December

Rewind to Thanksgiving weekend. We are old school and still string lights. Mike would really like a real tree and even bought the stand for the tree. BUT i'm cheap and say our hand me down tree is awesome! Maybe one day we'll splurge and get a real tree. Costco had them for $47, I can't justify that when we have so much shopping in December. One year!!

We attempt to make our tree pre-lit! We put the lights on each section seperate so we can still stack the tree without removing the lights. Last year the lights were giving us trouble (they were pretty old and were all connected to the same plug), so we removed all the lights and bought new lights on deep clearance after Christmas. Trouble was we had to re-string the lights this year. Nice stripe! We almost had enough lights and had to make things work but Mike covered the hole up nicely.

We enjoyed a movie on Black Friday Big 6 after the movie we went to the Outlet Malls in Lehi and enjoyed a visit with Santa. The girls had trouble and didn't know what to ask Santa for, Jack on the other hand couldn't stop! I liked Santa's response to Jack's x box request. Santa said he had a big box and would mark a big x on it and call it good! I need to do that!  Because he's not getting an x box from me!

Dec 2 we enjoyed car lights at Thanksgiving Point. It is $10 but on two nights free for Thanksgiving Point members. We did have to wait about 25 minutes but it was fun to see the lights. It was a first experience for all. At least it was warm! And the kids were entertaining themselves while we waited.

 After dinner and the lights we went to the plaza to see the reindeer. Sven and Dancer I believe. We missed those that didn't come with us and as always it is the best to be with family esp at Christmas time!

 cousins

 And the reindeer stood up. They are big! Still amazes me that they can carry Santa's sleigh all over the world. Must be the magic!

After the lights we went to Firehouse Subs for dinner. Monday nights kids eat free. It was a good meal. Our first dinner here also! The girls loved the hats. I love the tables--they were spotted like Dalmatians!

Lexi woke up sick Tuesday morning. Wednesday she was feeling better again so I sent her to school. After Kindergarten we went back to the school and enjoyed decorating graham cracker houses with Jack in 3rd grade. We arrived just as the kids were going out to recess so Lexi joined in. She loved playing on the big kid playground.

But looking back at this picture, I can see she didn't look 100%.

Jack loved his creation--the best part was eating it afterwards! I enjoyed that part also.

This is Lilly's, she got to come to school also.

Although, on the drive over she feel asleep. The drive isn't long at all! I carried her in and layed her down on my coat and she slept the whole activity. I guess she was tired and needed a nap!

Tree is all lite up and you can't see the stripe anymore. I also have 6 matching stockings. I've always had 4, last year I asked my Aunt Sue if she would make me two more. She originally finished the stockings. My Mom started them and Sue finished them. I love looking at the memories and love stitched into each stocking! It helps me feel my Mom at this time of year, I hope she saw that 30 years ago when she started them.

Here's my stack of Christmas cards getting addressed. This is one of my favorite Christmas tradtions!

I also received a new addition to my Nativity. The 3 Wise Men! Love this new Nativity. Thanks Mike!

Here's poor Lexi. Thursday she woke up again throwing up and it continued til Friday night when she finally wanted to eat and could keep things down. Poor thing looks as miserable as she felt. Knock on wood, she is the only one who got sick!

I was supposed to be at the school all week helping volunteer on Tuesdays in each class room and then again on Thursday and Fridays for class parties. Lexi was saddest to miss her Polar Express party. She was so excited to wear her Pj's to school and didn't get to! Miss Smith sent home a book and a darling ornament they made. It helped brighten her spirits!

Here she is Friday finally eating a cracker! PowerAde was finally what we got her to drink without throwing up. She also missed a friend Ornament Party exchange.

Random pictures of our new ornaments this year.

The rocking horse is a newbie for us but retired from Grandmother.

Here's the kids dressed up in their Christmas clothes. Jack wasn't too thrilled for a tie but decided a real tie not a clip on is even better. He also learned in cub scouts how to tie it. The girls Christmas dresses were also a after Christmas deal. $7 each. And definitely room to grow into. Still need to find Madison a sweater.

 Saturday, Dec 6 was Jack's first basketball game. He's #3 this year. And yes there uniforms are florescent yellow. I love it! Poor team got spanked however, the other team was very good and the boys had only 1 practice. Next week, Jack spanked the team. So they are tied 1-1 for the season.

