December

December was a super busy month that seem to fly by! Here are some of the things we did in between getting ready for Christmas, school, work, homework, etc.

 

 Jason and I went to watch one of Jason's friends, Kameron, at a motocross race. It was an indoor race, so it was super loud, but really fun!

We went to Thanksgiving Point to see the Reindeer and drive the Christmas lights there.

It snowed again.  A lot.  The first day it snowed, Austin got creative with his skate rail and a snow shovel and found a way to ski in the backyard!

 

We put the shovel to use a few days later when we had Austin shovel the walkway before we had visitors.  I love so many things about this picture.  I'm glad my camera was near by.  I love the newness of  the snow and the new experiences it brings. 

I love Austin in his church clothes helping out. I love the mountains.  I love my neighbors that live in the house across the street.  I love the colors of the sunset and I love that my neighborhood looks like neighborhoods I've only seen in books or pictures.  I'm enjoying the new experiences I'm having.

However, the next week as I was coming home from dropping the kids off at school in the morning, this beautiful view coming into my neighborhood made me sad.  It still isn't familiar or feel like home.  I felt like I should be on vacation visiting this beautiful place and all my friends would be in a cabin or condo as I pulled in, just getting ready to have a fun day!  I pulled up to my house and it was just a house.  No cabin or condo.  My friends weren't here and the only thing planned for the day was laundry and dishes and homework.  It was a sad day.

Paige fell asleep somewhere other than her crib, which is a small miracle!  It wasn't bedtime or nap time, but I will still take that as a victory and progress!

We still get excited when we look out the window and see the deer.

Ashlyn still feels like she needs an appropriate outfit for every occasion.  She decided she really needed work out clothes to go with her running shoes. Oh! And don't forget the glasses!  (Nope, she doesn't have a prescription!  Just likes to wear them.  Jason popped the lenses out for her so she doesn't hurt her eyes.)

I was worried about her being the baby princess and not knowing how to work because she is so spoiled, but she LOVES to help!  If I'm doing the dishes, she often asks if she can do it for me.  You can't really say no to that!

Paige is Ashlyn's little shadow!  She loves Ashlyn!

I stole this next picture from Lauren's phone.  I think my kids take more pictures of Paige than I do.  I love how they all adore her.

And I was called as the 1st Counselor in Young Womens.  I am over the Mia Maids.  We have 15 girls in our class, but had only half on the day we took this picture for the outgoing leader.  (There was a big missionary farewell that day)

My Grandparents came by for a visit.  I love my grandparents!!  I feel so lucky to have them. 

All the kids got Grandpa's famous Do-De- Doot.

Even Austin wasn't too cool to play along.

With all the snow we were getting, Austin couldn't wait to put his ski pass at Park City to good use.  The parents had been taking turns diving and picking up the kids until the ski bus would take them every Saturday starting in January.   Jason and I took our turn and made a stop at the Park City Outlets on the way home.

I always buy more stuff when I'm with Jason.  He laughed at me when I told him I felt "wild" carrying all those bags!

 

Jason's step-brother lives about 15 minutes away and we were able to go to his son's birthday party.

They did a really cute pirate theme party at the Living Planet Aquarium.

 

I think that gets me through Dec 15th!  See? Busy month!