After our long and arduous journey to the Valley we finally made it! It was so good to be home. Every time I come back everything seems so the same and still everything seems to have changed. It just can’t believe that I never noticed somethings and not other. We get to be taken care of again, like we were little kids again. I seem to sleep sounder and more restfully. Everything tastes better and the days seem to go by just a little bit more slowly. There is so much pressure for me coming home, because I always want everything to be perfect. I don’t want anyone to fight, or be sad. I just want to be happy and get along so that this one week a year we spend together will go well.

Alas that rarely if ever seems to happen. Just because we are safe at home does not mean that we are perfect at home. Yet, it despite all the stress for perfection, things seem to work out and we have a good time anyway.

The drama this year was missing siblings. Cam and his new wife Kelly couldn’t make it home, and Branny and Leah either. In Karl’s family, a car accident left us short Malia, Gabi, and Caitlin. Despite our missing loved ones we still had fun.

Like soon after we got home mom started her annual Christmas treat extravaganza! Everyone was enlisted to help.Even dad was not left out. We made cookies and of course:

Mom’s toffee. Mine never turns out as well as Mom’s. She uses 10 times the amount of chocolate and roasted almonds as I do. Oh, so good.

Christmas is a time of traditions yes, but also a time of giving. Both Karl and I LOVE to find the perfect gifts that we hope people will love. One of our favorites gifts this year was the one highlighted on the Video below.

Oh yeah. Just like everything that you could ever even want on a sandwich.

Dad.

Mom guarding the presents.

Here’s a glimpse of Betsy reading for us.

UUUUhhh….

He probably like it? We are not so sure…

After hanging out for a while, Karl and I headed over to my families Christmas eve party. We were at my Aunt Kathy’s house. Ham dinner, all the trimmings, and potato casserole that I made my mom make, which I didn’t even get a bite of because it was gone by the time we got there. We sang Christmas songs together Dad and brother Suma leading the way while Sister Suma played a keyboard that she brought. Here are mom and dad singing.

After talking to everybody and having lots of laughs, we started another of our old Christmas traditions, a white elephant gift exchange.

Here’s Sean with the coveted gift, and Incredible Hulk blow up chair.

Me and my dad. I LOVE YOU DAD!!!!

The beautiful Pipkin girls. Oh and that cute little thing is Hannah Arnold, my cousin Spencer’s little girl.

Yes, and this is Benji Sumateia, and yes, he is taller than me. AAAHHHH!

We headed home after the party and went to bed.

I love this tradition. Dad read to us this sweet story about the most important gift ever given, Jesus Christ.

I love listening to my dad bear testimony and help us remember what we are celebrating.

Belle and me. I am wearing my new Christmas PJ’s.

Karl’s new shoes.

Mom’s new Nativity, her favorite gift of Christmas.

Yeah, dad got ties. But I got him that cool Inn and Out shirt.

My last picture of Christmas Picture.

Pretty much sums up the trip. A great time with our families.

Later that day we opened presents with the Hite’s, went to Avatar, had an awesome couple of Christmas dinners, and spent time with the people we loved. We love our family! Thank you all for such a wonderful trip and a beautiful Christmas!