Christmas in a Nutshell

Wow where to start. I have so much to write about and not very many pictures.

Christmas was fun and BUSY!!! Here it is in a nutshell...

I worked at Bath and Body Works and on the 23rd until 11:30pm helping to close. As soon as I got home Jarom and I left for S.D (we had early morning plans) and got to bed around 2am. Then woke up at 7:30, got dressed, and had the Price traditional scone breakfast the morning of the 24th with Jarom's brother and grandparents. Then we came back to my parents and took a little nap. Before I knew it, it was time to leave for La Jolla to be with my dads' dad and stepmom (Jerry and Bernice.) Here are some pics of Christmas Eve.

Grant loved opening gifts. He just wanted to open open open. In fact as soon as he was done with his gifts he started to open mine. But I didn't mind the help. 

My little Bryce in his Christmas Vest. :] What a cutie! 

After the evening with them we went to Balboa Park, walked around and looked at Christmas lights, and fed the homeless. A couple years ago Lahren got the idea to make some food and put them in sandwich bags. We also add water bottles and we've passed out blankets and socks. It's been such a great tradition and a wonderful way to give during the Christmas season. After that we came home and Jarom and I did presents to each other and fell asleep on the couch watching Christmas Carol. 

Isn't the living room beautiful. I love living in Rancho and I love our home but it doesn't truly feel like Christmas until I'm in this house looking at these decorations. :]

Kind of blurry but us about to watch Christmas Carol and me in my Christmas P.J's that my parents got me. :]

We rolled into bed around 3am and were up by 7:45 the next morning to get ready for Church. We went to Church with Jaroms grandparents (Sue's parents Ralph and Carol), then my Grandma Jo Anns for breakfast, over to Aunt Donnas' (she has SO many health problem and couldn't come that morning), back to my parents to Skype with Dallen...

then off to Jaroms' grandparents (Rahns' stepmom and dad. Joe and Daisy) to visit them ( mainly Daisy she also hasn't been doing very well), back to Cathywood to spend some time with the Hogewonings and eat some dinner, then our family Christmas. 


My gift from my parents. Isn't this the most beautiful picture you've ever seen! I love this story in the Bible of the woman with the blood issue and the great faith that she had.

Me and my Chunky Christmas night. Making faces.

I drove back to Rancho Cucamonga the next day and worked from 7pm-1am. We had "floorset" and that's getting everything re-stocked and taking down all Christmas decor. I was home by 1:30am, did some treatments and ate dinner. Before I knew it Jarom was coming to get me (around 4am) so we could leave for Utah for his sister Marisa's wedding. Jarom had stayed in S.D to get a rental car with some friends who were also driving up to Utah. They stopped by Rancho to get me on the way. 

On the way to Utah.

Right around the corner

I can hardly believe Christmas is in 3 days! Here are some things that have been filling us with a holiday mood.

The Roger family came up and spent Sunday night and Monday with us. Sunday night we went to the LA temple.

Then the next day we drove over to the institute, made breakfast, and played ping pong and pool. Afterwards we drove up to the "snow." Yes this was real snow (not sleet) but there wasn't too much. It was still fun and it was probably for the best since we didn't really have snow gear. I took about 70 pics but EVERY one had Grant in it. So I was able to post 2.

Jarom chasing Lahren with a huge block of snow.

And this picture of the scenery. There was a beautiful fog rolling in. I wanted to get out and take pictures but we were in separate cars and needed to get back to Rancho.

Wrapping gifts definitely gets me in the holiday mood. I can't wait for everyone to open their gifts. It's not that I got anyone something I know they will love but it's fun to surprise them. I finished wrapping the gifts tonight. I'm ready!

Included in our gifts we make applesauce for everyone on my side of the family. Since Jarom's family makes the applesauce we figure they don't really want it as gifts but my family loves it. 

We core and cut apples

Then boil them in sugar, lemon juice, apple juice, and cinnamon. They look kind of gross but taste delicious.

 Then you spin it around in this cool masher we have. It takes out all the juice and inside of the apple but not the peel.

Me making applesauce. 

Viola! 

Merry Christmas!

Oh and Jarom watching Castle... or Cake Boss. We're into both shows right now. 

Merry Christmas! Hope you're feeling the holiday spirit as well.

Christmas has begun...

at least in the Price household! :] We aren't going to do inside decorations until after Thanksgiving but I was driving around the other day and saw some people had put up Christmas lights. It made me so happy. I guess because lights put me in a holiday mood so it makes me feel excited for Christmas and Thanksgiving!

