December Happenings Part 2

I'm finally finishing up the busiest month of the year!  We had so many little random things happening and I was doing everything I could just to keep my head afloat so some traditions had to go.  Like delivering cookies with our van decked out in Christmas lights.  I did it myself as I ran errands.  Not sure any of the boys cared.  We also skipped doing an ornament each day about Jesus.  We've been doing it off and on for years but this year it didn't happen because I didn't want to go dig through the Christmas storage to find the ornaments.  Landon and Parker noticed at the end of the month and said, "Mom, we didn't talk much about Jesus this Christmas."  My heart broke into a million pieces.  Failure is painful.

The only picture I took of Brothers Night - Landon with cheeseburgers (he's obsessed)

But we kept with our Annual Brothers Night tradition of dinner at a sit-down restaurant followed by shopping.  All the boys get something for all their brothers but we still draw names per their request and that person gets and extra awesome present.  We definitely missed Marcus at this event but I tried not too let his absence make me sad.  While at Target, we ran into Parker's favorite 2nd grade (Covid) teacher.  She asked me why I was sneaking a bunch of stuff under my coat and so I explained I was hiding presents from one of my boys and that it was tradition and no, I was NOT shoplifting.  She thought I was crazy before, I just sealed the deal.

I planned a Mandatory Family Fun night where we drove into Seattle and tried a burger joint called Uneeda Burger.  The food and shakes were delicious and expensive.  Then we drove a couple blocks away to Gas Works Park to watch the boat parade on Lake Union.  ALL the boys including Randy were super grumpy about this whole thing.  The drizzle of rain didn't help my cause.  But once we got to the park and saw all the boats decorated with lights (they looked better in real life), Randy was thrilled and was the last one to leave.  It was a really fun Seattle experience and what I hope will be a new tradition without any whining next time.

We had an early snow storm and got several inches of snow which made for some crazy driving adventures.  Then it started to melt and then it rained.  Black ice was everywhere.  Google Seattle ice storm 2022 and you'll see some pretty incredible footage of cars and people sliding around streets and sidewalks like they're on an ice rink.  It was not a good time to live here.

I literally slid sideways down the driveway when I didn't make it up to the top.  After dumping a bag of ice melt down, I got unstuck quick as can be.

Ethan broke the axle doing donuts in a parking lot.  El Pablo is dead and I'm only upset we ever bought that stupid lemon of a truck in the first place.  Imagine how excited I am to car shop for Ethan.  Not.at.all.excited.

Henry discovered sledding/snowboard for the first time and couldn't get enough

We went for a Sunday walk in the snow and had fun taking pictures

We took this picture in the dark at night.  Weird that it looks like daylight.  

Thankfully Henry takes naps because he got pretty sick for about a week and couldn't go to preschool, which it the best part of both of our days.  He also loves sleeping with a million stuffed animals.

Landon's dreams came true when we baked snickerdoodle cookies together.  It was pretty great having two full weeks off from school this year.  We had time to relax and play and just enjoy not having a schedule.

Our house always looks so pretty in the snow with the lights.  Randy put even more lights up on New Year's Eve but this was how our house looked for December.  

FrAmily

The Frank's came to town!  I'm still excited about it and they left almost three weeks ago.  Aaron and Crista (our friends from Okinawa who are now stationed in Texas) are actually better than family because we aren't related so we get together because we want to, not out of obligation :) Our kids are all the same ages and get along great so we loved having them for a week after Christmas.  It forced us to go out and do fun touristy things but we also had a good time just laying low and relaxing.  It was pretty awesome.

We took a stroll to Snoqualmie Falls because the sun came out.  Turns out everyone else had the same idea so the place was packed!  Luckily Randy and I are locals who know about the lower parking lot or this would've been a failed adventure.  Also, I'm totally laughing that I don't have any pictures of the actual falls.....duh!  Oh well.  I guess I've seen them plenty of times and if you've been following my blog then you've seen them too.

Crista is one of my favorite people.  She is so kind and so smart and super organized and quiet and basically everything I'm not.  I guess opposites attract!

The kids spent a lot of time on the rope swing and no one got hurt.  And yes, those rocks are green.  Everything is green in WA

We played a lot of games and of course one of them was Telestrations.  It always gets lots of laughs.  Also, it must be mentioned that Crista and I beat Randy and Aaron at Code Names several times.  

We spent the day in Seattle and saw all the Christmas things that I had just done with Landon and Parker a few weeks before.

 There was no one at the photo booth outside the gingerbread house display so we decided to help the employees out by giving them something to do.

 We found a cool toy store, Barney's I think, where we played with lots of expensive toys and they didn't get mad at our kids for having fun.

 Henry was oblivious to all the cars down below as he played with magnet tiles

 Darby is the youngest Frank child and so easy to love.  Parker and Landon both loved having boys their size and age

 We went to the fancy schmancy Fairmont Hotel to see the giant gingerbread house, snapped a quick picture, then left before they could kick us out.  I should point out that Marcus said, "I love having the Frank's here!  They make me feel so tall!  It's like being with Dad's family in Utah."  It's not every day a 5'9 teenager gets to feel tall so we let him enjoy it.

