Christmas 2024

On Christmas Eve, Nichole made us cheeseball. Thanks, Nichole.

We had a simplified Christmas Eve dinner because we were sick (thankfully we had funeral potatoes in the freezer to heat up).

The kids got to open up a present each- pajamas.

Jet set out cookies for Santa. I was pleased with myself because I saved some cookies in the freezer from a batch we made earlier in the month. Cookies for Santa is hit and miss in our home. 

Christmas morning, Jeremy made us scones (American scones, not English scones). 

We opened presents and were all sick.

Jet got a camera for Christmas and loved it.

One day while we were driving, I heard Jet taking pictures over and over and over so I asked him, "What are you taking pictures of." He answered, "Everything."

The kids and I decorated a bowl for Jeremy. It said, "I love you," and had hearts around it that the kids wrote their names in. Note my present in the back of the picture- a new family picture to put on the wall. The one it replaced was taken in 2011 and only had three of our five children in it.

Let's Go Back and Remember December

O.K. Besides holidays, here are some other things we did in December (before Christmas). 

Let's see what I can remember from so long ago based on pictures I find. Sigh.

 

Jr. had an orchestra concert. Here's a picture of him. 

Jet played with Legos. Here's a picture of him.

We were sick a lot. Here's a picture of soup. 

Some of us went to our ward Christmas party. Here's a picture of us.

 

I've changed my mind. I don't want to catch up on all the stuff we did in December. We were sick. We ate food. There were snuggles. We eventually made it through to Christmas.

 

Speaking of Christmas, we did manage to squeeze our Polar Express book reading and movie watching in even if we've had better Polar Express parties in the past.

We were also going to go to an Interactive Muppet Christmas Carol event at the Provo Library like we did for The Princess Bride in August but we had to cancel our registration because of sickness. We watched the movie at some point at home. 

 

And the kids did build our Christmas tree out of balloons again this year.
 

Mom: How do you like the ornaments on the tree?

Jet: It looks perfect.

 

 

April 1, 2025

 

Grumble Grumble Grumble

I want to catch up on my blog but it always seems to be:

I don’t have time.

Someone is on the computer when I do have time.

When nobody is on the computer and I have time, I’m too tired or sick or not motivated.

Sigh.

So here’s a random picture of the sky. I have so many to choose from.

Joy Is... ready to post

Snuggles with your youngest while your older children are at school.

December Holidays

Let's talk some December holidays that weren't Christmas and New Year's Eve.

There were a lot we didn't end up celebrating because of sickness. Nobody found treats in their shoes on St. Nicholas Day. Sigh.

We did get back to our tradition of someone being sick during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, though. Woohoo?

And since that day, December 8, was also National Brownie Day, somebody did make brownies for us to eat during the devotional. 

December 11 was International Mountain Day and I did take a sunrise picture with mountains.

I also managed to make Teriyaki chicken because that day was also National Teriyaki Chicken Day.

Jet helped me make waffle batter for National Maple Syrup Day on December 17. I love that he's my kitchen helper.

Jet loves decorations and lights as you know so he and I were able to go for a walk in City Center Park in Orem on December 18. Jeremy called us when he was going to pick us up but I totally forgot to "answer the phone like Buddy the Elf," even though that was the holiday and I knew it.

When we got home I was telling the story to the kids when my phone rang. Jr. Jr. had called me so I could answer the phone the right way that night. Thanks, Jr. Jr. We of course then had our traditional Buddy the Elf breakfast for dinner.

We used our Fablehaven Cookbook and followed one suggestion for making Tanu's Heartening Soup (shelf cooking style with substitutions) the night before the Winter Solstice.

Then I got out on the Winter Solstice, December 21, for a morning walk around City Center Park while the lights were on. I love doing that in December/early January when I'm up for it (which I wasn't much up for it before January- just those two times).

 We celebrated Lucky's birthday in December. He took balloons to his classmates and we "partied" at home. Jet helped me make Lucky's birthday cake (and put the candles in) and luckily Lucky asked for a really simple dinner. 

Do you want to say Hi to Daddy?

Hi, Daddy.

Hi, Jet.

Let's Go Back and Remember December

I'd rather be asleep but I should catch up on my blog so... let's talk just a little bit about December.

"I had plans." That was what I kept saying through the holidays. I had a list of things to do, some of them traditions, certain things I just wanted to do as a family. Some of those plans went out the window and some were modified.

Let's start with the beginning of December and what we did get to do right before getting sick. Besides celebrating Eat a Red Apple Day on December 1, we also started our Countdown to Christmas scripture study. I also wanted to #LightTheWorld, so I had ideas for that as well. Those didn't all work out but I was able to do some things like send encouraging texts when I was sick. We did a lot of simple things like I gave my daughter a ride to a store (she donated a toy while she was there) and I provided snacks for the kids rehearsing for the elementary school play and my son delivered them.The kids helped each other with homework. We were able to do some of these simple things for Giving Tuesday.

Now let's go back to our Advent Calendar scriptures with the mint M&Ms.

This year we put together another jar for some friends and Jeremy, Jr., and I shared about our tradition with them while having a good visit. That felt good.

O.K. I do want to go to sleep so I'll catch up some more later. 

 

P.S. December 1 was also Antarctica Day so we gathered up some penguin friends and started reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. We didn't get very far in it because of getting sick and not feeling up to reading every night.

I had plans but they didn't all work out. Sigh.

Happy New Year!

Man, it was annoying being sick for most of December. I was feeling better then got sick again right before Christmas. We were all sick for the holidays. Sigh.

I'm doing better again except for that lingering cough I thought I was over half a month ago. Sigh.

So it's time to go into this new year and deal with life.

Happy 2025.

Enjoy this picture of the moon and the sky and the mountains.