December

We experienced our first cleaning and changing the water in the hot tub at the beginning of the month.  It was nice that it was warm with no snow on the ground yet so we could let the water drain on the grass.  Now we can wait until spring when the snow is all gone to do it again. 

 Me and my three boys.  I feel like a shrimp!

 We were so happy to have Jessica and Brad home from Peru on the 9th.  Brad had been gone for a little over three months doing an internship with the Seed program, with Jess joining him for the last 5 weeks.  They had a marvelous adventure and were so happy they were able to go and experience all they did.  The highlight was going to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca.   Look how tan they are! 

 I always dread putting up my 16 bins of Christmas decorations (and that doesn't include the tree, lights, or wreaths, garlands, or 3 big wooden Santa decorations), but when I'm done, I'm so happy with everything and love turning on all the lights throughout the house each day.  There should be a new rule in the world that everything stays decorated through January.  It's so much work for only 4-5 weeks!

 We tried to get tickets to the MTC Christmas Concert for the first time this year but didn't get them.  I had heard that people from out of state have better luck, so I had Kylee try for us. . . and. . . she got some!  Since they were still in Colorado on the day of the concert, we took Jess and Brad.  We had a great evening with them (and the boys who tagged along so they could go shopping while we were at the concert) eating out, and doing a little shopping before the concert.  We would have liked to look around at the lights more, but it rained the whole evening.  The concert- featuring Alfie Boe was tremendous.  We really loved it.

 Carol had a fun family party at her Elementary School that we attended on the 16th.  This was my appetizer (thank you pinterest) and dessert that I took. . .

 She had so many fun games planned that everyone loved.  I loved Jakes choice of dinner companions. We played some fun "minute to win it" games in the gym.  The bottom right picture is Cam and Tanner dressed as a candy cane. We had 2 minutes, a roll of toilet paper and red crepe paper and we had to make the most creative human candy cane.  Needless to say, Tanners team (he's the one on the right) didn't win. . .

 

 On the morning of Christmas Eve, we did an activity that I'm sure will become a tradition.  We all went to the Jump Zone- a new trampoline Park in Logan.  It was a blast!  We had a great time.  I even tried a front flip! (3rd collage, bottom left picture)

 Everyone came over afterwards for a delicious breakfast (although it was 1 pm by this time. . . ). Then we all went our separate ways after eating to do last minute shopping, wrapping, and other projects,  then we met up at 5 for the Pickle game (Cam won) and a fun game that Jake taught us.

 At 6 we went to Tom and Freda's for a delicious dinner of honey ham, roast beef and crab along with many side dishes.  You can be assured if you're eating dinner at their house at any time that you're not going away hungry.  It was fun to be there with the Nelson's and Weyerts.  After dinner we took some family pictures then played the present game.

 It's so much easier for everyone to be silly than serious.
 

 

 Everyone was so happy that it snowed the entire day.  So once home, we had to take some time to clear the snow.  For the first time in 8 years we didn't have to deliver the newspaper, so that was a nice change.  We had a nice Christmas program, then played our family trivia game.  Once again, Kylee was the winner.  It's really starting to annoy the other participants. . . she's such a show off. . . haha just kidding Kylee- She just takes reading and studying (with highlighting even) everyone's history seriously!

 We had a wonderful Christmas morning with everyone (except Kylee and Brody who spent the day with Brody's mom) opening presents and eating cute snowman pancakes.  Jess and Brad left to spend the day with Brad's family in Willard, and Jake had to work at 12:00 at the theater, so me, Mike and Cam went to the movie "Life of Pi."  It was very entertaining and good.  We had a relaxing day at home, and visiting the Weyerts and opening more presents and having leftovers. 

 Kylee and Brody came over when Jess and Brad got back at 10 pm and we all (except for Mike and Jake who went to bed) had fun sitting in the hot tub for an hour.  The crazy boys thought it would be fun and memorable to roll around in the snow and then jump in the hot tub.  The girls didn't even consider it.
 
 With Kylee's new iphone that she got for Christmas, that makes 7 of the 8 of us who have an iphone.  Only Brody is the odd man out with his DNA (Jake has since had his cracked screen fixed).

 

 It's been great having Kylee here for a week longer than Brody.  He left on the 29th so he could study 12 hours a day for his Qualifying Exams which are in a few weeks, and since she doesn't start back to work until the 8th, we offered to fly her home on the 5th so we could have her for an extra week. We've been busy everyday with many fun activities- including a short trip to Provo one day to visit the Romney's, Hatch's  and Syd and Rafe.  It was so fun to see everyone. We've worked out, shopped, made cards, played games, went snow shoeing, and tomorrow we're going to a session in the Brigham City Temple- our first time there.  I absolutely love the overload of family during the holidays and wish it would be this way every day of the year.