Love, Life, & Games of Chelsea & James: December 2015

December 1

Our young women activity was a Cookies & Cocoa Christmas Pajama Party where we read Luke 2 and Christmas stories!

Hot Cocoa Bar

December 2

James and I finished decorating for Christmas!

The carpet looks blue purple but it's gray. James' scrubs are blue though.

Christmas mistletoe hanging from the chandelier.

Christmas table centerpieces.

More Christmas decor.

Our Christmas Tree is bigger this year!

Christmas fireplace.

Christmas hedgehog.

Stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

Christmas advent.

Another Christmas hedgehog rides in Santa's sleigh.

The Santa Nans & Gramps gave us for Christmas last year!

All the Christmas books.

Christmas decorations at the Chapman house!

December 3

I had lunch at Ashley Miller's house with Kristie, Bobbie, and Ashley Levin and their kiddos. Ashley M. made amazing chicken pot pie soup!

Finn & Remie & Brooke

December 4

I got to babysit cute Reed!

December 5

James takes a Christmas nap.

December 6

Happy Birthday Cita!

We watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

James and I worked on the Thomas Kinkade Christmas puzzle.

December 7

Young Women Presidency meeting and two different kinds of soups today: pumpkin turkey chili & chicken noodle. I went for a walk today. Plus Christmas smells fabulous in my house.

Faye was not enjoying the presidency meeting too much.

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Chicken Noodle

My Christmas walk still looks like fall.

All lit up!

December 8

Our young women activity was a baby shower for Bri. The young women shared their favorite story books with Bri as a gift to her and her new baby boy. My children's story book I shared was The Little Brute Family.

McKenna made fudge for the occasion. Yum!

This book is a childhood favorite of mine!

December 9

No documentation.

December 10

I went Christmas shopping at Target and ended up buying two pairs of ankle boots for my Christmas gifts!

December 11

Book Club at Tami's house was so fun! The book we read was Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. The food theme was Christmas traditions. I made my Christmas cheeseball! James and I worked on our Christmas puzzle and made homemade cinnamon ornaments. I made Christmas cookies and ham and potato cheddar soup. We wrapped Christmas gifts and watched White Collar, our new favorite show since we finished watching House! We had a fondue date to commemorate when we had one of our first dates at the Melting Pot & the Nutcracker Ballet in Salt Lake City 5 years ago. The fondue was delicious and we dipped apples and watched Miracle on 34th Street together. It was such a fun Christmas date with my love who had the day off!

I really enjoyed this book and it's an easy read!

Fondue for two.

One of my must-watch Christmas movies!

December 12

I attended the Narragansett Ward Christmas Party. James had to work, but I sat with the Lehnhofs, Bergesons, Crapos and Amber. The program featured the many musical talents of ward members including some of the young women! I was very proud of them for getting up there and sharing their talents. The food was good and I loved hanging out with friends and feeling the Christmas Spirit. I wish James could have been there.

This is a huge tree in someone's front yard they decorated for Christmas!

The decorations were beautiful thanks to Haidee.

The star on top of the basketball hoop!

I volunteered the pine cones to accent the table centerpieces.

Finn, Remie, & Livie

The ward singing Silent Night all together.

The talented Alysa Smith, Sarah Smith, and Eve Storms playing the harp!

Elena Storms Hawaiian Hula dancing to a Christmas tune!

December 13

I sang Angels We Have Heard on High with the ward choir at church today. I taught the young women lesson on how we can invite others to come unto Christ. At home I had the hardest time opening a jar of salsa. I even called Nana & Gramps to help me. It was so frustrating not having James home to get the dang jar of salsa open, but I was independent and finally got it open after a half hour of trying! Haha.

This is one of THE most AMAZING Christmas videos EVER. You MUST watch!

December 14

James and I finished the Christmas puzzle!

December 15

James and I assembled the Christmas goodie plates and delivered them to some of our close friends who live nearby. We loved looking at the pretty Christmas lights on our way too!

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Christmas Toffee

Homemade cinnamon ornaments

Christmas goodie plate!

Gorgeous Christmas lights!

December 16

No documentation.

I listen to this song on repeat during Christmas time.

December 17

I had a young women presidency meeting at T's cafe for breakfast with Haidee. Bri couldn't make it because she went into labor that morning and baby Brooks Bergeson was born!

Brooks Andrew Bergeson

December 18

James had the day off so we got to hang out and do Christmas things together.

Here are a few more Christmas decorations around our home.

Our wall of Christmas Cards!

The nativity from Germany that Steven gave us from his mission!

Front door Christmas wreath

Breezeway door Christmas wreath

#ASaviorisBorn

December 19

I attended an ugly holiday sweater party at Bryn's house. James had to work so I went alone. It's his last shift in the emergency department before he starts his new rotation.

Bryn & Chelsea

December 20

Christmas Sunday together at church! We loved singing the Christmas hymns. We have a student staying with us for 2 weeks as he rotates at Kent in the emergency department. His name is Vinny and he's super nice!

Christmas Sunday together.

December 21

James started working in the ICU for this next month's rotation. I flew to Texas and got in at noon. Dad picked me up and I hung out with Piper. We watched Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

Paxton found a comfy spot on top of a suitcase haha.

Another must-watch Christmas movie.

