4th Week of December - Christmas Week

Here are some highlights from the 4th week in December.

I worked from home on Monday.  Steve took the boys fishing at Utah Lake.  Rob went too.  They had fun, but didn't catch any fish.

That evening we took the train to go downtown to look at the lights and festivities around.  We stopped at the Grand America first to see the window displays (Yeti Theme) and large gingerbread house.  We also were looking for anyone homeless we could give a packet that we put together around Thanksgiving as a family at Dave/Joann's house. 

Cool gingerbread house.  So many ingredients!

We then went to Temple Square.  It's under a lot of construction still, but it was neat to still see the temple and manger scene.  The crane was also moving and taking porta-potties off the top of the temple, so that was fun to watch ;)

We then saw the candy window displays outside the Macy's store.  They were incredible!

So talented!  Buddy the elf on his glider at home.  Cute Carter wrote a note to Buddy.

On Christmas Eve, we finished all the puzzles we got in the advent calendar from Dave/Joann.  

We then exchanged gifts to/from each other.  Playing w/ new toys.

Yummy frozen veggies from Costco (minus the mushrooms.  I gave them to Rob) I put in the air fryer w/ some frozen chicken breasts.  Steve officially sold ALL the wood he and the boys cut down this summer.  I made some pretzel, Hershey kiss, M&M treats for the family and Santa.

Christmas Eve we went over to LuDean/Diane's for dinner and to play games.  Dave/Joann came as well.  Diane made her yummy lasagna and breadsticks, then we played Spoons and Blank Slate.  After we got home, Carter and Hudson got some new PJs for Christmas (Nyles doesn't like wearing "real" PJs like Steve, so he didn't get any).  

Picture w/ Grandma LuDean (age 98).  

Hudson and Carter w/ their new PJs.

We then read the story about my great Grandpa Hegerhorst, about how he joined the church in Germany and left everything behind, including his family, friends and heritage.  It all started after he was shot during WWI with a bullet in his leg.  He put the bullet in a little leather sack around his neck.  He would show it to all and say, "This bullet changed my whole life."  My dad made a smaller version of the pouch my great grandpa would wear and gave one to each of us kids, so we could hang it on our Christmas tree and remember our heritage, and their sacrifice for the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I'm so grateful for their courage to follow the Spirit and the truth.

Quote from my Grandma VaLere's story she wrote about them, "They arrived in Salt Lake City, May of 1929, just as the Great Depression hit. They had left their country, family, friends, job and home. Not able to speak the language and with only 100 dollars of borrowed money they began a new to make a home. Fred worked for $1 a day washing dishes and then at night as a watchmen he received fifty cents. But they had each other and their little boys and a complete faith in God, that they had found the only true church on earth. One year later, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on June 13, 1930. Caroline often said "all that we went through was worth it when I saw my three little boys all in white in the temple and knew that we would be a family forever.""

My great grandpa Hegerhorst, his wife Caroline, and my grandpa's older brother Fred in their Dairy Barn in 1933.  They started a Dairy Farm once they were in SLC.  The original pouch from my great grandpa he wore around his neck w/ the bullet that changed his life, and a smaller replica my dad made w/ a little bullet inside, that we hang on our Christmas tree every year to remember them.

Great thought.  The boys decided to sleep in Nyles' room Christmas Eve.  Cute boys :)

Santa came!

The boys were super excited Christmas morning.  

They waited patiently to open their gifts after Grandma and Grandpa got here.

Piper got a new chew bone.  Nerf guns for all the boys!

Dave sent the boys on a scavenger hunt around the house to find their presents from them.

Hudson eating his Nutella/breadsticks.  Nyles working on his new Lego sets.  Carter battling Steve in Beyblades.  The boys w/ their new sleds from Grandma/Grandpa.  Hudson getting a ride.  

Gumball machine experiments on our new gumball machine.

Nyles finished the new red Lego airplane.  Comparing its size to his bigger airplane he got from his birthday.  Nyles and Hudson coloring on a water mat.  Steve helping Carter w/ his Lego airplane.

