Christmas Week

We started our Christmas week by celebrating my friend's 30th birthday by going on a wagon ride to see the Christmas lights at Thanksgiving Point.  She was visiting from out of town, so I don't get to see her that often anymore.  We were so excited to be able to spend her birthday with her.  Since we ended up going on the wagon ride so late at night, Clara was the only kid in the group.  So she got to wear antlers and roast marshmallows, thanks to a wonderful staff who felt bad Clara had to wait so long.

After the wagon ride was over, we went to go look around.  We found some really cool ice sculptures and some of Santa's reindeer!

Christmas Eve we got to spend at Jeremy's parents and all of his siblings (and their families) were able to be there!  Clara got to help with the program.

We all got matching shirts (the one Clara is wearing,) and grandpa got a cool gift that had a cut up water noodle around it to protect it.  The kids had fun playing with all those pieces!

We also had a cousin gift exchange that night and Clara LOVES her princess dress up doll and tent.

And of course, then there was Christmas morning:

Clara got an apron for Christmas along with the stuff to make cupcakes.  Clara had so much fun getting to make those.  She kept asking and asking when she could make them, that I let her as soon as I knew we would have enough time.  She even did the eggs all by herself and didn't get a single shell in the batter! 

Fun Week

I was able to have a  girls night out this week with some great friends.  Thanks Jeremy for watching Clara!

That same night, Jeremy took Clara out so he could buy his new iPad, which he has been saving months for!  I'm so proud of you babe!  Anyone who knows Jeremy will know what a huge feat that was for him.  (I have yet to be able to get a picture of it because it's always with him!)

On Friday night, Jeremy and I were able to go see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert, guest starring Jane Seymour and Nathan Gunn.  It truly was a magical night with getting to hear a beautiful program, getting snowed on while INSIDE, and getting to meet Jane Seymour!

Also this week, we went to go see the lights on Temple Square.  Clara loved getting to see all the pretty Christmas lights.  She also insisted on seeing the statue of Jesus while we were there too.

Clara is getting to be such a big girl.  Clara can now make her own toast and juice!

• After asking Clara a question, she said, "I don't know, my thinking is broken."

I've also decided to continue with my picture blog.  Jeremy really likes it, so continue to check there for a picture every day!

Random Things

I get to watch my sister's kids every Monday while she helps out in her kindergartener's class.  Usually this little girl is down for a nap, so I was pleasantly surprised this week to for her to not only be awake while I was there, but to cuddle with me too!

I found our Nativity like this:

Apparently Clara created a natural disaster of some sort!

I made Clara a new dress this week.  I had already gotten some material and things because her other dresses are getting too small.  My daughter LOVES to wear dresses and has a melt down when I make her wear pants.  She'll probably get some more dresses for Christmas.....

• Clara hates loud noises.  She doesn't like it when I vacuum or blow dry my hair.  So as I was blow drying my hair one morning, she came up to me and said, "You make me crazy AND you make me nuts!"

• As we drove past and ice cream shop: "Are we going to the store where the ice cream lives?"

• A small conversation between Clara and I: C: "Say 'Hello', Mom."  M: "Hello, Clara."  C: "No, say 'Hello MOM!'" M: "Hello, Mom."  C: "I'm not your Mom!"

• Clara enjoys playing hide and go seek.  She's finally getting old enough to play it correctly too.  We were playing it as a family yesterday, so I decided to hide in some good spots.  One time, it took Clara and Jeremy quite a while to find me.  When they finally did, Clara said, "I thought you were gone by a wizard!"

Ward Christmas Party

We had 2 ward Christmas parties this year.  We held an adult only one Friday night and then the family one was Saturday morning.  Both had meals served, and I "got" to be on the committee that helped put it all together.  The adult dinner was very formal.  We were served dinner on real plates.  We had a program that inspired us to have the true meaning of Christmas this year and always.

