Grandparents visiting

 Grandma C and Grandpa S came today wearing the most epic sweaters.  I was inspired to get this group picture early.

Christmas Eve we did some caroling.

Christmas day was great.  We stayed home and watched a few movies and played with new toys.

Friday fun

 The library south of our town is small but awesome.  They have a toy room and a lego collection with a huge table bordered  to keep legos on the table.  B and L were excited to go and spend a few hours there yesterday.  The 3 peas got to do a Kiwi Crate.  M mowed the lawn and got to buy a pair of jeans with a water bottle pocket!  E got a UTI diagnosed and medicated.  It was a good day.

This Christmas

 Over the years we have tried different approaches to having the children gift to people.  This year the 4 children at home will give a gift of service, food and thing to the various siblings.  So each gets one of each kind of gift and each gives one of each kind of gift.  

In past years the kids have taken turns filling the stockings or playing St. Nicolas.  This year I asked them each to tell me an item they want to have in the stockings, and they can put that item into each stocking.  

I really want them to have a good time and experience gifting.

Today we went to Rainbow Mountain.  Phillip and I went on a lunch date.  The kids watched Home Alone and made cookie houses.  Another great day!

Christmas of ambitions

 We have 2 weeks of vacation and we are staying in town.  We want to see what is here and not just sit around on the computers.  Our goals include visiting every branch library in the area system.  We want to do something outdoors every day.  We want to play a board game each day.  We want to watch a movie together.  We want to have the kids do some educational things.  Today was our first day with everyone on break.  We went to Cathedral Caverns, and later watched "Tom and Huck" which had scenes shot in the caverns.  So cool!  The kids have a rotation for computer time to keep them from becoming complete vegetables.  M even taught B a lesson on the piano.  We got to chat with G.  It was a great start.  We didn't get everything done on the list but it was one of those "Shoot for the moon..." efforts that led to a great day.

When we were passing through the town where P teaches we stopped at a park.  Some of his students were there and our kids got to see what a celebrity P is. 

movie crying

 I got to see the Barbie movie, having gotten on the library hold list early on.  I cried and texted M that it made me cry.  She watched it at the theater with friends in the summer.  I told her I love her.  She very nicely said she loved me too.

I realize I've always been a movie crier.  I remember crying about "The King and I" when I was 8 years old!  Strong emotions are what I do.

I have a new calling in primary.  I cry a lot in that calling.  Luckily the teachers sing a long and so my tears don't ruin the song, that much.

Great Park

 

The kids had a great time at this park.  We tried riding the bike course across the street but it was muddy.

LP still loves to run and play.  She was kind and inclusive to other small kids at the park.

I started making this peg people nativity last year.  I had Mary, Joseph and the Angel done.  In a flurry of activity, I painted 7 more characters, made a manger and barn yesterday.  We have not had a kids nativity in all our years with kids.  The dollar store one broke when G and M were little.  We had a fancy one from the Levanions that we never used.  I’m glad we have one now.

most wasteful dream ever

 In my dream last night I had agreed to drive a group of ladies 2 hours north to deliver wedding shower gifts to someone I barely knew.  When we got there we parked at Disney because(??) and had a 2 hour parking limit.  After hanging out and doing various hand sewing alterations to our strange gifts I panicked about the parking situation.  My fears were confirmed, the van had been towed.  When we tracked down a parking attendant to argue that we still had time on the clock he showed us pictures that explained why the van was towed early.  Ah, the van was wrapped in a giant sheep costume and that had taken up extra space and been a distraction, so they had towed it.