My house looks like a kid bomb went off! Seriously, so so messy! It's New Year's Eve and we are going to par-tay! So what's the point in cleaning, right? Wrong! I'm going to lose my mind if I let it go a minute longer. Except, writing on my blog has way more pull on me right now. :o)
Our December was FABULOUS!
Diligent studies, at least on this day.
A ridiculously beautiful day at the park.
Favorite pictures
Christmas cards received. Love.
Hannah was in the Christmas program at church. Cutest angel up there!
Holland hates Santa. Joe however, wouldn't get off his lap!
Caldwell city lights. Ubber fun!
My greatest highlight was performing the Messiah with my Hannah! Oh heavens! This was truly the best thing to get me in the right frame of mind for Christmas!
I asked the kids to make a nativity using anything from the house. I was so impressed with what they came up with.
Hannah's
Abby's
Nathan's
Fresh Christmas tree with a massive Bell on top!
First snow fall
Mom and Dad's Christmas dinner for their kids. This is SO fun!
My brace face sister and her brace face husband.
Aaron's bingo win! Can anyone say "white elephant gift"?
Scheels with the babies.
a picture taken by a 2 year old.
Mooching off my sister who so kindly let us stay with them while visiting in Utah.
I'm going to miss when these kids can no longer put olives on their fingers.
Grandma's traditional cookie party. I think my mom is pretty amazing to have this tradition going for 20+ years!
Picture perfect!
I had visions of taking my kids to Temple square and taking beautiful pictures like this,
or this,
and maybe a picture with my kids in it in front of these magical lights, and the temple behind them, and them looking positively perfect, and it being the most amazing picture to frame, you know, like so many other people are somehow able to capture! But, alas, these are the only ones I got.
Attempt #1
Attempt #2
#3
#4
Fired!
Real life people. This is my real my life. Plus, it was freezing cold. And all of America was visiting temple square that night.
But who cares about perfection? Ok, so this is one of my great struggles to be honest, but I am getting better.
Being in Utah for Christmas, with my family was wonderful. We went caroling with my parents Christmas Eve. I grew up doing this and LOVED singing with my kids this year. I think it embarrassed Aaron to death, but he was a trooper and sang along with us.
Reading and acting out the nativity story from Luke 2
Christmas movie, jammies, and then straight to bed!
A much bigger Christmas than we had planned on. Santa was way too good to us this year! (You know who you are who made this a big Christmas for us)!
Checking on the kids before we headed to bed. My word, Hannah is a wild sleeper!
The magic began at 7am, but one little child was up at 4am, uhmm, Hannah!
Aaron and I gifted each other food storage. Yep, food storage. No greater gift than feeling prepared for whatever, right?
Dad's birthday is the day after Christmas. He is 75 years old. I love my dad. He isn't perfect. He does drive us crazy sometimes (sorry Dad, I know we drive you crazy too sometimes), but he loves us fiercely and when it comes to what matters in life, he has given us the very, very best!
He spent the evening playing "Old Maid" with some pretty excited kids.
Joe found his happy place.
Hannah and Grace gifted us with song this evening. A lovely rendition of Jingle Bells.
nice photobomb Ty!
Matching jammies for adorable girls. Lovingly handmade from Grandma Eyre
Meeting my newest beautiful niece, Bethany. She was positively precious!
Joe and Jack racing off the mantel. Good times.
Sisters are the BEST!!
So are cousins and saying goodbye is hard to do.
Nate found a comfortable place to sleep. Not to mention that playing hard for a week also means sleeping hard wherever you can find a place to put your head.
We managed to fit everything in the car on the way home. Remarkable really.
Utah is home. I think it always will be. I miss these mountains and the people that live in this valley. But I enjoyed visiting so much that living far away makes coming home really, really special.
And that's a wrap! Goodbye 2014! You were good to us!