Then came the clean up...  We washed dishes for 2 hours after the even was over.  At least we were washing with good friends and had a blast visiting with each other as we had 2 washers, a rinser, 2 driers, and 1 person putting the clean dishes away/bringing the dirty dishes to the washers.  Although I brought my camera, I forgot to take any pictures.  It's a shame too because the tables were beautifully decorated in white and silver.  We had matching nativities, candles, stars, book-type things that told the story of Christ's birth from Luke 2, jars with cherries at the bottom, and Christmas lights strung all around.  It really was beautiful.

Then came the family Christmas party.  It started at 8 am, which was early considering we didn't get done washing dishes until close to 10pm the night before and then we had to go pick Clara up from the babysitters before we could go home and get ready for bed.

We were served pancakes, muffins, little smokies, and milk.  Luckily all on paper goods so that the clean up was much faster than the night before.

They also had a game where the kids got gifts.  Santa then read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and every time Santa said the word 'the,' the kids passed their presents.  When the story was over, which ever present the kid had in their hand, they got to keep.  Clara got a yo yo and was very excited about it.

And the kids got to sit on Santa's lap!  Clara was so excited to do it this year.  She kept telling people that when she was a baby, she cried when she sat on Santa's lap, but that this year she was going to not cry and be a big kid.  She did just that too.  She went right up when it was her turn, climbed on, and answered all of Santa's questions!

• Clara's response after I asked her how she got so smart: "I just ate a lot of food."

• I often catch Clara reading her scriptures.  I love it!

• Clara had gotten Chocolate all over her face and she wasn't letting me take a picture of her.  (Look  how mad she is in the first pic.)  But then for some reason she changed her mind and gave me the best smile ever!

• Clara was watching me get ready one morning and was asking me lots of questions, like if my contacts hurt.  So when she asked, "Did you go potty in 16 years?"  I assumed she was talking to me.  Wasn't sure what she meant, but answered her yes.  She then got mad at me, "No, it's a story about baby Jesus!"

Side note:  My picture blog is almost done for the year.  I only committed to doing a year, but I'm toying with the idea of continuing.  But I want to know what my readers think?  Is it fun for you to read, or is it merely a self-indulging blog?

Thanksgiving Week

My brother came into town this week, so on Monday, I unpacked all the rest of the toys and organized the toy room.  (I didn't have any toys unpacked that 7 and 9 year old boys would want to play with.)

We then spent everyday doing something fun.  Tuesday we went to the dinosaur museum and Cabela's.

Wednesday we went to a huge park in PG and were there for 4+ hours!

Thursday was Thanksgiving, so we spent the day at my sister's eating!  I made little penguins out of olives, carrots, and cream cheese.  The girls were so excited to help me.

For desert we made turkeys out of oreos, frosting, candy corn, whoppers, brown (plain) m&ms and red (mini) m&ms.

Clara even ate Thanksgiving Dinner, which is something that I was not expecting.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving week was listening to all the cousins play so well together!

Friday we had to say good-bye to my brother and his cute family.  We had so much fun with them!    After they left we still hung out with my family since my sister was here visiting from school.  We went to a bike part that the kids loved playing on rather than actually riding their bikes on. 

It was so windy that we left earlier than we wanted to because of how cold we all were.  Clara was so happy to have me carry her while she cuddled inside my coat with me.

Then when we got back, I had the kids dog-pile on my sister just to "warm" her  up, and make her feel oh so loved!

Saturday was a nice day to just relax after having such a fun weekend.  I did put up the Christmas decorations though and Clara has been asking if it's Christmas ever since.

• Overheard Clara say to Jeremy: Dad I'm crazy every day just like you!

• We had the missionaries over for dinner this week.  Clara asked who the missionaries were and I explained that they were young men who told people about Jesus.  Clara was so excited to get the door with Jeremy when they knocked.  But she came running in before any of them, sobbing.  When I asked her what was wrong, she said, "They aren't with Jesus!"

• We got out a Little People nativity set for Clara to play with.  All day long I can hear her pretending to be the angel and say (very loudly): "Hey everyone come and see!  Jesus is born today!"