I finished a 500 piece Disney puzzle while we watched The Muffet's Christmas Carol and the boys colored and worked on their Legos.  Piper all cozy in her bed next to the fireplace and other Christmas tree.  Carter w/ his Minion PJs and stuffed animal, Hudson w/ his Bluey PJs and Bluey Squishmallow, and Nyles w/ his popcorn Squishmallow.  We had a wonderful day, just relaxing and spending time with each other.  We are so grateful for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

On Thursday, December 26th, we went to see Dave/Joann's house they're building in South Jordan.  We walked through the model home then saw the plot (just cement foundation right now).  We then went over to see Jeff's work office in South SLC.  He gave us a tour of the drones they make.  The government military just signed a contract to use their drones.

The whole family taking a tour of Jeff's workplace.  

Earlier at the house, Hudson coloring on his Bluey Water Wow book.

More of the tour!

We then went up to Centerville and dropped off Carter and Nyles at Stacie/Phill's place so they could have a sleepover w/ Conor.  Unfortunately, Carter later got a migraine and was throwing up, so Steve ended up meeting Phill to get them back.  Thankfully Carter was able to some sleep and slept in the next morning.

I worked from home on Friday as well.  I was going to work the following Monday, but since it's the week I have to go into the office, I decided to switch my day off, so I could work from home instead.  I have all this next week off.

Steve has been working on the attic/Lego room.  He's starting to put up drywall and insulation.  On Saturday, December 28th, Steve and Nyles went to the Draper temple to do baptisms for the dead.  I later went to a bridal shower for Ava.  She's getting married January 2nd, the same day as Steve and I got married!  It's a great day!  We're excited for them!

Sunday, Steve smoked a beef roast for us, and a moose roast for Dave/Joann and Jeff's family.  Dave got the roast from someone in the single's ward he was Bishop in.  Great quote.  Later that evening we inflated our new paddle boards to try them out ;)  We're excited to go camping again this year and more water fun!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and were able to reflect on Christ's life and gifts for all of us.  Great quotes from our prophet:

3rd Week of December

Here are some highlights from the 3rd week of December.

Buddy, our elf, is watching a show under the Christmas tree, eating gold fish.  Carter lost another tooth.  The boys had Lego Advent Calendars this year, so each day counting down to Christmas they opened a new Lego (small figurines).  They also had 2 chocolate Advent Calendars.

Great quote.  Flashback to last year for Carter (fishing) and this year (at his gymnastics class).  

Steve is making progress in the attic (Lego Room).

On Tuesday, Carter had his Spanish Christmas Program (grades 1-5).  Each class sang a Christmas song in Spanish, then they sang one together at the end.  Carter is in 2nd grade, so his class went 2nd.

Carter Spanish song at Christmas program.

Carter Spanish Christmas song.

Cute kids!  I worked downtown this week, so I hurried home to make it in time for Carter's program.

They all did awesome!  Their excitement was fantastic!

Dave came to watch as well.  They didn't have a Zoom, so unfortunately others couldn't join that way.

Fun comparison from last year to this year (he has his front teeth in now).

Going by the SLC Temple on my way home from work.  Wednesday evening I went and did Initiatories at the Draper Temple.  Funny we saw a tow truck carrying a UPS truck one day.  It was really tall!

After I got back from the temple, we had dinner, then went over to Draper Park to look at the lights.

It's always fun to see the "tree of life."

Great quote.  The kids of course wanted to play on the playground for a while, even though it was dark.

Steve sold more firewood.  A lot of people want the wood for their wood burning fireplaces in their house during the winter, and we've got a request for wood to use to smoke a pig.  Next year Steve plans to have more wood available in the winter, as it's still selling.  

Cute Hudson asleep w/ his hands above his head.  Firewood ready to sell.  The stairs Steve built in the wall going up to the attic/Lego Room.  Cute Hudson ready to go!  Steve bought a few chairs on clearance to use out on the boat while hunting, as they swivel and the legs can be adjusted.  This way they don't have to sit on buckets anymore ie a little more comfortable.

On Friday, I worked from home because I went to have a MRI done on both of my hips at 12:30pm over at Altaview Hospital.  They first did an Arthrogram to put contrast dye into my hips which helps visualize the structure of the joints.  I wanted to get it done as it's been 6 months since I went to the ER w/ extreme hip pain.  I wanted to see if anything has changed and/or if further inflammation buildup has occurred.  