Sunday Dec 7 after church we went to Normandies for brunch with Grammie and the Perri's before Grandmother leaves for sunny California!  I didn't get a group picture, just pictures of everyone sitting at the table. Most of us enjoyed egg's Benedict! The server had his work cut out with our big group! He was glistening by the time we were eating. We were also excited that Uncle Brody was in town! He also celebrated a birthday earlier this week. One year wiser for sure!
Steve, Jack, Brody

Grammie, Jenny, Sue

Lilly & Grama Tif

Laura, Finn, Rob, Mike

Chris, Candace, Evelyn, Francesco

And the kid table

Lexi and Brody were taking selfies on my phone.

Later that week, we went to see Grammie. Lilly asked Grammie to file her nails. She loves her nails painted and her hair combed--this girl might be my girlies girl yet!

On Black Friday we bought a month pass to jump n bounce for 1/2 price. We went 6 times last week! The girl at the front desk said, I don't need to see your pass anymore I remember you!

We enjoyed a day at Thanksgiving Point Museum of Ancient Life aka Dinosaur Museum with Karsyn and Ashlyn. When these two saw each other they ran over and gave a big hug and said "i missed you" They are the best of cousins! Never a dull moment with these two!

The kids are digging and playing in the sand and water and finding dinosaurs. Both little girls were soaked! Even with the bib on .

Karsyn and Lexi are best of cousins too.

Madison just rolls with the group and we all enjoyed the day. We ate lunch at Stephanie's and the kids played. It was a perfect day! The museum was empty especially compared to the days when I use to go for $2 buck Tuesdays in August. Love having a Thanksgiving Point pass--not sure how people who don't have a pass afford it. It's pricey for a day pass! $15/adult $12 for kids. Once again, thanks to Julie and Brent for giving us the pass for Christmas. It definitely is the gift that gets used and used!

We are already back to Saturday and it was another busy day. Both Maddy and Jack had games. Forgot to take pictures. Maddy's team has 10 players on it, they only get to play 1/2 of the game and sit the bench the rest. Stinks for them but it teaches them to cheer on their team mates. After the games, we went to our ward party. The theme was "Back to Bethlehem." They "encouraged" us all to dress biblical. I could only talk Mike into dressing up, myself included were not dressed up. BUT so many came in there robes and clothes dressed to see the baby Jesus. It was an outstanding luncheon, loved the caroling, the video we watched and eating food from the time of Jesus. We enjoyed peta sandwiches, with dried fruit and juice along with paying our tithes to each booth as we ate.

Later that day, I put Mike to work again. He is caulking the baseboards. It is a time consuming job. He didn't finis, today we are getting carpet. He'll have to be extra careful; we have been so busy haven't had much time to work on our project. BUT once carpet is installed all we will have left is the bathroom.

Yep, we headed back to jump n bounce.

Monday Dec 15 we enjoyed soup and gingerbread houses.  Here are some of the highlites.
Of course Candy and frosting were included in it. Mike & Bill used their carpentry skills and hot glued the houses together. Leslie we had the hardest time doing it, and missed you this year! It just wasn't the same without you and Tonya & Brian.

 Great Grandma enjoyed the night with us also. Thanks Grandma for the candy and Stephanie for the crackers and frosting. It was a fun night and a tradition both young and old love!

Tuesday, Dec 16 Mike and I snuck away for the night and enjoyed an OpenGear Christmas dinner party at Longhorn Steakhouse. We aren't that good at taking selfies. Ok they really aren't selfies, Shane took lots of pics of us being crazy!

Dinner was entertaining, we sat with Shane again and he is hilarious well actually quirky and very OCD. But enjoyed a dinner away from home. Thanks to Steve and Tif for watching the kids. And esp to my Dad for cleaning up Lilly on more than one occasion. I was trying to "help' her have regular bowels and instead caused havoc on her bowels. No more Mira Lax for Lilly! It seems like potty training is starting all over again!

Wed Dec 18 While off track we are always on the look out for new adventures. My B track friends had never been to the Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point. I can get anyone in for 1/2 price so we enjoyed the day at the museum. I only took pictures in the first room. Here the kids are experiencing tornado like winds.

Playing with water.

And Lilly is getting spinned by the big kids!

Lexi and Lilly dressed up as clowns and angels and put on a play. We ate lunch and enjoyed a wonderful day ending with seeing reindeer and icecream!

And that gets me caught up to today!