Monday December 10

Got some Christmas stuff done.

I feel a little behind this year...but trying to catch up!

Dad stayed home today....he is feeling a bit of sinus pressure :(

Hopefully it will feel better for him tomorrow.

Elsie has speech and PT today.

She is getting much stronger and working really hard in both speech and PT.

Sweet Katie gave Elsie a gift today.

She gave her the cutest Buffalo socks!

She tells Elsie that she started the trend......Elsie has loved Buffalos forever.

And now you can find buffalo stuff everywhere!

Anyway, that was so sweet of her!

For FHE tonight, we got stuff prepped for our 12 days Nativity thing we do.

We picked a family and got the bags ready.

We need to add some treats, and then we will anonymously deliver it on Wednesday.

It is a fun tradition :)

Sunday December 9

They had a teacher training for the primary teachers today.

Teaching them about the new 'Come Follow Me' program for next year.

I got to go and sit with the Sunbeams while they were in the class.

Oh those sunbeams are just so cute!!!!!!

We helped them make Christmas cards for their primary teachers.

In YW, we talked about spiritual gifts.

We did a fun activity where each girl wrote their name at the top of their sheet of paper.

Then we passed it around and each girl wrote what they thought was a spiritual gift of the girl with the name on top.

I loved the things they wrote about each other!

After church, Dad and I went and visited with our friends the Capalls.

Bonnie hasn't been feeling good, she fell a few months ago and hasn't been the same since.

Brent and Harvey were able to give her a blessing.

It was nice to sit and talk to them....and she said she felt better just getting to talk to someone.

She is very much an extrovert and just has not been able to get out as much as she would like....so a visit was just what she needed :)

Dad made a great stew for dinner.

After that we went back to the church for a great concert.

It was an Interfaith Community Concert.

Many churches coming together to sing Christmas songs.

It was a really cool experience.

The opening prayer was given by a Pastor from the Meridian United Methodist Church.

It is fun to hear different prayers come from the pulpit.

The second half of his prayer, he recited "The Lord's Prayer" in which much of the congregation followed along.

It was very heartwarming and touching to see people from all religions, celebrating our Savior Jesus Christ.

I very mush enjoyed the night.

It was packed full too!!!!

Like way more than Stake conference!

People dressed in all types of clothes.

People from all walks of life.

I am thankful our kids got to experience that tonight.

Saturday December 8 (add pictures)

We woke up and got ready and headed to the ward Christmas party.

Not Dad and Porter......they went to Porter's last basketball game.

Which they won.

An undefeated season!

Dad said he played really well today :)

Then they headed to the church for the rest of the party.

It was fun to mix and mingle together.

Afterwards, we stopped by and helped a new family move into the ward.

They have one daughter and she is gonna be in Beehives with me, so that will be fun.

Back home and we got the house chores and laundry done.

Port hung with the Edwards boys for a bit and then he went and shot hoops with his friend Cody and went and hung out at his house until this evening.

Madi worked and then had a work party and is now on a date.

We hardly ever see that girl!

Cassi hung out with her friend Kendyl and now she is at a birthday party with some other friends.

Elsie just hung out here at home :)

Mom and Dad had a little outing.....to Lowes and Walmart.

Not exactly the best date night, but it was what we could do.

Now the big girls are gone and the little ones are in bed and now Dad and Mom are gonna have a at home movie date night :)

Friday December 7

I got some more Christmas done today.

Also got our Christmas cards picked up......now I just need to address them  :)

I just love Christmas cards!!!!

Also got the pictures picked up to put in the ornament frames and also put new pictures of the kids on the wall.

This evening I took Elsie, Porter, Max and Graham to the live Nativity that they do over at the seminary building.

It was a fun.

Always fun to see Clive the camel :)

Then tonight the little kids and I hung out while Madi and Cassi hung out with friends.

Dad paid back a shift today, so he was gone.

But he will be home tomorrow :)

He is so handsome!

Thursday December 6

Dad got my washer fixed this morning, so I have been getting some laundry done today.

I also had Art Smart for Porter.

Pablo Picasso was the artist.

I think the kids had a good time.

Vern taught the class and it was a fun dice game to pick what the face would look like.

 Dad also fixed the heater in the car....

Have I mentioned how cool I think it is that.

Porter has been talking about a Lego advent calendar, but they are so expensive!!!!!

So we found a nativity Lego knockoff for cheap.....

It came in the mail today.

I have had these little numbered drawers for a long time, that I got from a thrift store.
Now Porter is making his own Lego advent calendar :)

And I love it!!!!!!

I just love how creative he is!

I just wanted to document the hat...…

I don't know how many years in a row this is, but when December rolls around, out comes the Santa hat on his way to and from school :)

Wednesday December 5

I worked in the school office this morning.

Lots of kids calling in sick....'tis the season!!!!

After that I spent time putting together an example advent calendar to show the girls for mutual tonight.

Among other stuff......and that took me all day!

It was fun to just sit and craft though :)

I did get other stuff done...put up more Christmas decorations and put all the empty boxes downstairs.....but it was mostly just crafting that I did!

After school Madi worked and Porter had scouts.

Max went with him to scouts, so that was fun.

For beehives, they all came over here.

We had a fun time making the advent and talking about Christmas traditions and different things we do to serve others during this season.

These girls are a rambunctious group...but they are a lot of fun!

Tuesday December 4

Today I got most of the Christmas decorations put up.

Then the house got a cleaning.

I got a quick run in before I headed to the store.

Then Sherrie and Stacia came over so we could assemble the bracelets we are giving the YW for Christmas.

Then the kids were home.

The day went fast!!!

Porter had basketball practice and I made dinner while he was gone.

