Christmas 2014

I am officially now three years behind on making blog books.  I'm currently working on 2012, but I guess if it's all saved out there in cyberspace I'll eventually get it done.  I have been terrible about taking pictures lately and rarely get out my real camera anymore, and the same goes for Christmas.  This is definitely not the best documented Christmas ever, but it was a great one! I did not have the flu this year so that was a bonus.  Poor Ian was sick with a stomach bug, but he was a trooper and had fun anyway.  We enjoyed Christmas Eve at our house with my parents.  The kids put on a little program, we played games, ate, and opened the traditional Christmas PJs.  Ian just changed from the PJs he wore all day into his new ones.  It was a fun, relaxed night.

Christmas morning was really fun this year.  We had the kids take turns opening presents and it was great!  We all had the chance to see what everyone got and it actually lasted more than 10 minutes.  After Luke and Seth drove the Gator into the ground Santa brought a Razor for Ian and Leah to enjoy for the next 3 or 4 years.  Luke got a real bow.  He is way excited about it and is going to start shooting in leagues with Jer this winter.  He also got soccer stuff.  Seth got an ipod which gives me major heartburn, but we made the mistake of getting Luke one at age seven so in the spirit of fairness it was his year.  They have serious restrictions on what, where, how, when they can use them, but they are having fun with them.  Seth's is the new model which is quite a bit sweeter than Luke's old one so that's been kind of funny.  Ian also got a betta fish.  It kind of floated sideways at the top of the bowl and was quite a dud.  He named it Turbo but then changed it to Clud which was quite a bit more fitting.  We ended up exchanging him for another one which has the distinguished name of Clud Fin Jr.  Hopefully he doesn't croak!  The kids are gearing up and supposedly saving up for the purchase of a dog in the spring once we have some grass around here.

We spent Christmas day opening presents, eating, and sledding in the new snow up in Preston.  It was a great day.  The kids all got along great and we had fun just hanging out, skiing, partying with friends for New Years, and just enjoying the extra time together over the break.  I love Christmas and it was done in a flash.  Until next year!

'Twas the month before Christmas

December is such a busy month, but I have managed to not stress out too much this year and for the most part enjoy.  We started the month off with some sledding on a Christmas tree cutting outing.  It was crazy warm in the valley but cold and deep snow up Strawberry.  We post holed around in knee deep snow all day wishing we had brought our snow shoes!  Jer also forgot a hat and there was a cold wind blowing, so I took one for the team with my headband thing and he wore an old floral number I had along!  It was a very Granny look.

 

  

We were given four tickets to a Jazz game at the last minute so Jer and the boys headed down and had a fun night out in the 12th row!

We went and toured the 5th grade Christmas house projects.  Luke built this with his dad and grandpa down at grandpa's shop.  It is equipped with battery powered lights -- which was kind of the whole point of the project -- wiring a complete circuit.

We also headed to SLC for our annual Christmas weekend.  We started off Friday night with food and ice skating at Farmington Station then headed on to SLC.  Saturday we shopped, swam (grandpa and boys!), ate and toured at City Creek, and went to Temple Square.  Sunday we had brunch with Santa and went to sacrament meeting in Pleasant View.  A fun tradition that gets easier and more fun as the kids get older!

 

 

We also made "gingerbread" houses the easy way--with graham crackers!  They had some serious structural flaws and candy cave ins, but the kids had fun and ate themselves silly.  They are so photogenic.

The kids went to school all the way until December 23rd this year.  Last night it finally snowed after the warmest, driest December I can remember.  Last night we went to a bonfire at the Carlsens, and the kids had such a blast finally playing in some snow! I helped out with Ian's Christmas party and Leah came along as my little helper.  At the end they did a pinata and a treat bag came out for every kid.  One girl was absent so there was an extra there for her.  Ian burst into tears because he wanted that one for Leah.  I was telling him no and trying to make him happy when his teacher asked about it and gave it to Leah.  He was all smiles after that.  He really does love his little sister!  Ian's sending out kind of a homeless vibe in the boots, PJs, Santa hat combo!  Ready or not, Christmas is here!

 

November

November of course was Thanksgiving, and I have a lot to be thankful for.  My kids are healthy and usually happy, Jer works really hard and is a great dad and husband, we live in a beautiful place, and the list goes on.  We spent Thanksgiving in Preston this year followed by a little shopping early the next morning with my mom.  The month was cold and a little snowy and went by fast!  

After Addison's baptism at the beginning of the month we got to go to Great-Grandma Burbank's house and pick some treasures to keep.  She is now permanently in a nursing home.  Among other things Seth chose this sweet tape player and a case of tapes.  He has been jamming to Kenny Rogers and John Denver.  Since my kids are packrats and are probably hoarders in the making they came home with everything from bowling balls to Christmas ornaments, to knives, to bolo ties.  

 
It was actually cold and snowy for a bit in November before winter went away!

This kid is a little adventurer and naturalist at heart!

 
Indians and pilgrims?

 

 
We also went over to my dad's old stomping grounds here in Wellsville.  He was literally raised in this barn milking his dad's cows, and we went to take a few pictures before it falls down!  A little barn cat became Seth's BFF and joined us for many of the pictures.  It was a very gray, cold day with the worst possible light for taking pictures, but we got a few semi-decent ones.

   

 

 

We also started basketball and wrapped it up this past Saturday.  Hallelujah!  It's ski season.  The boys were not up for posing for pics, but they had fun.