Crazy December

This has by far been my busiest, craziest December ever.  I have tried to do everything I normally do in December, but had the Ward Christmas Party hanging over my head all month as well.  It was on Saturday, the 19th.  It went well, and is a great relief to have it behind me.  But December was just a whirlwind of activity.

I have few pictures to account for this busy month of December 2009, but I want to remember that I have reached the point of pure and utter exhaustion after having successfully completed the following this month:  hosted White Elephant Exchange party, threw Ellery a birthday party with 20 guests, ran the snack portion of Ellery’s Winter Party, was heavily involved in the planning and execution of our ward Christmas party, had all of my neighbors and their kids over to decorate Christmas cookies, had the missionaries and the bishop’s family over to celebrate Joseph Smith’s birthday.  Made and delivered bread and thank you notes to all the people who helped with the Ward Christmas Party.  All of that on top of Christmas cards, neighbor and teacher gifts, and Christmas shopping.  I want to just crawl up in a ball and sleep for a week.  But I can’t because I’m not quite done with the wrapping.  And because I am in the midst of washing table cloths from the party, doing laundry of our own, and packing for my family of 6.  This December has been kind of a nightmare.

A few pictures to post before Christmas and all the pictures THAT will entail.

Elle and Haley had a play date on a day that they planned to wear their matching dresses.  So we had to take some pictures.  Such cute little friends.

 

I brought donuts to Elle’s class for her birthday treat.  She helped me pass out the plates, napkins, cups, donuts, and juice, and then her class sang to her.  Lots of fun.

Elle’s Winter Party was later that day, and fun as well.  Four stations, including Story Corner, a game, painting a picture frame, and decorating gingerbread men.  I ran the gingerbread men station.  Bennett got to come with me to this party, which he enjoyed.  And I think Elle enjoyed it.

We had the Jensen Family over on Sunday to celebrate Elle’s birthday.  We had a special dinner, and Elle blew out candles on a pumpkin pie.

 

Chloe wasn’t able to come to Elle’s birthday party, so we tried to make up for that by having her sleep over.  She and Elle had a great time playing Guess Who?, eating popcorn and brownies and watching a movie, and reading together in bed.  The next morning we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and the girls played together outside for a long time.  I think they had a great time together.

Tuesday morning the kids and I made sugar cookies in preparation for our annual Cookie Decorating party with the moms and kids in the cul-de-sac. 

The party was that afternoon.  Lots of sprinkles and sugar intake – can’t go wrong with that, huh?

 

Reagan proudly displays one of her creations.  Too bad you can’t actually see the cookie.  And there’s Campbell cruising in the background.  She turned 11 months this weekend.  Crazy how old she is getting.  She has three teeth now, is crawling and pulling up to standing a ton more now, and it just growing up really quickly.

And here we are to tonight.  Christmas Eve.  I’ll post about it in a separate Christmas post.  But how grateful I am for the Savior of the World.  Our theme for our  Ward Christmas Party this year was Christmas Around the World.  During the program we showed a short DVD that shows images of people all over the world, set to a beautiful song called “Joy to Everyone This Christmas.”  If you have 4 minutes you should watch it here – it is very touching, and served as a wonderful reminder to me that Jesus is the Savior for everyone, all around the world.  I very much got sucked in to the busyness of this time of year these past few weeks, but am grateful for chances to step back and remember the Savior.

                                                         Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Elle’s Birthday Celebrations (a little early. . . .)

We celebrated Elle’s upcoming birthday this weekend.  Usually we wait and do her party the Saturday before Christmas, which would be next Saturday.  But this year that is the day of our Ward Christmas party, which I am heavily involved in, so I thought it best to not try to do a birthday party that same day.  So we celebrated even earlier this year, to which we didn’t get any complaining from Elle.

A few months back something caught my eye on the back of a box of Quaker Granola Bites.  They were advertising something called The Volunteer Birthday Party Kit.  The idea intrigued me, so I gathered up several Quaker UPC’s, and sent away for the kit.  I looked it over when it arrived, and although I loved the idea of incorporating a service project with a birthday party, I found myself wondering if I would ever use the stuff.  Then Elle’s birthday started creeping closer.  She wanted to have a party (she LOVES parties, and would have a party every month, for no reason in particular, if she could).  She wanted to invite a lot of people.  Friends from church.  Friends from school.  It is always hard to know where to draw the line.  And hard to come up with a new theme/idea for a party every year.  Then I remembered the kit I got from Quaker.  I pulled it back out, and starting seriously considering it.  I suggested it to Ellery.  She was excited (there is no way Bennett would ever go for the idea of having a birthday party that didn’t involved gifts for him.)  I started contacting organizations, trying to find a project that the kids could both bring donations for, but also do something hands-on at the party.  I heard about a Birthday-in-a-Bag Kit for the Parker Food Bank at the Parker Task Force, and contacted them and made the necessary arrangements.  And we were good to go.  We decided to have the party at our church, so there would be plenty of room for the 20 kids that Elle invited, a mixture of friends from both church and school.  We set up long tables and chairs in the carpeted overflow area, and did some decorations. 