He came home and we ate and then the kids got all dressed up for their first piano recital!!!!

It was such a great night.

The recital was at a retirement home.

Porter was the second in line to play.

He did so good!!!!

I am so proud of him!

It was funny, he was like 'all that time practicing that song and it was so short!'

I told him that is how I feel about Christmas.....you spend so much time getting ready and doing everything for it and then after 20 minutes, it's all over!!!!

But he was so good and so handsome!

I hope he sticks with it.

It is such a great talent for a young man to have!

I am so excited for how Elsie did!

I wasn't sure what would happen.

She was all ready and excited to do it, but sometimes when that adrenaline hits, she can't handle it and has a meltdown.

She introduced herself, sat on the bench, then turned and looked at me with that look.

The one that tells me she is about to cry and give up.

But you know what she did????

She took a deep breathe, turned back to the piano and SHE PLAYED!!!!!!!!!

She was amazing.

She has some mess ups, but she wasn't even flustered about it.

She was enjoying it!

At the end, she stood up and threw her arms up in the air like she had just made a touchdown!

It was the best thing ever!

I told her that more than anything else, her dad and I are so proud of the way she overcame....the way she didn't allow her fears and worries to take over.

I mean, this was a big deal for her to do this!!!!!

Not very often, when I get that look, does it go well.

That is always followed by a meltdown!!!!

Not today!!!!

She rocked it!!!!!!

Kendyl is Elsie ad Porter's piano teacher.

She is the sweetest human ever and is the perfect teacher for my kiddos.

She is also Cassi's friend, and she asked Cassi is she could play something with her guitar for the recital.

Cassi sang "Mary, did you know."

That voice of hers.....she give me chills.

She has so much talent!

She has been singing more and more the last few weeks and she is really coming into her own, getting comfortable with what she can do.

But tonight, it was beautiful, angelic.

I just keep watching the recording over and over.

She has such a pure, rich, full voice.

I can't wait to see what she does with it!

It was a great night.

And it was fun because Dad was able to take a couple hours off so he could come and see them.

He's glad that he did.

Oh and Madi had to work, then she had a meeting.

The meeting was with the CEO and her branch people.

She basically rocked the whole thing because she was the only one that knew the answer to the questions the CEO was asking :)

She is a pretty remarkable kid that will do well in anything she does.

Dad and I are just so blessed with these kids we have.

They have all made my heart swell a million times this evening!

Monday December 3

After my run today, I went to Hobby Lobby.

Working on getting some gifts done for the YW for Christmas.

Also, for our mutual activity this week.

Dad worked on my art room tables :)

Getting close!

Got some house cleaning done...no laundry done though :(

Still broken.

The part comes in tomorrow, but my handy man has to go to work!

So we will wait a couple more days...….

I took Elsie to speech this afternoon.

It took forever to get home!

So many people out there on the roads this time of year!

When I got home, the Hall boys and my boys were out shooting pumpkins :)

Then the boys helped me with a couple projects.....both having to do with the YW gifts and the Beehive activity this week :)

They are keepers!

Tonight for FHE, we talked about "Light the World".

This week is LIGHT THE WORLD and we donated money to https://www.waterforpeople.org/donate

We take the water we have for granted, for sure.

Running water, toilets, showers.

We are very blessed.

We feel blessed to be able to provide the same to others across the world from us!

Sunday December 2

We had a nice Fast and Testimony meeting today, with lots of little ones getting up there to bear testimony.

It was very sweet.

Little ones who you could barely see the tops of their heads over the pulpit......the sweetest!

For the second hour we had a meeting with all the age 12 and up people to talk about the new Come Follow Me program for families and individuals.

I am very excited about this and how it can add to my own personal study and to our family scripture study.

I have always loved when things I am studying at home line up with stuff at church.....and now this is perfect!

It will give a great opportunity to share and discuss on a deeper level, I think.

At home and at church.

I look forward to it :)

After church, we had dinner and then we watched the Christmas Devotional.

Our prophet focused on gifts that the savior has given to us.

I loved this take!

This is what he said those gifts were.

1. He gave you and me the capacity to love.

2. The ability to forgive

3. repentance

4. The promise of everlasting life

He promised that these four gifts will give us more and more joy as we accept them.

These gifts were made possible because Jehovah condescended to come to earth as the baby Jesus.

I really enjoyed listening to him.....

We got a little bit of snow this morning, and the kids are hoping for a snow day tomorrow!

Ha ha.....don't think that is gonna happen :)

Saturday December 1

Everyone got some sleep last night....but we did have some early risers!!!!

Port and Cannon were up playing at about 6 a.m.

Madi had to get up for work.

I got up and made waffles, then I went to get started on the laundry.

Well, the tub wasn't filling.

So Dad figured out the problem and got the parts ordered, but I have to wait until Tuesday to do laundry!

The kids were super lazy all day with their friends over.

It was drizzly and cold and a bit snowy at times.....so it was a great Netflix kind of day!

I rand on the treadmill while Dad went to the gym.

Then Porter had a game today.

They won......again......38-8.

The dominated this season!!!!!

Port has had a fun time.

We came home and I worked on gathering pictures for Porter's star student thing for class this week.

Dad is working on making my tables for the art room.

Bit by bit....getting closer!

There was more netflixing going on over here in these parts.

The Morgan's went home around 4.

Dad made some yummy burgers for dinner.

That's when the snow came down...…..kids were pretty excited about that!

Sierra invited Elsie to go with her to a play, so she got picked up at 6:30.

Cassi went and hung out with friends and Madi had a date.

So Port is hanging here with mom and dad.

Right now, they are watching Indiana Jones :)

Elsie and Sierra at intermission.....the play they went to was named "She loves me".