Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Only resolution: Drink water.

I'm not making any other goals, picking any other words, or thinking about much else this year -- I just know I need to be drinking a lot more water! Ha. Here we go.

I made a big cleaning list for the boys and we worked, worked, worked Monday and I told them we'd get tickets to Zootopia 2 for Tuesday if we could knock it all out. It felt so good to get Christmas put away and things cleaned up.

This week we finished The Great British Bake Off, went to Zootopia, Michael took the boys on a little outdoor adventure while I fed all the Young Women a waffle brunch and played a slideshow of our activities this year. Katie and her boys came over later that day and Michael did a frenectomy for Oliver. The boys had fun playing together and we did a gingerbread house and played outside. Then the Baileys and Behunins came over to watch the Indiana game and Katie and Ryan stayed for most of it. I am so haaaappy when my house is full of people we love. I was looking at Katie's sweater all day thinking how cute it was and then I opened her Christmas present to me and it was her sweater :) Haha she's the best, I think I'll wear it all the rest of Christmas break!

Monday was WORK day. Michael went back to work and I had the boys tackle a big to-do list for me to get our house recovered from Christmas, with Zootopia 2 tickets promised if we could conquer it. We got so much done in one day, it made me grateful I didn't leave it for when they were back to school because these boys can really do so much with me!

On New Years Eve we did fondue and games over at the Behunins, and then we went to the Baileys for, well, more games and more fondue. Michael and Camden and Asher made it until 11:00, which we were shocked by but everyone was just having too much fun! Bennett and Westin and I stayed for the countdown. We've entered our midnight era again.

On Saturday the boys played football at Warren Park with some other dads and boys, and Camden especially loved it. He's catching Westin's football bug. He even wore his cleats and I thought that was the cutest thing. That night we went to get Thai food with the Baileys, Behunins, and Allemans for Matthew's birthday. We had a good talk and I just think it's so lucky to have friends that really relate to you in life. I feel like our ward is this pocket of people that I would just go crazy without during all that's happening in the world right now.

On Sunday after church, Westin was ordained a deacon. What a special blessing and happy milestone for him. He's going to be the Deacon's quorum secretary and he's just really looking forward to this year. He's so great.

Sunday we had a lowkey day full of football, and I made fajitas for the missionaries. Asher cuddled up to Michael and they took the cutest nap -- life is busy and moves fast and I forget that Asher is moving at a speed our other four-year-olds never did, but bless his happy little self for doing such a good job hanging with it all. Man, we love that little dude.

This is the mystery of Christmas to me -- this is all my Christmas decor apart from our trees and outdoor lights, 
and it doesn't look like much. BUT it takes up a whole closet! How do people deck the halls for all the holidays? I'll never understand. I'm always so impressed when I see people decorate for anything.

All my Christmas returns. Not bad, not bad at all.

Puzzling and finishing the Great British Bake Off (kids edition).

Someone got Puka Nacua and was STOKED.

Michael loves Samoas and I'm not into them.
He got this granola at Costco so I assumed he'd love it and I'd pass on it.
He didn't really like it and I was OBSESSED with it. It's gone now and I can't stop thinking about it.
My favorite treat I've had in so long.

Have to make these once a year!
Didn't get to them for Christmas but we brought them to the Baileys for New Years.

About to countdown!

The midnight crew!
Heading home from the Baileys.

Made a little gingerbread house with Camden while cousins were here.
We didn't get to everything we wanted to over Christmas, but after works just as well :)

Riding home from a football Saturday with dads and boys.
Camden wore cleats and had some super moves.

Making plans for my new blank wall after filling in our closet doorway.

Table came! Picture a big arched mirror... 

Look at these cuties...
I was late getting dinner on the table for the missionaries because who could wake up this Sunday nap?

Such sweet little buddies.

Christmas 2025!

What a fun Christmas week!

Grandma and Grandpa got here on Sunday ready for the week off of school with the boys. On Monday night we walked through Spring Creek gardens and saw their fun lights and met Santa. Remind me to do our Santa visit earlier next year when Santa's elves are still shopping, not on the 23rd. We heard some new Christmas list ideas that night haha and Camden was pretty confident asking Santa for something two days before Christmas gave you some high chances of finding that under the tree...

Christmas Eve was full of playing games, hanging out, and watching The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Then we had an early dinner so we could do our final 12 days drop off, drop off a treat to our favorite Christmas lights house, and drop a treat to the firefighters. One of them ended up being the dad of one of Camden's friends from school.

We went home and did brother gifts. This is my favorite part of Christmas. They were so excited to give each other their gift and say something they love about each other when they handed their gift to their brother. I think it's the sweetest thing and I hope they really feel how lucky they are to have each other.

We watched The Nativity movie that I just love. We skipped matching pajamas because I think I'm the only one that was caring about that, and if that's the case, I figured I'm letting that go this year :)

The next morning, Camden really wanted everyone to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus before we went downstairs to open gifts. He also gives the absolute sweetest prayers right now, always saying such pertinent and thoughtful things and he gave a really sweet prayer Christmas morning.