 

 

I forced Elle to wear a shirt that came in the Quaker kit that said “Kids Doing Good.”  She wasn’t thrilled with it, but was a good sport.  Here she is at the beginning of the party, with most of the party-goers.

The first thing we did was the Service Project.  In the invitation, Elle asked her friends to bring a donation for the Birthday-in-a- Bag kits instead of a gift for her.  Each child brought two cake mixes, two jars of frosting, and two small packages of candles.  We spent 20 minutes or so decorating birthday cards to staple on each bag, pairing the cake mix, frosting, and candles with some balloons and tissue paper, and putting them in the bags.  When the service project was all said and done, we ended up with 41 Birthday-in-a-Bag kits to donate to the Parker Food Bank. 

  The kids all seemed to really love the project!

Once we had the bags assembled, the kids moved into the gym to play some games with Sam.  We were short on time, but they got in one rousing game of Musical Chairs.

 

Then it was back to the tables for lunch – pizza, apples, oranges, carrots, and juice.

Then we sang the birthday song to Elle and she blew out her candles and we cut the cake.

 

After the cake, Elle called up her friends one-at-a-time and presented them each with a certificate and their goodie bag.  The certificate came with the Volunteer Birthday Party kit, and said, “The Do-Gooder Award.”  Inside the goody bags were a blue rubber bracelet that says “Kids Doing Good” and a little booklet with activities about service projects kids can do. 

   

Then it was back in to the gym to break the pinata.  Kids love candy.

Reagan and Campbell were at the party, which always adds an extra element of fun and excitement.  This is the kind of stuff they were doing during the party:

 

On the way home after the party, Reagan crashed.  Being a terror at your sister’s birthday party can really wear you out.

Today I checked Elle out of school during lunch so we could deliver the Birthday-in-a-Bag Kits to the Food Bank. 

 

Sunday we let Elle open her birthday presents.  She got a razor scooter (so that she and Bennett don’t fight over the one we have anymore), a journal “All About Me” book, a clay kit, a bead kit, and a couple of new outfits.  She also got the game “Guess Who?” 

   

We are LOVING playing “Guess Who?”  Bennett has been hilarious while playing.  He doesn’t quite grasp the idea of asking questions that will eliminate as many people as possible.  He tends to ask questions like, “Does you person have a big white beard?”  or “Does your person have a big red beard?”  or “Is your person Matt?”  Hours of fun, let me tell you. 

Although we are still a week and a half away from Elle’s actual birthday, here are seven things we love about Ellery as she approaches her 7th birthday:

1- Ellery continues to have a strong moral compass.  She is quite the stickler when it comes to rules.  She is very aware of right and wrong, and always wants to be doing the right thing.  She believes in Jesus Christ, and is developing her own testimony of the gospel. 

2- Elle continues to love all things creative.  She told me today that Mr. Swanson (the art teacher) told her she is the “1st Best Art Person in the Class.”  Although I’m sure that isn’t an actual title, she said that he always uses her work as the example for the rest of the class.  I think I like her artistic ability so much because it is so unlike me.  I am amazed by her love of art and coloring and creating, and hope it continues.  She has been taking the Academy of Art classes at her school this year, and is loving it.

3- Elle is the best big sister.  I don’t think Bennett and Reagan and Campbell appreciate how lucky they are to have Elle as the leader of the pack in the family.  She looks out for her siblings, protects them, includes them, and thinks they are wonderful.  She is so helpful, and does much more than her fair share around here.  We couldn’t ask for a better first child.

4- Elle loves to learn.  She has a great memory.  She is very inquisitive.  Her reading has really taken off this year.  In Kindergarten she was an average reader, but she is reading well above a grade ahead where she should be now.  She has gotten 100% on every spelling test this year.  Her handwriting is greatly improving.  She is a diligent student.  But more than that, she is a lover of truth.  She wants to understand things.  She picks up on things.  She is bright, inquisitive, and resourceful.

5-  Elle loves people.  She continues to always want to be doing something with someone.    She always wants to know what the plan is, who we can have a play date with, where we can go.  She loves church and school because she gets to see friends.  She is thoughtful and considerate.

