December Non-Christmas happenings

 I took this funny picture while wrapping presents in my new craft room. :)  It just looked like Eric's feet were Emma's lol.

 I got to coach Whitney's volleyball team this year!  After swearing I would never coach volleyball again (after feeling inadequate with Katelyn's team last year), the city kept begging for coaches and I finally said yes.  This year had it's ups and downs but was mostly positive!  It was fun to spend that time with Whitney, and I really do like volleyball.  And the getting-to-know-and-encourage-the- players part of coaching.
Here is Whitney diving behind another player!  You can see the ball in the air on it's way back over the net!

 And here's Whitney's friend Rachel trying to receive the ball-- Whitney got a good second hit on it!

 And here is Whitney with 2 of her best friends, who I drafted onto our team.  Rachel and Sulice.  It was a fun season, and Whitney improved in her skills.  She did great.

Rachel, Whitney, James, and Miriam at the Economics fair!  A classic 5th grade event at the school where they make a product to sell. Whitney made tassel keychains; they were cute.

 Emma is obsessed with pockets!  She insisted on wearing these pants backwards so she could put her hands in her pockets.  And she always wants to have her hands in her coat pockets in the car, or anywhere!  She calls them "pock" and it's so cute.

 Whitney is in the middle in the back row, playing her violin in the elementary school orchestra Christmas concert!

 Maris had her Christmas Dance Recital, it was super cute of course!

 Emma one day wanted to wear a hat and carry a bag.

 We went to Pocatello for Eric's Grandpa's 90th birthday party!  it was really fun. the kids got to sled and we came home with a precious document of stories about Eric's Grandpa.  Here are 4 generations of Murray men!  Johnny, Brad, Eric, and Owen.

 I skipped happy Murray Day back in November!  And apparently I never took a still shot of this, only a video!  So Katelyn got the Mastery Murray because she is mastering Junior High and working on self-mastery in Young Women's.  Whitney got the Meticulous Murray because she is so good at being organized.  Owen got the Muscle Murray because this year I always see him doing things that strengthen his muscles!  Running, jumping, hanging, climbing, riding his bike; he has gotten stronger this year.  Maris got the Musical Murray because she is always singing!  While playing, coloring, eating....and this year she discovered her love of dance. Emma got the Mischievous Murray because she is so much more curious than her siblings were as toddlers!  She has climbed on the table more than the other kids did, explored strangers' houses more, and done some funny, surprising things.
For Happy Murray Day we went out to eat and got new popper guns and had a war, and had a movie night.