Countdown to Christmas!

On Tuesday Dallin called in the late afternoon and said he was in Temecula and would be hitchhiking the rest of the way home on Wednesday. I told him I would come up and get him because it had been cold and rainy for days and I didn't want him to have to sleep outside even though he says he would've been fine with that :(. I was so grateful to see him and have him home safely. Dallin has acquired a new traveling companion, Jose. So we now have a grand-dog. He is very cute, but it has been a little interesting having a puppy in the house. Pennie is not enamored, but she is being patient with him.

Jose is a cute little thing, though, and Dallin is a doting dog dad.

We have had a TON of rain, and Wednesday we were blessed with an amazing rainbow!

And Caitlin and Billy arrived!

On Wednesday night we drove through our local "Christmas Card Lane". Mr. and Mrs. Claus were there to greet us! I'm glad we got to see them before they had to start loading the sleigh!

Most of the houses in the neighborhood decorate their yards with "christmas card" type things. This is one of my favorites. It is the Peanuts gang and it says "Happy Holidays from our team to yours." So cute!

On Thursday night we went to the temple to see the pretty lights. They added more lights this year! Mark probably got better pictures, but I don't know how to download them from his camera, so you get these. Here is cute Cait and Bill.

The lights are so pretty, and this couple isn't too shabby either.

We also started our Christmas puzzle. (They're actually working on it right now, Christmas Day evening, and are almost finished. They are sprinting to the finish....)

I know I have a lot of pics of these two...just can't help it...so dang cute! Christmas Eve dinner. Lots of time cooking, but worth it! I really felt intently grateful to have all of us together because I know it will change in years to come.

CHRISTMAS MORNING! This is Cait and Bill opening up Jayce's present to them. He got them a blue bowl (great popcorn size). He searched long and hard for just the right present.

Jayce wanted Spy Gear...these are his night vision goggles! This is Derek enjoying Christmas morning breakfast, sporting his "future missionary" tag Cait and Bill gave him.

Caitlin and Billy got Cody and Jayce this bama-jama (means really big and cool) nerf gun. It's a fully automatic weapon that shoots out a round of 25 bullets. This has been the hit of the day, I think (besides Pennie's toys).

Mark was excited and surpised by this shop vac. His favorite gifts were the camera gear he got!

This is Jayce crawling under the tree to find every last present!

One of my favorite presents of the day was giving "The Berenstain Bears B Book" to Billy. Our family has grown up on this book and has it memorized. I thought it appropriate since Billy has two B's in his name. Now their family can grow up on it, too :).

Caitlin gave Pennie a rawhide bone and she grumpily guarded it ALL day. If any one or Jose(Dallin's dog) got near, she would growl and snap. Geez.

What a GREAT day! We have been abundantly blessed in many ways.