Christmas 2018

Oh I LOVE Christmas! I look forward to it all year. I hate that it comes and goes so quickly, so I try to soak it all in as much as I can. This year my mom and dad stayed the night Christmas Eve and were here when we opened presents Christmas morning. It was so fun to have them here and I think they liked being with family on Christmas day. 

The kids had a great day. Oakley got a printer for college, tons of make-up and a lighted mirror for her apartment plus a million clothes/boots. Dallin got headlights for his truck, a new phone and a coat/snow pants. Rhett got a blow-up air mat for gymnastics, a new phone and snowpants. Laiklie got a mannequin head to do hair and make-up on, lots of make-up and a ton of new clothes/boots. They all got those gifts plus many many more! We had a great Christmas and a great Christmas break.

I am so thankful for the birth of the Savior of the world that we get to celebrate each year. Each year I commit to trying harder to do better about having that giving spirit all year long instead of just at Christmas time. This year in October at general conference the prophet asked the women of the church to read their Book of Mormon before the end of the year. I was in Helaman when he asked and so I hated starting over when I was so close to the end. So I hurried and finished, started over and finished again. I finished the 2nd time just before Christmas. What a blessing to be able to read the Book of Mormon two times in such a short amount of time. I love that book. We are blessed to live in a time when we have it on the earth. It made Christmas very special this year!

Oakley's Surgery

On December 21st Oakley had her wisdom teeth out. I couldn't believe how fast they did it. She was only back there for about 40 mins. They did have to try twice to get her IV in. She told them her other arm was the better vein, but since they had already got things ready they tried the wrong arm first and weren't successful so they had to switch to the good arm. She's had this happen over and over again with IV's, so it's kind of her usual. After she was finished it took 2 of us to walk her to the car. Her legs were like jello. Hahaha! They gave us a free jamba card and wanted us to get that and some pain meds in her. On the way to Jamba Juice I asked what kind of jamba she wanted. She kept putting her hands in a cupping shape. I seriously couldn't figure out what she wanted. I finally was able to figure out she wanted a breakfast bowl. I had to explain to her she had to have something she could drink, not eat. It took me several tries with the gauze in her mouth to figure out what kind of jamba she wanted. The drugs made her giggle uncontrollably.  I couldn't stop laughing at her laughing. So funny how anesthetic affects people differently. She swole up quickly and had a funny bruise on one of her cheeks. She also had a random stitch in between two of her back teeth, but she actually healed really well. Glad to have one kid down....3 kids to go! 

Grandma Christmas Party

Linn did 2 Christmas Parties this year. She did the grandkids slumber party. I don't have any pictures from it, but I did sneak this picture of Dallin and Rhett in the pj shirt she gave them at the party. It says "Worlds Tallest Elf!" We laughed and laughed when Rhett came home wearing it. He hates how tall he is. We thought it was a perfect Christmas pj shirt for him!

At the 2nd party we did the annual church Christmas clothes picture, the present game and the nativity. The big grandkids are good sports about putting on their costumes and participating for grandma and the babies. Cousins are the best! So excited for Christmas!

Christmas Dance Recital

It's that time of year again! Christmas Dance Recital! This year was different in that Oakley didn't dance. :( She did have her 3 little classes that she taught that she helped and otherwise she hung out with me backstage...which I didn't mind at all! We got to watch Laiklie dance and I love watching my girls perform. Even if I am the backstage mom who has to do it from behind the curtain. I'll never get tired of seeing them dance! And of course we have these cute little cousins that dance too. We were only able to get a picture with Memory. Atleast we got that though. 

Our First Spray Paint Graffiti

On the evening of Sunday December 16th my sis-in-law Tara text me and asked if I was up for a project. She knows me well and knows that I am always up for a project. ;) Her mom's straw bale pumpkin was still sitting in her front yard and she was SO EMBARRASSED that Ryan and Dale hadn't moved it yet. So Tara and I decided to surprise her with a nativity scene. We had NO IDEA what we were doing. We found an idea online and decided we would try to copy it. We laughed and laughed about this being our first spray paint graffiti. hahaha! It was freezing and our fingers hardly worked from the cold, but it actually turned out pretty good for our first try. Linn and the little grandbabies loved it. I'd call that a success!

 Before & After

These Boys!!!!

Oh Dallin and Rhett wear me out! I've said it a million times, and I'm guessing I'll say it a million more! I went downstairs one morning to wake them up and at some point after I had tucked them in they decided it was a good idea to move Rhett's entire BED into Dallin's room! What?!?! Where was their mom? and THIS is proof that they can be quiet when they want to be. Sneaky stinkers! The part that was the most exhausting for me was trying to make the beds all squished together. I had to get on the bed....bounce...pull blankets...bounce, pull, bounce, pull over and over again until I got them both made. Exhausting. Hilarious to watch I'm sure...but still exhausting. These boys fight like cats and dogs all day long but then snuggle in together at night. Such funny dudes. I sure love them. They seriously hold my heart. 

Milo Ward Primary

Last year we had an Elder serving in our area that we were worried might not get Christmas from home. So we decided as a service project in our primary we would gather things for the Elders and present it to them. It was a huge success and the kids and Elders both loved it. Sooooo.....we decided to do it again! It took a while for our little box to get filled this time. And I'm not going to lie, I was a little worried that it may not get filled. Last year we filled 4 boxes so I was feeling a little bummed! The day the Elders were suppose to arrive I had sent out a million reminder texts and when I went to the primary room that morning the box was completely empty. The few things we had gathered to that point had been STOLEN! IN THE CHURCH! I was livid and upset and then panic set in that we really might not fill the box in the few hours before the Elders got there.  Don't worry though....the Milo Ward did not disappoint! We seriously filled these Elders CAR! It was incredible. The kids loved it and the Elders loved it. *We did laugh that someone gave them a 12 pack of Mt. Dew. HAHAHA! I didn't even care. I was just so grateful that their box was filled. We live in a great community full of great people! I love serving in the primary!