3rd Week of December

Here are some highlights from the 3rd week of December.  The boys only had school on Monday and Tuesday.  I worked through Wednesday, then was off.  We'll all go back to school/work on January 2nd.

Nyles and Carter had a combined Spanish singing program at school.  Carter's in 1st grade, which is their 1st year of Spanish, so they sang first.  Nyles is in 5th grade, which is the oldest group, so they sang last.  Nyles' group started in 2nd grade, which was the 1st class to start Spanish Dual-Immersion in this elementary school, Altara Elementary.  The classes are wearing the same color (Nyles' class is in white and Carter's class is in red).  You'll notice how much smaller Nyles' class is, as some has dropped out over the years.  The entire group did an awesome job! 

Nyles and Carter ready to sing.  The whole group of Spanish Dual-Immersion kids.

Carter and Nyles singing their Spanish songs for Christmas Program.

Family picture afterwards.  Dave and Joann were able to come, and I snuck away from work for a little bit.  Nyles singing next to his friend Lincoln.

Monday night we had our last girl's activity day.  The girls wanted to cook, so we made spaghetti noodles, sauce, garlic bread, had a veggie tray and fruit, then baked cookies for dessert.  My partner Kyle, will be moving to Young Women's w/ her daughter Kaitlyn and I will be moving over to the boys' Primary activities in 2024.  Carter will be starting Primary activities next year as well, so it'll be fun to be w/ him this next year.

Left to right: Bailey, Hayden, Siena, Zoee and Kaitlyn.

Steve took the boys to Scheels after school for a free Ferris Wheel ride and to look around.

Buddy the elf hiding out around the house.  Carter LOVES to get licks from Piper.

Santa came to visit Nyles' class at school.  More fun w/ Buddy.

Steve took the boys to the Farm at Thanksgiving Point after school on Tuesday.

They had fun petting the goats (Carter's favorite) and riding the ponies.  

Nyles is too big now to ride the little ponies, so he took pictures instead.  Thanks!

On Thursday, Nyles had a friend birthday party, so while he was gone, the rest of us went to the Aquarium to find the elves hidden around and the secret message.

Sharks!  Elves in the tanks.  Hudson playing w/ the submarine.

An elf up top in the penguin exhibit.  Riding the Komodo Dragon.  Going across the jungle bridge.

Cool bird and Iguana.  Then outside at the playground.

Hudson can get up and down the playground all by himself now!  Carter's a pro climber.

Hudson going down the slide, then Carter after him.

Fun going down the slide and in and around the playground.

I bought some sink organizers for our vanity.  It sure makes a difference and clears up the space!

Friday, Steve and I went to the Draper Temple and did sealings while Hudson took a nap.  

We got a little snow Saturday morning.  Saturday afternoon it had melted so we went to the school to play a little, while the sun was still out.  Unfortunately, Carter was running down the hill and fell and hit his kneecap on a small border for cement.

We each had a name in the family to give a gift to.  The boys couldn't wait so we opened then on Saturday.  They had fun playing w/ their new gifts from each other.  Carter got Beyblades, Hudson got some pink sand, and Nyles a Minecraft toy.  

Carter was complaining his knee was really hurting still Saturday evening, so Steve took him to the Dr.  The Dr thought he might have popped his knee out but back in.  They took x-rays though and sent them to a radiologist to get their expertise on the matter.

Carter w/ his Beyblades.  Nyles and Hudson playing w/ the sand.

Nyles playing w/ his Minecraft toy.  

Silly Hudson playing w/ the steamer.  Later playing w/ his sand again.

On Sunday, it was Christmas Eve.  We only had 1 hour of church, full of songs and testimonies of our Savior.  That afternoon we went over to Pauline's for dinner and to play games.  Just before we got to Pauline's house, Steve got a call from the Radiologist who said that Carter had in fact broke his knee cap, so he needed to bring him in to the hospital to get his looked at further.  Since we were almost to Pauline's out in Herriman, close to Riverton Hospital, Steve called back and asked if we could go there, instead of to Alta View Hospital, which is close to where we live, 20 minutes away.  They said that's fine, but it closes at 5pm, in about 20 minutes, so we needed to hurry.  Steve dropped us off, then went to Riverton Hospital to have Carter seen.  They ended up putting a brace on his leg and told us to follow up w/ an orthopedic surgeon specialist after Christmas.

A quick family picture before church.  Playing games at Pauline's house.

More games!

Playing reindeer games, trying to get marshmallows on a plate using cups as hands ie hooves.  

It was fun and funny to watch!

Playing reindeer games.

Group picture!  A stacking game.  We also acted out the Nativity scene and sang songs.

Hudson crashed on the way home while holding a speaker as we listened to Christmas songs.  Carter was tired as well.

We got ready for bed after getting home.  Then Santa came!!!

Great quotes:

2nd Week of December

Here are some highlights from the 2nd week of December. 

