December was a Great Month

Some of the highlights are:

• After Brian was released from the bishopric he thought he might have a little break and breath a little, especially because he is starting to get a grip on work, but the very afternoon he was released the new bishop came by and asked him to be young mens president.  For the time being and as long as it works for our family, I will stay in as young womens secretary.  So far Brian says young mens president is more work than being in the bishopric.
• This year my siblings decided not to give gifts to one another this year.  Instead we went to the nickelcade with the kids and then after left them with Macy and Kelsey to babysit while we went to the new Star Wars movie.

Basketball started for Kelsey and Braden.  She has great coaches and a fun team.

 The kids and I went to see the candy windows at the South Jordan City Center.  They were pretty cool.  Macy went too but wouldn't be in the picture

 Above is Braden's Christmas List.  It says:
To Santa from Braden this is what I want
$160 (he wants to buy his own mini ipad because we won't get him one but said he could save up and buy it himself)
wii U
Minecraft
hatchimal
a big photo booth
a soccer field
a medium size tramp (a friend has a smaller tramp in their basement)
I want more legos
I want the movie BFG it stands for big friendly giant
and I want beanie boos
and I want football gear
and I want a football game on the xbox it is a football game
and I want a hamster
and I want a remote control helicopter
and I want a nerf zombie strike gun
and I want spray for a football field (he explained to me that he wanted to spray his own field on the side of our house)

 Tanner rearranged my nativity one day.  I call it "Oh come let us adore Him"

 I made gingerbread houses from scratch and the kids decorated them.  Tanner was a maniac and had to most of it buy himself.

 Macy's

 Kelsey's

 Tanner's

 Braden's

 Tanner went to the Dicken's Festival with grandma, grandpa and Stefanie while I went shopping

 Tanner was given bath fizzes that colored the water.  He had to use all 4 colors at once even thought I told him it would make it brown.  He said he wanted it brown.

Brian really enjoyed playing with the kids new remote control helicopters after they were in bed.  He also spent some time playing one of their new video games after they were asleep.

Kids are such a boost to self esteem

About a week ago the bishopric in our ward was released and a new one sustained.  Brian had only been a part of the old bishopric for about 9-10 months.  The Saturday evening before his release Kelsey started asking questions about how a bishop and his counselors are chosen.  Brian told her the process. He told her the stake presidency thinks, prays and seeks inspiration and the Lord's approval for who should be bishop.  The bishop then goes through the same process for his counselors.  When Brian is done Kelsey says "and they picked you?"  After a good laugh, realizing her mistake she says "no I just meant I didn't think you were old enough."

Kelsey was on a roll because the next day we were at my mom's celebrating her and JT's birthday.  We were eating ice cream and one of the flavors was a chocolate brownie.  Kelsey didn't like this flavor so she says "I don't want this 'poo' ice cream. Can I have more Moose Tracks?"  JT was scooping so he gave her this huge, I mean huge serving of ice cream.  Kelsey exclaims "finally someone who understands me."

Another good story that happened recently involved Tanner.  He was picking his nose and Brian saw him.  Brian asked him to stop.  Tanner says "There is just something in it."  To which Brian replies "So that makes it ok?"  Tanner continues to pick and says "There is just something small in it."  Yes, Tanner it is called a buggar.

Other fun events this week: 

• zoo on Wednesday with snow that evening which culminated into a snowball fight because of JT's suggestion
• Thanksgiving at Uncle Dale's on Thursday
• Mall shopping with Macy and Kelsey on Friday
• sleepover at Grandma Wendy's Friday night with cousins and decorating her tree on Saturday
• snow fort building with JT on the same Saturday
• Decorating our tree Sunday
• more snow last night which meant a desperate attempt at sledding after dinner, we didn't get tons of snow

December

 At the beginning of December we made our gingerbread houses.  I was going to take a short cut and use graham crackers this year but Macy said we couldn't.  I made Tanner/myself a house this year so I could more fully participate and so we had a house to eat.

Tanner and my house

Another view

Macy's

Macy's

 

Braden's

 

 December brought a huge snowstorm.  We woke up one morning to at least 8 inches of wet, heavy snow.  I was wishing we purchased a snowblower.  Tanner helped me shovel.  Towards the end asked to "build snowman".  So we did.  I used some of a white elephant gift I had received to give it the summery look.

Macy had her first voice recital.  She did awesome.  She sang "First Christmas Kiss".  She also practiced and performed with our ward choir.

Christmas brought gifts and sickness.  The wee morning hours of Christmas Eve Braden threw up in Kelsey's room.  All the kids were having a sleepover with their cousins, Ellie and Sammi.  We passed that bug on to them.  Ellie came down with it on Christmas Day.  Tanner did too.  Luckily we made it through our family's morning routine, my parents shindig, and were opening presents at Brian's parents when Tanner threw up all over me.  It was nasty.  He hit me again later that afternoon/evening.  Macy caught it slightly one time over the break and then she got a more violent second round right after they went back to school.  Needless to say I am done with that illness, hopefully.  The 2 other good things about it was the illness lasted only 24 hours and they felt fine up to 5 minutes before the puking began.

On to the good part of Christmas.  On Christmas Eve we had our fancy dinner on china, Santa dropped off pjs (the picture is somewhere), our now traditional family talent show and a small devotional.  For the talent show Macy played the piano and sang, Kelsey played the recorder, Braden shot a basketball, Mom hit a ping pong ball 45 times and dad played Mary had a Little Lamb on the piano.  We are quite the group.

On Christmas Day Tanner was excited for his new light up toothbrush, Spiderman pajamas, and Yoda.  His favorite toy had to be Bemax from Big Hero 6 (of course one of his wings was constantly falling off right out of the box but the stores didn't have any more) and Braden's robot dinosaur.  All the kids received a xbox one, the kinect for it and the Disney Infinity Star Wars game.  Macy got the desk she demanded.  The item Kelsey was most excited about besides the xbox set-up were 2 stuffed animals.  Braden has happy about 2 drones, the dinosaur, and metal detector truck.  Brian and I bought a new big TV and sound bar for downstairs.

Sept thru Dec re-cap

September 

 His way of helping with the laundry. Not Really.

 Starting to climb.

 Kelsey dressing him up.

 I think you sat in something.

October

 Kelsey at it again.  This time with the Halloween box

 Macy (bottom) and Kelsey's (top) pumpkins.

 Braden's pumpkin.  Braden designed it.  Dad tried to carve it.  Mom had to salvage it.

 Leopard, 2 ninjas (one is the gold ninja from Ninjago) and Nemo.

Luckily we had this costume from Kelsey.  I had picked one up from Costco but when I went to put on the new costume someone had swapped the top and bottom.  The jacket was a 12 month size and the pants were 3 to 6 months.  The pants definitely weren't going to fit.

November

 Braden wanted to write an 8-page Christmas list.  Then he changed his mind and went with 6 pages.  He only filled 1 1/2 pages.

 Translation:

 Trouble

December

 Those are Kelsey's underpants on his head.  Luckily they came from the clean clothes I was folding.

 Christmas morning.

Kelsey's note to Santa.  His reply was that he wished he could give her a real light saber but there is no such thing.  He can't make money so he has to be careful how he gives it out.  Her reply was "well he could have given me an iPad mini."