December 22

Piper and I made Christmas pancakes. I picked Peter up from the airport. Together we made chocolate "gingerbread" Christmas houses made out of Kit Kats and Hershey's bars. Peter, Chandler, Piper, and I took Paxton on a walk and then we drank hot chocolate (not Paxton haha). Pi and I watched Little Women. Mom came home from work and even though Little Women is one of her favorite movies, she wouldn't come in to watch the rest with us because she didn't want to start bawling like Pi and I were! Such a good movie. We wrapped Christmas presents then once Dad came home we watched Christmas in Connecticut. I absolutely adore that movie but I was so exhausted I fell asleep during it!

Christmas pancakes.

Peter master chocolate house builder

Pi & Pax

Chan

Chan serenades us with music

Pete did a great job!

Ta-da!

Our Chocolate Christmas House

Coconut shreds as snow.

M&Ms as green bushes.

This was so fun! Thanks Dad for the idea!

Pi walking Pax

Siblings!

I love this part of the walk.

LOVE this movie!

Christmas cocoa.

If you haven't seen this movie, you MUST! It is HILARIOUS!

December 23

I celebrated Christmas with my Fakkel family at Nana and Gramps' house. We had a delicious dinner with ham, cheesy potatoes, rolls, green beans, pie, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, the works.We all missed James working in Rhode Island. Nana and Gramps gave me a gorgeous antique silver serving spoon. Nana also got me a bow maker! I got some DVDs and a cupcake dispenser from Pi and a donation to our kitchen renovation fund from Mom and Dad. I enjoyed giving my gifts to the family and I loved our Christmas conversation.

Nana's elegant Christmas table.

Antiques

Antique centerpieces.

I love the dishes.

Nana's elegant Christmas tree.

Christmas village.

Fakkel siblings.

Gramps & Chels

You can find Piper at the dessert table!

Dad pours the sparkling cider.

Paxton being a good boy.

Nans & Gramps set up for us.

Merry Christmas pooch!

This one with Dad

This one with Pete.

Dad gets a GI Joe set in the original packaging!

Gramps helps Paxy with his treats!

Can you find the pup?

I love them.

December 24

My flight back to Rhode Island was delayed for 1 hour, but I got home in the afternoon. Bobbie picked me up from the airport and I got to see James at work. When I got home the basement had a little bit of flooding from the rain, so I assembled the wet-dry vac I got from Black Friday online shopping and sucked it up. Once I was warm and dry, I made a batch of Christmas toffee. I made the cheeseball before I left for Texas, so we were all set to watch It's A Wonderful Life, our Christmas Eve tradition. We read Christmas stories and Luke 2.

Thanks Mom for this Christmas candle!

Cheeseball & crackers

It's A Wonderful Life

Christmas toffee

Luke 2

December 25

Merry Christmas! I was so blessed to spend Christmas Day with James. He miraculously had the day off of work! We read the scriptures & Christmas stories and opened stockings. We ate a Christmas breakfast casserole and opened gifts. It was 63 degrees out so we went for a Christmas Day walk! Christmas fettuccine alfredo with shrimp for Christmas dinner. One of my favorite gifts I gave James was Yonanas, a machine that turns frozen fruit into soft serve ice cream! So now we can enjoy ice cream made of 100% fruit (so it's just frozen fruit, not really ice cream haha)!

The tree on Christmas morn.

This was the BEST breakfast casserole I've had!

Super excited!

Merry Christmas!

After opening all the presents.

I got 5 pairs of shoes for Christmas! (They were all really good deals!)

Cute James and his Yonanas!

James surprised me with the ankle boots and classic books!

He also surprised me with Dominoes!

About to go on our walk! It was SO nice out.

Meanwhile in Orem, Utah it looks like this at the Chapman house!

Enjoying the weather!

Paxton curled up on Christmas

My siblings sent this snapchat to us!

Christmas Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp & Asparagus

Our 2015 Christmas Card!

December 26

I shopped for discounted Christmas candy!

December 27

Today was an odd Sunday at church. I went to ward council in Haidee's place. We only had two young women and myself there in class. Then the Bishop extended a new calling to me (it's a big one!). James was at work and lots of people were out of town. It was just weird! But the lessons were still good of course and we still sang Christmas hymns.

I love this quote by our prophet President Thomas S. Monson!

December 28

No documentation.

Matt & Liv gave us this cute retro radio for a housewarming gift and we love it!

December 29

The first snow of the season! I wish it wasn't after Christmas, but then again I did enjoy the nice weather on Christmas.

It just started to snow.

December 30

James and I went to help out at the Stake Youth New Year's Eve Black & White Dance. We drove Lexi Smith there. James says she reminds him of Danielle! I agree :) I got out on the dance floor with Lexi and McKenna! James helped the men flip pancakes. It was fun but I felt so old being at a stake dance as a leader!

You can kind of see the similarity between Lexi & Danielle right?

It's personality too though. Haha.

James flipping pancakes for the youth!

December 31

James and I went on a New Year's Eve day date! We lunched at Five Guys Burgers and Fries and saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens together. Both the burgers and movie were excellent! James went to work overnight in the ICU. I attended a New Year's Eve Party at the Stoklosa's house and toasted all our friends from the ward at midnight. James sent me a text wishing me a Happy New Year! I love that man.