA NAVIDAD

It's hard to believe that Christmas has already come and gone.  I love the special time of year.  For that reason (among others) I try to get my shopping done early so that when December rolls around I can enjoy the season.  We spent a lot of time together and also with our other family in the area.  Christmas Eve we spent with my family and Christmas day with Mike's.  Alex didn't know what was going on but enjoyed getting into all the paper and playing with the toy trains.  By playing with toy trains I mean derailing the train and destroying the track in one swift Godzilla-like movement.  She is getting really fast at crawling and moving about and is also able to pull herself up to things so we really have to keep an eye on her.

Very excited for Christmas

Cute matching outfits my mom gave us

Acting out the Nativity with the kids

We had heard of people giving their small children boxes of tissues for Christmas and decided that would be a good present for Alex.  She loved it and actually came back to it over and over.

ALEX CRAWLING

For months now Alex has been teasing us into thinking that she was going to crawl.  She would go from sitting onto her hands and knees, rock, and then go back to sitting or drop to her stomach and roll.  She finally started crawling on Mike's birthday.  Ironically she rolled over on Father's day.  Can you say daddy's girl?  She also started pulling herself up to things and cruising along the furniture.  I would say she'll be walking before long but maybe she's just teasing us like she did with the crawling.

ONE YEAR OLDER

Another year older for Mike.  He has been talking for a while about making homemade donuts, so on his birthday I got up early and made them.  For his birthday dinner he requested lasagna, salad, and french bread, and for his cake he wanted a Boston cream pie (which is actually a cake, not a pie).  We invited all his family over for dinner.  It's always fun to celebrate with family.

FRUITS OF LABOR

I received a very exciting text from one of my converts, Hector Tapia, in Houston that he was going to the temple to be sealed to his family.  This is a very exciting thing not only because he is going to be sealed but especially because his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident 12 years ago.  One of Hector's sons, Hector, is inactive and unable to go, but Hector was sealed to his deceased wife and daughter and living son Ulises.

Despite the short notice I took Alex and made the journey to Houston for a short trip.  We arrived Thursday December 12 in the evening and left Sunday December 15 in the afternoon.  Alex did very well which made it easier for me to do everything alone since Mike wasn't able to come.  Alex got to meet several of my converts and friends, see the sights of Houston, and even visit the mission office.

The cherry on top of the already amazing experience was that Gaby Espinola, another one of my converts, came with me to the sealing even though she did not know Hector very well.  I cannot describe the surreal feelings of being in the temple with 2 of my converts and seeing one sealed to his family.  I am so grateful for the Atonement and for the experience I had to share that with others.  I was so blessed to have met such wonderful people on my mission.

Mission office

My favorite skyline

With Andie and Gaby Espinola

Gaby and Claudia Alvarez

The Alvarez

After the sealing with Hector, Ulises, Gaby, and all those who participated as witnesses or proxy

Ulises and Hector

At the temple with two of my converts

With Gaby after the sealing

Gaby and her husband

 Also, a huge thank you to Steve and Barbara Salt for letting us stay with them.  It made things so easy.  Below are some pictures of their awesome Texas bathroom.

THANKSGIVING

This year it was my family's turn for Thanksgiving.  Since my parents are on a mission we decided to go to them.  The Mercers, Jarvis's, Pam, and Kammi all went to Las Vegas with us.  We rented a house and all stayed together.  Friday, we drove to the red rocks and hiked around.  That night we went to the Strip and walked several miles up and down the Strip to see various shows.  We also went to the temple with Pam and my parents on Saturday morning.  It was a fun filled trip.