Life with the Larsons: Catching up on December Fun...

With a blink of the eye--December skipped by!
What a busy, fun month we had. There were lots of memories to make and we managed to fit in lots of fun family time!
Since I put the pics in backwards, we will just go that direction...Just before Christmas and on our way home from Flagstaff, we took our annual trip to Mesa to see the temple lights. This had to be the warmest time we've ever gone, but also the wettest! We went early, which was different for us and only managed about 45 minutes before the rain arrived! I think this is the only time I've ever seen rain on the temple grounds!

Our two favorite Christmas angels!

Reagan was so excited to wear her beanie hat, gloves, and scarf....with sequins of course...despite the warm weather.

They have traded in almost all of the old lights for LED this year so the lights are extra bold and bright. Very cool!

Reagan the photographer taking our picture!

Cute aren't we...even after a few hours in the car!

Travis loved seeing the lights from Dad's vantage point!

A nice missionary from Idaho took our annual family temple picture. (Usually we stand in front of the big reflection pool, but they had chairs set there for the concert that night.)

Very cool reflections...

Seeing the most important part...the Nativity.

"Look! It's the baby Jesus!"

Before Mesa, was our trip up to Flagstaff and Williams the week of Christmas. A cold front had just moved in and it was nice and blustery there, reminding us what winter really is. We spent one night in Flag and then did a little shopping and then off to Williams. By that time, snow had set in and it was below freezing....so sight seeing in Williams consisted of hanging out in our warm hotel room at the train depot. The kids were so excited to be there and to be going on the Polar Express. This was our first visit and they had been looking forward to this trip for weeks, especially Reagan who had heard lots of cool stories about it from friends and family.

The train ride was fun, delicious hot cocoa and cookies on the way to the "North Pole" while listening to the book being read overhead. Reagan read along with her book while Travis was enthralled with the "cooks" who entertained and roamed the train car with their own books. Once at the North Pole, we picked up Santa...who came by and talked to the kids for a few seconds and gave them each a beautiful silver bell. Both Reagan and Travis were very impressed with Santa and his gift. "This one is the real Santa," Reagan said.

The "real Santa"

The North Pole

Smile for the camera!

Mommy and Travis

Enjoying the ride!

Loving the train!

Coloring and writing Santa letters at Mrs. Claus's place.

Mom got a new point and shoot camera for Christmas from Daddy! Works great-- right Travis! Good job Daddy!

Keeping warm in Flagstaff and playing with our new camera...

December also brought Reagan's Christmas recital for dance. She did two numbers this recital--her favorite was her Jazz number for Jenny's class "When the Snow Comes Down In Tinseltown." It was super cute and full of fun choreography.

OOoops! Didn't git this one rotated! What a beautiful dancer!

For Ballet, the girls were "Toyland Dolls" and cute as ever. Reagan was full of life as usual and did a beautiful job! The ending was the Nativity as usual and beautiful as ever! We loved it!

Another cool December activity: Reagan's school music program. It was cute--Nativity included. Reagan wore her snowflake headband and sang her heart out.

We also had fun at my work Christmas party at Dr. Miller's house. Yummy food and Santa too! The doctors are awesome for putting on such a fun bash!

Dr. Miller loves Santa too!

Travis loves Santa! He asked for "twister ride" or plasma scooter like at Nana's.

Reagan hoping for a DS from Santa...

This year's light parade in Safford was warmer than usual. Papa brought the motor home, but we didn't need it much due to the great weather! The parade was great--the kids loved it! And it was fun to see the Allreds in it (on the Roper Lake float).