Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts

Sunday, January 4, 2026

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.


Sunday, December 28, 2025

Merry Christmas!

 What a sweet Christmas!

Things I want to remember:

Brothers giving each other gifts on Christmas Eve. The boys making the clay figures from Jim and Nancy and just laughing, laughing, laughing together. Doing our sneaky 12 Days of Christmas drop offs. Drive through Christmas lights out the sun roof. Christmas Eve pancake bar (snowmen and Santa, no one chose the reindeer option!). Reading Emma M. Lion by my tree when all of Santa's work was done on Christmas Eve. Watching the Nativity movie with the boys before bed on Christmas Eve. Everyone sleeping in on Christmas. The wildly warm weather and all the kids in the neighborhood playing outside Christmas Day. The real candles at the Lutheran Christmas Eve service. Games with Grandma and Grandpa. Football at Shepardson. Watching the BYU Pop-Tarts Bowl. WINNING the Pop-Tarts Bowl! Picnic and river playing up at Gateway. Getting my dad the Twilight Zone. Reading Emma M. Lion at the same time as my mom. The older boys watching Star Wars at night with Grandpa. Making 42 sticks of butter worth of toffee. Christmas dinner being so easy on the Blackstone. Goat cheese. Birthstone earrings. A counter full of treats that makes us think of all the friends we love here. More wildly warm weather. Staying healthy. Working out with Michael. Asher loving his tie. The boys doing their treasure hunt to learn we are going on a cruise. The boys actually processing later that we really are going on a cruise. Puzzles.

Oh man, my favorite Christmas yet.

Jim and Nancy brought the boys these little modeling kits,
and they were laughing so hard at their funny little characters coming together.
Asher made a blowfish, Camden made Santa, Westin made a chicken and a nest, and Bennett made a hermit crab.

They were so cute.
It's a little hectic helping four people at once but I love that they all four want to do these things.


Belly laughing at Asher's blowfish kissy face haha.

Out the sunroof for Winter Wonderland lights drive!





Christmas Eve pancake bar -- we had them choose Santa, snowman, or reindeer.
Santa came with a loooot of whipped cream for the beard haha.

That weird lunch between big breakfasts and big dinners.

Cute boys!
I had them get in church clothes to go to a Lutheran service on Christmas Eve,
and they were good sports.




The real candles might have been Asher's favorite part. And mine.

Brother gifts for Christmas Eve.
Maybe my favorite part of it all.

Wrapping up their big surprise while Michael made a treasure hunt leading to it :)

Santa is done.
He works really hard.

No matter what time Santa is done working on Christmas Eve,
I've got to lay by the tree with a clean kitchen and everything prepped for tomorrow,
and just read my book.
This year that was Emma M. Lion and it was a very glorious, sweet time.
From 12:15 to 1:00 in the morning, haha.

Snacky Santa!

My neighbors the Hepworths growing up always brought us those individual fun cereal boxes,
and I just think they should come around each Christmas break.




Those yearbooks are a labor of love,
but this year felt easier than years before to get everything done.
My boys are just getting bigger :)



The cranberry Christmas star


Preschool party 


We went up to Gateway the day after Christmas to get some outside time in.
The weather this Christmas has been wildly warm!




Luna was SO happy here.

Cocoa and snacks for lunch!


And had to get some Pop-Tarts for the BYU Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Which also meant we had to get Toaster Strudels because they're much better than Pop-Tarts.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

AddThis