6-  Elle is active.  She wants to play outside everyday.  She has mastered her bike and her scooter, and wants to go to the park whenever possible to explore in the creek.  She wants to run.  She wants to dance (finally!).  She always wants to be going.

7-  Ellery makes everyone in our family happy.  She loves us, and we love her.  She is so loving, so kind.  Our family wouldn’t be our family without our Ellery.

Happy Birthday, Ellery!

 

 

December So Far – An Update Post

Already a week into December – time for an update post, no?

Back to our trip to Utah – we attempted a Grandkid picture in their Christmas outfits.  Here is the best one I got:

No, that color is not some neat Photoshop technique.  I left my camera in the car overnight, and it was very cold.  So this is how my pictures turned out.  Awesome.

Last week I had my 3rd Annual Christmas White Elephant Exchange at my house for ladies in my ward.  I decided to take some pictures since I never have in the past.  I am going to post them all because it is HILARIOUS that everyone is pretending like they don’t know they are having their picture taken:

A few brave souls made eye-contact with the camera.  Ah, good times.  It is always a Christmas Miracle to fit 25-30 ladies in my house, so that alone makes for a good party.

It has been very cold and snowy so far this month.  Very cold.

 

We got our Christmas tree last Friday from Home Depot.  Sam went by himself on his way home from work, since I really didn’t want to load everyone up in the car in single-digit weather to meet him there.  He is a good sport.  He went to the 6-7 foot tree area and looked for the tallest tree.  He picked one out and they got it wrapped up for him and trimmed up the trunk.  Then they took off the tag to ring him up, and low and behold it was an 8-9 foot tree.  So not only did we get to pay for an 8-9 foot tree, but it looks like we got the smallest one in that price range.  Oh well.  We love our fragrant real tree with it’s very simple decor.

I got a poinsettia at Costco last week.  Yesterday I realized that all the flowers were super droopy and shriveled.  I was pretty mad, and decided I would just take it back to Costco and say I got a lemon of a poinsettia.   Then I realized I had purchased it almost a full week prior, and had never watered it.  So I watered it.  It looks a lot better this morning.  Hmmmmmm. . . . . . . very strange.

Campbell has started crawling up the stairs.  At first she would just go up one or two and hang out there.  This morning she made it all the way to the top.  What is the fascination with stairs?

Halfway-up, and so proud.

Reagan wanted in on the picture taking.  Yes, she is wearing her coat inside.  I told you it is cold.

 

Reagan leads Campbell the rest of the way up the stairs.

Pretty happy to be at the top.

Campbell has a cold.  She is finally getting teeth (her bottom front two broke through the end of last month, and it looks like her top front two are working their way down), so I thought it might be related to teething.  But she is sounding pretty congested, so it might be more than that.  I am still trying to nurse her, even though I don’t think I really have any milk anymore, and she is so easily distracted and only nurses for a couple of minutes each feeding.  But she refuses to drink formula, so I am pretending like I still have milk.  I think once she hits the 11 month mark I will just offer her cow’s milk. 

I only have a couple of cards on my Christmas card door so far.

SEND ME CHRISTMAS CARDS!  It is one of my favorite parts of this time of year. 

Thanksgiving 2009

We made the trek back to the place of our births for the Thanksgiving holiday.  We had a good time, and managed to take a few pictures.  The highlights included:

Monday Night FHE at Discovery Gateway Museum and dinner at Bucca de Beppo.  So fun to be there with Lisa and kids and Grandpa and Grandma.  And so fun to have Dad with us at the museum.  He doesn’t usually get to go to places like that with us because of work, so it was fun for the kids to have Dad along.  And I think Sam enjoyed himself as well.

Reagan LOVES salad!

 

Haircuts for the girls.  Elle insisted on getting her hair cut short.  It was sad for me.  I loved her long hair.  She LOVES the change, and may never grow it back out.  I think it aged her several years – she looks so grown up to me now.  And in the week since it’s been short, I’ve round-brushed her hair dry three times.  I’ve used a blow dryer on my hair only once during that same period of time.  There is something very wrong when your daughter gets her hair dried with a blow dryer more often than you do.

Lunch with Mom and Lisa at Rumbi’s in Bountiful.  Bountiful has a lot of fun places to eat now.  When I lived there, the only places to eat were Su Casa and Robintino’s.  It has come a long way.

A Visit to BYU to see Grandpa Miller with Winnie and her kids.  We love BYU.  We can’t go home without a visit to the Clyde Building and the Cougar Eat and the Bookstore. 