 We ate lunch at this little Okinawa Terriyaki Restaurant near Pike Place.  I loved the food because it's been a long time since I've eaten in Japan but the Frank's weren't as impressed.  After six years in Okinawa they have developed better appreciation for the good stuff.  But it was still good and the place was packed so we actually ate lunch outside Ivar's so everyone could eat some Seattle seafood as well.

The boys had just finished feeding their French fries to the birds

The Frank's haven't seen snow in ten years and Darby had never seen it so of course we had to drive up the pass to play in it, while the rain poured down on us.  Also, it was like the miracle of the loaves and fishes as I tried to find snow gear for two families.  Ethan's toes may never be the same after cramming his feet into the only boots available and the girls didn't complain about their mismatched snow gear that didn't fit quite right.  It was a win!

This is the only picture I got of the New Year's Eve party/newspaper ball.  It was definitely a relaxing New Year's not hosting a huge party this year.  Oh, and the teenagers went to the Stake dance so Ethan and Aubrey had their first dance together.  And the best part: I have pictures of them dancing because my friend was a chaperone.  But I won't post it on the internet because I'm a nice mom and Ethan would kill me.

 After watching The Sound of Music (the Frank kids had never seen it) we needed to get some wiggles out so Aaron taught my boys some wrestling moves.  The boys LOVED it!

Marcus took on everyone at the same time.  

Seattle will never be the same!  Thanks for the good times, Frank's!

Christmas 2017

Merry Christmas!  We had a fantastic Christmas holiday this year.  I LOVED that Christmas Eve was on Sunday.  It felt so perfect to spend time at church singing Christmas carols and listening to Christmas stories.  I wish it would fall on Sunday every year.

We had a couple of missionaries over for Christmas Eve dinner.  Randy set the table with all the nice tableware he's bought me over the years while I whipped up a delicious feast of ham, potatoes, salad, rolls, and cheesecake {of course}.  We ate pretty quick because the missionaries had places to be and we were supposed to meet up with friends to go caroling.  Why is everything in my life always a mad rush??  And during all this hustle and bustle it started to snow.  It was so perfect!

Randy bought the cutest crackers for our Christmas Eve dinner.  We love this tradition, plus it's fun to eat dinner wearing a crown!

Henry wasn't exactly dressed for the weather.  A plaid romper should be appropriate for any occasion though.  And check out Ethan and his snowball in the window.

Randy did a good job on our Christmas lights this year.  Such a good job that I'm going to have to call an electrician to fix the damage he did. 

Church clothes and snow boots should be a thing

 After we got back from caroling it was time for our special Christmas Eve Family Night.  Everyone performed a talent of some kind.  I recited the entire Living Christ from memory, Marcus recited a poem he wrote, Ethan and Landon threw a football, and Parker played Jingle Bells on the piano.  We shared our feelings about the Savior and then Randy gave out the matching Christmas pajamas and slippers he bought.  The boys love getting new pajamas and they've been lounging around in their pajamas for a couple days now.  Then the boys exchanged their brother gifts amid laughter and hugs and played with their new toys.  Landon made sure to set out a plate of homemade and very delicious gingerbread cookies and milk for Santa and then everyone was off to bed.

Hugs after presents

Marcus bought Parker this creepy mask

 White chocolate raspberry cheesecake dessert before bedtime.

All is calm while boys dream of sugar plums or whatever

 Christmas morning started at 7am.  There weren't any huge gifts this year but Ethan was very excited to get his own phone.  It's a "dumb" phone so all he can do is call/text but it's a perfect first-phone.  Landon was excited to get a kindle but was super thrilled to receive a giant Lego set.  He rolled around on the floor hugging it.  Love his enthusiasm.

Waiting to run downstairs to open presents

The carnage and destruction.  Santa brought kindles, a phone, and a Hotwheels track

The boys played with their gifts while we ate yummy breakfast rolls, listened to Christmas music, and watched the snow continue to fall outside.  It was a perfect Christmas morning.  And a Christmas miracle that we got five inches of snow without losing power.  That's a first!  We spent the day eating good food {well I couldn't eat much because I was on a liquid diet so I could have a colonoscopy the next day} playing games, playing in the snow, and relaxing for what felt like the first time in ages.  I even got to snuggle on the couch with Parker and watch/sleep through a Christmas movie.  It was pure bliss!

Henry looked on with concern and apprehension

Landon LOVED his football gloves

Lego building with a winter wonderland outside

Henry captivated by the falling snow.  I'm captivated by his cheeks.  and his eyes. 

Playing football in the snow made all of Landon's dreams come true

Crepes for breakfast/lunch, and a lot of bacon!

I hope your Christmas was wonderful too!