third times a charm

Introducing Gloria Eloise, the good enough mermaid.  She's not perfect but she's cute.  Hopefully Tate will love her.

Hark the Hearld Angels Sing



Ethan and Lu singing with friends

Some of the gang in the hallway

Robert, Alexis and Jenna

Bethany, Katelyn, Madeleine, Chelsea, Melanie and Han

refreshment bar



Tonight the YW/YM, scouts and activity day girls all went Christmas caroling together at the nursing home.  We had a huge group and it was a little crazy but I think the residents enjoyed it.  After we split into three groups for refreshments.  The youth came to our house.  It was a fun Christmasy night!

6 going on 16

 The kids have been playing.  Yesterday Ethan played with Webb and Grant in the morning and Matthew in the afternoon.  In the morning they rode bikes and played soccer.  In the afternoon they played soccer, then wii soccer, then at the playground, then some more soccer, then watched youtube video's of..soccer.  Lu played with Julia and built a fort with all our bedding in the linen closet.   Jenna played with Brian and Sierra went to work.  Hannah tortured people and watched TV.

Today we had family cleaning hour.  I let everyone choose their jobs.  Lu wanted to clean the toilets, she is newly proficient at it and thinks it is very fun to "clean with poison".  She also did sinks.  Ethan emptied all the trash cans and wiped the kitchen cabinets and cleaned his room.  Jenna fixed the linen closet and Sierra washed the windows, Hannah vacuumed the house and I cleaned the kitchen including the fridge.  It was so fun for me to work along side cheerfully working children.

Then Lu invited Mags over.  Ethan played with Webb and Grant and later he had Eric over, Hannah invited Chelsea.  Jen had Bri and Sierra went to work.

Sierra and Jenna also went to the dentist and had no cavities and oddly they each have one wisdom tooth (only) on the lower left of their mouth that they need to have removed. 

Brian and Jenna making peppermint pinwheel cookies for me to take visiting teaching tonight

Chelsea and Hannah wrapping gifts

It's great to have minions!

monday morning cookie party

Daisy Scout cookie exchange

say cheese!

Lu and Delaney and Kyla

yummy cookies

anticipating

home

I am so enjoying having Sierra and Jenna home.  It's been a delight to hear their stories, to laugh with them, to have their help in the kitchen, to hug them.

I've missed J's piano playing.  She forgot all her music in Utah so has only played things from memory and we had to sneak up on her to record this so this is by no means a perfect performance but I wanted to remember it anyway :)

body builder mermaid

fins too small
shoulders too big
neck too skinny
bad hair day
button eyes or thread eyes??

maybe I need to buy a pattern...or maybe I'll try again tomorrow.  She's getting better.  This one is named Fanny the finless.

Don't worry Tate I still have 7 days.

last believer

 My baby is getting big, almost 7.  It's exciting and sad at the same time.  In our house we only have on kid left who believes in Santa and she's a little iffy about it.  Today Santa rode into our neighborhood on a firetruck and little kids flooded from their homes and ran to the clubhouse to see him.  There was a lot of fun and excitement in the air.

Lu waited her turn patiently and then told him she would like a real elephant...and a Barbie.

E refused to see him and after a short time went home...I didn't know the last time he talked to Santa was going to be the last time but here it is, another step away from childhood.

After all the kids got to sit on his lap and talk to him his sleigh pulled up and they got to take rides through the neighborhood. 

Merry Christmas!!