Goodbye 2015

Our Family Theme this year was: FUN!

We did our best to have a little more fun than in previous years.  We started celebrating half birthdays and took the time to go on one-on-one dates with Ethan and Madeline.

I can think of a lot of fun moments from this year and I'm grateful for them:  random parks with steep hills to roll down, watching the rain, flying kites, game nights, family dance parties, treats, teasing.  FUN.

I'm grateful for my little family and the things we've learned this year.

Living here has been a blessing to me.  I grew a lot.  I learned how to be nicer to myself.  I learned how to rely on the Spirit more.  I think I learned how to love more and have a little more fun.

Goodbye 2015!

Christmas Day, Part 3

After Grandma's house, we went home for naps and more snow shoveling and then we were off to my parent's house with cousins and dinner and more gifts.  Round 3 was just as fun as the previous 2!  What a full and busy and happy day!

 I wrapped little gifts for Raelynn in a big box and then wrapped that just for fun.

 My parent's gave Madeline a ukulele!  A pink one!  She was very excited!

 And before we left, we even had a little piano ukulele concert.  What a smashing way to end the day.

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Day, Parts 1 and 2

We told the kids they could come in our room at 7.  They bounded in giddy at 6:45 declaring they just couldn't wait any longer.  I was already awake anyway.  But it was waiting for Cooper that was the hard part.  We read some Christmas stories and then he woke up and so did Oliver.  They were very patient to wait while I fed Oliver.  And then by 7:30 we FINALLY got to go downstairs!

Oliver enjoyed most of Christmas morning right on Daddy's lap.

 And he seemed to love every minute of it.

 It was just as it should be.  Happy and crazy and fun.

 Cooper hugging his plushy digger

 After presents and cherry turnovers, Todd and Cooper and I set out in the blizzard to shovel the driveway.  It was SO deep and windy and snowing like crazy and I loved it.  It was so much fun!  Cooper joined in with a shovel too and "helped".  He was cute and I felt happy.

Christmas Part 2 was lunch at Todd's grandparents house.  Grandma surprised everyone with matching brown hats that she made:

 We still have the name labels attached.

 Christmas at Grandma's is always fun and entertaining.  I always love being there.  Lots of chaos and happiness.

Grandma also gave all the ladies scarves.  Here is Sherrie and me with ours:

Our Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was just perfect.  Such a wonderful and fun day.  I started the day when the house was still dark and quiet by reading a marvelous Christmas talk by Elder Holland.  It filled me with Christmas joy.

When the family woke up, we had gingerbread pancakes for breakfast!  Mmmmmmmmm

 Cousins came and together we all made candy houses

 We had a pretty good selection of candy!

 Even Mimi joined the fun (while Bapa helped with frosting)

I'm sad I didn't get the whole line-up of houses, but here is Ethan and Madeline's in back, mine and Cooper's in front.  Todd was on help patrol this year.  And I laugh because mine looks exactly (and I mean exactly) the same every year.  My 2016 New Year's Resolution is to make a different looking house next Christmas.  Hahahahahaha!

Raelynn and I even managed to sing at the piano.  Pretty much my favorite thing to do on Christmas Eve.  We always sing from The Merry Christmas Songbook.  It was awesome.  It made me happy.

We had a feast at Grandpa and Nana's house in the evening.  And played a present game and had an all around good time! (And ate too many treats!)

And right as we were getting home, I spotted EIGHT (for REAL) reindeer in our neighborhood.  Yes, magical!

Then the kids got to open their Christmas Eve jammies.

 Um yes, my kiddos are pretty cute!  Ack!  I love them.

 And once the little boys were sleeping, Dad read Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Then I read Luke 2.

 And the plate for Santa and the Reindeer was made ready.

To bed they went.  But not to sleep.  Ethan came into our room at 1:30 AM very distressed at his inability to sleep.  So funny.  He's just like his parents were.  Oh wait, and every other kid on Christmas Eve.

Treats Anyone?!

Christmas

Merry Christmas

A Christmas Nativity

FHE this week was epic!  The best ever.  We went to Grandpa and Nana's house and enjoyed good food and conversation.  That was followed by the acting out of Luke 2.  

Ethan and Madeline make a good Joseph and Mary.  Madeline wanted Oliver to be baby Jesus, but he was too big and too wiggly.

 Todd was the shepherd.  Cooper and Oliver were his sheep.  Though Cooper wouldn't keep the wool on!

 And Grandma and Grandpa Morris were marvelous wisemen.

 Sherrie was the angel (and is one for real) and I was the donkey Madeline rode in on.  So funny.

Afterwards, we sang all the Christmas hymns.  I loved it.  It doesn't need to be a grand choir to make it feel like Christmas.

Temple Square

It was a last minute decision.  Todd decided we needed an adventure and it was our last chance to go to Temple Square this year.  It stressed me out.  I didn't want it to, but it did.  But I'm still glad we went.  

 It's so beautiful there.  The lights are amazing.

 The Spirit was strong.  The temple incredible, as usual.

 I could have done without the million people, but I survived.  haha

 Sometimes Todd has to drag me along and make adventures for us.  I'm glad he does.  I'm getting better at enjoying them.  And it would have been sad to miss Temple Square at Christmastime.

And we had fun seeing the decorated windows along the way too.

Merry Christmas!

SNOW!!!

 It snowed!  I love snow.  It is so beautiful.  It makes me happy (though not driving in it!).  But when I looked out the window, I couldn't contain my excitement.  And the first thing I wanted to do was go out and shovel!  I don't know why, but I really like shoveling snow.  Especially when I'm first out and it's still and quiet and there are no footprints.  Bliss!

Here is our bird feeder in it's magical little snow cave:

 Cooper was so excited to play in the snow

 So were Ethan and Madeline

 Their little snowman. Lol!

 Happy Snow!!  Now Christmas can come!