December

Isn't December a busy month??  There are always so many things to do, on top of regular life, and it can sometimes get a little crazy.  I'm going to try and document a few of the things that kept us busy this year, just to prove it!  First, I should mention our cute little elf named Sparkle who arrived on the 1st of December.  She even got a new skirt this year!  The kids all enjoyed looking for her each morning, and they were pretty impressed that she even flew to the Lakehouse and hid there on the nights that we went up there.  Seriously...impressive!  I threw in a few pictures of a family game of Twister, which was hilarious, as well as Ruby's "Froggy" journal that we had to squeeze into the chaos.  All the pictures may or may not have been taken the night before the journal was due, with Ruby wearing different shirts and hair bows to disguise this fact.  Hey, it's a busy month!  You might also notice the picture of a rodent on my patio table.  It was a baby opposum that evidently lives in my backyard.  Yeah, that's a comforting thought.  The kids went out to scare it away, but all they did was scare it until it was shaking like a leaf.  Then they felt bad.  And Ruby cried.  And the girls named it "Posse."  It finally left, and I hope I never see her mother!  Ruby came down with a little fever one day, and had to stay home from school.  It was the best day ever!  We watched movies, read books, and took naps.  It was a welcome break from all the other craziness.  Such as:
1. The kids' piano recital.  They all did a great job!
2.  Spencer's high school choir concert.  Spencer auditioned to sing a duet with his friend Amanda, and they made it!  They sang "I'm Gettin' Nuttin for Christmas," and they did an awesome job!  I was so impressed with them, and the entire concert.  It was amazing!
3.  Spencer's voice recital.  He sang "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," and it was incredible!
4.  Tyler's middle school choir concert.  He was so cute in that sea of girls!  This was his last concert as part of the 6th grade choir - he's moving up the Advanced Men's Choir in January (usually for only 7th and 8th graders!).  He's loving it.
5.  The Christmas parties begin!  First, Bryan and I went to his squadron Christmas party.  "Hot Santa" made his usual appearance, along with his sidekick elf this year.  The girls each had their class parties, and Spencer had his Seminary Christmas party - which was also an ugly sweater contest.  I challenge anyone to top that sweater vest/turtleneck combo!!
6.  We got to see Santa twice this year, and the kids (ALL of them!) sat on his lap and made their requests.  Ruby was too shy to talk to him alone, so she made Ella come up and tell him what she wanted.  Funny!
7.  Waterskiing in December??  Yes, that's right.  Bryan waterskied on the 21st of December.  The day was in the 60's, but the water temperature was 52 degrees!  He's crazy.
8.  We took the kids to SeaWorld on Christmas Adam, and we had a great time, as usual.  We go there once a year, and it's always in November or December.
9.  Finally Christmas Sunday came, and the kids got to look stylish in their new clothes.  What a great bunch of kids!

 See what I mean??  It's exhausting!!!