Something Unexpected...

As many of you know my family has had a rough few months with everything going on with my Dad. He is doing so much better, it really is a blessing. He is still hobbling around on his crutches, slipping down a couple stairs every now and then. But mostly everything at this point is looking up. He has his spirits back, you can still tell he has a lot of pain but we are all so grateful he is still here with us for Christmas.

Surprises seem to be the theme this year. From this with my Dad, to Jonathan and I announcing we were getting married. We should have known that just because it is December doesn't mean the surprises would stop. My Dad wasn't planning on attending the annual Logan Fire Christmas party, but a lot of the guys talked him into it. So he crutched his way out the door to go. Every year they award men with different awards for the year. And last they award The Firefighter of The Year Award. It was a huge shock for me to walk into my parents house as see it siting on the kitchen table. I am so proud of him. My Dad is and always has been my Hero, I have always looked up to him. He never gives up, and these past few months that trait he has, to never give up, saved his life. This is his Fire Fighter Of The Year Plaque

Firefighter Of The Year 2009

TROY PARKER

Love you Dad... So proud of you!

Family And Memories Make The Holidays....

Last weekend Jonathan had the opportunity to Baptise the cutest little girl. Her name is Rio, she is a close family friend. Jon was honored to have been asked! He loved every minute of it. She was actually the first child he has ever baptised, he always had the adults on his mission while his companions usually took the children. Kind of funny. She was so excited!

This weekend Ariell, who will be marrying Spencer in a couple weeks, came up for Paul and Gwendolyn show, Then the whole lot of us went to IHOP for dinner. It was so much fun!! Ariell was able to bring Spencer's girls, as well as her own two kids Adi and Kaden. So we were able to finally meet the whole family! Jonathan totally took to Kaden, He decided they were going to be little buddies. They all make such a cute family!

Jonathan went and cut down a tree for our first Christmas tree! I was so excited to get it up!! I had all the perfect things to put on it, Black ribbon (because Jon had to have black on it) silver and blue bulbs, glittered black snowflakes, and a silver tree skirt that of course matched our stockings. The stockings would be hung over the fire place on what else but black snow flake hooks that would match the snow flakes on the tree (minus the glitter). I couldn't wait to get it up. I have always been the one to decorate the tree! I was always perfect.. Big beautiful green trees with different arrangements of color each year for my parents, and I was always the mastermind behind the picture perfect trees. I was sure this one would be the same.

Well, when you go cut your own tree down.. it doesn't quite have the same... demand for attention that farmed or fake trees have. We finally got it up in the house and Jon looked at it, then looked at me and said "Hmmm... Ugly tree Chels, lets put the crap on it." Then while we laughed at it for a bit.. He asked "How long do we have to leave this up?" It is the perfect Charlie Brown tree. That is the only way to put it. So we did the best to place the lights, ribbon, and bulbs on it. But how do you decorate a tree that hardly has branches!! This is what came of it!

We were talking about it, and this tree is actually the perfect tree for our first Christmas together. We know it's not about the fullest, greenest, and most perfect tree. It's about being together as a family. Our Charlie Brown tree helped us make a perfect memory! After putting up our AWESOME tree we finished our night with a Hot Cocoa date. Jonathan found this HUGE mug. Even bigger than the soup mugs.. and he made a big cup of Hot Cocoa, we went and sat in front of our tree while sharing our GIANT cup of Hot Cocoa. Definitely a fun little date to share a warm cup this time of year. I would recommend it to anyone!

Just A Quick Note...

Jonathan was able to talk with his brother Spencer today for the first time since he left for basic. They talked for about an hour about EVERYTHING! I heard tid bits about things from his wedding coming up to the regular jeep talk. You all should have seen Jon's face when I passed him his phone and said, "Hey, Spencer's calling." He got this adorable little grin on his face. You could totally tell he was so excited to talk to his brother. He really misses him, and is so excited to see him in a couple weeks for his wedding! We miss you Spenc! Thanks for everything you are doing!!