Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

The Campbells must have been good this year because Santa Claus was especially good to us. The kids got way too many toys and Trent and I enjoyed our goodies too!


Bailey got exactly what she asked Santa for... a Cinderella dress and light up shoes.

Nick got a remote control car

a punching bag that uncle Jeff got him

and a Thomas train that goes by itself

The mess that Christmas always seems to bring

Ready for bed that night

Christmas Eve

My Aunt Pam hosted Christmas Eve this year. It has been our tradition on my mom's side to go to Aunt Pam's in San Luis Obispo and have Enchiladas and usually Santa would visit... We had a good time with my grandparents and Jeff & Yolanda along with Pams family!


Here is my cousin Rachel and Aunt Pam

Bailey and Nick getting the bag that Santa left on the porch

I love being with family during the holidays! We are so grateful that we were able to see so many of my family members this trip.

Nightmare before Christmas (in the Sierras)

We heard there was a winter storm watch over the Sierras the weekend before Christmas. Since that was when we would be heading over to California, we had been watching the weather closely the days before we left. We ended up leaving a day early to try and beat it.

We headed to Winnemucca with no problem. Then on to Reno with no problem....then the nightmare storm began to hit...and it hit hard


The cars all stopping to put on chains

Just out of Boomtown we had to put on chains...45 minutes later and Trents pants splitting from the knee to the crotch...we were on our way again.


Trent sitting in cold slush putting on our chains

Here we are in the thick of things just trying to get over the mountains. Every 30 minutes or so, we came across a chain check where each car was stopped and checked for chains.

30 miles per hour in a single lane, over the Sierras seemed to take forever. and ever. A few white outs and some scary slippery parts, we were out 5 hours later.

In Sacramento the sky was black and the rain pummeled down on us hard. We made it to Manteca and visited with Jeff for awhile, then back in the car a few more hours to grandpa and Grandma Parsons house. We finally made it there at 11pm at night, more than 14 hours of tense driving...whew, we made it!

Our December...

It seems like this time of year everyone is busy... there are so many things to do and see and so many places to go. This is what we have been up to this December...

Being Super Heroes

Having an elf from Santa visit us daily

Studying for finals and enjoying Oatmeal

Visiting a few Santa's and trying to determine which one is the real one...not this one

fun kids Christmas party that we have been to the last 3 years

Talking to Grandma and Grandpa in Latvia on the TV

Going to see Santa at our Ward Christmas Party...this must be the real one because he knew the kids names

and decorating ornaments

and making our own graham cracker "gingerbread" houses

Having a family Christmas Party with Matt and Brandy's family

...with a knock on the door and some gifts left from Santa himself

and Christmas Caroling with a few family friends!

And being pooped at the end of each day!

on top of all this, our stove/oven broke and we have been cooking everything in the microwave or crockpot since Sunday and are waiting on parts to arrive (hopefully soon.)We are also trying to get the house cleaned and pack for our California adventures starting on Saturday when we head to the coast...Yippee!

I love this poem about the Connecticut Victims

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."


Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA about Connecticut victims

License and Registration, please

If you have ever been to Star, Idaho, you probably know that you must go the speed limit. If you go even 5 over, the Star Police will stop you. The speed limit in the residential is 20 and 25 in town and you must go exactly the limit. We have known this since we moved here and have had plenty of people warn us.

The Star police department has only 5 or 6 officers in the whole department with usually only 2 or 3 on duty at a time. You would think with only one car patrolling that your chances of being pulled over are small, but you would be wrong.

So today I was driving and I see the sneaky police hiding in a parking lot...I look down, only going 20mph, I'm good. About a half mile away, I look in my rear view and notice he is now behind me...a few more miles of going the speed limit then the lights come on behind me and I really have no clue why....

Officer: Do you know why I pulled you over

Me: I have no idea

Officer: I noticed a few miles back that you went over the fog line

Me: what line is the fog line?

Officer: The outside one, do you know why you did this

Me: I handed something to my daughter in the backseat, maybe then

Officer: When is the last time you had a drink

Me: I don't drink

Officer: Like ever?

Me: Like ever, I don't drink

Officer: Do you have a revoked or suspended license?

ME: No, I haven't been pulled over in almost 10 years

And after waiting for 15 embarrassing minutes for him to run my registration, and all of tiny Star driving by waving at me, the officer comes back

Officer: Well the reason it is so important that we watch for these things is that it is starting to get cold and slippery out....so we just want everyone to be safe.

ME: Ok...good to know.

Really Star Police, was that necessary? You have all been warned, if you ever visit Star Idaho, you will be watched carefully and they will get you, even if you have to sneeze and one tire touches the line...haha

Tis the season...

...of Christmas Trees

...of Christmas Lights

...of light parades

...of gingerbread men

...and Christmas Pictures!