More December fun stuff

 One time we had to go to Walmart. I took my old glasses to donate and told everyone we all had to do something of service while we were there. Jordyn and Levi threw some trash away they saw on the ground. Sydney went up to a stranger and complimented her shirt. She wanted me to videotape it so I did.....very discreetly. It was the funnest Walmart trip I've ever made.

 The Saturday before Christmas we had a family party, just the 6 of us. We did christmas karaoke, had a pillow fight, read some Christmas books, made snowmen with snow from Bahama Bucks, watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas, ate lots of treats, and ended it with a slumber party in our room.

 Jordyn and Levi cuddling and sleeping by each other.

 Karaoke time.

 Here a christmas tree treat that we ate at our family party.

 A couple days earlier I got my hair done and the girls want to take selfie with me:)

 Macie pooh can be found in our closet or Levi's hanging from the bar or upside down like this. She loves showing us her tricks, just like our other kids do.

 This is a snowman we made at our family party.

Here's Levi throwing away litter at Walmart.

 A few days before Christmas we made a Gingerbread house while Macie was taking her nap. It wasn't 5 minutes after making it that they really did eat what they wanted to. It was a good thing I took a picture before they really did eat it. We posed for this picture below. I turned around to clean things up and then they really tore it apart and ate stuff. I look at that and want to puke. But I'm more of a chocolate person.

Jordyn's 7th birthday

Jordyn had a similar birthday, waking up to her room decorated. Doughnuts for breakfast and Bahama Buck's to bring to her class too.

 After her class treat, I took her out of school and we went to a pottery painting place. Just her and I.

 We had a lot of fun and it was actually relaxing. She painted a box while I painted christmas ornaments.

 In the morning she opened gifts. She wanted a microphone. We hook it up to Jeff's work speakers and are able to do karaoke on our TV.

 Her she is rocking out to a song. We gave our loudest child a microphone :)

 Another gift we got her, she had no clue. A little background....I can't remember how she got this idea, but a few months back she started saying, "Dadddddy, give me a UNICORN, daddy" in a British accent. So we bought her a unicorn and a unicorn book.

 As you can tell by her reaction, she loved the present! It was cool that she got our humor.

 More singing before running out the door to catch the school bus.

 Some baby pictures of her I posted on social media on her birthday. Can't believe this little girl is so tall and full of personality and has so much love to give. I love her big, blue eyes, soft skin, sensitivity (a few weeks after her birthday she was sad at the thought of when I die and am no longer around), sweet, sweet girl.

We love Jordyn so much and are grateful for her spunky spirit in our home. She makes our home brighter and more fun.

Sydney's 9th birthday

Sydney turned 9. We had our usual tradition of decorating her room while she's sleeping. She woke up to a big birthday present--a BALANCE BEAM. She was excited to get it and not expecting it at all.

 It was a non-party year. I took her out for doughnuts for breakfast. At school Jeff and I both came and treated her class to Bahama Buck's. The kids loved that! Then she took the rest of the day off and I took her to a movie theater in Scottsdale that serves food. We watched the Madagascar Penquin movie.

 Here we are waiting for the movie to start.

 She wanted me to make her an ice cream cake with oreo crust.

 Oh, the whole class posing with all their SNO.

 She was excited to see her name on the marquee.

 I can't believe this little girl is 9 already. Just so thankful she's growing up to be what I know is an amazing person.

 The next week she had a gymnastic meet. On her floor routine, she did a round off, back handspring, back handspring. On the beam she did a cartwheel with no reservation and nailed it. She got 3rd overall.

The Sunday before Christmas she performed in the ward orchestra.

 Wearing the music pin Gammie gave her at Thanksgiving. She picked it out and wanted me to pin it to her dress that morning.

So talented in many ways. Love Sydney!!

Christmas time

Christmas time brings so much excitement, teaching, remembrance, stress, and goodies to our lives.

 

 One night we went to San Tan Village to hear Mrs. Clause tell a story.

 Getting the tree up. We have a real tree down stairs and this year we bought a fake tree to put upstairs that the kids put their ornaments on. Macie destroyed a couple dozen ornaments.

The first day of December, the kids opened their new jammies, had a treat, and we read our first Christmas book. They couldn't wait to open How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and as it turned out, it was the last book to be opened. What are the chances?

All 4 in their new jammies and all cleaned up.

My bookends: Sydney (9) and Macie (20months)

I love Macie's big smile, scrunched up nose, squeezy cheeks, little front teeth, and curly hair.

One night we went to the temple. We heard a group of flutists play and walked around to see the lights.

One morning before church.

Family pictures

We took our family pictures in November but I didn't download them to my computer until December.

 We took them in downtown Gilbert early Saturday morning. It was a "mini" session. Only 30 minutes. Super quick, super easy, and the kids were amazing so we took them to get a donut after since it was only 8:30am still.

 After the session we had soccer games and Sydney had a recording to do at church (for violin). It was a busy day but we got the "dreaded" family pictures done, and it wasn't even bad. So maybe it will turn into the "exciting" family pictures now ;)