Holidays

We invited the Gordon families that lived within driving distance to come join us for Thanksgiving this year.  We had a great dinner, but really we just had a fun time together.  We took them on some of our favorite hikes, played games, visited the park, and really just had a nice week.  It is fun to see my kids with this younger generation, and to see how much they love hanging out with them.

After our company left we dived into a few of our favorite traditions.  Making of gingerbread houses was a success. 

Jacob and Maren had their Christmas piano recitals at a couple of nursing homes.  This is one of my favorite things, as it is fun to see the elderly residents sing and clap along.  Also it is fun to watch was my kids be uncomfortable at first, but then warm up to the idea of these just being people that have gotten older.

Spencer had a choir concert, and it was the same night of Amanda's band concert, so we divided and conquered, only no picture of Amanda's, sadly we forgot.  She played beautifully though.

And lastly our trip up to the mesa to pick our our tree.  This was a fun year, as we ran into some friends, and ended up having a fun afternoon playing in the most beautiful snow falling gently from the sky while looking for trees.  

This was our winner... before and after pics.

And we even got a white December.  The kids took advantage of several inches of snow in the backyard to play in with friends.

And a little fun cross country skiing is always on the menu for this crew.

We made our usual snack mix for friends, but this year I saved up the many yogurt containers we go through for our smoothies year round, to use as containers.  I have been trying to teach the kids more about reusing things, and this was a fun project, but in the end I don't think I will repeat it.  We had to paint the jars first to hide the labeling on the caontainers, then put on contact paper, and in all, it seemed like a lot of work.  But they were cute.

My biking friends and I always exchange little bike themed gifts for the Holidays, and this year Brooke really hit the jackpot.  We love our bike pizza cutter!

 And then, Christmas Eve was here!  We spent the afternoon ice skating to burn of some extra energy, and got to skate with Santa. 

We made our annual gingerbread cookies for Santa and the kids jumped in with Santa and his sleigh pulled by, well, something that looks like a pteradactyl with a red spot light to lead the way.

Christmas morning pile up on our bed.  The older they get, the harder it is to fit everyone... 

Everyone was pretty happy with their loot, including Spencer,  who landed an old school nintendo.  Well maybe it is for him, but maybe it really is for me, to bring back my mario skills with.

The kids all exchange names each year, this year Maren made Spencer a nimbus 2000.  He is really into reading Harry Potter these days, and loves to play quidditch with a little group of kids friday after school.  He loved his gift, and we all loved seeing the look on his face as he realized what it was.  It was priceless.