Jan 1-12 2015

1.  I spent one evening trying out my new hobby and painted this.  You can't tell but its little, I was practicing for when I use the giant canvas Jake got me.

2. Marianne went to Sunbeams for the first time for the new year.  She was excited to "go to class with Sam" and promised to be good like it was a reward to go to the more boring class with no snacks.

3. Mari and Sam play in the snow in the backyard.  Sam can build a legit snow man all by himself. It
takes us 40 minutes just to get dressed than they play for a whole ten minutes but they love it.

4.  Beth eats a pear or an apple every day and it is adorable every time.  She even only says three foods by name and they are Apple, Pizza, and Ice.

5.  The kids make a fort to see the new light Marianne got from grandma for Christmas under. It was pretty cool.

6.  Kate makes Mari and I friendship brackets with the kit she got for Christmas.

7. Kate and Sam can play Ticket to Ride now, so they and us have been playing in the evening.  it is pretty fun when the kids can play games that aren't mind boring.

8.  For New Years we had our own little thing.  We got lots of special food and LOTS of Confetti- which I let the kids throw all over the entire house and they thought it was awesome.  Sam, Kate and Marianne made resolutions on their very own and they were awesome.  Kate- to get baptized and learn multiplication.  Sam- to help people feel Joy and learn to Dunk.  Marianne- collect more rocks and go on vacation.  I thought they were so truly perfect!  We did a mini count down at about 8:30 with sparkling apple cider and again lots of confetti.

9.  Early the first day of the year we drove to American Fork to meet up with Jake's brother Dave and family and sister Lisa and family at Kneaders for Breakfast.  It was fun to see so many cousins and we were only sad we didn't have more time to spend with them.

10.  Later that day we went to my parents house to see Ali and Alex who came from Alaska for a visit.  They brought tons of fresh Alaskan crab to cook for us- and it was super fun.  We opened a few gifts and played lots of games all together.  It was a party full first day of the year.

Christmas 2014

We went to bed Christmas Eve with not a drop of snow in our yard, and woke up to it covered- it was a real White Christmas.  The kids came in around 7, without hesitation that it was Christmas morning. "Lets go see if He came" they say.

These pictures describe Christmas morning with accuracy.  It was kind of one big sticky, loud whirlwind.  I didn't take too many picture because we kind of let the kids go at it and it was over in about twenty minutes.  Then we spent the rest of the day making breakfast and playing with all our toys.
I like to list the gifts (if I can remember) what each kid got because I think it tells a lot about who they are at this moment.

Kate:  Every Calico Critter accessory and guy and a giant house. (She had seen it in a store and loved it but said she wouldn't ask for it because it was too much money- she is so responsible) A Merida doll, 15 American Girl Doll Chapter Books with an outfit that matched her American girl doll.  Fuzzy slippers, a stuffed turtle, a cross stitch kit,  jelly princess, hello kitty socks, slime,  a Disney piano book, Brave Legos, stickers, candy, brackets.

Sam: A Basketball hoop (which he has played with non-stop since receiving) Star Wars Legos, and a slot car race track.  A giant comic book encyclopedia, Battleship the game, Magformers, soccer socks, whistles for sports, slingshot, nerf gun, a little stuffed dog, candy, stickers.

Marianne: Vanity set with play makeup and blowdryer. Doc Mcstuffins remote control car, Ariel Doll, Ariel Legos, stuffed Jaguar (her favorite thing she got) sticker book,  animal socks, necklace, jelly princess,   Doc McStuffins coloring cards, Sofia umbrella, calico pandas with beds,  stickers.

Bethany: Rocking elephant, Stroller, Baby Doll (she had been pushing a broken stroller and stealing a similar baby doll from Marianne ever day the week before) Doc McStuffins microphone, Animal Sounds book, necklaces, candy, stickers,  stuffed cat, socks.

And I'm sure lots of stuff I forgot because it seemed like giant piles of stuff to sort through and put away.

Jake made abelskivers then we skyped with his parents  in Iceland.  We assembled piles of Legos, ate more of the dinner from the night before, went to visit with my brothers and parents at their house and there might have been some napping on the living room floor.

Jake and I exchanged gifts too.  For him a ping pong table, and he really surprised me with oil paint supplies something I have dreamed of taking up for years.

Christmas Day is a great day.  I try to let go of things I think I need to do and just observe my kids and play with my kids and let it be set aside from all other days.  I kind of wish every day was Christmas.