Here are some highlights:
*Dan and I got our grades submitted. And yes--this is a highlight. There's something so satisfying about being done!
*Andrew turned six. As a Christmas Eve baby, his birthday often gets a little overlooked in the festivities, but he still enjoyed opening presents from cousins and Bubby and Poppy.
*The annual nativity re-enactment. We had a hard time getting everyone posed for the picture (as you might tell from these shots). Andrew was pouting because he didn't want to be Joseph if Katie wasn't going to be Mary, but it was decided by the powers that be (i.e., Bubby) that it was someone else's turn.
Maggie made a cute angel, but her halo only lasted about ten seconds and she never did stay put.
I'm not sure what Evelyn thought about the whole thing. Her expression in all of the pictures is a bit puzzling.
I guess she really just wanted to dance.
Sarah made really cute matching pajamas for all the kids (the little girls even got pajamas for their dolls). It didn't take Jake very long to figure out that he could spell his name with these letters, so right after this picture he had Andrew, Katie and Evelyn lining up.
The kids got pillow pets to go with their pajamas (luckily, Sarah had mentioned this to me earlier, so my kids got some too). I wasn't sure what to think, but the kids have really enjoyed them. The dolphin hasn't quite ousted Dolly, but maybe there's still hope.
*Christmas morning. We did the stockings at our house before dressing up for 9 o'clock church with Bubby and Poppy (they were singing in their ward choir). Then we went back to Bubby and Poppy's for a nice brunch and more presents.
Santa conveniently brought Evelyn a doll and a matching doll dress. (Lydia got a similar princess doll--only hers was Ariel. You'd think Santa compared notes about what the cousins might want.)
Andrew had a new bike, now that he finally knows how to ride one, but he wasn't as excited about it as I'd expected he'd be. I mean, isn't a new bike like the quintessential Christmas present? Maybe he'd be more excited if there wasn't snow outside--or if we'd let him ride it in the house.
Andrew and Evelyn in their Christmas clothes. They weren't really cooperative--this was the best shot I got.
*Visiting with my family.
Monday morning, we drove up north to spend a few days with my family. We arrived just in time for hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls (our family tradition) and more presents.
Evelyn managed to get injured by a present (I think she stood too close behind Enoch as he enthusiastically showed everyone what he'd gotten). She sported an awesome bandage for a couple of days (she wouldn't let us take it off).
In addition to the usual assortment of presents, my mom decided it would be a good idea to give *all* the grandkids these lazer guns that make noise and have spinning lights. It didn't take long to devolve into a free-for-all and then the guns were forthwith banished to the basement.
Other highlights of our trip north:
*My sister introduced me to this crazy Korean drama called Boys over Flowers. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I actually want to know what happens next--subtitles and all.
*I got to have lunch with one of my good friends, Cristie (who was also very pregnant). I also got to see another good friend Emily M. and we had a delightful chat. I feel lucky to know such amazing women.
*We got to hang out with Jared and his family and consume more pizza than was good for us--and Joshua beat Andrew at Wii bowling, which Andrew found demoralizing but his less sympathetic parents thought was good for him. Plus, Joshua's pretty much been bowling since he could walk (I wouldn't be surprised if he goes pro some day), so it wasn't like Andrew was going to win anyway.
* We went to the zoo with Sarah and kids. The kids had fun running around and riding the carousel (none of my pictures of that turned out, sadly) and we had fun chatting. Everything was peachy until we went to dinner at Chuck-a-Rama (Sarah was craving bread pudding and Jake loves the all-you-can-eat approach) and it literally turned into "Up-chuck-a-rama", as Maggie threw up all over her mom just as we were about to sit down.
Sarah took Maggie and the girls home, but Jake stayed with us (he refused to move). Needless to say, Dan and I didn't enjoy dinner as much as we would have if Sarah had stayed. Jake and Andrew didn't seem affected--between the two of them, I think they put away five plates of macaroni and cheese.
Now we're home and ready to be getting back to our regularly scheduled life. We hope you all had a fabulous--and refreshing--holiday season!
1 comment:
You're listing Boys Over Flowers as a highlight? I thought it would have gone on a list of things you'd endured. (But then you do have throwing up in the list of highlights...)
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