December

December is always a wild time.  This year I got caught up in all the gifting again.  I think I go every other year in a more spiritual mind set, but then the next, I get too excited about the gifts.  We did do 25 Days of Christ, but next year I think I will do a little more planning and preparation for it, and try to focus on Christ more overall.  It is always a joyous time though!  For neighbor goodies, we did various things.  We did plates with caramel, fudge and peanut butter balls for some, and for others we made hot chocolate spoons.  I had planned on making some goodies here and there with the kids, then delivering them at our leisure to our loved ones around the neighborhood.  I learned that I don't have the necessary patience to cook and bake with young ones. I am not sure I will ever master patience as a personal attribute, but I work on it every day!  

As I am sure is true in every household, our days are full of ups and downs, joys and tantrums, hugging and kissing and stomping off to our bedrooms in frustration.  And we just keep trying to work together as a family and make it the best day ever.  We are grateful for each other, and excited for all of the wonderful blessings and experiences that are in store for us.

Olga and her kids came over to play one day.  They had moved from their house on our street to Salt Lake for a month before going on to Ohio.  We missed them terribly so they came out to spend the day with us.  We had reindeer pancakes for lunch, Olga and I had a wonderful visit, and the kids played really well.  We were so sad to see them go!

Wade's second swing experience.  He likes the swing...even in the cold!  We were out for a walk to get refreshed and energized to continue on with the day.  But then I noticed the murky air, and we headed back before too long.  I would LOVE to live in a place with no air pollution!  Overall, it was a fun, short, outing.

Dad got a fireplace for Christmas and it arrived early!  We got to enjoy it for much of December.   Also, Mom made a stocking for Wade!  The stockings ended up hanging on the mirror when I decided they would probably be a fire hazard sitting in front of the fireplace heater.  But for a minute, we actually had stockings hung on the fireplace!

We went a couple of times to see the lights.  The first was on the night of the big, scary snowstorm.  The one where the governor advised all to stay home and off of the roads.  But we had to attend the Sing Along downtown...and I am so glad we made that choice.  It was a wonderful night.  We started by walking around Temple Square in the cold with the lights all covered with snow.  The snow brushes were constantly going on the sidewalks to keep the path clear.  The paths were very open since lots of people did stay in that night.  We went to the Sing Along at 7 and had the BEST time.  It's Mom's favorite Christmas tradition, and if we ever move away, we will come back for it.  The arena is filled with people in the Christmas spirit singing joyful holiday songs and praises to Christ.  We ended the evening with more walking around the temple at the kids' request.

We went again when Steph and Ryan came to visit.  It was so much more chilly!  It truly was uncomfortably cold, so we didn't stay long.  We went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner, then home to bed.  We watched the children at home while Steph and Ryan attended the Bountiful Temple in the morning, then had breakfast and they were on their way to visit Ryan's family in Pleasant Grove.

We got to watch the Blake kids while Austin and Stacie went to the temple as well!  We had a lot of fun.  The kids got along so well.  We made pizza for dinner (Josie was an awesome helper), we blew up balloons, played basketball and watched The Polar Express.

I was so glad that Wade waited to start crawling until after the tree was put away!  What a good boy.  He loved the lights on the tree and he loved anytime we turned the fireplace on.  For Christmas this year, I made a hooded penguin towel for him.  He got socks and moose footie jammies.  Lucy and Wade picked out a bath toy for him that he LOVES.  Grandma Cropper gave him a fun car toy and Grandma Anderson made him an owl hat.  Marisa gave him the Baby Einstein board books!  What a lucky boy.

It was a very dinosaur themed year for Sam.  We gave him the Big Book of Dinosaurs and the glow in the dark puzzle.  Grandma Cropper gave him some dinos and Grandma Anderson made him a football beanie.  Lucy made a pillowcase for him and Marisa gave him a fish bag stuffed with goodies!

Lucy was so excited to get Zoomer Kitty (from Mom and Dad), and a doll (named Gracelyn) from Grandma Cropper.  Grandma Anderson made her an ear muff that she loves to wear even indoors.  Marisa stuffed a sweet little fish bag for her as well.  We are abundantly blessed in our family!

We had fun with cousins over the break...and Wade enjoyed sweet cuddles from Aunt Brittany.  

The Jensens invited us to go to lunch and bowling.  It was the kids first bowling experience; bumpers, metal guide thingys and all.  We all enjoyed watching the balls slowly zig-zag their way toward the pins, only to completely miss the pins several times!  They had a lot of fun, especially since the cousins were there too.

We also got a van!  Mom and Dad were jumping the car battery on the way to meet the Jensens and Marisa for bowling.  Mom misread the directions, resulting in incorrect cable hook ups.  The car was ruined.  Luckily we were planning on getting a replacement soon anyway, but it was still a stressful day.  We love the van!  It is roomy and comfortable and quite a bit quieter than the car, so we can actually have conversations on the go!

Quotes:

I only have one this month.  And it's from sweet Wade.  He said, "Dadadada.  Dadadad dadda dadada."  For real though, he started saying "Dad."  One time he even said, "Hi, Dad."  He's so smart. :)