December means lots of festivities, concerts and recitals.  Allison had her December showcase for her theater group where she sang and shimmied across the stage and looked way too confident and grown-up.  We had to split up the night a little because it was also our ward ugly sweater christmas party.  So Jeremy took Spencer and Robyn over for the ward party and met us later.  Robyn had anticipated winning a prize for her sweater but had to leave early so that evening Allison and Robyn decided they both deserved to make some emergency chocolate cake and stay up late watching Christmas movies.

Robyn had her Christmas dance recital where she shook her hips and sang about jingle bells rocking.  And she did it with a smile...preceded by an hour of severe stage fright and crying exasperated by finding all her costume in the washing machine and having to wear a damp leotard.  First tears about her clothes being damp, and then lots more tears about her face being splotchy from crying and then more tears because the splotchiness wasn't going away fast enough and her mascara was running.  But she made it. 

Jeremy and I got to go attend a Lower Lights concert up in Salt Lake at the Masonic temple.  They are one of our favorite music groups and we had a great time listening to them without any little kid conversations trying to go on at the same time.

Our kids have been hooked on the TV show The Sing off and have been busy debating who should win.  Spencer has been series binging on White Collar and Allison has been growing monsters on Jeremy's ipad.  As the techno-phobe in our house I am often the scrooge who turns off electronics.

Kids had their end of the year parties and school assemblies where they sang Christmas songs.  They got treats ready for their friends and teachers and delivered those.  They broke out the cookie cutters and made Christmas cookies to doorbell ditch with our two neighbors.  I am grateful for our neighbor Alyce who makes sure that we don't forget to do this every year.


Between my going to a cookie exchange, thoughtful neighbors and kids cooking - the amount of sugar currently in our house is a little extreme.  Every meal its not the question of whether there is dessert but rather which one should we have.

One night with Melissa watching Taylor for the last time we split up. (Melissa is pregnant and needs to leave us so we are pretty sad about that)  Jeremy did a birthday bro-date with some friends for dinner and to see the Hobbit.  Spencer, Allison, Robyn and I headed up for Salt Lake for dinner and to see The Forgotten Carols.  I love that show, I haven't seen it for several years and was excited to introduce my kids to it.  I think they were more impressed with the juke box in the dinner next door but we had a good time and kids learned the phrase "nose-bleed seats".

Jason and Kelly's family are out of town this Christmas so we had our Hall ice skating/nacho/present part a little early.  My kids look forward to this all year long.  We even have the bum knee/ankle cheerleaders to help with crowd control.




Spencer was very excited about getting a new leatherman as I lost his on a trip to Denver.  He has taken it as a sign that he should wear it along with a few pocket knives daily.



And with Jason and Kelly gone, we got to have a house guest for the next two weeks named Maddie - a one year old St Bernard that they adopted a few weeks ago.  Our cat Macho has retired to the second story in protest.  I don't think we will see him downstairs for the duration.  She is super sweet and very, very fast at running away if given the chance.


We had Jeremy's work party where we were given the gift of shopping for ourselves and then having dinner and visiting with his co-workers.  So for Christmas, I got a painting for our dining room that I have had my eye on. It just makes me happy everytime I look at it.  I thought of putting a scripture about the Tree of Life next to it but thought that might be a bit over the top.  So I will just think it when I see it instead.



Every year I feel like I should do some Christmas craft or project.  So we decided and by we I mean the royal we to write to all the missionaries in our ward.  I didn't realize how long it would take me, I am one slow writer!  So some might be getting Valentine's Day cards.


Taylor has been doing well happiness wise but not so much physically.  Yesterday Jeremy and Robyn went to see an early show of Frozen.  Unfortunately they were sold out.  So he bought tickets for a later show where he would have to take Taylor.  A Taylor on massive doses of laxatives and stimulants and hope for the best.  A brave, brave man.  He even took them out for pizza first.  While he was praying for no dirty diapers, Allison, Spencer and I got to go see the Hobbit.  Allison hides in her coat for all the scary stuff and Spencer has finally calmed down on the comments in a fake whisper during movies so we all had a great time.  Taylor seems to be doing better today.  We have sprayed air fresheners generously.

So life has been busy but really, really fun.  And now kids are out of school and excited to sleep in and play.  We have had tons of snow lately so there is no end to the playing possibilities and the need for hot chocolate and cookies.  The teachers all got up early this morning to go shovel snow for neighbors.  I love when Spencer can serve and burn some energy.  He currently has been out walking the two dogs for an hour.  I am getting a little concerned that he is not walking but chasing a run-away by now.  It will be good exercise for them all.

Merry Christmas everyone!