Dec 13 - Christmas Advent

We had a busy day!  Jenna had a swim meet (I love watching her swim!).  The girls are in the middle of finals.

We met up after the swim meet for dinner and then headed off to purchase a calculator so Jenna could ace her test.

Dec 12 - Christmas Advent

Enjoy some hot chocolate after Family Home Evening

Dec 11 - Christmas Advent

Have a family over to eat dinner with us.

Dec 10 - Advent Activity

View the lunar eclipse ... at 6:30 a.m.  Yes, early on a Saturday morning ... that is early for our kids. Somehow we have been blessed with children that sleep in.  They have always been sleepers!

At 6:40

At 6:45

The moon disappeared behind the hill as the total eclipse happened.

Dec 9- Advent Activity

Snuggle up in some blankets and watch a movie. 

Dec 8 - Advent Activity

Write a note to someone special.

Dec 7 - Advent Activity

Attend Jenna's Christmas Concert.  Wow is her Jazz choir good!  They are singing on the radio KEZW 1430 - tune in live here - on Monday morning from 7:45-8:00!

Dec 6 - Advent Activity

Go out for dinner to IKEA  (kids 12 and under get a free kids meal on Tuesdays!).  It was surprisingly good and cheap!

Dec 5 - Advent

Make white chocolate covered pretzels and oreos for Family Home Evening treats.

(Kendall asks me each morning, "What day is it?"  When I tell him it is Monday, he jumps for joy and shouts, "Horray it is Family Home Evening!")

Dec 3 - Advent Activity

Have dinner with the missionaries from our church - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons.

It was a rolling good time!  Many belly laughs.  These elders were really fun!  Elder Anderson (from Washington State) and Elder May (from Arizona).  We shared a lot of jokes.  Talked about music (both sing - Elder May was in his HS musicals all 4 years and was the Beast in Beauty and the Beast his Senior year).

Dec 2 - Advent Activity

Go to Kerst and Kendall's school for dinner and movie night!!! 

Dinner - pizza or hot dog
Movie - the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (I love the music in this!)

Dec 1 - Advent Activity

Make Snow Cones! 

We have fresh snow outside ... (It would have called it a snow day from school/work/etc ... barely could get out of the driveway even with John's 4 WD and studded snow tires!).

Dec 25 - Christmas Advent

Busy busy busy.

Listen to the book Twas the Night Before Christmas ... read by their grandparents.  We did this last year.  Take a look! 

Attend Christmas Eve celebration with the VanW. S. and W. crews (John's side of the family!).  Food.  Fun.  Singing ... and holding a new niece!

Open your Christmas Pajamas and take picture under the tree.

Baby Jesus' Bday Party.

Watch the Nativity Story ... and/or Christmas Story (A beautiful story that has English dubbed in - it tells the story of a young orphan boy who becomes Santa ... a MUST SEE, MUST HAVE).

Update on Dec 22 Advent Activity

We looked at lights.  The people who set up the display from last year had moved.  That entire block was dark.  Bah humbug.

We did go to the only McDonalds in our area that has 25 cent cones.  I wish I had recorded the order.

John:  "Can we have 6 apple pies."

McD: "We are out of apple pies.  It will be 14 minutes before more are ready.  We have 3 cherry and 2 custard."
John:  "Ok.  We'll take those."

McD: "All of them?"
John: "Yes, all of them."

McD:  "Anything else?"

John:  "Yes, nine 25 cent cones."

McD: "Did you say nine?"

John:  "Yes, nine."

We drove a way giggling with $5.08 cents worth of goodies.

Kendall was so excited to get his ice cream ... but fell asleep on the way.  Do you remember how Jaley tortured him with her sour war head drops while he was sleeping?  Well, she did it again.  Tilt your head to see it in the proper orientation ... Julia captured this on her cell phone.

It is hard to see, but Jaley is trying to feed Kendall his ice cream cone while he is sleeping.  He keeps moving his head and it gets smeared on his face. 

Dec 22 - Advent Activity

Look at Christmas lights while listening to Christmas music!  Also ... hit McDonalds for their 25 cent icecream cones (only at one McDonalds in our area).

Dec 21 - Advent Activity

Make homemade Kettle Corn with the stove top popcorn popper we received for Christmas last year from our UT cousins.  Watch Yes Virginia - a sweet 24 minute movie based on a true story (I found it on DVD at Walmart).  ALL of the kids laughed throughout it - it was sweet and funny.  I highly recommend it!!! 

Dec 20 - Christmas Advent Activity

Go to the store and pick out a TV/Frozen dinner and find a redbox movie (or watch a Christmas Movie we already have).

The kids love this!  It takes F O R E V E R   to cook all of the meals in the microwave - but they don't care!

Dec 19 - Christmas Advent

Make homemade eggnog.

Yum!

I discovered tonight that the eggnog is finished cooking when it hits 75 degrees C (or nearly 175 degrees F) with a candy thermometer.  That helps with the guess work of when it is done so that you don't over cook it.  Please see above link to the recipe and the directions to understand.

I also made some for me ... with some alterations

3 cups water
1 cup half and half
4 eggs
3/4 cup Stevia

For less carbs ... I am going to try 3 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.

Dec 18 - Christmas Advent

Chill out today ... and watch some Christmas Movies ...

We made cookies.  Watched movies.  I wrapped gifts and told the kids "the code" for the gifts clue.

We were ... going to drive to UT for a super quick trip to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert featuring David Archuleta but decided to chill instead (plus the weather wasn't so great in the mountains with 2 feet of snow to fall today).

Dec 17 - Christmas Advent

Attend the ward Christmas Dinner.

It was yummy.  Ham.  Sweet Potatoes w/brown sugar topping.  Cheesy Potato Casserole.  Salads.  Rolls.

And ... a cookie exchange.  Each family was asked to bring 2 dozen of their favorite Christmas cookie/goodie.

Jaley had a request.  Her favorite.  Homemade Donuts.

So we did!  We brought over 5 dozen (from one batch!).  They were gone in 5 minutes!