My Life of Wonder!: December 2009

I love family pictures. I mean, I really love family pictures. Here is the family picture taken this year on Christmas Day. It was truly magical to have Michael, Tony, Brody, Connie, and Lynn be “home for Christmas” this year. Christmas 2009 101

Santa was really good to all of us this year!

I loved my gifts!

Lynn ended up with a few Arabic study manuals! Go Jed Rock!

Michael needed some new t-shirts! Lynn and I found this one at Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida.

This came in handy to the UCLA vs. Temple game held December 29th at RFK Stadium here in Washington DC. It was 29 degrees when the game started and in wind chill, that was 19 degrees! It was about 4 degrees colder when the game ended. BRRR. UCLA won 30 to 21! Go Bruins!

As usual, Connie picked the warm sweater out at Aeropostale. (Christmas Tradition and Christmas hit---especially this year in chilly DC)!

Brody rakes in the gifts this year! Mostly Brody got cars from Disney Pixars Cars and also a tag reader system from Leap Frog.

Intently playing with his car !

That’s Brody’s “Cars” play-tent Brody is playing in. It’s also an activity center where Brody can kick a soccer ball into, throw a basketball into a hoop, and golf, etc. Naturally, he is a natural at it and takes to it like a duck to water! Presenting future Athlete of the Year, Brody Michael Balluff!

We discovered that Brody loves Candy Canes!

“Candy Cane?” became Brody’s way of asking for more!

Head Chef and Barbecue Master Tony gets a barbecue tool set complete with personalized Monogram from Williams Sonoma! We’ll be expecting great barbecue when we come to

visit Arizona in the future Tony!

Connie and Brody in front of the Yule Log on Christmas Day opening part of Brody’s Tag Reader System!

Since Lynn and I had just returned from Florida, there were Chocolate Alligators/Crocodiles instead of Chocolate Santa’s in the stockings!

Christmas Crepes ( Eaten before opening presents, I might add!)

Connie and Tony open a UCLA

Ornament from Mike! I got one too and love mine!

Ask Connie how I ended up keeping these jeans! It’s a cool story!

I got Pink Soothing Body Lotion!

All of us got to talk to Perris in Spain. This picture of course, is Connie having a conversation with him—she here at our condo in Arlington, Va and he is far-away Spain.. We even called Grandma Nelson and Anne and Silas’ Family in California and they talked to him too! How truly magical it is to have a Missionary out at Christmas-time proclaiming the gospel. Perris even shared his testimony with me before he hung up. If ever there were magic moments, this would be them! Thank you Perris!

After we finished talking to Perris it was time to eat Christmas dinner. I had three different types of meat, A Smithfield Smoked Ham, a Pop-eyes Cajun Turkey and a beef tenderloin. And there the family is enjoying Christmas dinner.

After dinner, I went to see New Moon or “Twighlight 2” with Connie and Tony. I so will be seeing the 3rd one! Brody stayed with Dad and Mike doing manly man things until we got home! Thanks to Michael, Tony, Connie, Brody and Lynn for a very Merry and Magical Christmas 2009! I love you all!

Right before we left to California,on Nov.20th, Molly got a bath that should last all Christmas Season! If only I had some Gingerbread perfume! I do plan on posting about California, since it was an amazing family time, but for now enjoy Part 1 of our Christmas set up which Lynn and I did together Saturday December 5, 2009

Snow? Sure enough! Most every December 5th around here it snows. At least it did in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009! Of course, it leaves us the next day or day after, but at least it snows!

Annie made me that bear and wreath. There is a different hand painted item each month. I like the wreath. It 's so Christmasy and always stays fresh from year to year!

Here Dad is with "Sandie" our car, ready to go Christmas tree hunting and DVD hunting! It's a snowy/rainy/icy kind of day! Absolutely Perfect for putting one in the Christmas mood!

You can tell Dad doesn't enjoy taking pictures, but we're renting Twilight so it had to be memorialized!

We went to Ft. Meyers and Christmas Tree shopped. Yup, that's snow on my lense and on the rooftop of the place!

"Snow is Falling All Around" (Sounds like a song doesn't it)! I had to get this picture! This historic moment is Lynn and my first ever Fraser Fir. It's a beauty! Lynn normally only likes artificial trees, but because I told him that Connie is visiting this year and she loves real trees, he gave in (Connie has him wrapped tightly around her little finger no matter how far away she lives)!

It's wrapped up and tied down to our car for the Long trip home!

Binging the tree in! We brought it in together! I changed juackets to look nicer for the picture! Bad idea! Our tree was soaking wet thanks to the rain and snow!