A Holly Jolly Christmas

Christmas was wonderful this year. We love staying home to celebrate. Shari's family and Grandma and Grandpa Don did come by to have some fun with us. The kids love playing games and the adults love eating food. I made the kids take some nice pictures after church one day. For Christmas Eve I wanted a fancy dinner, so we made some yummy Italian food, including rice balls, and lit some candles. Then we opened pajamas and the kids acted out the nativity, which I think was my very favorite part. Christmas morning was magical and it's always fun to watch everyone open their presents. We spent the rest of Christmas day lounging around the house, playing games, and watching movies.

December

We love celebrating Christmas around here. We saw lots of lights including this Tree of Hope at a park nearby and the lights at Temple Square with cousins. We also delivered the 12 days of Christmas to some neighbors for the first time and the kids loved doing it. Barry and I went to an ugly Christmas sweater party, a work party, and were able to go to the Forgotten Carols for our anniversary. Three dates in one month is a new record! Haha. Warren also played basketball on Saturdays in December and it was fun to watch him improve. He also had a Christmas concert at school (which I didn't get very good pictures of) and Sawyer fell asleep during it because he wasn't feeling well. Besides a few incidents of the stomach flu, it was a wonderful month of fa-la-laing.

Clara Turns 10!

Our sweet baby girl hit double digits this year! I don't know what I would do without her. We stick together when all the boys in the house get to be a little too much. She is an excellent reader, helps out whenever she is asked, thinks of others often, and would bake every day if we let her. She received lots of baking supplies for her birthday. She had a party with some friends to celebrate where they made bracelets, played a gift exchange game, and watched Cinderella. We also went to Pizza Pie Cafe with Shari, Triston, Connor, Grandma, and Grandpa Don. She requested scones for a birthday treat. 

Clara's Recital

Clara is in an acrobatics class this year at Davis Dance Academy. She had a mini recital and it was fun to see what she has been learning. She is much more graceful and coordinated than her mother.

Miles Turns 1!

We had so much fun celebrating Miles's 1st Birthday! He is such a fun baby. We took him to McDonald's for his first happy meal and went on a hayride through Layton Park, which was filled with lights. He even met Santa! His reaction was pretty "whatever" towards the man in the red suit. He did like the Christmas lights. Clara talked to Santa, but the other boys wanted no part in it. Party Poopers. I think Miles's favorite part was the cupcakes and tissue box. Looks like we have another mess maker on our hands. It's hard to believe our last baby is almost a toddler. I'll miss those newborn snuggles. I'm so happy he joined our family, though. He has been a little spot of joy in our home.

Trouble

Here is Miles at 11 months old, and he is nothing but trouble anymore. He empties every drawer, goes in every open room, and finds anything to destroy. But he's cute enough everyone forgives him anyway.

Thanksgiving in Oakley

We spent a few nice days in Oakley for Thanksgiving. Pam and DeVaugh's 52nd anniversary was on Thanksgiving. Miles got to know his cousin, Callie, while we were there. They sure were cute together. We didn't get a lot of pictures, but Barry also took the kids into the mountains to go sledding and get a tree the day after Thanksgiving.

Quinton's Webelo and Arrow of Light

Quinton earned his Webelo and Arrow of Light scouting awards. He is officially no longer in Cub Scouts. They had a neat ceremony where they dressed him in armor. We're sure proud of him.

Here's a picture of Warren doing homework willingly. We had to capture it because usually it's a fight to get him to do his spelling!