December Catch Up

OK, I have been really bad at blogging, however, I have decided that I am going to catch up with Dec because it is such an important time of year and then I will continue to blog each week. I am going to set a goal to blog each Sunday afternoon.

Dec 3rd, my birthday was fabulous. I went to lunch with my mom and then she took me shopping for clothes. I haven't been shopping for me in.....well we will say a very long time! My husband and family took me out to dinner at Applebee's and of coarse they sang to me!

Dec 5th, Thomas Family Christmas party was JOLLY-pun intended! A nice lunch with lasagna, salad, garlic bread and desserts! Every year it is my job to gather the kids together and sing carols while we wait for Santa Claus to appear. Santa was as Jolly as ever, we are so greatful to him! After the guys play several rounds of Bball, we call it a party!

Dec 5th, the Ward Christmas party was touching. A dinner of Ham, potatoes, salad, vegies and dessert....deLISH! A play by the children of the Saviors birth. Taylan played a wise man and the girls were angels in white! Congregation singing carols always touches my heart.
Once Santa was announced the kids took off the gather their bag of goodies from Ole Saint Nick! What a Fantastic night....thanks to the activities committee and everyone involved!

Dec 6th-Reunited with my niece and nephew after a very long 2 year custody battle. My brother invited all his family over for a holiday lunch and surprised us with the children hiding in a bedroom! What joy and love filled his home that day!

Dec 11th, such a crazy day, the girls entered 2 entries each for the school's reflection contest and both girls WON in the poetry category! We attended a winners breakfast, then an assembly JUST for the kids to entered the contest and then another assembly for 4-6 graders attending the music assembly. Then annoucements made over the PA to the entire school. ALOT of unneccessary presentations!
Andi started learning to play the flute this year and she did a great job during the assembly. The flute is my favorite instrument to listen to!

Dec 12th, my nephew, Tristian was baptized today! He is a 9 year-old convert. I am always so proud of children who make a decision to be baptized, but somehow children converts make me so much more aware of the spirit! I love you T-man!

Dec 17th, I am the room parent for Andi's class and today we had the class party! Candy Cane reindeer, snowball basketball and Santa BINGO made a great day!

Dec 21-Jan 3 the kids are out of school and the weeks are filled with fun and family.

Dec 23rd-found water leaking into the basement! Called in a friend to help, found part of the problem, called the home-owners insurance.

Christmas eve-kids get PJs every year from mom and dad and get to open them on this night, we gather around a warm fire, cuddled up in new PJs with hot cocoa and read the scriptures of Jesus birth.

Christmas morn-kids wake up WAAAAY to early! We unwrapped presents, Taylan was excited to receive a bball hoop, Andi got a HSM doll house/stage, Brenaya was surprised with Polly Pocket Cruise Ship and Janalise found joy in her shopping cart and food! After a Christmas morning breakfast, we get a visit from Gpa John and Joni, who brought us an industrial mixer...LOVE IT! Gpa Merlin and Gma Debbie stop by to visit. We exchanged gifts and enjoy our traditional Christmas snack foods, BBQ smokies, crackers and cheese, cookie and brownies & drinks. Then it's off to lu-nner with Gma Nae. After more gifts and food, the rest of the night was peaceful and relaxing!

Dec 26th-was the Crawford family party (my moms siblings and children) We always enjoy games of BINGO and food! This year was a little more....well more! My grandma passed away this past year and we were all surprised with a VERY nice Christmas surprise from Gmas estate.

Dec 31st-had the insurance company over today to look at the rooms in crisis. Found an ice damn, ice and water in the walls and my storage room was torn apart! Received a check to help repair the rooms!

Dec 31st-The adults spent New Years Eve with David's family, the kids had a party at their cousins. We played WII, ate, talked, and BINGOd until the weeee hours of the morning (4:30 to be exact!) Woke up at 7:30 with Janalise, drove to Apine to pick up the kids, ended up staying until the weeee late of the night (11:00 to be exact!) Woke up at 7:30 with Janalise and headed back to Alpine for a baptism! I told David we should have just rented a hotel room for the weekend with all the driving we did! Better yet stayed at my dad's for FREE, who lives in Alpine!