Tenley worked on her painted spoons while she was at her house. They were so beautiful and the kids were enthralled watching her.
Grace got some rollerskating in on the first day of Christmas break.
Our neighbors, Wade and Sunya, are mushroom hunters. The twins asked them questions about some mushrooms they saw and in response, Wade and Sunya gave them a book and challenged them to identify the mushrooms themselves. I couldn't get past the cover of the book....
Isaac got in full costume to read about WWII.
We had our traditional Christmas breakfast for dinner with the missionaries. Christmas tree french toast and conference casserole, yum!
Santa and his helper visited us that night.
Best Santa and helper ever! Pretty darn good friends, too!
On Tuesday Emma made candles before she went to practice and Ashley's birthday party.
I stayed busy making peppermint popcorn. It's hard not to eat it all! Yum!
Eddie tried to trick us that there were more days than there actually were before Christmas.
Best part of Christmas break? Staying in pajamas and hanging out around the Christmas tree.
We thought it was funny that Emma got her very own, sealed letter from Elder Leptich that came in a package to his family. Emma was glad to get a letter from her friend.
Isaac and James got there sword fighting game on when the Rice's stopped by.
And we finished another puzzle!
Isaac and Grace were churning out presents for the family like crazy.
We woke up to frost on Thursday morning which made it seem extra cozy in our house and we were glad we could stay inside!
Isaac and Grace spent the morning drawing and coloring from Art Hub for kids videos.
Grace made the cutest nativity scene!
She gave it to her Activity Day leader at a Christmas party she went to later in the day.
Isaac was all about Star Wars. James and Jacob came over to play while Grace was gone.
After her party, Grace helped me make bread.
And we took a family walk before Grace went to basketball practice.
Eddie got into Dad's M&M's.
Lee and I snuck away for a date to see The Last Jedi. It was good!
We all played Clue on Friday morning. I'm thinking Emma didn't win.
Isaac and Grace starting making the cutest ornaments!
After Emma's swim team practice, we piled into the car with hot chocolate to see some Christmas lights in Salem. Isaac got a little hot so he remedied that problem by taking off his shirt. Crazy kid. It was a fun night, rainy but we could still see the lights. I read A Christmas Carol on the way there and back.
More games were played by the tree on Friday morning.
While Eddie read Christmas books to the new ornaments.
Isaac and Grace finished those ornaments. Aren't they darling! I love them.
On Saturday the twins went to Granny and Grandpa's house while Lee, Tenley, Emma and I went to the temple to do baptisms. Perfect pre-Christmas activity!
We stopped at Burgerville when we were done.
When we got home we made Christmas cookies to decorate on Christmas Eve.
I was a little dismayed at the state of our craft room. Oy! But it also meany a lot of creating had been going on.
Grace put finishing touches on a few of the ornaments.
Christmas Eve was on Sunday this year, which I love! We woke up to find that the family room tree was TP'd by Eddie!
We had enough time to finish another puzzle before church started.
And we took a picture of Eddie's ball of TP and sent it to the Parker's. Poor Jill had to use the ball from last year once when she was at our house.
We had a beautiful Christmas sacrament meeting. There is something extra special about church on Christmas Eve and Christmas. The spirist is extra strong! We finished A Chrismtas Carol on the way home.
The rest of the family came over that afternoon and we decorated Christmas cookies.
And ate some off the floor!
Per tradition we watched the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert from the year before. We love it!
Then it was time for the nativity.
After singing carols and saying prayer as a family it was time for the kids to open their new pajamas.
Oh how I love these kids!
Lee might have liked the egg nog too much.
We admired the cookies and picked some out for Santa.
We had yummy gingerbread cake for dessert.
We played a couple rounds of a new game called That's It that the Langford's gave us. We loved it!
While Grandma worked on a puzzle.
Isaac and Grace spread food for Santa's reindeer on our front lawn and got everything ready inside the house for Santa.
After they very excitedly went to bed we finished another puzzle.
I love Christmas Eve. I love the anticipation and excitement and time together with family, but I especially love the focus on our Savior and the spirit that fills our home. We were ready for a good Christmas day!
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