Like I said the inside of our home still has Thanksgiving (and some Halloween) decorations. :] But our patio is looking very Christmas-y! Since we're in an apartment and can't nail anything we had to get some extra stuff. I'm not going to say we had to get creative because Lowes did all the crafty thinking for us! We just went in a bought it. :]

First off I LOVE this! My dad did it when we were growing up and I think most people know about it but they have plug converters that go into your porch light. Take out the bulb, screw in the converter, and plug in your Christmas lights! Then you can control them from your switch!

Then instead of us having bars on our balcony (like most people) we have a concrete wall with glass to help block the noise from the street. These are banister hooks (for garlands) but they work very well for us!

Since we can't use those for the bottom we bought this suction cups that hold the cords.

 Then these clips are probably the thing most people can use. They clip onto the wood partition under your gutter and hold your lights up! Jarom loved these and I'm pretty sure even when we move into a house that we can nail into we'll still use them!

Finished Product = Beautiful! Thanks babe for helping me with this! :]

Christmas Present #2 Disneyland!

Our trip to Disneyland was so much fun! We loved it. Of course by the end of the 2 days it had felt like it had been at least a week. And we're excited to go with kids. It seemed like about 3pm we had done everything we wanted to do both days. It'll be fun to go with kids who still feel the magic and are so excited. Not that we weren't excited or didn't feel the magic but... you know what I mean. :]

Anyway these are just a few pics. We went to California Adventure the first day, January 11 and Disneyland January 12.

Our favorite ride at Cal. Adventure was Toy Story Mania. We went on it 4 times and both agreed if we had gotten the hopper pass we would have gone back again on day 2. I wanted to go back because I won all 4 times. I was excited because Jarom wins EVERYTHING!! So I couldn't believe that I won! Jarom wanted to go back because he was losing. Hahaha anyway the last time was the best score for me and I won out of all 8 people in the car.

When we played it really was just between me and Jarom but there are 2 cars... 2 people on either side of the car so that totals 8 and at the end it shows you who had the best of everyone in the car. :] And I did.

Us in our 3D glasses! The ride is in 3D which is part of what makes it so cool!!!

Then we went to Disneyland. It was a day where we did a lot of things we might not have normally done because we had so much time. :] Like the next 2 pictures of us are on Storybook Land.

Lahren, Grant, and Rhawnie went to Disneyland that day also so we met up for a few hours. Grant was actually scared of this ride. I'm not sure why. Once in a while he'd just start whimpering.

This is our picture from the Buzz ride. Don't I look happy. This was the first time we played and Jarom totally crushed me but then I beat him the second time.

I just took this one because we had nothing to do in line and it was Jaroms favorite ride when he was little.

Anyway we had a great time!! :]Thanks mom and dad for pitching in on a great Christmas gift!! Love you!

Christmas Gift #1 (New Living Room)

Jarom and I finally finished the living room. We still have 2 little things we need to do but other then that we're through. :] I'm so happy with how it turned out!!

This isn't a totally true before since I had already started taking down decor when I remembered that I hadn't taken a before pic. I wasn't feeling good at all so I didn't want to put everything back up just for a good before pic. Also the before pics are taken with are bad camera. The after pics are taken with Lahren and Wills really nice camera.

Anyway Before...

And after...

We love our new house. :] We didn't plan on getting new couch at first but then everything just came together and we found the perfect one! It was like the universe was telling us we needed to get it. :] Haha anyway we love it!

Just a few more before and afters.

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

"O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree"

This is our Christmas tree this year and my Christmas project. Every year I like having a Christmas project. The first year Jarom and I were married I did a wreath, then a garland, and now a Christmas tree. For now it works really well as our "main Christmas tree" since anything bigger makes our condo feel so small... but when we move and have the space for a bigger Christmas tree then this can go in the office or somewhere else. It's about 3ft and I had lots of fun decorating it!

A few of the ornaments.

I didn't spend to much money on decor this year but this is something new. My mom gave it to me for Christmas last year. Since we got it on the 25th we didn't have much of a chance to put it up so this was the first year we've really been able to enjoy it and we love it! It is a beautiful manger and I love anything that's "Willow Tree"!!

First Christmas Present!

Jarom and I recieved our first Christmas gift of the season today and probably the BEST gift of the season! It is a beautiful advent book from my Grandma Dee and it is making me more anxious then EVER for Dec. 1st to get here!

I hope you can read this. It's an intro to the book!

It is the most beautiful book and it is such a treasure for our family already and I haven't even read it yet. Well I tried to but Jarom told me to be patient. But this is a sneek peek of the first day! Hehehe!

This of course is only making me more excited to have children so I can share this with them. I know this will be a Christmas favorite and of course it will be even more treasured since it was made by our wonderful Grandma Dee! The time and effort put into this book cannot even be counted and I'm so grateful to have a grandma who would do that for me and my family! I love you grandma! Thank you for this wonderful book! There are no words to describe my gratitude!