December

I have really enjoyed December.  I love having the tree and lights up.  I have enjoyed pondering on the birth of our Savior.  I love the carols and the joy of the season.  

Kate and I are usually the first ones awake in the mornings, so I take her into the family room to nurse her with just the Christmas lights on.  I love the quiet, dark room with just the twinkle from the Christmas lights.  Kate nurses peacefully and I read my scriptures on the phone.  It is wonderful.  

We had some visitors this December and the kids have loved to have the playmates and Kenneth and I have enjoyed the time with family.   When we decided not to travel anywhere this holiday season, we had no idea we would get so many visitors!  We really lucked out!

How do you like this crew?  Kenneth's cousin stayed with us with their children.  Here we have a 7,6,5,5,4,4,2,1,and 10 1/2 month old.  Wow!

These girls had so much fun together!

My nephew and his family.

This was the first year we have ever been alone for the Christmas break in our own home.  We started a couple of new traditions and repeated another couple (all of which involve food!):

Raclette Grill for Christmas Eve Dinner:

Emma with the Raclette makings: boiled potatoes, french bread, salami, cheese, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, little smokies

Here we are at the table.  Kate ate faster than I could feed her at this meal, so squawked at me the whole time.

Manning the grill

Cheese Fondue for New Year's Eve:

We made it a picnic in the basement (that is where the DVD player is), the kids got in their pajamas and we watched Home Alone 2.  We watched Home Alone last week.

The food- not a great picture, but you can see what we ate: shrimp, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, ham and crusty bread cubes and the cheddar cheese fondue, of course.

Here is a video of our fondue party.  You've got to watch it and see little Diddy dance to the music of the movie.  I love that little pig tail waggling in the air!

Last year, we started the tradition of making a Christmas picture with fruit and also having smoked salmon (Kenneth loves that more than any of the rest of us) for Christmas breakfast.

Snowmen out of hard-boiled eggs.  Kenneth's fun idea.

Christmas breakfast- what can I say?  We like to play with our food!

Last year we had a Santa.  This year the kids requested a reindeer.

The kids were happy!

Here are some Christmas morning pictures:

Arianna was the first one up (no surprise there).  This is how I found her when I came down.  Poor dear was almost in tears 2 HOURS later when she finally got to look in her stocking when Grant got up!

Getting ready to peek in those stockings

Kate's first stocking

Playing with gifts from Santa: Suspend for Emma, new markers for Arianna and a car carrier for Grant

A couple of days later, Dad took the kids out to fly the remote controlled helicopter they got:

The thing died after the fifth or so time they flew it, so we returned it.  It was cool while it lasted!

Some other hightlights of the season:

• Reading a scripture, singing a song, and reading a Christmas story each night in December (24 Days of Christmas)
• Kenneth had over two weeks of vacation!!!  He worked a little on the bathroom in the basement.
• Watching the Christmas Devotional 
• Finding the Elf on the Shelf every morning (when I remembered to move it!)  Thanks, Grandma!
• Watching the kids work for weeks like little elves making gifts for each other.  Emma was particularly thoughtful with her gifts.  Grant and Arianna were very creative with the toilet paper rolls.  So cute!

  

  Grant with his spy-glass from Emma

  

  Emma knew Kate loves balloons, so she wrapped one up for her.  Sure enough, she loves it and was happy as a clam!

  

  Part of Emma's gift to Dad was a drawing

  

  Part of my gift from Emma.  The other part was a 'wreath' with little pieces of paper where she wrote all the reasons she loves me.  I was so touched.  It was my most favorite gift!

• Caroling on our street with the missionaries and other friends from church
• Attending Kenneth's work party.  We actually paid a babysitter!  (Too bad I had to come home in the middle (5 minute drive) and put Kate to bed.  She wouldn't go down for the babysitter)
• In preparation for the work party, I actually painted my toenails!  The first time in over 2 years!  Which, of course, precipitated the girls *needing* theirs painted as well.  
• Caroling with our homeschooling group at a nursing home
• Going with some friends to feed the cattle and ride horses.  Our friend helps run a ranch with his father and brothers.  

  

  Our kids and our friends' kids all lined up on the fence.

  

  Arianna was so happy. She made sure she brought her cowgirl hat for this excursion.

  

  Emma told me before her turn that she wanted to trot all on her own.  Sorry, Emma, not this time.

  

  Grant loved it and did great!

  

  All the children got to help lead Old Sally back to the pasture.

• Making and handing out treats (and eating them, of course!)  This year I made: pecan toffee, cranberry white chocolate bliss bars, date balls, and mint brownies.  Yum, yum and yum. 
• Having a white Christmas!  Hooray for snow!

  

  Arianna, Kate and I enjoying the snow

  

  Arianna eating snow, Grant pushing the shovel all around the yard- good times!

  

  Happy Arianna!

  

  We liked the snow, but the chickens sure didn't.  She would not leave Emma's arms!

  

  Arianna giving Kate a ride.  We bought that little sled last summer at a garage sale; I'm glad we did!

• Attending the Christmas Eve Church Service at our neighbor's Church (our Church had been cancelled due to snow the Sunday before Christmas, so it was nice to sing the songs and see the children's program)
• Having Kenneth's cousin and his family over for Christmas dinner

  

  Unfortunately, Jeff's wife was sick, so she stayed home to rest.

• Building snowmen



One for each member of the family (Kate is in my arms!)



The girls had so much fun!

• Having a snowball war with the snowball maker from Santa

  

  Ready for the snowball fight

  

  It didn't last too long; the girls wimped out because Daddy and Grant whooped them.

• Making a trip to Kansas City, MO to attend the temple and visit the Liberty Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith was wrongfully imprisoned for 5 months.  Kids loved staying in the hotel and swimming!

  

  Look at Arianna's face- she is a crack-up!

  

  The visitor's center was built around the original jail site.

  

  Kansas City Missouri Temple

  

Whew!  It was a busy, full, wonderful month!  And I am all caught up with my blogging!!!  Hooray!  Now, if I can only get a Christmas letter sent out.  (Which is now going to be a New Year's Letter)