Let's start at the very beginning...

a very good place to start. It's hard to believe that our vacation is over, Christmas has passed and a new year has begun. I am feeling overwhelmed as I look through all my pictures, so I thought I should probably get started! First up is our Night in Bethlehem ward party. It started with a decree that was delivered door to door.

The decree told us when and where to come to pay our taxes (canned food). We were told to come dressed in Bethlehem attire.

The day of the party (which was also supposed to be the day before we were going to leave to California) my sister graciously offered to take all of our kids so we could get some stuff done. (Thanks, Renae!!!) We made wise use of our time wrapping presents, doing laundry, wrapping and delivering caramels to our neighbors, and listening to Christmas music. What would have been a hectic day with the kids around ended up being a several hour date with my hubby! Renae called after their movie was over (they went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks) and said they were going to my brother's house where they were going to decorate sugar cookies! (Thanks, Laura!) My kids had a fun-filled day with their aunts and cousins instead of a stressful day at home with two trying-to-get-things-done parents. The kids arrived back home just in time to head out to the party. Here are some of their cookie creations (even though we had all day at home, our kitchen still somehow managed to look like a bomb went off).

Here we are ready to take the journey to pay our taxes:When we arrived we had an opening prayer, then we all received money to buy our food:
We went to the market where we bought food for our families. I forgot to bring a blanket to sit on, so my shawl became our tablecloth.

As dinner was ending, we had a very simple yet touching program. Each family was given a song book with the words to all the Christmas hymns. The Bishop read from Luke 2, and as he did, the couple that was portraying Mary and Joseph began to walk through the crowd. (She was great with child with the aid of a pillow). We watched the Nativity scene play out before us as we sang hymns. It was a beautiful reminder of the reason for the season. I was amazed at all the work that went in to this awesome night!
After the party, we had a few short errands to run. As Darin was waiting for me in the parking lot, the temperature gauge went all the way to HOT. We were supposed to leave for California right after church the next day, but decided we should talk to Jared (a mechanic in our neighborhood) before we left. When we explained what was happening with our car he told us that we would be wise to wait and have the car looked at. Fortunately Jared was able to fit us in first thing Monday morning (he even picked up our car, and delivered it back to us!!!). The problem was identified, and it didn't cost a fortune to fix it! We felt so grateful that we found out what was wrong before we left! It also gave me one more day to get my house in order so we could come home to a clean house.