December 2013

We didn't have an ugly-sweater party....we did an Ugly Sweater RUN! It was super fun! A bunch of people in the ward signed up to do it too, so we had a little photo-op at the start! Our kids were all bundled up and ready to stay warm...it was a COLD morning. We just took the triple-jogger and let the kids take turns running. It was only a 5k race (but actually ended up being shorter than that).

 I can never quite get over how UGLY that sweater is Sam...you win!

After the race, we headed over to the zoo next door for their special day of members getting to go behind the scenes in some of the animals habitats (where are my pictures?). We got to see where the giraffes live inside and the hippos....the kids thought it was pretty cool! There was a line to sit on Santa's lap at the indoor "tree-house", but we don't like long lines, so we just had fun with other activities instead....fun day all around.

And we got our first major snow-fall....kids were LOVING it! It was only a few inches, but it was a snow-day for LucyMae and a work-from-home day for Sam. The roads just aren't the same here as in Utah. Snow means stay home. I ran down the street to Kohl's while the kids were eating breakfast to get LucyMae some new snow-pants since she didn't have any that fit for this year yet....and then they had a blast playing out there all day!

 Oh what do you do in the winter time, when all the leaves are gone and it's super cold and dark outside all the time? Tea parties!!! Thanks to grandma Clair for Samantha's perfect birthday present....these kids love tea parties.

 And we got a special visit from Aubrey before she left on her mission. We thoroughly enjoyed the fact that she felt the need to come see us before she left, b/c we love visitors! We took the opportunity to get our Please Touch Museum pass that we had been working and saving for (the kids earned $30 of it!). We had a great time....it's a fun museum....but not the most amazing Children's museum I've seen...

I don't know where all my pictures are....I guess I just need to take more! But we also had a great Relief Society activity making Cookies-In-A-Jar to give away as a missionary tool. They were super cute, and the activity went really well with a really good turn-out. I never thought this would be my calling, and it's a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun when we actually have the activities.

And I had my students play some Christmas music in a nursing home....where are the pictures of that? I'll get some this year for sure!

 And we took Aubrey to see New York, since she'd never been. I got to go to the temple with Aubrey on Friday night when we got there. It was so nice to get to go with my little sis before she left on her mission. We stayed in a tiny little New York hotel room, but had a great time, and a great breakfast in the morning. And then Sam did a session in the morning. And we spent the remainder of our Saturday seeing New York at Christmas time. We hit the weather perfectly. When we left our house there was still about a foot of snow on the ground, and by the time we got back on Saturday night it was all gone...such a nice warm day to be roaming around New York City. We parked on Staten Island and just took the ferry over and rode subways. It was fun....but New York is not the most kid-friendly city in the world! And 4 kids....whew! It was nice to have 3 adults to 4 kids....

 And then Aubrey had to go home:( And then it was Christmas! We kept it pretty simple with gifts this year....except that I successfully surprised Sam with a flat-screen TV!:) He is the one that found it and Sam's Club (online) and wanted me to go buy it. But, he is at work all day, and didn't have time to get it himself. So, when Aubrey was here, we went and got it and hid it. And then I just pulled the usual "we just don't have enough money for a non-need like a TV right now" spiel with Sam, and he totally bought it.

 James has gotten so big! 6 months old now! And getting cuter every day:)

 Love these kids in all their Christmas jammies...fighting over whose turn it is to open a present next....

 Ben, loving his new skate-board:) And LucyMae loving his new tie...

 We got rain gear for all the kids....because you actually need it here....it rains SO much in the Spring!

 LucyMae made all her presents this year. Sam helped her make a duct-tape wallet for Ben...

 James enjoying the fun from his blessed swing...

 FOOTBALL!!!!!

 LucyMae made a matching scarf for Samantha's birthday hat.....

 and she made a hat for daddy too...

 and she got more supplies to make more stuff:)

 Grandma Clair actually shipped that super heavy punching bag....which popped the same day....but it was "hit" while it lasted:)

 Then the days between Christmas and New Year's were pretty uneventful...Sam just had to work mostly...but we did have a fun New Year's Eve party with a few friends that stayed in town for the holidays too...Fondue and minute-to-win-it games!

Happy New Year! 2013 was a hard year....it was a great year. I spent a lot of time being pregnant and cranky and uncomfortable. I had another beautiful baby boy. We made a lot of great friends. We discovered some of the great things about this wonderful place we have to live. LucyMae started kindergarten! We learned a lot, we grew a lot, we sweat a lot (it is SOOO humid here!), we had a lot of fun, and we grew closer as a family. My little sis got married. My Gramma Ruthie died. I got to visit Utah twice with my little baby. Our kids are growing, growing, growing and we are trying to soak up every moment with them. Bring on a good year 2014!