NEW YEAR'S EVE

 We were going to get together with the Shousens but the night before New Year's eve Maggie threw up most of the night.  We cancelled and just hung out as a family.  The kids banged on some pans and yelled "Happy New Year."  McKenzie thought it was so fun and laughed the whole time.  We put the little kids down at a normal time.  The older two wanted to stay up until midnight, so we stayed up with them.  With each New Year I am amazed that another year has actually gone by.  It seems that each year passes faster than the previous year.

COSI WITH DAD

 The kids asked to go to COSI.  Alex was sleeping over at a friend's house and I needed to pick her up, so Bridget and I stayed home.  Mike took the three middle kids and had a fun time.  There were several new exhibits they explored and some old ones they wanted to do again.

CHRISTMAS EVE

 This Christmas eve we had the traditional surf and turf.  We had mahi mahi and steak tacos.  After dinner the kids dressed up in robes and towels and acted out the nativity in Luke 2.  We did 3 different scenes and they all played the various parts.  Afterwards we pulled out the cookies I had been making for the last few days and washed them down with various flavors of eggnog.  After eating, the kids helped bring down all the presents and put them under the tree.  Then they put out a plate of cookies for Santa and went to bed.

SLEEPING BY THE TREE

 The kids love the tradition of being able to sleep by the tree.  They wanted a picture of them awake and pretending to be asleep.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

 On of my favorite traditions is going to Glenross to see the lights.  Glenross is a neighborhood that goes all out on lights and decorations.  You can tune to a radio station and listen to Christmas music.  Some of the lights are coordinated with the music.  Some houses have tunnels and the kids love running through them.  We did not plan it, but we found the Skousens.  We stayed in our separate cars but the kids got to run around together in some tunnels.

DECORATING DELICACIES

 We spent a couple of days decorating gingerbread houses and sugar cookies.  The store bought ginger bread house kits are convenient but don't taste very good.  I think next year I will try to make actual ginger bread or at least use graham crackers so that we will want to eat the houses after decorating them.  The sugar cookies on the other hand were delicious.  The kids did a great job at decorating them both.

WRAPPING BUDDY

 With so many presents to wrap I spent a lot of time in my room wrapping them.  Bridget was my wrapping buddy.  She would just happily play and roll around and investigate what I was doing.

ZOO LIGHTS

 We went to zoo lights with the Skousens.  I always hope to see a few animals but you can't see the outside ones.  Despite not seeing the animals, the lights are beautiful and it is fun to walk around and see them.

STOCKINGS

 For a few years now I've wanted to make new, personalized stockings for the kids.  I finally did it this year.  I asked the older ones what theme and main color they wanted.  I then search online for patches.  I found a tutorial online and made the stockings.  Then I sewed their names into the cuff.  I was surprised how well they turned out.  The kids love them, and I hope they last for years.  I also added a nativity patch to Mike's stocking that was previously just a solid blue.  I also switched out his white lettering for his name with a silver that matches the patch.  I didn't do anything to mine because it is one my mom bought for me and sewed my name.

MIKE'S BIRTHDAY

 Mike's birthday was on a Sunday this year.  He didn't have many meetings in the morning which meant we got to have a delicious breakfast and open presents before church.  Mike's parents gave him a portable workbench that can hold up to 1000 pounds.  The kids all piled on to test it.  After church we had dinner and cake.

BRANCH CHRISTMAS PARTY

 We had a wonderful Christmas party with the branch.  We had an uplifting spiritual devotional, then a delicious dinner, followed by several games.  Alex and Shane volunteered for one game in which the men had to put as many pieces of clothing on Shane as possible.  The women had to put as many pieces of clothing on Alex as they could.  In the end you couldn't even see either of the kids.  By the time we dug them out they each had nearly 30 pieces of clothing piled on them.

WINTER CONCERT

 This year Alex has participated in a choir at school.  She also started learning how to play the cello.  They had a winter concert to show off all they have been learning this year.  I am so proud of her for trying new things.  She has been doing very well and grown so much in her musical abilities.

BRIDGET ON THE MOVE

 Bridget will now get into things within a few feet radius of her.  She mainly rolls or moves backwards.  She hasn't quite figured out how to go forward yet.  More than once, she has backed herself into the closet.

NATIVITY

 I have wanted a nativity for the front yard for several years now.  The only ones I can find online are almost $200.  I found a pattern and decided to try to make my own.  I printed out the pattern and traced it on a piece of plywood.  Mike cut out part of the nativity and I finished it.  I then painted it.  We got a solar powered spot light and put it in the front yard.  Even if it isn't very sunny and the light isn't very bright, you can still see the nativity.  I love it!  I love being able to share my testimony with others with something so simple.  I love being reminded of the true meaning of Christmas every time I go outside.

EATING SOLIDS

 I started giving Bridget solid foods.  She isn't sure about it.  The texture throws her off and she gags a lot.  She also loves sucking on vegetables, fruits, or crackers.  Bridget sees that we are all eating and now wants everything we have.

BRIDGET IS 6 MONTHS OLD

 I can't believe that it has been 6 months already.  Bridget continues to be an easy, wonderful baby.  We are all in love with her.  Everyone fights over being able to hold or play with her.  She has the best smiles.  She will roll and scoot around on the floor and started playing with a few toys.  She gets up on her hands and toes.

PLANK MASTER

 Bridget will get up on her hands and toes.  She is the plank master.