{Home For The Holidays}

This year our family headed to Colorado on top of Green Mountain. I love going home and seeing things that bring up so many fond memories. I will always remember my home as warm and loving. I think about my parents and their wonderful relationship they had with one another, how they respected one another and how much they cherished their children, me especially : ) There was no doubt that I knew I was loved then and now. Other things that I notice are new things. They seem to have neon flashing lights all over them. Sometimes I wish things would stay the way we left them but they don't. Things change, people move forward. It's important that we don't live in our past but that we learn from it and allow us to use those tools to find new horizons and heights.

President Thomas S. Monson says it best . . .

The past is behind,

LEARN FROM IT

The future is ahead,

PREPARE FOR IT

The present is here,

LIVE IT

It's fun to look back on memories and look how far you have grown and how much you have learned. I remember when I was younger I never thought the day would come that I'd be married let alone the day I had children. It just seemed to far away and here I am. I remember worrying when I was younger how bad I wanted to turn 12 then 16 and then 18 and now I just wish years would go slow like I thought they were when I was younger. I am like my mother and many ways but one in particular is I tend to worry, but now my worries are not who should I marry they are more about my families health, my children's safety, my student loans running out : ). Just like then I know now that I shouldn't have to worry. That things always work out and if by some unfortunate instant they don't at least I will always have a loving family and more importantly a loving and understanding Father in Heaven and with FAITH things will work out! This Thanksgiving my thoughts and prayers were full of Thanksgiving towards my Family & my Savior and my Father in Heaven. Many many prayers have been thanking my Heavenly Father for spoiling me and my family. He knows me very well. He knows my name (all of them Andrea, Andie, Anj, Aundrea) All the different names people call me He knows them all. I know He is taking care of me even more then I think He is.

It's wonderful that it doesn't even need to be Thanksgiving in order to be thankful for things. but I do love Thanksgiving for the many long pauses I get to reflect upon my blessings!

You are probably wondering why I took a picture of this china. This single plate with a collection of many more holds a special place in my heart. More then anything I would love eating off these plates. It was these plates where my family gathered at holidays and would eat off of them. Even when I was really little my mother would trust me with such beautiful china. I remember imagining that I was royalty eating like a princess along with the gold-ware and gold rimmed water goblets. This Thanksgiving was exciting to watch my oldest nephew Trenton the only lucky one to sit at the adult table look at the china as his eyes lit up mine was too. I was so excited that he was excited to be sitting at this table and as I looked at his face I imagined that is how my face was when I got to sit down and eat like a princess for a day. My Great Grandma Lura bought this china for my mother, which means it has greater value to me. I admire my great Grandma Lura along with all my other siblings. She died at the age 101 and had great health through it all except the last six weeks of her life. I always told myself I wanted to live to see 100 years just like my Great Grandma Lura. I just hope and pray I have her health along the way!

This is my sister Tanya busy in the Kitchen before the great feast.

Growing up the men (mainly my dad) would mash the potatoes! Yummy! So here are a few men hard at work. A lot of times I find myself asking Jon to mash the potatoes just cause that's what my dad always did and it's one less thing I have to do : )

Emberlynn sat behind me in the corner (poor girl) during the Thanksgiving Feast. Oh well she didn't seem to mind, but I bet Dad's carpet did with with the mess she through down. I forgot to get a drop cloth. OH well the carpet survived too!

Alix & Cody

Little Addison

Cute Kylee!

Grandkids

{PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS!}

This year everyone was home for Christmas. So we decided to help my dad put up his Christmas Tree!

This was so much fun even though we didn't get a real tree this year all the old ornaments were there to decorate with. We all took turns starting with my father putting up the Salt Lake Temple were him and my mother were sealed. Then oldest to youngest. These trees mean so much to me and it's one to never replace. When I was in Middle school I convinced my mother we needed to trees one fake and one real. The fake one I would design so I did and then it was tradition to add something new to the tree. One year I bought a train set that went around the tree to surprise my mother. We even put a village set with snow at the bottom of the tree. I loved this tree and it ended up being a fun tree were we would gather around Christmas Eve. And Christmas Day we would go to the Family room on Christmas Day. I loved this Tradition cause I Front room we were never aloud to play in at times I looked at it as a quiet room where I did much meditation in. So to have a beautiful lite tree in that room meant so much to me as I contemplated the true meaning of Christmas. Still to this day I keep the tradition to add something new to my tree and I always think of my mother when I do cause it was our tree.

Here's my Daddy-O putting up the first Ornament! Salt Lake Temple! I still remember Kristie and Bryce bought for my mom & dad back when they were first newlyweds living in Provo. I remember thinking how beautiful it was and guess what I have one too! Well of the Las Vegas Temple. I will soon get one of the Salt Lake Temple.

Here is me hanging my ornament. It was a wooden bear that I got from my favorite Elementary Teacher Mrs. Fowler (Maybe cause she told me I was beautiful everyday even when I cut my own bangs---and I wonder where my children get it from). Oh and one more thing Me and Austin Turner was called Teachers Pets. Which we were and we loved it. She would have us two do everything for her- everything!

Here are all the grandkids- All of them

Three more are on the way!

Congrats

Tanya Due April 30th

Danell Due May 10th

&

1 More but I dare not say cause she hasn't blogged about it yet! She's due end of June though!

Wish I could join the bandwagon- but I need to wait just a little bit longer.

{the DITTBRENNER GRANDKIDS}

presents

"The Christmas Carol"

I bet you can get the idea that I grew up with many traditions. I truly believe that is one of the many reasons why my family is so close. But here is another tradition. When I was little along with my other sister we would put on a play for my parents a Christmas play. I am sure there were many cheesy ones - -Many, but it's a tradition that stuck around even when there were only a few grandkids. Danell, Casandra and Me All grown-up and would put on a play or skit for the grandkids. Now I am happy to say we are finally the ones that get to be entertained and this group is way more entertaining. They all have so much talent and I can't help but think the relationships they are building while working so hard to put on this play. Everyone did so well and none of the adults helped. They did it all and they did a GREAT JOB!

Who knows when I am older and my kids think they are too old to entertain I will pull out my actress skills again and put on a play for my grandchild. The best part I bet is my sisters would be all game for it too!

THAT'S WHY I LOVE MY FAMILY!

I had to add this picture of Cal. He is Tiny Tim. He totally stole the show with his crutch and limp. Lame me almost starting crying as he said "GOD BLESS EVERYONE"

He was seriously adorable!

Here are the Carolers. Way to be Girls!

Here's Kristie taking pictures. Sometimes I keep thinking I should not take any pictures cause everyone is always snapping away and everyone has professional cameras except me and I could just use there's but then I think how much I enjoy taking pictures and I love to compare blogs and what they decided to snap away versus my snaps. (Jon actually took all of these this night. I got to sit down and enjoy)

Here is the fam sitting around on lawn chairs watching the production. It was pretty cold, but I thought it was very creative of them to use the front of the house for this play. Another creative thing they did.