Remembering Christ at Christmas

I recently recieved a gift in the mail from my wonderful mother. It was a book "A Christ Centered Christmas" by Emily Freeman. One paticular story made my heart melt. The author tells of driving in the car with her little girl. They were listening to Christmas music and just as one song ended her daughter exclaimed, "Mom, I believe in Santa Claus, and YOU believe in Jesus Christ." You can only imagine how this poor mother's heart must have felt. Yet, it was true. They talked of Santa, they wrote letters to Santa, they were counting down the days until he would come and the wonderful gifts he would bring. After all, who doesn't love the jolly old man?
As my husband and I have conintued to read this little book, we have decided to make our own traditions for the Holiday Season that bring us closer to our Savior. The Man who is truly, the reason for the season. We want to unwrap and display the nativity set on December 1st, to sing Christmas carols and take goodies to our neighbors and loved ones; perhaps do the 12 days of Christmas to a special family, and most of all, every Christmas Eve, we want to bare our testimonies to our children of our love for our Savior and Testify of His birth, life, antonement and resurection. We want them to know that they have been given the most precious gift by Christ sacrificing his life so we may have our own, temporally and eternally with him in Hevean one day.
We are anxiously awaiting the drive to Utah. It has been too long without their warmth and laughter. I am SO grateful for the family and friends I have, and for their examples in my life.
We wish EVERYONE a Merry Christmas. And encourage you to rember Christ this Season and all year long.

Much Love,

The Meads

Carmel Beach is one of our favorite gettaways !! We really enjoyed ourselves this trip. It was not warm at all, but was still absolutely beautiful !!

An Expression of Gratitude... Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving !! I would have snapped a few more pictures, if I wasn't too busy cooking !!! Ryan and I made dinner for the Missionaries in our ward. We had turkey, of course, homemade rolls, homemade cranberry sauce, salad, homemade potatoes and turkey gravy, and THREE pies: pumpkin, razzleberry, and cherry. SO yummy !! I truly learned to appreciate all the work my Mother went to when it was her turn to prepare for this event. We have so very much to be grateful for!

Our Baby Girl... Maylee Drew Mead

Today was a very special day for Ryan and I. We found out that this precious child of ours is going to be a girl AND that she is perfectly healthy !! We are SO grateful to have had such a stress free pregnancy, and I am especially grateful to have felt as wonderful as I have. :) Thanks Mom for the "good pregnancy" genes !!

Enjoy the pics !!

A day with MOM... a LIFETIME of love ...

Happy Halloween! Mom surprised Ryan and I with a whole day in Sacramento before her next flight!! We walked up and down Old Town Sacramento and had lunch on the "Captain's Ship". Such a fun day for all of us! I love you Mom and miss you already!

MORE BABY NEWS!!

We are 75% sure we are having a baby girl!!! I couldn't decide just how to scrapbook this news, but, after a huge mess and 2 hours went by, I think I did okay.

At the Dr. appointment yesterday, we discovered our baby is a shy one. She kept putting her tiny hands in front of her face and around bottom so we couldn't see exactly what the gender was!! It was adorable. You probably can't read the names we've chosen very well, but they are Mason if it is a boy (We haven't decided on a middle name yet) and Mayley Drew if it is a girl.

I have been feeling the baby move and I had no idea it was so amazing. I still crave peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a daily basis. And for the first time last night I wanted this pregnancy to go by faster so I can hold my baby! It felt wonderful.

I received very a very smart idea from my wonderful mother-in-law, Penny the other day. She said, "You should probably start packing up the house now, because it's when you feel the best." I was so excited to hear this advice, because Ryan has already been annoyed with my persistent "nesting and rearranging". HA! Now I can do it because there is a solid purpose. I am going to start packing to move back to Utah!! I can't help but smile from ear to ear when I think about it!!

Love you all!!! We are coming home for Christmas!!!

happy birthday whitney!

Happy Birthday to Me!!! I had a wonderful day, and want to thank everyone for the phone calls, texts facebook posts in my behalf. I sure feel loved!

Ryan took the day off and decided to make me my first "Real Birthday Cake". We made the fondant and decorated the cake in about 3 1/2 hour... It was yummy!

Dinner came next, which was a chicken cordon bleu/crab and shrimp combo. It was fantastic as well. We finished the night with our friends coming over and watching a movie. SO much fun!

I have a dr. appointment in the morning and they will schedule me for my ultrasound to find out the gender. So just a few more days and we will all know what is coming. I am very excited.

Love ya!

Ryan & Whitney