Steve's weight loss progress:

Buddy our elf hang-gliding (which he does every year), and he dressed up as Harry Potter since the boys were going to a Harry Potter birthday party for our neighbor.

We were sick this week.  Hudson ended up w/ Croup, Carter w/ 2 ear infections, and the rest of us w /a cold.  Hudson stayed home from pre-school all week and Carter stayed home on Friday.  It's that time of year I guess ;)

Hudson at the park.  Getting ready for read scriptures, prayers then bed.

On Saturday, December 16th, Nyles and Carter had a martial arts graduation and belt advancement.  They've both been working so hard!

Showing us their moves.

More moves.

Breaking boards.

Now with their new belt colors: Carter is now green and Nyles is red w/ a black stripe.

Awesome job boys!!!

Nyles with his gingerbread house he made at activity days and his certificate and T-shirt he got from completing the NOVA program at school.  Cool rock art someone made I saw online.  Buddy hiding.

We went fishing that afternoon.  There was some ice on the water we had to break but we managed.  

We even caught some fish!  Nyles and Carter caught the most.  

We caught Perch and White Bass.

Good work!

We brought home a good amount of fish.  Nyles kept the perch to eat, then Rob took the rest for his brother's in-law who are from the Philippines and LOVE any kind of fish.

The Primary acted out the nativity scene in Sunday school.  Nyles played Joseph, Kaitlyn as Mary, Zoee was the donkey and our neighbor's little boy Taft was baby Jesus.  They were so cute!  

Great quotes.

1st Full Week of December

Here are some highlights from the 1st full week of December, back at work/school after our cruise/vacation.  It's always hard to get back.  We had a busy week too.

Steve took Hudson to the Butterfly Museum.  Hudson loves to hold the butterflies.

Monday night, December 4th, we made rock art w/ the activity girls.  They turned out really cute!

Buddy our elf, brought fishing poles for the boys.  Hudson trying out his martial arts skills.

Nyles and Carter took an art class after school.  I had a regional conference at work.  We did a team building activity at an archery place after work on Tuesday night.  It was a lot of fun.  I had quite a few good shots too.  We had dinner brought in afterwards.

Steve took the boys fishing down in Provo, while I was at my work activity.  They had fun and caught a few fish.  Hudson had fun playing in the dirt w/ plyers.

On Wednesday, the 2nd day we had meetings at the Grand America Hotel all day.  There was a life-size gingerbread house in the hotel.  That's a LOT of ingredients.  After meetings, we had dinner w/ just my SLC team, then did a quick white elephant exchange.  I got some big Plus Plus toys.  The boys, especially Hudson thought they were pretty awesome.

Hudson playing w/ the Plus Plus, pretending to eat a candy cane.  

Buddy the elf saying it's movie night.  We watched Elf Friday night.

Steve also took Carter to a birthday party at the roller skating place.  Nyles and Hudson wanted to join in the fun as well.  

Hudson is getting better at his scooter.

Carter had a basketball game on Saturday.  He did great and even made a basket.

After Carter's basketball game Steve went fishing again.  

Hudson and I stayed home and went to the park.

Sunday the boys practiced Christmas songs during Primary time.  Hudson came to join them.  One of the only times all 3 of my boys will be in Primary at the same time.  Nyles will leave to YM in January and Hudson will come in from Nursery.  We went to Pauline's place that night for dinner.  Lincoln is getting taller.  He's 4 and Carter is 7.

Carter w/ his Turkey Santa he made ie turkey in disguise as Santa.  

Our neighbors, Ron and Becky, gave us this beautiful Disney globe. 

Great quotes:

Last couple days, 1st week of December

Here are a few other highlights from the week we got back from our cruise.

Cute Hudson wrapped up in his blankets.  Steve and I were able to sneak away to a movie while Hudson went down for a nap.

We then got out our Christmas decorations and set them up.  Miraculously I found my keys again!  I took my bag to the movie and when we got home I went to put it away.  I looked in my front zipper and saw what looked like a key sitting at the bottom.  I reached into my bag, and sure enough, it was my missing keys!!!  Crazy enough that's exactly where I told Steve I last put them!  Even more crazy is that we had both looked in the bag multiple times and couldn't find them!  It had been months of us looking and not able to find them.  We had even asked several stores if they had found them, but didn't of course.  Apparently there was a side pocket in my bag that they slipped into and came out this day, even though my bag wasn't heavy like they were in there.  It was a miracle!  I now have a tracker on them ;)

Sunday evening, December 3rd, we had our family dinner like normal on the 1st Sunday of the month.  

We also did a white elephant gift exchange for fun!

Fun times!

Carter missing his 2 front teeth.  

Nyles loves to sing the song for him, "All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth."  

Hudson loves to sing Happy Birthday, so he asked to do it again and again so he could blow out the candles again and again.  Silly kid.  Cute Carter w/ his recent missing tooth.

Great quotes: