3rd-ish week in December

It's all running together now. So, exact dates for these happenings aren't going to happen. Sometime in December. Good enough, eh?

Joy School Group again with Lindy's friends. I still don't feel like I'm getting it right, which is frustrating since this ain't my first rodeo...oh well. Lindy's enjoying it, which is the main reason I signed on.


Our friend's the Andersons invited us to go to a Mommy and Me music class they go to. It was mostly geared toward little kids, but Miles and Gwen decided they mostly enjoyed it, but don't want to do it again. :) Lindy got out of her shell a little and actually participated. Benson made it really hard. What else is new?


"Hey Mom! I made us lunch!"-Miles


"Sisters, Sisters...There were never such devoted Sisters..."


Richie and I had a real treat. BYU had a live jazz band playing for a themed swing night. Tucker and Belen agreed to watch our kids for us, and Richie and I got all "dolled-up" and danced until my shoes broke! They are 10 year old shoes, and they have been limping along, but I think they finally kicked the bucket that night. These aren't the best quality pictures, but it must be documented that we did this! He ran into some old swing friends, who all agreed the band was more "dixieland" and less swing, which was kind of a downer. We tried to determine at what point we'll be so old that our skills won't be as great...Cause we've still got it! And although it's prideful, we do kind of love it when people come up to us and ask us to teach them, or say that we're awesome. :)


Another Dance Recital for Gwen!


Decorating our gingerbread house. My kids can't wait until I allow them to eat the candy off it. Am I the only one that doesn't get this? I never grew up eating the candy off the gingerbread house. It gets all old and stale....anyway.



Bye-bye 10 year old computer. It was FULL of dust inside. Yuck. That was the first big thing Richie and I bought. I was a little sad to see it go, but grateful that upgrading a little didn't cost as much as we were expecting. Whew!


Brothers! Miles just came into my room like this one day. I don't know how he managed to get Benson on his shoulders, but he was very proud. Made me a little nervous. :)


We went caroling as a homeschool group to some people in Makenna's ward up in SLC. We've done some sort of caroling as a group for the past couple of years, and it's always something to look forward to.


I finished a blanket for a Christmas gift. I tried a new technique and really enjoyed it.


Caleb and Brendan had birthdays and we got to celebrate with them!


We had a Mexican Christmas dinner with the Beckstroms the weekend before Christmas. It was yummy and so fun to get together with friends.

2nd week in December

Making cinnamon ornaments!


Gwen reading to Benson. She was (and is) thrilled when she gets to read to him. They both love it equally I think. She just kept snuggling him as much as he would allow, and had the most content look on her face.


Kids making treats for their teachers!


We lost the spinner part from the game "Twister". Apparently that doesn't mean you can't play! They frequently have friends come over and just take turns calling out random color and appendage combinations. Plus extra little funny things they have to do. It's a hoot.


Richie's getting better and better at this whole teaching group uke lessons thing! It baffles me that he works with (mostly) apathetic kids all day at seminary, comes home and proceeds to muster up even more patience as he teaches 5 young kids a new instrument. It's not a pain free process, yet he still is positive, upbeat, and encouraging-while being demanding.


Bless Sister Marliee Withers. She's an older widow in our ward that we've tried to cultivate a relationship with. It's not that hard cause she's so darn nice. We asked if we could come over and do FHE with her one Monday. I said I'd plan a lesson and craft of some sort, and she said she'd provide a treat. Well I forget that sometimes when you're not used to having little kids over a lot anymore, that tiny messes, and tiny noises, seem really big. And here I go bringing cinnamon ornaments and glue and GLITTER. Bless her heart, she didn't seem to mind at all. She was all smiles and fed my kids ridiculous amount of cake, and showed them how to make a snowflake. Right as we sat down at the table and started chatting, Gwen leaned over to me and whispered in my ear, "I love her!" :)

First week in December

Our 10 year old computer bit the dust this month. 10 years in computer time is pretty much an eternity. The people at the repair shop were obviously shocked that I still had such a dinosaur of a computer. I should have showed them Richie's flip phone and really wowed them! So while we were upgrading to a slightly newer, used version, I was computer-less. Hence the lack of blogging. Now I'm playing catch up!

Gwen's group performing at the Festival of Trees. I felt more prepared this year and let Benson stay at Grandma's house to nap, so it wasn't stressful at all. It was a really fun afternoon cheering Gwen on, eating a cinnamon roll, and picking out our favorite trees. You could stay there all day and still not get bored!


We lucked into a TON of cranberries, so I thought I would have the kids help me string some for the chickens to peck at.


Science today was using chromatography paper. (Is that the right word?) The kids had fun hunting or things to make prints of, laying out their design on the paper and waiting for the sun to do it's work. Unfortunately the outcomes were less exciting than the process.


Cute Lindy sleeping. Checking on my kids after they have fallen asleep is truly one of my great pleasures.


It isn't Christmas until we've been to the Cori Connors concert! Such a fun tradition that we look forward to with much anticipation. She had us all in tears, as usual.


Gwen performing at the Riverton Town Holly Days. It was freezing cold! We did out bet to enjoy it though. My favorite part was when the kids got in line to see Santa, and Lindy was visibly anxious. The closer we got, the more frantic she became until she fled out of the line to where I was standing. I tried to convince her that it would be fine and he would give her a candy cane, but she didn't have to go if she didn't want to. That's when she burst into tears, and sobbed, "I don't want to go, but I want the caaannndeeeeee!" She eventually tip toed up for a candy and then ran away.


We had the coolest freezing fog here the other day! Some of Jack Frost's finest work really!


Movin' and Groovin' pajama party at the library. Although it was geared for Lindy's age, she was "too cool" to participate. Gwen thought it was fun. Miles was too old, or so I thought, until I turned around for a second, and then realize he's up at the front helping the librarian lead the kids in a dance! She was having other kids come up as sort of a "Do what I'm doing" thing. I was both shocked that he was up there, and also happy that he doesn't think he's too old yet. I know I'm gonna blink and he's going to be all grown up!


"I was thirsty and ye gave me drink" One of our light the world activities included donating some bottled water to a nearby food bank.


Miles at pack meeting with his friend Colton. I brought sugar cookies to decorate and they went to town!


Benson LOVES baby Cecily at home school group. He can't get enough of her! So I took a picture in case they get married later, and I'll be able to prove their record-long courtship. :)