How 'bout a Mailbag to end the week?

Dear School,
I'm honestly kinda missing you. Although, I am very appreciative of the break, I am getting so antsy to find out my final grades and what the jurors said during my jury. You can understand why I feel like I'm getting an ulcer due to stress.
Sincerely,
Ready for Winter Semester

Dear Christmas,
Thank you for being "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year." I needed to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol the other day. It made me quite happy.
Yours,
Kelsey

Dear Work,
I don't know what to say with you.
Sincerely,
On my last leaf

Dear Presents-under-the-tree,
There are so many this year! I'm so excited to give/receive you! Really, I think I did good this year for Bryan.
Love,
Kelsey

Dear Mom and Dad,
I miss you.
Love,
Your Daughter

Dear Michael McLean,
Thank you for writing The Forgotten Carols. They make the Christmas season that much more for us. Truly.
Love,
Bryan and Kelsey
ps. I love my new plaque
http://www.forgottencarols.com/latest-products/decorative-wooden-plaques/

Dear Hunger Games,
I'm sorry we haven't met until recently. I'm glad we're friends.
Love,
can't-get-my-mind-off

"Christmas Must Be Something More" by Taylor Swift

This song has become a new favorite of mine. I first heard it three years ago at a little Christmas luncheon with my sister and some of the ladies from my ward (the group of people I go to church with).

I just love it and the message it gives. It's like in How the Grinch Stole Christmas when the Grinch realizes that "Maybe Christmas, perhaps, is a little bit more."
When Christmas first came...
It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!

It came with a simple babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes. It came with angels singing on the most high, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come!"

It continues to come with charity, the pure love of Christ. As we give our hearts to others in service, we give to our Father in Heaven and our Savior.

Happy 9 days til Christmas.

Our Christmas letter

Hello Family and Friends!

We decided to keep things simple this year and just give you the highlights of what was our 2011:

1. We took our first Family Picture! (Of course, this is a highlight mostly for Kelsey, but it's going to stay on here anyway)
2. Instead of doing something normal, we spent a morning in the air for our first anniversary. Yep, we went hot air ballooning!
3. The wedding of the year! We were the Best Man and Bride's Matron to Bryan's brother, Matthew, and his wonderful bride, Leah. What an honor it was! We love them so much!
4. Kelsey joined the community theatre scene and was a featured dancer in the SCERA Shell Theatre’s production of Aida.
5. As much as we loved Wymount, we needed a change of scenery. So, we moved to Orem.
6. Bryan spent a whole night filming the Gethsemane scene for our Church's New Testament Project. Poor soul, his life is so hard.
7. Battlescars, camo, and a new gun later, we have become paintball enthusiasts.
8. Kelsey got her Associate's degree in the summer and is now on campus at Utah Valley University. She's loving being able to sing again. . . And not taking online courses!
9. We went to Yellowstone for the T. Family Reunion. This being Kelsey’s first time at the National Park, it became quite the event. Not to mention the great company!
10. Thanksgiving was spent in sandals, shorts, and 75 degree weather. Arizona treated us well while we ate, sang songs, watched movies, and shot some guns with Kelsey’s family.

As many things highlight our year, there is one thing that will always highlight our lives: Our Savior, Jesus Christ. We wish you all a wonderful holiday and pray for the best of the New Year!

Love,

Bryan and Kelsey

Christmas Traditions

Bryan's cousin Bryton is looking for Christmas traditions.

First off, I lovelovelove her piggy bank Christmas tradition. So cute. I may have to adopt it for myself.

Secondly, I'm grateful that I read her blog today so I could feel motivated to write. (since I've been dead to the world)

Thirdly, let's talk about CHRISTMAS.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Bryan and I have started a little tradition where we open our gifts to each other before Christmas, that way we can do it together. It's so sharing our own little Christmas. That's pretty much our only tradition together.

One of my favorite traditions from growing up was caroling outside my parents' bedroom door. You see, on Christmas morning, we would all convene in my parents room, make their bed, kneel next to it and thank our Father in Heaven for our Savior before going to demolish the living room.

Well, my parents didn't want all 9 of us barging in there (especially when they were (a) in their garments aka undies and (b)up all night laying out presents so they didn't want to get up right when we did).

My parents locked us out of their room.

So, we sang. Usually, it wasn't very pretty because we just wanted to wake them up so we could commence the demolishing of the living room. But, in the end, it has become one of my favorite thing about Christmas.

Thanks, Bryton :)