Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. As I finish up this blog entry it is snowing. I am dreaming of a White Christmas! My little niece Alix (age 5) would not tell her mom's friend Merry Christmas. Andrea asked her why she would not say Merry Christmas. To which Alix replied it is not Christmas until it snows. I totally agree! (Too Bad Alix lives in Vegas) To me Christmas is such a wonderful time filled with Magic. Here is our family is getting ready for Christmas. I cannot wait!

The Presents are all bought, wrapped and under the tree. My children love building tunnels for the train using the presents.

Trenton made this Beary Merry Christmas several years ago.

Andrea designed the Home for the Holidays and we really love it. We love reading our Christmas Books and watching the strand of Christmas lights grow.

My kids really love the candy countdowns. We have one that hangs from Santa and another that I make to look like a strand of Christmas lights. They are both so fun.

BUT my children's all time favorite Advents are the ones that I haven gotten out of the friend magazine and laminated. These are the most important ones too.

We have one that talks about Jesus Christ's different names He is called in the scriptures. There is a puzzle and wreath with scriptures and activities. Then there is one tells the story of the birth of Christ.

When we first were married I made this Christmas Book with songs, scriptures and stories for me and lots of my family members. I love this fun tradition to do every night to focus on the real meaning of Christmas.

I have so many nativities around me house and I love them all. It is fun to watch my children play with the nativities.

Here we all were going to church Sunday in our Christmas Outfits.

We went for a hayride to see the lights at the City Park. It was so much fun but very cold it was only about 10 degrees.

On the hayride

There are tons of lights but my favorite have to be the diving penguins.

Santa Claus was also there:




Here we are in front of our Christmas Tree.
I love decorating the tree. Every year we get the kids a new ornament and it becomes a memory tree. It is one of the best days of the year for me.

Kylee played the role of Mary in the Ward Nativity Play. She loved this wonderful honor.

One of the Dittbrenner Family Traditions is having the kids do a play. This year Trenton and Darcy directed their cousins in their version of the Christmas Carol over Thanksgiving when all 27 of the Dittbrenners were together:

The carolers (Denim, Darcy, Alix, and Kylee) opened the play.


Bob Cratchit (Cody) works hard for Scrooge.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Kylee) shows Scrooge (Dixie) the Past Christmas.
The Ghost of Christmas Present (Darcy) shows Scrooge the Cratchit Home.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Trenton) shows Scrooge what will happen if Scrooge does not change.

Tiny Tim (Cal) stole the show. "God bless us everyone."
Kendra ran the spotlight for the show. She did a great job!

The cast of the play sing Silent Night. I love this tradition. It is so much to watch my children and my nieces and nephews.

We had a tree decorating party with lots of yummy food. It was fun to have our Christmas Eve Party a month early.

All of the grandkids with Grandpa- Yes we do have some crazy ones.

Dad and his 6 children. We all decorated the tree at Grandpa's house. I talked to my dad the other day and he told me that this Christmas Tree means more to him than any tree has in a long time because all of his family helped decorate it together. I am so glad that we got to do it together and that my dad is enjoying it so much. My mom used to always clap for the tree and say it was the best. I know that mom was with us and clapping.
My kids loved making the goodies.

Yum Yum!

We love going to Temple Square and seeing the lights there. This year we had a blast with my sisters Andrea and Casandra and their families. Here are some of the fun pictures.

The kids in front of Christmas Tree at the Joseph Smith building.

Here I am with half of my sisters.

I love all the pretty lights.

None of the lights compare to the beauty of the temple.

It was such a nice evening and we all had so much fun.

Uncle Jon is always the goofball!

We all loved watching the nativity.

The Magic of Christmas is not the Presents, but in HIS PRESENSE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! WE LOVE YOU!