Happy Holidays

The Holiday Season is in full swing.  Christmas shopping is being done.  Radios and choirs are blaring the cheerful comforting music of the season.  Snow is falling.  Trees are up.  Stockings are hung.  There is a feeling of joy and LOVE in the air, even through the hustle and bustle.  

I LOVE this time of year and everything about it.  The memories I have of ice skating with my family as a child, riding on grandpas sleigh singing Christmas carols, reading the nativity each Christmas Eve and always getting to be the angel are all things that I will cherish and hold dear in my heart forever.  But they aren't the main reasons that I love this time of year.  I LOVE it because it is a time that we get to reflect on Christ.  We get to remember his humble birth, we get to remember his life and ministry here on the earth, mostly we get to remember to be more like him.  We remember to give a little more and receive a little less. We remember to enjoy and cherish the important things in our lives.  We remember to LOVE as Christ loves each one of us.  

We would like to wish you all a HAPPY HOLIDAY season and let you all know that we LOVE you and are grateful for your friendships and examples.  

Here is a quick update on the happenings in the Packer homestead during 2009.  

Daniel finished out his last few semesters at BYU-I with a bang.  He is now working cleaning carpets for a company called Heaven's Best.  He is still a "BEAST" on the basketball court and can be found at the Center Stake playing often.  He is starting to teach guitar again and serenading Thomas and I as we dance and sing.  His favorite music artist at the time is The Swell Season.  He is in the scouts in our ward and can do a mean round of applause.  He also says he is the BEST of the BEST and I must agree because he just got done doing all of my dishes!

Sadie also graduated from BYU-I this summer and is so glad to finally be done.  She now gets to focus her full attention on Baby T and Big D.  She has definitely become a fan of all things beautiful, Audrey Hepburn, vintage, the color aqua and of course clothes and eating fabulous food.  She is also in the scouts with Daniel and has learned a lot about little boys and what it takes to keep them quite and happy.  The answer is usually a snack believe it or not!  Her favorite song at the time is definitely 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy) by Simon and Garfunkle, but the new and improved version by Danny D. Packer.  She dreams of owning her own washer and dryer someday and asked for kitchen supplies for Christmas.  

Thomas is officially not a baby anymore.  He has reached the ripe old age of 19 months and is growing like a weed.  He loves to color on anything.  He is a really fast runner and can throw a ball way better then I can.  He likes to dance, sing, play the piano and guitar.  He loves going to nursery and borrowing their crayons.  His favorite thing at the time is Elmo and his favorite song would have to be either Popcorn Popping or the Crocodile song.  This year for Christmas he wants a bike or an electronic truck (you know the ones that you actually drive and are every kids dream).  We will just have to see what Santa brings this nice little boy.  

This has been a fabulous year for the Packers.  We are still living in the Burg and loving being spoiled by our families.  We can't wait to see where 2010 takes us.  

xoxo the Packers

My Sissy

This is my sissy ALISA.  Some of you may know just how COOL she is, but for those of you who don't know her let me introduce you.  

Alisa is very SMART....SMRT and one of the best teachers that I know.  I someday hope to be half the teacher that she is.  She is tough and she always says all the right things.  

Alisa has great tastes in general.  Growing up I couldn't always say this because she tried to be uniquely funky with her style but it just came out as horribly mismatching in every way.  Don't worry folks she has blossomed (thanks Grandma Dunn) and now has impeccable tastes.  I also think it is fair to say that we share the same favorite store... ANTHROPOLOGIE.   Alisa loves loves loves shoes... 

Alisa and I growing up (and still) are very very different.  But thats what makes us get along so well because she definitely picks up my slack.  

Alisa LOVES to read.  She reads really really fast and she always has a book in her bag.

Alisa likes adventure and to be outdoors.  As a hobby not a lifestyle!  

Alisa has beautiful freckles and the longest eyelashes ever that curl perfectly.  

Alisa has a great sense of humor even if she likes to torment certain little brothers, but who doesn't?

Alisa likes to craft and create, but she isn't obsessed she just likes beautiful things!

                                                     NYC

                                           San Francisco

Alisa knows how to think in a crisis.  This is one of the number one reasons that I LOVE my sister.  She isn't emotional and so when crunch time hits she just digs in and gets dirty and does what needs to be done.  For example she came with us to dinner tonight at Bajio's.  Which have I ever mentioned that I LOVE.... well I do even if that is besides the point.  So we were eating our fabulous green chile stuffed quesedillas and enjoying one another's company when Thomas started coughing right after putting some yummy rice in his mouth.    This caused him to gag and in turn throw up everything he had just eaten.  I am embarrassed and don't know where to begin cleaning.  Should I clean up the table and then take Thomas to the restroom, or should I take Thomas to the restroom and clean him up and then come out and tackle the table.  It was about this time that I feel my throat get all tight and tears welling up in my eyes (remember I am the emotional one in the family) when I realize Alisa was forcing napkins into my hands and then whisking Thomas away to the bathroom.  She is so level headed and doesn't even blink an eye. She is the person I decide to always have with me in a crisis from now on.  

THANKS ALISA for being my life saver tonight, it was messy and smelly but that didn't stop you.  I think that you are pretty COOL and I feel pretty lucky to be your little sis.  

xoxo

Surrounded

My life is surrounded
with cars, stinky socks, basketball, blue, balls, hats, stinkers (you know what I mean), actions figures, with "saving the world" sound effects, green, dogs, sticks and dirt.
My life is surrounded with a man and a man child..
... which means that all of my christmas shopping is MANLY.  
NO bows
NO pink
NO beautiful
NO glitter
Just MANLY shopping.  Which looks a little bit like this.

VERY manly right.  Not only did he find a football that he couldn't let go of.  He found a broken ball that he decided made the perfect hat and wore it all around the store.  I thought it was adorable and hilarious.  Even if my life is surrounded by manliness it is moments like this that make it perfect.  PERFECTLY MANLY.