New Year's Eve

A friend invited me to his family New Years Eve party...we hung out, I think we both fell asleep on the couch for a while.  Ate good food, then perked up and donned our party hats and rang in the new year!  I can't believe another year has come and gone.  Time seems to be flying by so quickly.  SO MUCH has happened this last year, both good and bad, and I've survived!  I am so blessed.  The girls are well, I am well, and we are doing our best to be happy every day!

Headed out with a friend tonight, and checked out this lovely building.  Such a wonderful place, and so beautiful with all the lights still on from Christmas.

Then we hit The Westerner, of all places.  I've never been there, and it was so so.  I'd do it again with someone who likes (and knows how!) to dance! 

Zoo Lights

Muffins for breakfast!  The girls love these muffins so much.

Later this afternoon we headed over to the school hills for some sledding.  We had to improvise with plastic bin lids for sleds.  We've had better experiences, but it was still fun! 

Then tonight we went to Zoo Lights!  It was pretty amazing.  We were wandering up to the ticket booth, when a man stopped me and asked if I wanted some free admission tickets.  I said, sure!  Thinking anything less than what I had EXPECTED to pay was awesome.  And then he handed me like 10 tickets!  There were enough for all of us, as well as Meghan and her kids to get in completely free!  What an awesome surprise! 

Honestly, that it was free to get in lessened the 'need' you feel to see every little thing when you're there.  To leave nothing unexplored, regardless of how the kids are acting, because it cost money to get it!  Tonight we felt free to wander as much as we wanted, but felt no obligation to stick around.  It also made hot chocolate that much better!

The kids had a great time wandering around with the Smarts.

Good times had by all, and it wasn't even that cold, which made for a comfortable evening seeing the lights.  Thank you, kind stranger!

We went out to celebrate Mad's birthday this evening.  Steak all the way, baby!  My picture game is struggling a little...should have taken a good one of him, but we did get this silliness of me showing off a Christmas present.  Happy belated birthday, Mad!  Thanks for the reason to go out and have some fun.

Merry Christmas!!!

Holy smokes, look at this haul!  Before the girls came out, this was the sight!

The girls sailed into their presents, thrilled with Shopkins and American Girl doll beds!

We quickly got ready and headed up to Grandmere's house for festivities with them!

More presents!

Most exciting of which, TRAPEZE CLASS!!!

We will go in January and see what it's all about!

Thomas was with us for the fun, with giant presents of his own to open up!

The girls got Grandmere and Bapa presents.

And of course the traditional calendar!

The girls went with Brad around midday, and I spent some time with a friend, then came back for Christmas dinner...Swedish Meatballs!

It was a wonderful day, a white Christmas with time spent with those we love and care about!  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve!

Holy smokes, it's Christmas Eve!  I think I say this every year, but I can't believe it!  We finally got to our traditional sugar cookies...almost didn't make it in time.

But Santa will have his cookies after all!

This evening was our traditional foray to Temple Square to see the lights.  It was a beautiful evening, not too cold, and we were able to wander around comfortably. 

And this year, my very favorite of all time tree was lit!  They don't always do the big red tree, but it is spectacular! 

The girls enjoyed themselves, as well. 

After lights, we headed back to Grandmere's house for chili and a program.  At the end of the evening, so close to Christmas Eve bedtime, the girls got to put on the jammies left by Snowbell!  They look so cute with their polar bear tops! 

Tomorrow is the big day!

It's the final push for Christmas!  One more stop here,

one more seam there. 

And I think I'm done!  Whew!  I always have such high aspirations to be ready early, and it literally never turns out that way!  I suppose it goes on the goal list for next year!

Teeth and Coding

Miss Leiden came to me last night kind of freaked out about one of her teeth.  She said it had come apart a little in her mouth, and that it was soft.  Well, that didn't sound good.  I checked it out and it WAS pretty creepy.  So this morning I called a new dentist because their insurance had changed, and he was able to get her in today.  He took out THREE of her teeth!  She had to be numbed for one of them, but they came out pretty easily.  She has had these teeth not coming out even when the permanent teeth are already coming in under them!  She was a little teary, but now it's over and she doesn't have to worry anymore!

After a little while, she was in much better spirits. 

Tonight we went to the last coding class Mac has been attending.  They did presentations to show what they learned and how to use it.  She did SUCH a great job!  She walked us through the whole process and exactly what her project took. 

This is so interesting to me, because *I* don't even know how to do this stuff! 

She had this cute little mapping of her interactive program.  It was such a fun way to see Mac learning and growing at something that her sisters weren't doing.  They do so much as a threesome that sometimes I forget how important it is for them to do things that are THEIRS.  And their interests and skills are not the same! 

Sweet little Thomas!  He is THE CUTEST!!!!  We had him here today for our day to watch him, and he is just the best.

Leiden tried her hand at french braiding on Mimi this afternoon.  She did a pretty good job for a first time! 

Snowbell brought us AWESOME treats for Family Christmas Movie Night!  Super cute chocolate popcorn reindeer and red punch in Santa cups!  The girls were very impressed with the treats. 

Primary Nativity

Today in Primary was a Nativity for the kids.  I was asked to play the violin for a part of it, and all these pictures were taken!

It ended up being a lovely program for the children, and I was glad I could participate!