Christmas 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  I LOVE Christmas!!!  I love the traditions, the happy feelings, the music, and the good will.  This year we spent Christmas with my family which meant a lot of extended family time.

Annie's Excited

For Christmas Eve we go up to my grandparents house and eat soup.  This year, after dinner, each family member shared Larsen memories.  This was a lot of fun to hear such a variety of memories.  I am truly blessed to be a part of such a great family and am grateful to my grandmother for all of her work to bring us together so often.  

Enjoying Familytime

After we were done sharing memories, it was time to re-enact the Nativity.  Over the years, my grandmother has made quite the collection of costumes that are coveted by most of the family members.  Growing up, my cousin Alicia and I would always fight over who got to be Mary.  This year, as we were getting ready, my grandma said, "I guess we all know who is going to be Mary."  Apparently having a baby is an automatic qualifier.  Who knew?  

Playing the Picture-Telephone Game

We eventually made our way back south and spent the night at my parents'.  My mom offered to watch Leila for the night, so we dressed her in her homemade Christmas pjs and set up her crib in their bedroom.  The next morning I go upstairs and my mom says, "You're going to hate me.  She slept for 6 and a half hours last night!"  Go figure she would do that the one night Grandma has her but has only ever managed 5 and half for me on one rare occasion.

Content with Great-Grandma Larsen

Since Christmas was on a Sunday this year, we had the opportunity of going to Sacrament Meeting before opening gifts.  We went to my parents ward where my dad was the only speaker amongst lots of Christmas music.  I thoroughly enjoyed having this spiritual element to help remind of the true reason for the season.  Leila was also a hit among the members of my home ward.

Taylor, Genie, and Ashley

We returned to my parents to open our gifts, eat food, and just relax and enjoy one another's company.  Later that evening we returned to my grandparents' for Christmas Dinner.  What a great holiday!

Christmas Elf

On Christmas, my dad did a little photoshoot with my little Christmas elf on her first Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Christmastime at ACOM

My company certainly goes all out for Christmas.  Earlier this month we went to the company Christmas party at the Zermatt Resort where they had casino games, sleigh rides, a hypnotist, an acapella group, a cariacture artist, a string quartet, blanket tying, a photo booth, a live band, and prizes (which included ipads, Macbooks, ski passes, cameras, etc.).  Jason and I left Leila with my parents and had our first date night since she was born.  Even though we didn't win any prizes, we still had a great time!

A couple weekends later, my team threw their Christmas party/activity: the Red Nose Run.  For this activity, we met at the Trax station in Sandy, split into teams, rode Trax up to Temple Square in Salt Lake, and then were unleashed on the city for a scavenger hunt of sorts.  These are some of the pictures we had to take as part of the quest.

On top of the JSB

Ring Around the Rosie

Conference Center Waterfall

Jumping in front of the Reflection Pool

Despeite the awesome pictures, my team came in dead last and were rewarded with "yellow snow" candy.

For the 12 business days before Christmas, my department had a different activity every day.  We had contests, dress-up days, and lots and lots of yummy food.

My contributions to "desk" decorating day

Gingerbread Contest

The Polar Express (Winner)

Frosty the Snowman

While it is certainly tough to get up and going at 4:30 every morning and leave my sweet angel baby girl for 8 hours, I'm grateful that I work for such a good company and with wonderful people.

Ski Day

One of the many benefits my employer offers is an opportunity for employees to use their corporate Ski Utah Gold pass.  Basically, the company has two season ski passes valid many of the Utah resorts that employees can sign up to use.  I got to use them on Monday so I took my sister Jori along with me.

It is a good thing they've figured out how to manufacture snow because we sure haven't gotten much of the real stuff this year.  It was odd to be riding the ski lifts and see dirt and trees beneath us and look at all of the brown mountains surrounding us.

Yuck!

But real snow or not, the sun was shining and we were able to escape the fog and inversion hovering in the valley.  And since I got paid to ski (PTO) and got free lift tickets, I really can't complain.  I did realize just how inactive I've been lately though as my legs starting burning by early afternoon and I've been hobbling around since!

Go Jo Jo Go!