Johnsen Family Christmas Party This year we were fortunate enough to be able to attend Ryan's family's Christmas party hosted every year by his Grandma J. It is usually held on Christmas Eve but this year they decided to hold it on the Saturday before so that more could attend. Since it was my family's year for us to go to Christmas, and since last year we missed Christmas with Ryan's family due to the arrival of one little Max on Christmas Eve, we didn't want to miss Grandma's party this year. It was a nice party. It was nice to be with the Johnsen side and Max really enjoyed himself. Grandma Johnsen is 88 years old and still manages to make sure (with much help from Ryan's parents) that there is wonderful food, a variety of songs & games, gifts for everyone, and enough love to fill the church that we schedule in advance for the festivities. We sure do love that Grandma J.!

Jolea is having a boy. We will have even teams...8 and 8.

Snow Days

Don't get me wrong. I have fond childhood memories of winters in Texas. I just didn't know what I was missing out on...you know, what all those kids "up north" were doing on their winter breaks!This photo was taken out my kitchen window this past week. I am certain that I was not spending my weekends doing this when I was 5!

This was taken this morning as Ryan and I were leaving his parents' home in Tooele. 8 inches of snow. He said that when he was little, sometimes the snow would be waist deep as they were walking to school!

Last night Ryan and I went to the Mo Tab Christmas concert featuring the King's Choir from Great Britain. It was really good and very entertaining. The singing was great, the King's Choir was awesome and all the dancers were phenomenal. Every year we try to get to one of the events on Temple Square, and this concert certainly is a favorite. You now have to be randomly selected to get tickets and we were lucky enough to be selected. If any of you have the chance to go next year, it is well worth it. It leaves you feeling just the way a Christmas extravaganza should!

OH BABY...

IT'S GETTING VERY PINK WITHIN THE HASSMAN HOUSEHOLD.

JUST 10 SHORT DAYS SINCE CARRIE BROUGHT LITTLE ADDIE JO TO US,

ASHLEY BROUGHT TO US MIKAYLA PAIGE THIS PAST TUESDAY.

SHE WAS 7 LBS. 14 OZ. WITH LOTS OF BLONDE HAIR AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO MEET HER (HOPEFULLY SOON AS THEY WON'T BE MAKING

THE TREK TO IDAHO FOR CHRISTMAS).

THE STATS ARE NOW:

BOYS 7 GIRLS:8
WILL JOLEA EVEN IT OUT, OR WILL THE GIRLS BE UP BY TWO?

WE WILL KNOW NEXT WEEK!

CHRISTMAS IS FOR HIMIt's hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. I promised myself that this year I would get all the tedious stuff done early so that I could enjoy the Spirit of the Season with my family, perhaps catching a few of the local festivities without having to worry about neighbor gifts, and what the heck to get the in-laws and the grandmas and what kind of Christmas "goodies" I'm going to have to make for people I hardly know, and the wrapping that's not done, and how I never got my trim up around my door or the Christmas lights hung on my house, and then there's my son's first birthday on Christmas Eve to plan for. Well here it is just two short weeks from Christmas and I find myself worrying about all of the above and a few dozen more things. And for what? A recent poll showed that over 60% of us can't even recall what our favorite gift was that we got last year.

I have thought a lot about what President Monson said in the Christmas Devotional. It's a time to remember the greatest gift that we can never forget, the birth of a baby boy, our Savior Jesus Christ...and Christmas is for the children. It's a time to let them experience the magic of it all. As I look at my little boy, our own baby that came to us last Christmas, and see the twinkle in his eye as he experiences some of the magic of it all for the first time, I understand what President Monson was saying. It's his turn...and he doesn't care what fudge recipe I use, or if the ribbon matches the paper, or if the trim is up around the door. He needs his Mommy and his Daddy to help him capture the Spirit and Wonder of the Season. This is his first time hearing the carols and the bells, watching the falling snow, smelling the pine, and seeing the twinkling lights.

How wonderful it would be if as we all aged, when Christmas came, we only experienced the wonder of it all, like we did when we were children. No worrying, no stress over money and needless gifts. No freaking out over Christmas cards and what to wear to parties. What if everyone just shared in the magic of it all and only gave gifts that would improve the life of someone less fortunate than themselves. Perhaps I've been missing out on more than I realized. I have lost the simplicity of it all. There was nothing commercialized about the first Christmas; it was perhaps the most humble of all circumstances. Yet what wonder and magic accompanied the birth of one very special baby boy. What a blessing to have my own little boy to put it all back into perspective. Thanks Max. Christmas is for you.

Our Attempt at a Christmas Card Photo Shoot

Some of the pics that didn't make the cut....and oh were there many

Ryan and his GQ poseKarate Kid?

Cute...but all my pics were cute?

Ryan and Max were done at this point

He's Home!

Ryan came home tonight and all I have to say about that is "It's about time." It's so nice to have him back. He didn't enjoy this trip to Seoul, Korea and Manila, Philippines as well as he did his trip to Sydney, but he still enjoyed seeing more of the world and experiencing different cultures. We sure missed him. Max is still awake and it's 10 pm which goes to show how much he missed his daddy. He's not going to go to sleep until he's sure Daddy isn't going to sneak out in the middle of the night.

While he was gone, my little sister Carrie had her baby on December 1st. Addie Jo came to join the family after a pretty miserable journey getting here but finally arrived and was 6 1/2 lbs. and 20 inches long. That is a tiny baby for those of you who are familiar with Hassman babies. In fact, she is the tiniest one so far (I think). I haven't been able to meet her yet as Ryan has been gone and the weather hasn't been cooperating as it should for such road trips. I hope to meet her soon and have some wonderful pictures to post. Now we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of another little girl probably before Christmas...Ashley is hoping so anyway. Also, Jolea will be finding out just before Christmas what they will be having. This puts the count up to 16---Nana is going to have to build a barn outback before too long to have a place to put everyone.

There is nothing like a new baby to put life back into perspective. They renew my sense of hope, innocence, and purity. I am grateful today for my family, especially all the children. I can't wait for Christmas when the majority of us will be together. We will miss Ashley's family as she will be home with, or having a baby. What an exciting and very loud holiday it will be!