November 26 - December 2, 2018

Puzzles were still going strong.

Grace had the Blue & Gold Night at the high school.  Her basketball team played a short scrimmage against themselves before the high school girls basketball game.

Emma was having major skin issues in Provo.  When she sent this picture to me I made an appointment with a dermatologist/allergist.  Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of the problem.

I finished this book, I absolutely loved it.  I haven't had a book that I enjoyed this much in a long time.  

Mom and I split some bulk chicken and spent some time Wednesday morning splitting it up and prepping it for the freezer.  Ugh.  Raw chicken is gross.

I got an early start on the Christmas cards.  That felt good!

Grace found a cozy spot before she had to leave for basketball practice.

Dad and Isaac got in a game of Catan while Grace was at practice.

This was a text string between me and Joo Lin and Kelley Rice.  It was pretty funny that our basketball players didn't know who the Trailblazers are!

I got to go to the temple on Thursday morning.  I love it there.

Oops.  We sent LaLa's thank you notes to the house she lived in years ago.  Thankfully she still got them.

The sunset on Thursday night was beautiful.  I love to share that beauty with Emma.  I know she appreciates it as much as I do.

Lee had meetings Thursday night. There wasn't school on Friday so the twins and I had a date to Joann to pick out fleece to make blankets to donate.  

We stopped by DQ on the way home.  It was a good night!

Lee didn't have to work on Friday because he had a dentist appointment, and the twins didn't have school so we got to work finishing the Christmas decorating.  I love the new clay nativity that Grace made for me, and the little one Emma brought back from Mexico.  I love nativities!

Isaac and Grace helped Dad put up the Christmas lights.

Grace got busy on her Christmas list.

We also gave our first gifts of Christmas and decorated the Jesus tree.  I love this tradition, it's the perfect way to start the season.

That night we went to dinner at Mi Famiglia with the Parker's and Matt.  We laughed a lot and had such a good time.  The after text is evidence.

Lee and I picked up shakes on the way home, our favorite chocolate peppermint!

On Saturday the kids played a game with Dad.

They had to do something to pass the time waiting for the Hawkins' to come over for our mini operation snuggle.  MyLiege and I were so sad that we wouldn't be able to go to the community one this year (it was at the same time as the ward Christmas party), so we decided to have our own.  It was the perfect thing to do for the first day of Light the World.

We really had a great time together and tied 5 blankets in record time.  We just missed our oldest kids.

That night we watched our first Christmas movie while eating a simple spread for dinner. 

The twins were so excited to open the first Christmas book that night.

We laughed to see that it was the book that always makes me cry.  My family loves to make fun of me about it.

Lee read it this year so I wouldn't have to cry.

Eddie showed up the next morning with lights for Isaac and Grace's rooms.

I finalized my ornament for the year.  I love it!

Isaac to an after-church nap.  Those are the best!

Grace worked on her cross-stitch as we got ready for the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

I love our tradition of watching it with the family while eating soup.  It was beautiful as usual!

Then we celebrated Grandma Dorothy's 94th birthday.

She sure is cute!

We ended the night with games.  We were so ready for the Christmas season to begin!