Christmas

December is always such a fun month, filled with Christmas festivities! We actually started in November this year with our sibling party. Jordan and Melanie planned it this year and decided we go to Una Pizza, and then to a Christmas show called Cirque Música Holiday Wonderland. It was obviously a little smaller this year without my parents and Joce and Jeff, but we decided to bring the kids along this time. We just brought Bentley and Deacon and found a babysitter for the younger two. Dakota was in town, which was so nice, and we had a lot of fun with everyone who was there! The restaurant was really delicious. The pizza was great, but the appetizers were even better. I got arancini and a beet salad that were fabulous. Deacon stood up the whole time with his food placed right beside Dakota, and chattered her ear off the entire time. It was really cute! The show took place at COP and it was definitely not quite what we were expecting. There was a lot less cirque, and a lot more cheese. Deacon complained about it a lot, but Bentley loved it. We still enjoyed going to see it and having a good time with each other!

On November 30th, we decorated the house and put up our tree! Just in time for December. We usually don't cut it that close, but it's been a busy year. I gave the kids their pajamas a day early, and they were perfect for decorating the tree in. It's always an exciting time, and Boston is growing up so much and really appreciates all these traditions now. 

Dec.1 meant our elf on the shelf, Dash, came back! The kids always love to see what he does. However, this year, I made extra special advents for the kids and they were the real hit of December. They each had a theme and got to open up a gift each day, but the gifts were a lot better than a normal advent, so it was exciting. Bentley had a Taylor Swift theme, and I even got wrapping paper to match. Some of the things she got were earrings, a mug, a cup, notebooks, pens, makeup bag, a t-shirt, and a hoodie! Deacon's theme was basketball and he ended up with a Phoenix Suns Booker jersey, but he also got keychains, a water bottle and stickers, a notebook, pens, a Booker bobbly head, and a gold chain with a basketball pendant. Leo had a bath theme, and he got a lot of bath bombs, a shark, diving toys, light up toys with net, and a remote control boat. Boston had a Peppa Pig theme and he got lots of the characters, vehicles for them, a picnic basket, and dishes. 

Jeff and I celebrated our anniversary by going out to dinner at Joey and doing some Christmas shopping at Chinook mall. It was perfect! The food was divine and we got to use a gift card my parents had just given me for my birthday. Speaking of my birthday, I went out to Sushi Panda with a few close friends to celebrate mine and Angie's birthdays. It was all you can eat, so we ordered our little hearts out and ate way too much. We accidentally ordered 9 bowls of ice cream, so we worked real hard trying to get them all eaten!

We made our usual visit to see Santa at Southcenter mall, and it is always such a great experience. Boston was very nervous. He said nothing until we were walking out and then yelled, "Bye Santa!" really loud. Leo couldn't decide what he wanted for Christmas, but later decided on paw patrol. Deacon asked for a Nintendo Switch, which Santa graciously turned down. Bentley asked for makeup and skin care, which Santa said Mrs. Claus would disapprove of, but he would see what he could do. We love our visits with the big guy! Afterwards, we decorated cookies and visited the giving machine. The perfect evening!

We enjoyed some of the events in Legacy, like the light up the pond (where Mickey and Minnie were there), and roasting marshmallows, and meeting Santa and the Grinch in Township.

I watched Bentley's last dance performances in her classes. She has decided to take a break from dancing, which is a bit sad, but it wasn't something she truly loved so that's alright. 

Bentley and Deacon had their Christmas Concert at school. Their classes each sang 2 songs, and they were really good! Deacon had told me about his "Deck the Halls with poison ivy" song so I had heard it before. He loved the part that said, "See the Xbox now before us, playing fortnight 'til it bores us." Bentley sang one that involved her wearing a hat and it was really cute. Leo had a day at his school where I could come join him in decorating cookies and a magic show. Leo's excitement when I show up at his school never gets old. The best part was that Leo got picked as a volunteer in the magic show, and he was on the stage for probably half the show. He was so cute and so fun to watch! I'm so glad he had a good time and that I got to be there. Piano ended for the break, and Bentley and Deacon got the cutest blankets their teacher made. 

Jeff and I had his staff party to go to which was at Chairman's Steakhouse in Mahogany, just like last year. It was fun to dress up in my sequin skirt and the food was amazing as usual. There are many new staff this year, so it was nice to meet some new people and see the ones I knew. I had a great time!

The Legacy Ward Christmas party was a lot of fun. There was a roast beef dinner, a nativity, and a cute 12 days of Christmas number. My kids were shepherds and wise men in the nativity. There was also a Santa at the end of the night. 

Kellie invited us for dinner and the cousin gift exchange party one Sunday night and it was so much fun! The kids draw names and get to give their gifts to each other before Christmas. Kellie made chili and soup, and I brought a hot chocolate bar for the kids to snack on. Bailey came with cookies to decorate. Scott and Kellie went all out this year and even wrapped a bunch more gifts for a stealing present game. It was such a fun night! The only thing missing was Don and Cindy who were sick for an entire month with something. Before the party, Kellie had the great idea to stop by their house to drop off dinner. We also brought bells and sang a couple Christmas songs to them, which they loved. 