We had a smaller Christmas than other years and I liked it so much more. We were done opening things by 8 and had a nice Christmas breakfast right after that. And then the day had a lot of pajamas and games and talking to family. The sunshine and warmer temperatures made for an unusual Christmas but being able to play at the playground that day was really great.

The next day we walked up at Gateway Natural Area and threw rocks on ice and watched funny little birds (American Dippers, we later learned) swim and dive into the water. We had hot chocolate up there and Christmas cookies from the counter full of Christmas treats. What a counter.

The rest of the weekend we built the playground from Grandma and Grandpa Daetwyler, went out for tacos, watched BYU totally dominate their bowl game, played a lot of Cover Your Assets, and had a fun Winter Break with the boys. I had to talk in church Sunday and teach Young Womens, so I was distracted by those things that weekend but both were good experiences too. I really love being in Young Womens right now.

We felt really lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa Miner here again for Christmas this year. The boys totally love when they're here and it's fun to have them here for all our Christmas traditions.

The tree is still up... I'm not letting myself take it down until I've caught up on my family yearbooks. It's going to torture me out of procrastination. :)

Watching the elves at work!

Waiting in line for Santa.. Camden was very excited! Kept talking about asking him for a gas truck.
First I've heard about that... on December 23rd... :)

Grandma and the lights!

Mr. and Mrs. Claus were so cute :)

Asher was not about sitting on Santa's lap and, I get it.
But he took a picture for a candy cane :)

I love the garden lights that look like produce!
They have peppers, tomatoes, grapes, and more and I just think it's so cute.

Christmas card time!

I really love Christmas cards. They're the happiest mail.

The boys asked multiple times if we were going to do Rudolph pancakes on Christmas Eve again.

Checkers with Grandpa. We had lots of fun down time to play games and hang out!

Christmas Eve Dinner.
We had beef tips and mashed potatoes, a Christmassy salad, Brussels sprouts, and lots of Christmas treats.

We had a treat ready to go for our favorite lights house after driving around a few times this season.
Then we found this one after we handed it out!
Haha this dinosaur house might've taken the prize, but we had lots of good contenders.

Brother gifts is my favorite part of the entire Christmas season.
They each had something they were so excited to give their secret brother,
and they told them what they love about them when they handed them their gift.
I just loved watching their sweet beaming faces and all their love for each other.

Santa worked until almost 1:00 a.m. around here but Christmas is ready!

Westin was in total disbelief when he opened his pair of autographed gloves from our friends, the Holkers.
Dallin plays for the Saints now but used to be in our ward, and Westin just kept staring at these.

Just in pure happy shock.

Nothing like Christmas chaos!

I never want to share my super soft unicorn blanket that Kindal gave me so I got the boys an extra soft one just like it, but, they still love the unicorn one more. I guess I should've got the same color even haha.

Asher LOVES when the librarian at story time does deep breaths with one of these things,
so Santa brought him one. He immediately started deep breathing hahaha.

Cute Christmas boys.

Santa wrote them a letter!

Diane gave Westin an NFL advent calendar and he just absolutely loves this thing.
When all of Christmas was opened, this was what he came back to.

That cranberry orange Christmas Star looks a little monstrous but it's a fun tradition.

Christmas breakfast! Breakfast casserole and the Cranberry Orange Christmas Star.

Asher is a Spot It addict right now. He's so cute.

A little winter walk up at Gateway!
Lots of rocks thrown on ice and watching funny little American Dippers dive in and out of the water and fly away.

We brought some hot chocolate up and it was very necessary!

We counted down to Christmas with a jam advent this year.
It was a lot of toast. But the taste test was fun! Here's the full month's lineup in order from best to worst.
My favorite part was how unpredictable they were -- we're read a name and think we were going to love it and it would be not great, or we'd read one we had no expectations for and it would be one of our favorites.
The unexpected winner was Mango Lime Raspberry, which no one saw coming.
(The real winner will forever be strawberry freezer jam.)

Top 5!
Mango Raspberry Lime, Guava, Apricot Peach, Apple Quince Honey, and Rhubarb Strawberry.

A moment for last place that doesn't even deserve to be named a jam -- lemon elderflower.
It tastes like cleaning supplies.
Maybe they accidentally sent us cleaning supplies.

Grandma and Grandpa Daetwyler sent a happy backyard climbing playground!
The boys were so excited to start building it.

Luna lives for running free at Shepardson.
She's really great at coming right back, especially when we remember her little collar that beeps.

Done! They love climbing on it.

Just leaving this here to commemorate the day I learned that my dream church activity exists.
And I'll be out of town for it.
I didn't even know I could dream this high for a night of fun at a stake activity hahaha. 
Maybe it'll happen again someday... sigh.

Spying on Asher's LAST day of nursery,
which marks the end of nursery here at the Daetwyler home.
We've been support parents in nursery for like 4+ years of the last 10,
because our kids just never really loved that transition.
Asher has been going to primary singing time with his future sunbeam crew this month and I already know he's going to love transitioning to primary with his brothers.
These milestones, man.