Christmas Day!!!

To top off our Christmas Eve last night, we went and got some ice cream then drove around town looking at Christmas lights, listening to Christmas music. It was MAGICAL!! We stopped at my grandparents home and wished them a very MERRY CHRISTMAS as well as letting them know how much we love them! Alofaaga said they had the best Christmas lights on their home in town. They were so happy to hear that!!! We then came home and watched a Christmas Story ( one of my personal FAVORITES) Alofaaga had never seen it and was skeptical at first but he then fell in love with it just as I have and enjoyed it with me!!

After we woke up this morning and opened presents we went to my mom's house to be with my siblings and open presents with them. I got some AMAZING body wash and lotion, the movie P.S. I Love You, and some lip gloss!! Love it!! (Thank you Jamie!!) and Alofaaga got a very nice tool box to keep all of the new tools that Santa brought him! He loved it!! (Thank you Savana!!!) I didn't take any pictures because I forgot my camera :( but my mom and sister-in-law took a lot of pictures so I will have to get them from them and post them later. Cam (my sweet little nephew) was so dang cute and excited!! He was running around everywhere trying to help everyone open their presents. He is such a big helper!! It made a GREAT Christmas just that much to see him so excited and happy!!!
After my mom's house we came home and I took a nap :) I was super tired. I woke up to Alofaaga cooking one of his favorite meals, Lamb and Potatoes in coconut milk. Look how proud he is of himself with all of his food! He makes me soo happy!

Christmas Morning!! So exciting!!

It was sooo much fun watching Alofaaga opening Christmas presents this year!! He got soo excited!! This year he was super good and Santa brought him ALOT of tools!! He loved them soo much!

Look how happy he looks!!

The perfect end to the perfect Christmas... Going to my mom's home and eating Christmas dinner with my family. Alofaaga has already eaten his lamb with potatoes and coconut milk but he will be able to stuff some more good stuff in his tummy, I am sure. Our little puppy, Oggie has torn apart all of the toys that Santa left him as well. I am sure he enjoyed the 20 mins or so that he got to play with them!! He gets pretty excited on Christmas day, just like he should!! Love that little puppy!!! Alofaaga is now in the front room playing with his power tools (his drill to be exact). I am not sure what he is trying to drill so I better go make sure everything is okay!!! :)

Alofaaga says that this was "the BEST Christmas EVER!!" I have to agree with him. We look forward to the New Year as well as preparations for another "BEST Christmas EVER!" next year!!!

Christmas Eve at the Laulu's

Dreams do come true, and have in our home!! We are soo happy for the blessings that we enjoy as well as for one another!! Alofaaga is a the best gift that Heavenly Father has given me this year besides the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, which makes if possible for me to be with Alofaaga FOREVER!!!

The nativity, The whole Reason for the Season!!

Christmas Eve dinner, Potatoes and Roast... Yummy!!!

Alofaaga by our first Christmas tree

Our sweet little family, Oggie, myself and Alofaaga

We hope that you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

~MANUIA LE KIRISIMASI MALE TAUSAGA FOU!!~

ALOFA ATU,

ALOFAAGA & SHANTAL LAULU

First Christmas Ornament!!

"When you put this ornament on your tree,

We hope that you will see

That beautiful bride and groom

That once stood in the celestial room.

Like the chandelier with all it's lights

That shone on you dressed in white,

May this crystal remind you of

Eternal light sent from above."

We received this poem and ornament in the mail from the Batchelor's. I was sooo happy and excited!!! It will be a cherished keepsake forever!! Thank you Marcia!! We love you!!

First things first...

Right when we get home from church every Sunday, I run and put my sweats on :) I had to wear a dress or a skirt for one year and a half nonstop so now I get out of those things as soon as I can! Sweats are MUCH more comfortable anyways! Alofaaga stays in his shirt and tie most Sundays because he has AN AMAZING home teaching partner who will go with Alofaaga to visit their families almost EVERY SUNDAY!! My husband is such a good, righteous and kind man!! And he is HOT!! I am sooo LUCKY!!!Alofaaga still LOVES to have his picture taken in the snow... makes me smile!!!

While I am changing into my sweats, my sweet husband dishes up himself a big cup of WARM Samoan Koko... I am still not such a fan so I leave ALL of it for him and he is so GRATEFUL because he LOVES it!!!

And then there is our puppy, Oggie. He is soo dang funny and CUTE!! He goes outside and plays in the snow all day. He even waits at the gate for us to get home from church when it is FREEZING COLD and then comes in side and cuddles up next to the heat vent... So funny!!

Life is good, we are soooo blessed and sooo HAPPY!!! I am so amazed at all of the blessings that we enjoy and the WONDERFUL friends and family that have helped to make life soooo good!!

It's starting to look ALOT like Christmas at the Laulu's!!!

This is what is going on around our side of town lately! Life is good and now that school is almost out for the semester we have a lot more time to get ready to get ready for our 1st Christmas together. We are both pretty excited!! Alofaaga really likes to go out into the snow without his shirt on to take pictures... The neighbors must think we are crazy!! Oh well, I think it's fun and cute... AND super cold!!! I enjoy cuddling with him to warm him up when he comes back inside :)

As I mentioned before, Alofaaga has had a lot of fun putting up Christmas lights outside. This is all that he got done before it snowed
He is so proud of his HARD work!!!

That tree has ALOT of lights on it!! I think it looks great!!!

This is our Christmas tree for this year. We had a great time putting it up together for the first time. We set up the nativity scene in front of the Christmas tree on the table so that we could remember the Reason for the Season, our Savior and His birth.

Work Christmas Party

Tonight was our work Christmas party and it was soooo freaken fun!! I loved every minute of it and walked away with the cutest Christmas magnates for my fridge!! Great time with good friends!! I cooked the turkeys all by myself!! My first time EVER cooking a turkey and they even turned out great!!! I was and still am soo proud of myself! Who knew I could cook turkeys? I didn't but now I do!! I wasn't able to take any pictures but I did have a great time with my coworkers and my sweet husband. I should mention that he did do ALL of the dishes when we got home that I used in my crazy day of cooking... What an ANGEL!! In fact I haven't had to do the dishes since I got married. Everyone says that would only last the first month or so... Well it has been almost 4 months and still he ALWAYS does the dishes!! I love him sooo much! He walked away from the Christmas party with some OLD not so cute pictures that have been passed around the agency as a white elephant gift for a few years now. He is soo funny! I am now baking him some cupcakes (with no frosting, he thinks frosting is too sweet) to show my love and appreciation for him!