The week before Christmas I ordered some Glazed and Dazed themed donuts, took the littles to the mall for last minute Christmas shopping and the play place, Bentley had Violet's birthday party at Flying Squirrel, and finally the last day of school came! These kids were SO ready for Christmas. 

Christmas Eve was on a Sunday, and I was in charge of the Christmas program in sacrament meeting. I was recently released from nursery and called as the music coordinator in our ward. So, I started a ward choir that we didn't have before, and we had just enough time to get some Christmas songs together. I also found 3 other musical numbers and got the primary to sing a song. I also had to write out the narration, and I asked Brother Surdu to read it. It was a ton of work actually, but also a lot of fun to put together! I was really nervous something would go wrong, and also nervous because I had to play the piano for one number, and conduct the choir for two songs (while Marie Harding, the regular director, played her French Horn). It was busy, but I received so many compliments afterwards, and felt so grateful to all the people who were so willing to participate in the program. It made me realize what great people we have in our ward!

After the 1 hour church program we went home and the kids got to give each other their gifts they had either made or bought with their own money for each other. It's kind of our new tradition to do this and let them open it early so it's extra special, and I loved it so much! Bentley drew the cutest pictures for everyone (including a Taylor Swift one for me). The others had gone to the dollar store and the gas station to buy little things for each other, and I let Leo get some things from the hair cutting place as well. We also called my parents and opened up their gift basket they had left for us before they went on their mission. There was a lots of good stuff in there and it was so much fun. We were all so excited Christmas was finally here! Afterwards, we headed over the the Bernal's house, who had invited us for brunch. I brought over a fruit bowl, but there was so much good food served. We had a lot of fun chatting with some friends and others we just met, and even took some photos with them. 

Then we came home and I worked hard to get the 3 appetizers ready for Jordan and Melanie's house that night. We went over and had an appetizer dinner with them and most of Melanie's brother's families as well. We also had their delicious ice cream from their soft serve machine with Egg Nog and chocolate flavors. Then we acted out the nativity, did a very short talent show, and opened up pajamas. It was a lot of fun! I was worried the kids might miss my parents, the Loewen's, and Fox's, but they had a ton of fun! It was also hilarious when we were doing the talent show Leo wanted to do a number so he spontaneously started singing something to the tune of what Deacon had just played on the piano, but with his own words. I wish I had got it on video because it was just the cutest thing! Leo would never miss a chance to perform. We headed back home fairly late, of course, but we made sure we put out cookies and milk for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer. 

The kids slept great, as they always do on Christmas. They slept until their normal time and so we got up and started opening presents around 8am. Santa had visited and filled up their stockings so they looked at those first. Bentley got some nice skin care products and Lululemon leggings, Deacon got nerf guns, Leo got slime and paw patrol bath toys, and Boston got a kitchen set with a blender and toaster, etc. The stockings are always so fun to watch the kids open. The excitement was contagious this year and I loved every bit of it! They opened up all their presents from us as well and every one of them were so happy with all the things they got. We bought a Nintendo Switch for the family, so we can now play Mario Kart together. Then we headed over to the Ady's for breakfast and more presents. Don and Cindy had barely gotten over their sickness, but enough to cook and do Christmas. Justin was also in town visiting. We had lots of fun eating and opening presents and the cousins always have a blast playing together for the entire day! I headed home in the middle to make a salad for dinner, nap Boston, and freshen up. Then we did the turkey dinner and it was a fabulous day!

On Boxing Day, we headed to the church gym that the Ady's had booked for 5 hours. It's become tradition for all of us to meet there, eat lunch, and let the kids play with whatever new toys they bring, and run around the gym. The Brooks' side also join us, and Rob and Carrie often come from Utah as well. It was great to see everyone! Jeff wasn't feeling great, but we stayed for a good while. Jeff stayed sick for the rest of Christmas break, which was a big bummer. Luckily our kids are great at being home, but we definitely didn't do much afterwards. The kids had 2 weeks off school, but we did a lot of relaxing at home, hot tubbing, and trying out the new Smitty's test kitchen in Legacy. 

New Year's was a blast this year! We decided to start a fondue tradition, so on New Year's Eve we did a meat fondue, followed by a chocolate fondue. The kids had never done a meat fondue and thought it was the best thing ever! Cooking their own meat in the oil was so much fun for them. I had made batter and sweet and sour sauce, as well as the rest of the sides like baked potatoes, broccoli, etc. They loved the steak more than the chicken, but my favorite is definitely the chicken in the batter. Boston was so tired that he actually fell asleep at the table, which was sad and adorable, but also worked out well because it was a little tricky helping him cook his. We actually put him down for the night and he slept right through until morning. After we ate, we made a chocolate fondue and ate it upstairs while watching our home videos of the year! We all love this tradition so much, and I had fun making the video. We did a mini countdown and drank bubbly in fancy cups. I loved this time with our family and wouldn't have New Year's any other way!

It's always nice to have a break from waking up early and schedules, but I also start to feel weird staying in bed until 10am every day! I was really ready for the kids to go back to school in January and get back to routine. I had a really good time hanging out with each of them, though, and I'm enjoying days at home with them more and more now that they're all getting older.