Visits to the Yarns.  I saw my grandparents three separate days this trip.  Not bad for only being in town eight days!

Thanksgiving Dinner with the Millers.  Grammie is a great cook, and she always pulls out the nice china and the silver for us.  It is always fun to be with family.  The kids LOVE their cousins.

Pre-dinner visiting and preparations:

 

The Feast:

                                                                                     Campbell’s First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Dinner with the Allens.  Mom had a big group this year, including my beloved Aunt Joanna and her cute family, and my cute Aunt Jenny’s two kids who are in Utah for school, and my dad’s brother Deed.  We had a delicious dinner (which I couldn’t fully capitalize on since I was already stuffed), and then played some very fun games.  We got in a lot of game and card playing while I was in town, which is always a favorite part of the trips.

 

very cute name cards/napkin holders made by Aunt Jo and Hil.

                                                   The entire group (or at least most of it)

 

My dad’s parents stopped by for a quick visit, so we got a picture of them with our kiddos.  And Copper.

And here are a couple of pictures of the game playing.  Sam was very engaged in the games, which was so fun:

 

Allen Family Pictures – This was the first time my family had been all together for over a year, so we attempted family pictures.  Lisa set up her tripod for the big group picture, and took all the other pictures.  I love the blue color scheme she chose, and think the pictures turned out cute, especially considering we were working with 7 kids 6 years old and younger.

    My cute parents – we sure love them! 

The Blue was especially appropriate since this was the day of the BYU/Utah game.  We went to Costco right after the pictures, and I’d say 75% of the shoppers were either decked out in Red or Blue.  I had forgotten what it is like to be in the heart of the rivalry for the big game.  I don’t like it.

Mandarin Take-out.  Awesome picture of me, I know.  But the Mandarin had to be mentioned.

 

Watching the BYU/Utah game at Justin’s (Sam was at the game with his dad and brothers), and then yogurt at the Yogurt Stop.  The pictures at Justin and Lisa’s are blurry, but this was our farewell evening with them.  We sure love being in town and being able to spend a good amount of time with family.

 

Grandpa and Reagan hanging out at the Yogurt Stop.

And finally, Sam at the BYU/Utah game.  While we were in Utah, Sam got to attend two BYU football games, and one BYU basketball game.  Three sporting events in one week isn’t too shabby, huh?  And BYU was triumphant in all of them.  Go BYU.

 

Now we are a week into December.  It is going to FLY by, I know.  Where did 2009 go?

Still Alive

My cute dad called yesterday to ask why I haven’t posted anything on the blog lately.  He never leaves comments, but is definitely a lover of the blog.  I haven’t posted anything since Halloween, and next week is Thanksgiving.  I didn’t post much last year in November either.  I think November is just a blur of a month as I try to get a jump-start on Christmas and all things that are the month of December.  But here are some new pictures for Dad.

The kids had the last two weeks of October and the first week of November off track.  Besides my parents coming to visit, we did a few other fun things. 

We went to the Wildlife Experience with the Nelsons:

 

This was our second time at the Wildlife Experience.  I honestly wasn’t that impressed when we went last year, but it was much improved this time around.  A great time was had by all.

We went to the Zoo with the Weeks and the Edwards:

Campbell and Cooper are just a couple months apart.

Weeks and Miller kids in front of the elephants.

Reagan with her buddies Jacob and Jordan.  I love that she is getting old enough to have little friends.  Or at least kids who are nice to her and try to be her friend.

What else is going on?  Reagan is kind of trying to drop her nap.  So there are days where I don’t put her down for a nap, and then she will just fall asleep somewhere randomly.  This day she fell asleep shirtless and with her pink boots on.  I covered her nakedness with a blanket so I could take a post-able picture.

And today my Campbell is 10-months old.  Is that even possible?  She is still a tiny little girl, falling from the 40th percentile at her 6-month appointment to the 25th percentile at her 9-month.  She is right around 17 pounds, so gained less than a pound in three months if my calculations are correct.  She has finally mastered the front-ward crawl.  For the longest time she could only travel backwards.  And this week her first tooth broke through, with the second one on the bottom not too far behind.  She is darling, sweet, fun, and adored by all.  Except for she is becoming quite the momma’s girl.  Sam loves starting his day by getting Campbell out of her crib and bringing her to me because she gets such a big smile on her face when she sees me.  And the last two times I have left her with friends she has been sad and fussy, which is NOT a good thing.  I rely on other people too much to have Campbell start being difficult.  Hopefully the whole separation anxiety-stranger  danger phase will be short-lived. 

Here are a whole bunch of pictures of my cute, now crawling 10-month old: