Ceci's 1st haircut :(

Yesterday Ceci was sitting on the bed with me when I noticed I was looking at where her cute long tail/curl used to be. I was shocked to realize it had been cut off. :(
I immediately knew who the culprit was. I asked Lala to bring me the hair (if it was still around) and she brought it to me in this toy pot. :( How I'll miss that little long baby curl! It was so pretty when her hair was freshly washed. I wish I could have cut it myself. I guess its pretty funny too, right?

Twilight

I finally saw the movie yesterday!! Overall, I enjoyed it. Some parts were very disappointing, some parts wonderful. I'm glad I read it before seeing it so I'll always have my own perfect version in my head!

Christmas Day

Santa came!!!

He filled the stockings!

















He ate some cookies and drank his milk before leaving.

The Girls woke up!!
Wow! Santa brought them a beautiful Mushroom house with Snow White and the seven dwarves!













They opened their stockings--they got some wonderful stuff!!

































The girls exchanged the gifts they bought each other at the Elves Faire. They LOVED them!



















Craig and I exchanged gifts-



















I love how Ceci seated these little Japanese eraser critters around the mushroom table!













Grandma gave the girls a mushroom merry-go-round and some flower fairies.
Lala made her a pine cone ball and Bella sewed her an angel out of felt.



















I gave the girls these dollies last year.  Late last night, 
I cleaned and spruced them up because I was giving a gift today to go with them!
The gifts were slings for the girls to carry their dollies in. Brieanne and I made them out of the fabric we had dyed two weeks ago! (Thanks, Brieanne!)

















Thanks, Jeff and Janice! The girls loved the mugs, and especially the dolphins and necklaces!













Yummy breakfast-- Egg and potato casserole with onions, green chiles, bacon and cheese!













We gave lots of mint chocolate treats to Grandpa for Christmas!













Our Mushroom Village

















Santa put geodes in the girls stockings. Craig had to whack them super-hard to break them!
Two had crystals, but one did not!













Delicious dinner! Arroz, frijoles and shredded beef soft tacos with freshly-made salsa, guacamole, crema, and cotija cheese. Yum!












Pajama pictures. How I love these kids!!



We had a very blessed Christmas. We hope you all did too.

Christmas Eve

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve. It started with Craig and the girls baking a Nativity set from gingerbread! My dear friend Susan had given the cookie cutter set to us when she was visiting. Meanwhile, I finished last minute gift-making with the girls, wrapping, lots of cleaning and then I set the table.

Grandma Ginny (and later, Craig) made one of our favorite dinners-- pasta, meatballs, green beans, salad, and bread. We lit our 5th Advent candle and sang "Away in a Manger" before we blessed the food. Everything was delicious!

After dinner, I bathed the girls and gave them some brand new organic red pajamas from Hanna Anderson. (They were on sale for half price!) They LOVED them! Then, we went into the living room to do the Nativity story. My dad read the scriptures from Helaman 14 (from the Book of Mormon,) Luke 2, and Matthew 2. The girls used the gingerbread cookies to act out the Nativity while Grandpa read. We sang many beautiful songs throughout: "Samuel the Lamanite," "Stars were gleaming," Away in a Manger," "Far, far away on Judea's plains" and "Joy to the World." It was very nice. I never get tired of reading such a special story or singing the songs.

I have to highlight my BEAUTIFUL new candle holder that Eric (Brieanne's husband) had given us earlier in the day. He made it from a fallen branch from a tree in their yard. It can hold tapers and votives and I LOVE it! I put it on our piano behind our little white nativity and it looked beautiful. Thank you Eric and Brieanne, I LOVE it!

Before we put the girls to bed, Craig read "The 12 days of Christmas," "The Christmas Cat," and the"Twas the Night before Christmas." It was pretty late, so the girls were tired and fell quickly to sleep.

(We had a lot of work to do! :) )

Our Christmas Card

We have not gotten around to sending a Christmas card because we have been so busy (I have a lot of blogging to do!)  And when you have a blog, it can seem a little redundant. But now that it's Christmas Eve, I've been feeling a little guilty, (especially because we've been sent quite a few nice cards!) So I've decided to blog and email a card. At least we're saving paper, right? So here it is:

Merry Christmas from the Gallups!!

We wish all a wonderful Christmas celebrating its true meaning-- that the Savior of the World was born.  

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 

We celebrate with you the gift that our Savior is to us-- Our Light, our Example, our Redeemer and Friend.  May you all feel His love for you as we do.  We are forever grateful for what He is to our family.  Remember that wise men still seek Him!

With much love,

The Gallups

Extra Christmas thoughts

In spite of the busyness and the craziness of the season, I feel blessed that I've had some wonderful opportunities to really feel the reason why we celebrate Christmas.  I have felt it when I hear and sing beautiful Christmas songs. l love the line, "O come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant."  I love that those who have faith can be joyful and triumphant!  I am so grateful that we can triumph over sin and our temptations that make us less than what we should be.  I also love the line "God rest ye merry gentleman," and "to save us all from Satan's power when we have gone astray."  I love that through Christ, we can rest.  And that through Him we can still get back on the right track when we've gotten off.   He gives us that wonderful gift of change--repentance.  Such "tidings of comfort and joy!"

I have felt the true meaning of Christmas as I've watched the Whos still sing even though all their presents were stolen by a grinch.  And then I felt it as I watched the grinch's heart grow 3 times plus 2 when he saw that it wasn't about the gifts!  What I love about celebrating the birth of our Savior is that we are celebrating the wonderful gift that He is-- the gift that He gives us that we can be new through Him!  I am so grateful for Him.

We dehydrated some oranges and apples last week for ornaments and I kept thinking "All things testify of Him."  There are stars in the apples that reminded me of the new star that arose at Christ's birth.  And the orange slices look just like suns that made me think of the Son.  Christ is everywhere if you just take a look!

P.S.  Please scroll down for new posts!!  I will be "filling in" from Dec 20th through Christmas!! :)

El Coyote and Temple Lights

We've been wanting to see the lights at the Los Angeles temple and we've also been wanting to eat at and support the restaurant "El Coyote." So we decided to do both tonight since they're not too far from each other!

I'm very happy to report that El Coyote was completely crowded and that people had to wait to get a table. The food was delicious--even better than I remember. We had a great time. If you are an LA resident, please support this restaurant--it deserves it for many reasons!

We then went to the Temple and looked at all the lights. They were gorgeous! We especially loved the new white nativity set they put up. We wandered around as long as we could because it was pretty freezing out there. (I was very happy that I had just gotten my new winter coat the day before--my last one was taken by someone who must've needed it more than me.)

I love to go to the Temple. It is very peaceful there and I truly know it is the house of the Lord.