Have I mentioned lately that I really like Christmas?

I found this little picture from Christmas last year at Nana and Papa's house. She's grown up so much!
This was actually her dress from last year; my mom bought her a Christmas dress, so I didn't, but grandma's not coming out until next monday, so she's just been wearing the one from last year. (It's a little short, but not too bad :) )
(She's really not crying...she makes funny faces when I try to take a picture of her :) ) Today was our ward Christmas program at Church. (Half the ward is made up of UT's married student housing, so our ward did it a little early for students going home for Christmas) Anyway, Emmaline's nursery class has been practicing the Christmas song with the primary, so we've been practicing it at home, too, and I've been a little worried about the program, because I was afraid that she'd be too scared to go up in front of everyone (I can't even get her to go into the primary room without me :) ) but then after it was over she'd be sad because she didn't get to sing the song with everyone; luckily, though, the primary president (who is so so great with the kids...we just love her) walked right by our aisle, and asked Emmaline to go up with her, and Emmaline did, and Sister Smith held her hand up at the front, and Emmaline even sang! I was so proud of her, and so happy that it went well, that I even started tearing up a little. :) So there's our happy story from Church today. Of course we had to go home after sacrament meeting because Emmaline woke up with a suspicious cough. It's just starting, and isn't that bad, but it sounded like croup, and we've got quite a few new babies in the ward, and I didn't think their moms would appreciate Emmaline spreading croup through the nursery :)
After church today we ate our gingerbread cookies, and Royce would massacre his little guy, violently biting him apart one limb at a time, then have the gingerbread man try and scoot away with what remaining limbs he had left, only to be picked up and bitten again. (They watched a lot of war movies when they were kids...probably one too many :) ) Emmaline thought it was hilarious, though, so he ate a couple for her, then I wanted a picture, so he ate another one, then I wanted to get a video because Emmaline was laughing so hard, so he ate another one, then I realized that I forgot to hit record. But he was all cookied out by then.

Emmaline trying to mimic Daddy.

March my pretty minions...muahahahahha
Emmaline piping her first gingerbread cookie.
Mmmm...delicious.
Daddy the walking worm.

Royce is done with classes and finals and presentations, and projects! (Until next semester :) ) So now he just has to go to work, and we've had so much fun with Daddy!