A quick pre-Christmas post post-Christmas

Here are the last things we did before the big day!

Actually, we did the advent calendars the entire month.

Gingerbread cookies with icing and sprinkles. We delivered these to the children's nursery and sunbeam teachers. They were warmly received. 

We went to SF's Festival of Lights. We let the kids stand up by the front seat of the car while we drive around listening to Christmas music and looking at all the lights. This year they eat the leftover gingerbread cookies in the car too. It's always fun. And it's cheap, which we parent's like.

I realized the kids didn't have any stockings, so I made some out of felt one day.

We went to the Museum of Art and enjoyed their Lamb of God exhibit. It is an exhibit of Christmas art done all by elementary school kids. These, however, are the cream of the crop. They are really neat to see. I especially liked that a child made an entire nativity set out of felt.

Derek and I went to the temple in American Fork on the 23rd and our babysitter did some fun Christmas crafts with the kids (and I saw Ellaree Howard at the temple, one of my grandmother's really really old friends. It was such a sweet reunion. It made me so happy to have that short moment with her)

And for dinner on Christmas Eve we had a traditional Norwegian meal that I used to have with my family when I was a kid. This was the first time I've ever made it myself, so it was kind of stressful, but I enjoyed is so much. We ate by candlelight and were serenaded by Sissel (a Norwegian singer) and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was magical. And delicious. (Cauliflower soup, Rodkol - red cabbage, and fish, plus some cookies that are technically NOT Norwegian, but they look the same and I didn't make any Krumkaker. These were a gift from a friend. They were delicious.)

December is busy

Here are a lot of photos of a lot of things we have done - but there is still more to come. I just figured if I didn't hurry up and post some photos, it would be January and I would be too overwhelmed. This is kind of overwhelming to me as it is, but I've got only about 10 minutes to stick everything in, so here goes...

The kids Christmas Tree decorated with all the ornaments we made last year

 making salt dough ornaments for this year. This was a multi-day project. I really enjoyed it.

 This bread was supposed to be green (spinach) and red (craisins) but it just turned out a little flat. It still tasted pretty good.

 My finished ornaments. After I painted them I brushed on egg whites, but I don't think it made much of a difference. The stars are supposed to glow in the dark - I have glow in the dark paint. :)

 Abigail's finished ornaments

 Joshua's finished ornaments

 braided bread - cherry

 braided bread - a few apple too (a little overdone)

 They are a little prettier without, but they taste better with the icing

 I took my oldest two to the German and Slavic Languages Department at BYU's Adventssingen, which I love. It is an hour of readings from the bible, singing, musical performances, etc, all in German and the music all originates from Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. There was an Andachtsjodel that I think was technically northern Italian. Anyway, here are the kids at the DeJong Concert Hall at BYU before the performance. (I have to say, on the way to find a seat, we bumped into Herr Kelling and I called Joshua to me. Kelling said, "Deini Mama ruft dich. Na ja, er kann kein Deutch" and I proudly said, "oh yes he does, and quite well!" I don't think Kelling heard me but I felt pretty good about myself.

 The kids were amazingly well-behaved. It was a fantastic evening.

 But I forgot to do Abigail's hair before we left so she looks a little crazy.

 The Salzburg trio

 Alpenhorn

 Frauenchor - check out their awesome dresses!

 BYU had some lights up outside the bookstore so the kids played around them a little bit.

 Christmas Baskets. I yearly tradition. A LOT of work. This year I made almond roca, chocolate crackles, ruffles crunch, confetti fudge, those little ornaments, and we gave out hickory farms summer sausage and smoked cheese as well. I also was in a huge rush because i had to get the Christmas photo and letter written, printed, and stuffed in envelopes. It is always really satisfying to see these bags finished. It kind of defines my December.

 The Christmas Candy House Party. This year we served dinner as well.

 And of course we made graham cracker houses.

 I'm the one in the green and brown in the right of the photo.

 I think this is the most we have ever had - in all 3 years of our having this party.

 Abigail's House

 Joshua's House

 My house

 Just another angle of our Christmas house neighborhood.

 Joshua's house imploded, Derek gave mine away, and Grampy left his at our house, so here are the three we ended up with (my favorite feature of any house is the "A" on Abby's. She specifically requested that.)

 Joshua was very upset that his fell in. He said defiantly "It's not a house!! It's just graham crackers and candy and frosting. I'm giving it to the mice!" Oh  yeah, did I forget to mention we have had a major mouse problem these last 3 weeks. gross. So besides being busy, I've been grossed out and battling rodents. And oh yes, I had to have a wisdom tooth pulled because of all times, it chose the busiest time of December to start hurting... like a lot! So finding a dentist FAST, getting it pulled, battling rodents, baking, hosting, etc. Like I said, it's been busy.

 Just a cute photo of the boys.

 Pack Meeting. These are our cub scouts decorated sugar cookies. Joshua is on the bottom right.

 Yes, we used the left over candy from the candy house party the night before.

 Then we went caroling. It was freezing. But the next night was even worse. Glad we went on Tuesday.

 The day after that we went to Derek's work for a work Christmas luncheon. It was fun... lots of food... no pictures.

And then we went to Grandma Carolyn's concert in the American Fork Tabernacle. It was fabulous, but it just reminded me again that my sister Heather, who used to live less than 5 minutes from the Tabernacle, isn't there anymore.

 Grandma Carolyn is sitting and is the third from the right.

Tomorrow we are going to Festival of Lights. I've made gingerbread today, so besides the neighborhood gifts we've already given out, we will decorated our cookies and give them to the kids church teachers and a friend or so. Derek reminds me, I've put this all on myself. But I actually really really like doing all these things. It wouldn't feel very Christmasy to me without some of them, so as long as I have the energy and the desire, everyone is going to have to put up with it.  If I don't forget, I'll post the Christmas letter sometime.