MeRrY ChRiStMaS 2020

 

We are so very blessed to spend our days with these amazing teens and tweens!

We started baking just a week before Christmas

and were able to get it all done in just a couple days!

How?

Look at all the capable bakers we have!

We love baking our favorites!

Which are Peanut Butter Blossoms, Fantasy Fudge,

Mint Brownies, Banana bread, Hug Pretzels, Dipped pretzels,

and Frosted Sugar Cookies!

First we each frost a cookie, decorate it!

Then we eat it!

After that, we frost the rest of them and save them for Christmas!

On December 23rd it snowed 10 inches!

It was a lovely, perfect white Christmas!

And now our snow will stay for

skiing/snowboarding, tubing, sledding, making snowmen, 

snowball fights and snow forts!

Plus shoveling, getting stuck in, making the roads dangerous, 

slipping, falling and all the other wonderful 

and not so wonderful things that happen 

while snow is on the ground!

We are thankful that it came at just the right time

so our winter will hopefully... not be too long!

If your looking for Jim or me...

this is where we will be!

Peacefully enjoying the winter and practicing 

"The Art of Hygge"!

Which means- embracing winter, getting cozy 

and creating a warm atmosphere!

Our boys at home-

they clean up well!

Give 'em a haircut, shower and some decent clothes

 and they are ready for Christmas Eve church!

These 4 beauties share a room!

They all get along so well!

Abby and Madeline are so good with "fashion",

so they help give the younger two ideas

on what to wear!

All of our girls love hanging out in this groups room (above)!

They curl, braid and fix each other's hair 

(and put on some make up)! 

We even talked Anna (far right) 

into having her hair curled this year!

And here are our lovely oldest daughters!

And after the photos, we were off to church!

Then a family dinner- just those living at home!

We watched a Christmas movie together!

We have actually been watching Christmas movies 

for the last 10 nights!

Presents are under the tree and everyone is off to bed!

On Christmas Eve night~

Hope and Peace are abundant!

And on Christmas morning...

Joy is in the air!

To keep the

"Reason for the Season"

plus be considerate of the budget

we give 2 gifts(with a total of 4 items) 

to each child living at home!

However... sharing is abundant in our household!

So if 4 kids get video games...

basically, everyone gets 4 video games!

If 4 kids get board games,

everyone gets 4 board games!

If a few siblings got new Pokemon cards,

there is a good chance you can trade for the ones you want!

Clothes are a little different but after a couple months

those are shared, too!

No!

Joey did not get beer!

But, the stores are no longer giving out boxes

so we have to be creative!

His gift didn't fit in any of the other boxes, 

except that one!

So friends...

ya gotta work with what you got!

Pokemon cards were desired gifts with

our younger crew!

Boys can't go in the girls rooms...

and girls can't go in the boy's room...

so...

the upstairs hallway seems to be

 a popular spot for this activity!

Thank goodness there are two staircases!

We call the carpeted stairs the "bunny hill"

and the back wood stairs a "triple black diamond"

bc poor hubby...

 has slid down them while wearing his socks, 

more than once...

They aren't quite deep enough for his size 12 feet!

Add in the slippery socks, it becomes...

a triple black diamond and few bruises for the poor guy!

On Christmas morning we have a family brunch!

Whoever can join us is welcome!

This year we had Mark, Kari (Car-ee) and Johnny join us!

We change up the ingredients each year!

This time we had a meat lovers egg dish- sausage, ham and bacon with cheeses!

And a Christmas egg dish with ham, cheeses, red and green peppers!

Then a Veggie lovers with spinach, tomatoes, avocado, cheeses and ham!

Plus a fruit dish and variety of bakery items and breads!

The younger kids are slowly making their way over to the adult table!

We try to rotate and give everyone an opportunity!

Soon enough, all the tables and all kids will be considered "adult"!

It was such a happy day

celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus!

We had an extra place at the table for Auntie Barbie

but she decided to stay home due to Covid concerns.

We understood.

Hi!

It's me!

I was here, too!

Usually behind the camera...

so I took a selfie!

The big kids always have cool things to show the younger kids!

Lots of treats to choose from!

Soooooo, we have some awesome news to share with you!!!

Mark and Kari are engaged!

The special day happened about a week ago!

I was sworn to silence until they could share it with people!

I now have the green light, so we are shouting it our to the world!

We are so happy to have Kari be an official member of our family! 

Johnny and with his two younger bros- Sam and Ben,

 The love talking and watching sports!

He loves having younger brothers...

And they love having older brothers!

Billy and Kelly spent time away over the holiday season!

They love the National Parks and on Christmas Day they were hiking in Zion!

It looks wonderful!

We all hung out and watched the Viking Game...

Of course it didn't go like we wanted it too...

But oh well!

"There's always next year," said every Viking Fan,

every. single. year... 

Jim, Johnny and Mark

We are so happy for these two!

Because of Covid changing everyone's wedding plans...

They are considering getting married 

sooner rather than later

with just family there.

But don't worry! 

There's plans for a celebration/ reception/ party 

when all the Covid restrictions are over!

We have 4 girls that are playing the piano!

They played some Christmas songs for us!

And Kari played, too!

Who's engaged?

Yes! Mark and Kari!

Merry, Merry Christmas to you!

Feeling so abundantly blessed and thankful!