It wasn't just that most of us got to go up skiing. (Next year Nathan, next year!)



 It wasn't the Thomas the Train set for Nathan (Grandma's gift of a Bobcat stole the show.)
 It wasn't this amazing afghan I crocheted for my brother and his girlfriend. (Although I am pretty darn proud of myself.)
 It wasn't the spy kit or the Harry Potter kit that Savannah and Abbie got. (Although they were both thrilled.)
 It was the sledding! That pushed this Christmas to the top. We had so much fun, despite the little snow.

 The school also has each grade sing two holiday songs. Savannah is behind the boy picking his nose. Yes, this was the best picture I could get. It is insane at that school during the holidays. Savannah sang All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth. She did a great job. The truth is though I think she really just wants to loose a tooth more than anything.

Russ's birthday was this week We had a fun time at a white elephant party on his birthday, but we went out on Saturday and had a blast. We went hiking in the afternoon and then out to an amazing dinner and a movie that night. It was great to spend time together.

My next project!!

When I was a kid my mom and a flanal tree advent calender. Everyday we pulled out a little ornament and hung it up on the tree that hung on the pantry door. I loved the calender. It made the Christmas season fun throughout. It was something to look forward to every day, and not just waiting until the big 2-5. So a few years ago I made a calender for our family. It consists of 24 baby socks hanging on our wall. Every day the girls pick out a sock and inside is either an ornament to hang on a small tree, or a Christmas activity we do together. This helps force encourage me to do the Christmas activities I want to do anyway but also allows the flexibility for days when we just can't do anything.

Some of the activities are things we would do anyway, some are special but pulling them out of a stocking makes them all magical.


Nathan helped decorate the tree. In fact, he helps decorate the tree every day. Ornaments get rearranged, the lights are switched around, presents get moved. Thankfully, so far, only one ornament has broken.


Abbie had her Christmas recital. She is such a talented kid. She played In the Hall of the Mountain King, Pat a Pan, and Maple Leaf Rag. She plays by ear, and is forced to read music for the rest of us. She LOVES it. She gets into the complicated melodies and rythoms. This morning when she was practicing she got mad at me because, we were "just playing songs and not really practicing." I love watching her love of music.

Savannah and Abbie decorated gingerbread houses. This is an annual tradition that I think is their favorite.
 A friend and I took our older kids to the Symphony Childrens' Christmas Concert. I had a vision that we could ride the train down, arrive at the symphony enjoy the show and eat out at a fancyish restaurant downtown.
 Unfortunately,  we missed the stop we were supposed to take, had had to race around downtown in the pouring, pouring rain. Poor Savannah was wearing sandles and her toes were freezing. But she had the most amazing attitude.
 Thankfully we still made the symphony. Santa conducted, there was a sing-along and a great deal of Christmas joy was experienced by all.
 Temple Square Holiday Lights....wherein I broke out my evil eyes for photoes.