We had a great Christmas. This year the adults on my side of the family exchanged names and made donations in that person’s name to a charity of their choice. It made shopping very easy; we only needed to really get the kids gifts. For us we focused on sports. Since it is pretty cold outside and there is a ton of snow on the ground we have made our front room an extension of the playroom. It is full of active toys for the kids to enjoy and exert some of their energy. They just love it. But, I can hardly wait until the spring when they can go outside again.
Adam was able to come and visit us for Christmas which was great since he had never been here before. Plus the kids just love him, go figure I know, but he enjoys them as well. He got them two of their favorite movies for Christmas, Cars and A Bugs Life. I don’t think they have watched anything else since.
Overall we had a great Christmas; we were all very laid back and had a bunch of fun. Isabelle helped put out cookies and milk for Santa, I forgot about the reindeer but we’ll get them next year. Everyone played outside in the snow. It was a white Christmas, we got more fresh snow, and had a blast sledding. I’m sure the videos of that area great. I hope that your holiday was a good one as well.
. . . are here at last. The kids have been very excited about the upcoming visit with G & G Libby. And since they came the day the snow came it worked out perfect. We were all able to get all bundled up and go sleding in the back yard. Both kids loved it and Ben even started to make a snow "house." Just as we were going in though Isabelle decided that it did not need to be up and pushed it all down. Grandpa worked most of the morning and missed the snowy fun, but I'm sure he will havea another chance soon.
Here is a song from Isabelle's Sing program at school this winter. It was really cute and we had a great time. I hope you enjoy it also. Hopefully it will not be grainy, because it is nice and clear on the computer.
Merry Christmas!
Ben and I got the chance to meet the Governor, his wife and the Lieutenant Governor and his wife. It was really just a photo opportunity but hey you take what you can get. No deep questions about policy or where he thinks Utah is going in the future. The receiving line was not that functional. I guess we'll just have to try for a dinner invitation next time. After going through about, almost every picture taken I finally found ours, needless to say the numbering system had something to be desired.
I finally gave in and had Barrett’s hair cut. I can hardly believe it. I just love the little curls he gets at the back of his neck and around his ears but I think it was just about long enough to bother even me. So I took the plunge and had it cut. He did a great job and did not even cry. She did cut it a little shorter than what I wanted but I know it will grow back. I can only hope that his little curls stay with him. But he does look extra handsome now. Plus I think for those days when I do style his hair, it will be much easier. He was pretty excited though; he got to play on a slide and even got a balloon for all his hard work.
Our trip to Santa this year was very easy, we saw Santa at the Church Christmas party. Boy was he long winded. The wait nearly killed me who knows what it did to the kids.
Our first snowman of the year was so much fun to make. He started out much smaller than what he ended up being. Ben thought we needed to make him extra big. One of my friends moved to Arizona and she gave me a snowman kit. All you have to do is add the snow. Isabelle had a lot of fun putting on the accessories after Ben was satisfied that he was big enough. Now our snowman has a V-8 problem, but hey they can’t last forever.
At school Isabelle had a chance to be in the Spotlight because her Birthday is in December. Bear and I were able to come down for her class to be with her as she told her friends about herself, during her spotlight. She was pretty excited. I was excited for her too, as well as for being able to faces with the names of the kids she likes to talk about.
Each year an event is held to raise money for the local children's hospital, made possible by people creating very intricate Christmas trees, that are themed. Some trees are large while others are small. There are also wreaths, gingerbread houses, play houses, and so much more. Roadway has the pleasure of delivering all of the trees to the buyers, and they hope that none of the decorations shift or break. The large trees can be so much more, they could also come with a false hearth, flat screen tv, games or whatever might go well with the theme of the tree. All of the trees were just beautiful, even the little ones. I would love a chance to decorate one all in one theme and then see it placed in a loving home or business. Since these are no ordinary trees the prices range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Who would not want to support the Children’s Hospital? Ben thinks it would be a great fundraiser for any city.
Play house or Grandmother house?
I am really hoping for a white Christmas this year. And seeing how it snowed the day we got back from Texas as well as on December 1st I think the odds are in my favor. Although I do think that it has to actually snow on the 25th but I could not be sure. Here are some pictures from the morning of our snow storm, it looks like about 4” of snow and then it proceeded to snow all day and I think the valley got at least 7” so you can imagine how many inches the mountains received. I know all the ski resorts were praying hard to the snow gods to bring it on, considering they have been blowing snow, yikes!
Isabelle loved the snow; Bear was not quite sure what to do. Never mind the fact that his shoes would not stay on and I think he really could not move well; but hey all in the name of warmth. He did have fun on the sled until Isabelle dumped him.
