Some of Tio Israel's family were here to celebrate the Christmas holiday with us, Tia Cruz, Champion, Champion's nephew, ex-brother-in-law and a cousin. It was so good to see Tia Cruz again. I hadn't seen her since she went back to Venezuela. Cruz came to the states and took care of my Grandma Reed after my grandpa died. My grandma has alzheimers and had gotten to the point where she couldn't live on her own anymore, without someone there to help. Cruz was a life saver to our family and she is such a sweetheart. She grew to love Grandma so much and took such great care of her. I heard that Cruz went to Logan to visit Grandma, but as with all of us, Grandma didn't remember who Cruz was. I think it was hard for Cruz to see Grandma like that. It's hard on all of us!
Sophie sitting at the kids table, before it was all decorated. She looked so festive in her red sweater that Maemi Reed knit for her.
Sophie and SamanthaSamantha is my cousin's little girl. She and Sophie share the same birthday. They are about 7 hours apart in age. Sophie was born around 4:30 pm and Samantha was born just before midnight. We wanted to get a cute picture of the two girls smiling, but they didn't want to cooperate. Silly girls!
Another attempt to get a picture of the girls smiling. Sophie looks happy, but Samantha looks concerned.
My cousin Bryant and his beautiful wife Amme. They have three cute kids, Lauren, Andrew and Thomas.
My cousin Adriana and her husband Jason and cute little Samantha.
The cute little Harper family. I hate this picture of me. After I saw these pictures, I realized how desperately I need to drop a few pounds. My clothes almost didn't fit me anymore during the holidays. That would have been bad, especially since I only took so many outfits and most of them were getting too tight.
Me and my handsome brother Nick. Nicole and Scott were with Scott's family, otherwise Nicole would have been in the picture with us.
Champion and my brother Nick's family, his wife Ashley and the two girls, Ashtyn and Avery. They are such cute girls and they adore Sophie. She sure has fun playing with her cousins.
The Venezuelan clan. Tio Israel in front on the left, with Champion, Adriana, Cruz, Bryant in the back, Champion's cousin, Aunt Sherri, Champion's nephew and brother-in-law. I feel bad, but I don't remember their names.
Champion, my dad, and Nick on the back row. Champ's nephew, my mom , Cruz, me and Ashley in the front. I really shouldn't stand like that.
Aunt Sherri and Tio Israel
Sophie with Papa and Maemi Reed
Daddy and his little angel!
It's also been a tradition for our family to act out the nativity as someone reads the story. This year, Sophie got to participate as one of the many angels. However, we got her dressed in her costume a little too soon. By the time everyone else was dressed, Sophie was tired of her costume and she pulled it off. Luckily not before I got a few pictures of her first.
My beautiful little angel!
Tio as the donkey and Lauren as Mary.
The NativityLauren was Mary and Andrew was Joseph. Ashtyn and Avery were two of the angels, Samantha was an angel too, but like Sophie she didn't want to participate. Thomas, Jason, Champion and his brother-in-law were shepherds. Nick, and Champion's nephew and cousin were the wisemen. Bryant read the nativity story from the Bible. It was a little chaotic, but it was fun to watch.
We had a wonderful Christmas Eve! I am truly grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior and to reflect on the life He lived. It is because of His love and sacrifice that we are given the chance to repent and do all that we can to be worthy to return to live with Him and our Father in Heaven. I'm grateful for the chance that we had to celebrate with our families in Utah.
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