2nd and 3rd Christmas

When your kids have other parents sometimes you do Christmas multiple times.  It's not a bad thing, it might even be more fun!

Tip for Staying Thin During the Holidays

Get food poisoning on Christmas Eve, puke all night, then wake up with diarrhea in the morning to clean everything out.

Happy Christmas

We only had Qyntn with us for Christmas this year.  He filled our home with happiness, excitement and gratitude.

He LOVES his new pjs.  Green and soooo soft.

We enjoyed his happy smiles all day.  He was non-stop from sun-up til sundown.

Holiday Gatherings

I've had the opportunity to spend time with some of my favorite people this month.  Last week my nanny friends from Connecticut came over, a few days later we met up with some good friends from "the Garden." Tonight we got together with my family for our annual mom's birthday/Christmas party.  Tomorrow we will have Ben's family over, and next week some of my friends from elementary/high school will be coming.  Spending time face to face is so much better than trying to follow their lives on social media.  It's been nice.

Christmas Eve Nativity

Christmas Traditions

Honestly, I don't know if we really have any true Christmas traditions.  We usually go to temple square to see the lights, we usually read the story of the Christmas Apple, I usually make everyone listen to "Don't forget the Star," we usually do some holiday baking, we usually try to serve someone in need, but nothing is really set in stone.  This year I was having a hard time getting the Christmas spirit, and we never had all our our kids together at the same time, so our "traditions" didn't really pan out.  We kind of threw a few them together at the last minute.  We listened to "Don't Forget the Star" on the way to see the lights at temple square and help someone in need at the "Giving Machines."  The line was too long though so I just donated online.  The next day we did A LOT of baking. 

Holly didn't really want to come
at all.  Teenagers, bah humbug.  

Cupcakes, gingerbread houses, sugar cookies
homemade bread and freezer jelly. 

Oh Ho the Mistletoe!

Ayzha's having a Holly Jolly Christmas! She's been walking around with mistletoe on her head.

Jim Gaff-Again

When I saw that Jim Gaffigan was coming back to Utah I was excited, I bought tickets the day they became available.  Then, a few months later when they announced a second show, having forgotten that I had already purchased tickets, I bought 2 more.  I didn't realize I had done this until a few weeks ago.  My mistake turned out to be a blessing.  I was able to sell the second set for double the purchase price and we essentially got to see him for free.  Sometimes things just work out beautifully! It was a fantastic show, we laughed til our jaws hurt.

Memorize The Living Christ ✔

I had started and restarted to memorize The Living Christ many times over the past several years.  Finally, last Christmas I made a goal to memorize it by this Christmas. Giving myself a deadline did the trick.  I was finally able to accomplish my goal.  I am glad I made this a priority in my life.  It is a powerful witness of our Savior.

If you look around, especially at Christmas time you can see the tremendous influence our Savior has had on the world.  Many who do not believe in Him still honor Him at this time of year.  Even the reckoning of time revolves around the Son of God.

The older I get, the more adversity I face, the more I am in awe of his sinless, selfless life.  His devotion to his father and to us, his brothers and sisters, inspires me to want to be a kinder, more loving, forgiving and compassionate person.  In life, inspired by love, he went about doing good.  My heart desires to be like Him.  Maybe someday someone will be able to say of me, she went about doing good.  I don't have the power to heal the sick, but maybe I can help the sick at heart.  I don't have the power to cause the blind to see, but maybe I can share my light with someone in spiritual darkness.  I don't have power to raise the dead, but I can teach others that through the atonement of Jesus Christ they can overcome death.  Of all the miracles Jesus performed in life, I am most humbled and grateful for the miracle that rescues me, His great atoning sacrifice, the greatest gift we could ever recieve.  "God be thanked for the matchless gift of his divine son!"

First Snow

It snowed and it was cold.  I lasted all of about 5 minutes out there with the kids, but atleast Ben and I made an appearance.  It was fun!

Working Girl

Ayzha got her braces off, and started a new job!  She scoops ice cream at Brookers.  Before we know it she will be all grown up. 

Go Thundersnakes!

Q is a lucky little guy, Ben agreed to be his basketball coach again this year.  Qyntn's a good little baller!  He's got a natural shot, dribbles well, is great at defense and rebounding and has gotten lots of assists.  I love going to his games!!  Pretty proud of Ben too, he's the best coach ever!

Another Wild Wednesday

Free days at the zoo are the best!

Deck the Halls

Fire and lights😍

Holly and Alyssa weren't super interested
in being photographed tonight

White Friday

Tiago's first time!

We turned black Friday white!  Instead of thrusting ourselves into the chaos of black Friday shopping, dressed in white we enjoyed the peace that is found in the temple.  The most awesome part was that there were Black Fridayesque lines in the temple.  It was inspiring to see so many youth engaged in the work of salvation!

So Much To Be Thankful For

It's so nice to be able to watch the turkey bowl
from the warmth of my home!

Especially grateful for all of these precious ones. 

At It Again

Our little entrepreneurs are at it again.  Alyssa and Holly have started a pet sitting business.  They created a website and designed business cards.  They made a flyer and took it around to each home in the neighborhood.  They asked me to post the flyer on Facebook, and hurray!, they are completely booked this weekend!  Last time they tried to do this they didn't get any calls.  This is exciting!   I am very proud of them.  Time to talk to them about paying tithing.

Saying Goodbye to Grandma Fern

Cousins

The Dr. From "This is Us"
was the funeral director

The River Wild

Grandma Fern passed away so Ben and I made a trip to Libby, Montana for the funeral.  We stopped off at Kootenai falls and of course Dicks in Spokane.

Kootenai swinging bridge 

"The River Wild"
Was filmed on this river