Christmas Countdown!

Day #1: Read Thomas S. Monson's story about the "Christmas Train", and then the kids each built their own train out of leftover Halloween Candy.

Day #2:  (pic in wrong order, this was actually day #1)Our Primary Christmas gift this year was scripture advent candles. Each day we read scriptures about the birth of Christ and burn down one dot. So the kids got to deliver candles to all of the less active Primary kids, or ones who had missed church as a little act of service.

Day #3: Our AWESOME Montessori school had a "Christmas Around the World" celebration that we attended. The kids are showing their passports marked with 7 different countries that they "visited" to learn of their Christmas traditions. Some of the countries were: Australia (caroling), China (dragon masks and dancing), Austria (gingerbread cookie decorating) Puru, (hot chocolate), Iceland (snow flakes), Phillipines (jumping game with PVC pipes, Israel (dradle). I hope the school does it again next year, it was such a fun family activity!

 

Day 4: Peter Pan Live musical on T.V. with popcorn.

Day #5: We watched "A Christmas Carol" and ate Sticky Toffee Pudding! It is one of my new favorite desserts, and no wonder...it's made with dates which I love. I loved that my kids tried something new (with dates which they won't eat plain).

Day #6: Alanna's Christmas Dance Recital

Day #7 The First Presidency Christmas Devotional

Day #8 Lombardi Christmas Party! I'm so sad that I missed it because it's become a favorite Christmas tradition...but I was still sick :( Sweet Cassie did send home a huge plate of her goodies for me, and needless to say, I immediately gained back the few pounds I'd lost from being sick!

Day 9: Reading of "The Christmas Chronicles" watched "Christmas with the Cranks"

Day 10: Read several of our children's books about the Nativity

Day 11: Read the "Christmas Orange" and each child got their own chocolate orange that lasted much less than 24 hours!

Day 12: Attended James's soccer game as a family

Day 13:  Ward Christmas party! Made Neighbor treats and played with glitter snow play dough

 

**The kids have been challenged to memorize Luke 2:1-20 before Christmas to earn eating out. I think they are doing really well so far!

 

Sick Days...

After I recovered from The sickness, it hit Paul, and then Jackson. Alanna took a while to recover, so we had one day where all of the kids were home. It was kind of nice because they were all subdued a little without energy to fight! We were able to read The Christmas Chronicles, watch a Christmas movie, and play some board games by the tree. It was nice to have a slow day without any of the normal running around full of activities and homework. But, it's great to have everyone healthy again too. We went in to see the Dr. for flu shots, and she said The stomach virus has been so bad in our area that they had run out of the anti-vomiting meds and were having trouble find more!

Christmas Dance Recital 2014!

I can't believe this was Alanna's 4th Christmas recital!

Grandma Ce-Ce, Poppy, and Great Gran were all able to attend. She was so excited about that, and they even gave her a ballerina Christmas ornament for the tree.

This was the first year that Alanna got to wear "foot undies" like the big girls. In the past she's had dance shoes. She's loved them so much that she wears them around the house and sleeps in them sometimes :)

I, unfortunately, missed it all. That afternoon I started feeling sick and I knew what it was...The stomach bug. Blaze had just gotten over it, and I knew it was headed my way. It was my fault really. The day he was really sick, I really needed to run into Hobby Lobby just for one item. He hadn't vomited for hours, so I thought if I just carried him in we'd be okay. WRONG! As soon as we entered the store he lost it ALL over me! A young guy with tattoos and body piercings all over his body came to the rescue. He said "ma'am, wait here and I'll get you some paper towels"! I wouldn't have expected that, but he brought some really nice workers over to clean up the mess while a mom passing by unloaded about 50 wipes so I could try to mop myself up. Worst mom of the year award goes to me! So anyhow, the sickness hit me at the worst time because I couldn't even sit up or talk and Alanna needed her hair and make-up done. James isn't really the type of guy to just gracefully figure those things out. I had to have him come over to my face while I tried to whisper some directions about how to curl her hair and do her make-up. I was just dying as I laid in bed watching them in the bathroom trying to get ready! It's one of my favorite things about the dance recital really, because Alanna HAS to let me do her hair and make-up a certain way. And then Alanna missed the tumbling performance because James thought the teacher was going to help Alanna change. But of course, she has like 100+ girls to worry about and that wasn't the case. Oh well...maybe the spring recital will be better! I love all of these cute poses that Alanna did on her own in her fancy costume. All that matters is she feels good about her self!

Staples!

 

Our first trip to the E.R.! We had Uncle Caleb and Cache over and things were a little wild with the noodle "sword" fighting. Jackson and James were dueling too close to the fireplace (by my Nativity set!), and Jackson slid on the tile and slammed his head into the corner of the window sill! I don't deal well with blood...I panicked. I was a little angry that James had them all so riled up. He was lucky that Caleb was there and that forced me to tone it down a bit. We could see a triangular wound between the spurts of blood gushing out, so I asked James to take Jackson to Instacare where we had to take Blaze a few years ago when he burned his hand. Jackson was really brave, and he didn't cry much at all. They ended up in the E.R. for some reason (big mistake...$900 bill! thank goodness for insurance) and one staple. And now I see why the all the neighbors go seek our Dr. Lombardi, our friend and neighbor, for stitches etc. He did take the staple out for Jackson, and he even let Jackson keep it to put in his journal. Gross! 

Poppy's 66th Birthday!

My dad turned 66 on November 28th. We met up on the 29th, and he really wanted to get the annual Santa picture with all of the kids. Luckily, Alanna's dance studio was doing a fundraiser and it worked out perfectly to get them there instead of the mall. We will get them this week and I'll have to post them later.

It's so nice to be able to use the basement for parties now! I love it!

I love how mischievous little Max it! When his parent's ask him not to do something, he makes sure that they are looking and goes and does the naughty act anyway!

Looking good...for 66 :)

I cooked up a bunch of rareties for our house...ham, white rolls, potatoes au gratin with cheese and cream, etc. The kids loved it! James said he felt gross!

The boys are so lucky that Caleb has the patience to play an hour long pool game with them! Hopefully they are improving and will be a good match for Caleb someday.

Max seems to like silly James.

I'm not a fan of cheesecake in general, but I love this pomegranate cheesecake. I couldn't risk burning down the house with 66 candles, so one big one had to do.

Miss Andrew and Paul! It was so fun to play Pictionary and Charades and just enjoy some family time.

Thanksgiving 2014

Crazy Turkeys to celebrate the season!

We had Thanksgiving at the Perkins house in Layton this year. We were starving when we arrived, so we had my kind of turkey...veggie turkey!

Blaze LOVES to snuggle with Great Gran and read with her. So cute!

We were in charge of making the candy turkeys this year. I left it up to the kids, and though they don't look perfect, they had fun making them.

Beautiful tablescape

We played some fun "Minute To Win It" games. It was really fun to see Gran get into it.

Blaze and I won. I don't remember how many "hairs" I threw onto his head though.

Then we played "Turkey Ball" and enjoyed the beautiful weather and sunset.

Alanna read the Pilgrim and Indian story this year. Her reading skills are growing by leaps and bounds and it's fun to hear about how much she loves her "chapter books". We have so much to be Thankful for in 2014: the gospel, good health, James has a great job, time to spend together as a family and extended family, etc.