It definitely wasn't fun to have injections put into my hips.  They did that first, then I went over to the MRI scanner to take pictures of my hips, each side taking 20-25 minutes each.  I had to hold really still on a really hard board.  It was really uncomfortable.  They were nice though and played Christmas music for me both during the arthrogram and the MRI, so that was nice.  After it was done, I came home and worked the rest of the day.  The initial results came in saying both hips have a small labral tear (we knew the right had one and I suspected the left had one too since I'm weak on that side), but no further inflammation, so that's great!

On Saturday, December 21st, Steve and Nyles went duck hunting w/ our neighbor, so I took Carter and Hudson to the aquarium.  We got there shortly after it opened so it wasn't as busy, but soon got busy.

The boys played in the playground for a while, then it got busy, so we left to see the animals.

Fun animals!

Cool sea-life, like sharks!

We played outside for just a little while, but most of it was roped off for the night light events.

We then went to Sam's club so they could get a salted pretzel from the food court, and I got some groceries.  Hudson wanted to stop by the Toyota Dealership across the street (where we bought our Sequoia), to play on the pirate ship for a few minutes as well.  Buddy the Elf brought some M&Ms for the kids.  After lunch we went to the library and a park to play.

Nyles and our neighbor Cory Milne ready to shoot ducks.  Unfortunately they didn't get any.

Pretty sunset picture I took from the playground.

Sunday morning, we had only 1 hour of church.  We had a wonderful sacrament meeting w/ music and a speaker about Christ.  It was beautiful.

Quick family pictures.  Piper getting in a stretch.

We then went over to Pauline's house for dinner and fun.  We had tacos, then decorated sugar cookies.  Then the kids acted out the nativity scene.  No one wanted to be Mary, so Nyles volunteered ;)  Hudson was baby Jesus, and Carter was an angel.  We sang songs in between reading the scriptures.

We then played a few games, then did a white elephant gift exchange.

It was a fun evening as usual.  Thanks Pauline!

Back at home, Carter getting licks/loves from Piper before bed.  Buddy the Elf went camping :)

It was a fun week.  The kids are getting excited for Christmas!

Great quotes:

2nd Week of December

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

 Flashbacks of Nyles, then and now.  He's getting so big!

Steve is making progress on the attic.

On Tuesday we had our last activity days for the year.  We discussed the true meaning of Christmas and then made gingerbread (graham cracker) nativity scenes.  Some used hot glue to make them stick, others tried frosting.

Making nativity scenes.

The boys and girls w/ their completed nativities.

Hudson showing us he's "cool" like dad.  Nyles giving Steve a horsey ride, then Hudson.

Tuesday night the YW/YW also got together and made graham cracker houses, but from the scriptures. Nyles group made King Benjamin's tower.

Buddy, our Elf, having fun w/ the yodeling pickle we got at the family white elephant gift exchange.

More progress in the attic, taking out the original boards after adding new ones, in order to make the room a little bigger.  Good work Steve!

Great quote.  We got a little snow.  Carter has been taking a gymnastics class every Thursday afternoon.  He's working hard and learning a lot, working on backflips.

Thursday morning Steve and I went to the chiropractor, then I had a Dr appt w/ my Rheumatologist.   I did Physical Therapy for 8 weeks, and it seemed to help strengthen my hip area.  My hips have still been hurting, but not necessarily getting worse.  I'm going to get an Arthrogram MRI on both of my hips on the 20th.  We're going to see if there is more inflammation that has built up the past 6 months, if so I'll start some medication to treat it.  We're also going to see if my labral tear has changed. 

Buddy, our Elf, hiding by the piano.

Friday night was our Ward Christmas Party.  The Primary kids sang a song.

The kids singing.

Steve w/ the progress in the attic.  Looking good!

Buddy, our Elf, ready to play laser tag w/ the boys.  Great quote.

Saturday evening we picked up some Dominos pizza for dinner and went over to Dave and Joann's.  We had dinner together and watched the new movie Wild Robot.  It was really good!

Sunday evening we had our Jerusalem Dinner.  The kids also put together some bags for homeless people that we can all give out.  After dinner we had our testimony meeting.

Great quotes: