Saturday, December 31, 2022

New Year's Eve 2022

Happy New Year from our family to yours! We had a wonderful 2022. Highlights were Bradley's graduation, Bradley's mission and Jude's baptism. Everyone was healthy, we only had one run to the ER for stitches. Jamison started driving (permit). We bought a second new car. I started teaching 1st grade full time. We are happy and thriving as life continues to march forward! 










 

December 2022 Misc Pics

 Enjoy the December 2022 installment of misc pics and videos. These are all the pictures and videos that don't get their own post, mixed together each month. Enjoy!

December 2, 2022
December brings a lot of dress rehearsals and final performances of music I've been working on for a while. I remember in high school and college, December was filled with caroling gigs. That made December busy and stressful for me as a singer. I rather enjoy the choral concerts more than the caroling. December becomes a musical payoff for me after many weeks and months of preparation. 
December 4, 2022
Truth
December 10, 2022
This girl is driving! How is is possible?! We're only in the first days here, but she is doing great!
December 11, 2022
Sometimes church for an 8 year old is a mix between boring and exhausting. But, when my kids fall asleep in church it must mean illness because this rarely happens. Poor Jude, this was the first sign of being sick. He was down for a day but bounced right back.
December 11, 2022
I've never thought my sister and I looked much alike. But, when I glanced quickly at this screen shot I say Elizabeth. It was weird and awesome. Bradley was playing with some of the FB filters. This boy.
December 13, 2022
My shopping buddy.
December 14, 2022
Ugh. One of my student's parents sent in her Elf on the Shelf. I had allow it because of how much power this doll has. This guy watched us all day and ended up turning our classroom upside down. Why?!
December 17, 2022
This guy enjoying a Saturday snooze. Again, still a little under the weather. He is so cute. Not a lot of sleeping pictures of kiddos for me anymore. Where does the time go?
December 18, 2022
I have no idea why I only got pictures of my boys this morning. Maybe the girls were taking too long and I just went with what I had. Either way, these three are sure handsome.



December 21, 2022
Cora, Charlie, Levi and Jude enjoyed a little escape to get out some energy. Cora is so beautiful.

December 28, 2022
We got a new trampoline for Christmas. Anthony and Conley started building it and met a few road blocks. The more springs they would put on the harder it got. They would put the spring in the connection next to the tramp and then pull the tramp as hard as they could to connect to the outside ring. It was SO hard. We were exerting all our energy and pulling so hard. We kept falling down and snapping the tool that was meant to help us. Finally Jamison came out. She was like, "You're doing it wrong." She put the spring on outside ring part and then used the tool to stretch the spring instead of the tramp mat. Then the spring would easily attach to the connection. It was SO easy. 

Lessons I learned that day: Read the instructions, ask someone for help who has knowledge, and use the right tools. With all of those lessons learned my take away is that we sometimes are so prideful that we don't use all that has been provided for us. The Lord has provided us prophets and scriptures as guides. Let's not let them gather dust on a shelf. Let's use what we have been given to make this life easier.

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Christmas Day

Christmas fell on a Sunday this year. I love when that happens! We woke up and opened presents. 





After presents we attended church. I put together the narration and the musical numbers for church. I also sang a solo. It was a good service. I hope everyone liked it and could feel the spirit.



After church we went over to the Popes for some lunch and to open a few more presents. 

Then back to my house for dinner with the family. 
Tad and Anthony made a delicious smoked prime rib. It was heaven! 


Sarah Day is the charcuterie board Queen! 
What a fun crew! I love my family!

The night ended with a projector movie in bed for the boys. It was a great family Christmas gift.
A short, tiny video of the projector set up. It's great quality.

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Christmas Eve Traditions

Once the dinner and program portion of Christmas Eve is finished, the rest is pretty routine. 

We open a present of new PJs.
We always leave cookies for Santa and some carrots for the reindeer. Elfed, who is in the background hanging onto Jesus, always heads home to the North Pole. 
The stocking are laid on the couch with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there. 
This is when the adults disappear and go play a Christmas Exchange game with Sam, Kaylee, Loren, Sonya, Tad, Tracy and mom. This game is so, much, fun! Sometimes if we are gone long enough, Santa has already come and we can take a beautiful picture of all he brought!

Then it's time to rest for a few hours until everyone wakes up! 

Christmas Eve at Abuelos

We had a great time celebrating Christmas with Anthony's parents. My kids love their Abuelos, Tios and cousins. It is always so much fun and can we talk about the food for a minute? DELICIOUS!



It was all so delicious. After we ate it was time to open a few presents. 


Then we played some fun money games. Abuela is so much fun. Merry Christmas everyone! The joy of children on Christmas is one my most favorite things. Here is Jude trying to scoop up money with a spatula on a flat surface with a blindfold on. It was awesome watching the kids try this.
This game was fun. You had to pull a string and fish for an envelope. You could get a dollar bill or as much as a fifty! Conley was the lucky winner!

We were all missing Bradley. We are so glad he was able to call!