Month In Review

It has been a crazy month around here. Some days I wonder how I will possibly get everything done. So here's a little recap, for my own journaling purposes, of what we accomplished this month. Feel free to stop reading here, unless you're my mom. This post will not have the required pictures I've taken either, making it even longer and more boring---computer issues again :(

Early December kicked off with me getting 6 inches cut off my hair! Funny thing is, it's still long! So it wasn't that drastic of a change, and most people didn't notice. The next day was Allyson's Fourth Grade Musical. They sang a selection of winter songs and all sounded awesome, I am just amazed at the music programs the kids have here. The day after that, some friends and I got together and sewed newborn blankets for the NICU babies at KU Med to be delivered on Christmas Day. That week rounded off with Reese's birthday glamor extravaganza and Ally's Girl Scout service project and Brayden starting regular basketball practice.

Things stayed busy the next week, with me having to leave the house everynight for one thing or another. From cub scouts, to ornament exchange parties, enrichment night and ward christmas parties we had something going everyday. Ally went to a 'super fun' (her words) primary class party at her teachers house and discovered a love for Guitar Hero and the rest of that weekend was spent with 4/6 of us sick.

After we recovered, things calmed down. I was able to help some friends make bracelets and necklaces for their little ones---one copied a necklace her girls wanted out of the American Girl catalogue--she ended up with two bracelets/two necklaces for less then half the retail price! We still had our normal babysitting co-op (which is genius and deserves it's own post) so one day each week was spent with a house full of little ones. Reese had her preschool program complete with nativity. It amazes me how far that girl has come! She was so thrilled to say her lines and she sang every word to every song. That night was our book group dinner complete with book exchange-it was a beautiful sit down dinner with delicious food and I got to take home a new book I haven't read yet "Enchanted April".

The next day was half day at school, and I had two kids Winter Parties to attend, but before that was Ally's first ever orchestra concert. She was so nervous but performed beautifully on her violin and we were so proud. After all the school parties, we headed home for a little break before we headed back out for two more birthday parties! The first was a super-fantastic-star wars-pool party at the local rec. center where the kids had an absolute blast. I was a little stressed getting them out of the pool and out the door to the next party which was a late-night for Ally's friend. Saturday morning was spent trying to use the rest of our cub scout budget buying gifts for the cubs and leaders and wrapping them. Then off we went downtown for some free holiday fun.

First we went to Union Station where they had the Santa Express.

It's a free train exhibit outside and you get to walk from car to car on the Kansas City Southerner. After a brief wait in line in freezing temperatures we made it on!! Santa and Mrs. were on the first car, and the other cars were decked out in ornaments, lights, model trains and real live elfs. We headed inside for another model train exhibit--this one huge. The kids were in awe of all the tiny working parts and the different types of trains. Brayden's favorite: the lego train. We decided to go to the Crowne Center afterwards, which was a mistake. The place was jam packed, so we decided not to wait in the long lines for their free exhibits and we headed back home in time for the BYU football/basketball marathon Don had planned with the guys. The kids and I hung out at home with some friends and some pizza.

The first day of winter break was cold cold cold. We stayed indoors and the kids did their usual fighting and arguing. After a little chat on how santa is still watching and 'this better not be how you are the entire winter break' the kids relaxed and we had some fun making a sweet gingerbread house. Today will be last minute errands, cleaning the apt. and treat delivery. Tomorrow will bring new family traditions--it's our first Christmas on our own--very bittersweet, we'll miss our families and the traditions we have with them.

If you've read this far, then you are a true friend!
We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Here's what we're missing out on this year: