Christmas week and New Years

 Well we had a super fun Christmas afternoon in Highland, and then a fun week because Elizabeth and her family came to visit and have Xavier's baptism here!  It was a party.  So here's one time we went to the mall in Orem together (because Fat Cats opened later than we thought). It was hilarious to walk in there with 12 kids and watch them roam. 

And here's our family goal brainstorming.

Owen's cute goals, he made them into a book.

The December calendar for your enjoyment.

Maris made her goals into a cootie catcher- so cute!

Katelyn and Whitney's goals.  Kate's are mostly about college, haha.  But I love that under Social she put "try to be less snarky"-- I thought that was very introspective of her.  She is not terribly snarky but it is a small thing she could work on, it's cool she noticed. And Whitney's driving section is hilarious "like this, NOT like this" haha.  I am really proud of Whitney's and all the kids' Book Of Mormon reading this year.  It's the best book of scripture!  So rewarding to read.

We had fun playing with the Pedersens several times, but New Years Eve was particularly fun. Here's Whit, Cleo, KJ, Vivi, Elizabeth, Xav and Owen playing Cover Your Assets. 

And us at home at midnight!  Since we did New Years at 10 in Highland and then came home.

Cousin fun- Maris and Jayda using Grandpa's new game table, and maris making friends with Damon!

Classic after-Christmas Lego building day :)

Emma with a "hot guy" poster at Barnes and Noble LOL, and Katelyn with her baptism gift scripture bag that finally but the dust after years of being carried to Primary and YW and Sunday School and Seminary...she got a new one and we needed a picture of the old one before we threw it away. 

Cousin New Years-- minus Damon and Wade who were already in bed. And we had the BEST time playing this "Do You Know Your Family" game that Elizabeth gave us.  It was super fun and could be played in a large group, AND it had random challenges occasionally. The best one was the plank challenge!!  That had ALL of us on the floor planking for as long as possible!!  The surprising 3rd place winner was Maris!  Then Ryan and Kjarom tried to outlast each other....finally Ryan gave up and KJ won, it was so entertaining.

And last but not least, Owen got the loft bed for Christmas that he's been dreaming of for years!  It was in the box still, in the storage room, and his present had a clue in it.  Which led to 4 more clues which finally led him to the box.  I've been wanting to send someone on a present treasure hunt for years!  And this was a good one to do it on.  A couple of days later, he and Eric put it together. It's been great for him.

Whew!  The year comes to an end!  Wow it was a great one. Not documented are the daily efforts to come closer to Christ and have the Spirit in our home, through Family prayer and scripture study, weekly FHE and Come Follow Me on Sundays and renewing covenants at church, and monthly fasting and temple worship.  I always am praying that these patterns will bring us light and joy and peace. :)

Christmas Morning ❤️

 Well these pictures are backwards too, oh well. We had Christmas morning with my parents, which was different. I was worried about it being different, but we all were overly concerned for nothing.  It turned out fine and fun.

So here's a bunch of present opening. I just love all the happy faces. Maris getting a polly pocket toy she wanted, and Katelyn realizing Whitney had gotten her a gift card to a cute book shop!

Emma thrilled with her surprise new YELLOW Nikes!  And Owen thrilled with getting milk.....I used a lot of those boxes in wrapping!  But that usually meant there were multiple presents inside, which is fun.

Whitney opening a cute tiny present from Owen- a pineapple ring he picked out all on his own! And Emma's cute happy face about getting her own whiteboard.

Best wrapped gift award!  Katelyn was giving Owen an old Lego set, and she put it in a washed out milk carton!! So funny!

Watching Breath of Heaven while eating our traditional breakfast of cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, Oranges and Egg Nog Smoothie. Proof that my parents were there!

Stocking and Santa presents first thing!  Whitney laughing at a gift and Maris reading the name of a new kind of chapstick- Trader Joe's

Happy Whitney and Owen with his new Lego Rubik's cube :)

Emma got a Rubik's cube too, and big sisters watching Emma open something.

Biggest surprise of the day, which was SO hard to keep, Katelyn finding out that she got tickets to Hamilton.....in New York!!  Hello Senior Trip!!! So cute and such an exciting Christmas/Birthday/Graduation present.

The first of many many solved Rubik's cubes of the day haha.  And Owen chugging his present!

And back to the early morning- Emma and Maris being surprised by things, and me in the background. Oh actually I guess it's Maris trying on her new crocs!

Owen examining his new Lego set, and Emma showing off a travel jewelry case.

Whitney smiling over Maris' excitement about new pink fuzzy crocs, and singing something as usual :) while holding her new Converse.  

Katelyn emerging and saying ooooh, and Owen with his sweet new Nikes, it really was a shoe Christmas!  and Whitney coming out of the hallway smiling

Cheating Hallway picture!  Katelyn is only a couple inches taller than Whitney, so she is on tiptoe!  And Owen is gaining on Whitney. So we will have to do pictures like this second one in the future if we want to see everyone's faces lol.

It was a lovely Christmas morning. 

Christmas Eve

 This year we got to see Grammy and Grandpa Jamie at Christmas, since Grammy came to help with little Susan! This was Christmas Eve, during the traditional ChristmasStory watching event.

This was the best.  Singing each person's favorite Christmas song/hymn with the lights off. 

Grammy was still in Logan that morning, so just Grandpa Jamie went to church with us....and stayed after we left to keep talking to people LOL!  I love this family pic o the steps with the wreath :)

Cutie Christmas pajama picture!

Most successful Christmas pajamas yet, because Eric agreed to get some too!!! And, Whitney wanted hers cut off into shorts, so I used that fabric to put a pocket in Owen and Eric's pants. good times.

It was super fun to act out the Nativity with Grammy and Grandpa Jamie for the first time in many years!  And Jonathan too. 

Here's the story in random order.  Owen, Eric and Emma the wise men, bowing and losing Emma's hat! haha and giving their gifts.

Wise men arriving at Maris and Grandpa Jamie's stable, and wise men travelling far.

Wise men talking to Herod- we had a full cast of characters this time around!

Wise men selfie LOL, and shepherds visiting the stable. Also notice the donkey sleeping peacefully hehe!

Me and Grammy were the shepherds! Katelyn was a Narrator/angel, 

And Whitney was a powerful angel!

Mary and Joseph getting rejected by innkeeper Katelyn, and getting settled in the stable.

Yay they are married!  And riding on the donkey haha!

Angel appearing to Joseph, and Mary. It was a super fun rendition of the Nativity!  So lively and special.

Plus I neglected to include in the gingerbread post, the backside of Emma's house!  AND a picture Eric took with me in it!  Possibly the first gingerbread house picture with me in it since I became a mom haha.

Oh and I forgot, one of the great things about this Christmas Eve was that I got the youth to sing in church.  The YM and YW!  I taught them Joy Unto the World and it went well and was beautiful!