Happy Christmas

 I used to hate it when I heard someone same "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas". Sounded weird. 

Now I get it. Because I felt so happy all day. I'm in. 

I love these happy memories. 

Megan opening her own copy of Halibut Jackson, a childhood favorite.

AJ getting a cover for her headboard...which is currently an un-zen navy blue. 

Opening Megan's paintings she worked on for weeks before Christmas. They are so beautiful!

A calligraphy set with ink well! 

Spontaneous dance party!

Silliness!

Feeding the current Transformer obsession.

Mathew making toast in his new toaster. 

Everly putting the world right. Combining the remnants of a failed gingerbread house, macoron rejects and the hazelnut cones from her stocking. Beauty from ashes!

All the ribbons retrieved and organized. 

Catching sisters hanging out. The best gift. 

Happy Christmas, indeed. 

Rollin and Smokin

Christmas Eve was all about getting ready to absolutely relax on Christmas Day. That means finishing up the three-day effort to change Anna's room from a saturated orange explosion into a creamy calm experience. We took the "one wall at a time" approach. And it took three solid coats. But she loves it and I'm excited that it's done and I won't have to muster the energy after Christmas!

Mark is smoking some Poor Man's Burnt ends and that means I'm not cooking AGAIN. It really is Christmas!

Everyone got busy wrapping their gifts for each other and finishing up last-minute task. 

Christmas Eve Bingo revealed the theme for the year....polar bear pants 9plaid for the boys) and some type of Chicago themed t-shirt. I tried...I really did. Etsy delivered Anna and Everly's shirts ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Of course, I had purchased nondescript Old Navy back ups just in case. 

The kids WOULD NOT go to sleep. Finally, at 3 am, I texted them and told them to plug their ears and keep their doors closed. Creating magic is a team effort and this team is ready to go to sleep!

Under one roof

When I bought the truck, I didn't stop to think about the things we'd be giving up by letting go of the minivan. 

No more riding to church all together.

No more road trips with more than three kids,

No more movies on the pop down screen that we always hit our heads on. 

And no more minivan express. 

What have I done??

By dang, we can't go see lights in two cars, that stupid. 

So I borrowed the Terry's minivan and we made a batch of the best cocoa....the real stuff. The one part cocoa powder, two parts sugar, sprinkle of salt and real milk kind. (I added some half and half just for good extra creaminess. And it was piping hot!

AJ made some tickets and we let Mark punch them. Kinda silly but still the best. 

We're all in the same car!

We dropped in to Deanna Rose for the light show and found a spot. It was packed! The star wars segment was the best. 

I love this family and I'm excited to make them do this even when they are all grown up!

Don't count us out

 I was thinking we wouldn't make it to on the neighborhood hayride this year. Everly had her Christmas band concert on the same night. Clarinets beat horse farts any day. 

But she didn't need to report to the band room until 6:45 and there were a few open slots at 6, so we grabbed them. 

Sadly, Everly got a yucky cold and fever and wasn't able to go to the concert anyway. Here was my favorite sisterly conversation of the day (harsh, yet helpful):

Everly: "I'm so sad that I'm missing my first middle school band concert."

AJ: "You're not. You're missing it. The next one will be your first"

Everly: "That true" (she went back to bed)

She wasn't up for the hayride either, so I grabbed AJ and Bug and we went over to the pool parking lot. Bug met up with a friend and AJ an I hopped on the other trailer. We were all pretty glad we are older that 5. We get to hang our feet over the side and that's pretty much the funnest part.

In recent years, AJ has asserted her God-given teenage right to not appear in any family photographs. Especially the smiling ones. 

She's coming around....and I'm so glad. She even cued up some Christmas music and handed me an earbud. 

Bug and Raf

5 in 5

Did I mention that I feel like life is changing around here? 

I have proof. 

SO MANY PARTIES.

5 parties in 5 days. 

And not only that, but I didn't need to find a babysitter for any of them. 

Wednesday: Relief Society dinner: Soups, salads and chatting with the ladies. Courtney and I were peer pressured into attending. It turned out ok. A 4 out 10.

Thursday: Coaches Pickleball Party: I picked up the food (twice) from Fajita Pete's and then wrapped myself in my electric blanket and watched everyone play. I'll give that a 8 out of 10. I was warm and I had snacks. And I really like all of these people. 

Friday: Wachter Holiday Party: It was "country Christmas". I own this red flannel and a leather belt. I was comfy and I got to spend the evening with Mark, so I was pretty happy. Andy Ebert and Les Harvey work at Wachter too, so I had a few people to talk to. I'll give that a 6 out of 10. I would've taken dinner and movie by ourselves any day. 

Saturday: The On Track Christmas Party. We had a great turn out and it was fun to see the community growing and forming friendships. I'm pretty proud of us. AND! I got some chocolate and chicken leg socks! 8 out of 10!

Sunday: Pat Crownover's Christmas Open House. I didn't take a picture, but I think you you take a look of this screenshot of her, you can use your imagination. Think pinapple cake, potato chips and onion dip. We were in and out pretty quickly, because we are truly worn out. 

Life is kinda fun these days. I like all the parties and dinners and open houses. But I kinda miss thoses quiet evenings when we had all the little kids home and we would read a Christmas story out of our collection. But for now, just tell me what to bring and text me the address. 

Charcuterie in Bethlehem

Here's a funny little story. 

I almost got tricked into running this whole activity. But my mama dint raise no dummy. 

I slip slided into the infinitely less stressful job of creating a little shop for the the "Night at Bethlehem" the ward put on for the ward Christmas party. I volunteered for the charcuterie shop. I know...it's funny. I don't doubt the fine citizens of Bethlehem enjoyed their fair share of shelf stable meats and cheeses, but did they call it charcuterie?? I think they called it dinner. 

But we're rolling with it. 

We dug out our bucket of earth tone fabric with rough-cut neck holes, loaded the truck with every tablecloth,  basket, candle and tassley pillow we could find.  Don't forget the staple gun!

And check it out!

Can you believe this beautiful hand-painted sign Megan created for me just hours before the party. She's so talented! I was blown away. 

I was a little stressed, maybe a little jaded. But we actually had a good time running our Charcuterie Shop. 

Anderson's ran the Bakery

And I loved our Roman Guard and Friar Tuck 

And this was probably my favorite Christamas program ever. It was a shadow nativity, with Brother Jackson singing "Hallelujah". It was lovely. 

Now what do I do with all this leftover cheese??

Different kind of beautiful

I usually want the tree to have cute woodsy ornaments, with glass and gold accents. So pretty. 

But these guys have been sorely neglected for many years. 

It's pickle and potato year, my dears.

You know how Christmas kinda has that familiar feeling? I've noticed that the feeling is slowly shifting.  It used to be footy jammies and reading Christmas stories. 

Now it's getting help with math homework 

And dying hair with friends. 

comparing feet 

And supporting our parrotlet in her french horn dreams

She's gotta get ready for auditions.

We are embracing our pickleness and potatoeness. Bring all your butter sticks, your astronauts and iridescent wiener dogs. We're in the mood to roll with it. 

And it's beautiful.

To 2025 Maren

 I know how hard this is for you. 

Let me help you out...this is one reasonably attractive way to arrange the shelves for Christmas. 

Add a few battery operated fairy lights and we're good to go.