Jenny demonstrates her mad skills shooting giant tarantulas in the jungle.
Amy wins big at Deal or no Deal.

Anna even bowled using the metal slope they provided. She bowled more than I did I think.
THis was Liam's first time to go bowling. He would slide on his knees across the floor and look like a rockstar.


off to dinner at Bennihana's.

Sushi man.
good times.

Temple lights

After Benihana we went to see the temple lights. THe kids had a blast playing in the snow and the lights were beautiful.
In front of the giant tree in the Joseph Smith Memorial building.
I loved this addition.
Amy, jeff and Jenny under the gigantic red tree.

Anna's first snow, well that she could appreciate anyway.
Liam is getting really good at goofy faces.

Aunt Jenny was kind enough to entertain Anna by swing her along the way.
Amy and jeff strolling through the crowds. They had Nativities from around the world on a path lit by lanterns this year. I had never seen those before. The Japanese nativity was my favorite. As a little girl we grew up driviing 3 hours to SLC to do CHristmas shopping all day and ending it with a tour of the temple lights.

Christmas Eve

We spent the evening at my brother James house. We had a lovely meal, played the White Elephant game, role played the nativity story.
Sharee and Marissa Joy.
The Ladies. Karen, Angelica, Anna, and Rosie.
Starting to get sleepy in Grandpa's lap.
Sara and Eric having a serious conversation.

Mary and Joseph were well played by Jon and Desi and new baby Seth Cardon
The program was orchestrated beautifully by James and Annaliese with musical numbers and scriptures.
Eric built my mother a Chest for keeping all the Nativity costumes in and Anna pulled out my old gymnastics costume so she could be a wiseman.

Ready to go home and listen for hooves on the roof.

Christmas Morning

Marissa Joy, Liam, Angelica, Seth , and Anna wait to attack the Living room

Liam and I had a rough night because Liam sobbed in bed from 12:30 to 4:30 am. He cried for home and I felt horrible for him. I soon figured out that he was burning hot and I did the old pinky in the ear test and sure enough he had an ear infection. I had to wake up Grandpa who checked him with the proper tools and smashed up some antibiotics for him. He was a sad limp rag until Grandpa got him giggling by theatrically quoting Hamlet while mixing his "potion" of crushed antibiotics and blackberry jam. Suddenly Liam disappeared into the Living room with all of Christmas under the tree. There was an fearful stare shared between my father and I and an awkward silence followed. Suddenly Liam came bursting back into the kitchen with the empty granola bar wrapper waving frantically about and shouted "Look" with the excitement only a child can have at finding that Santa had indeed visited and eaten his goodies. His earache was gone soon after and he kept me up for 2 more hours asking "can we go open presents now?"

Liam has been wanting the Lego police city for quite some time now and as you can see he was in heaven when he opened it.

Anna disappeared during the present madness and I found her settled in her highchair (the very one I sat in a wee one) and she said"I'm ready for breakfast".
Angelica and Anna were excellent at sharing and played with each others toys all Christmas day.

We played a lot of games and Becky made a game leader hat. Liam and Eric spent the whole day building Legos. It was so much fun and so magical watching the reactions of the littles. A good day.

post Christmas sledding

Anna wore her "farmer pants" for the first time and went for her first sleigh ride the day after Christmas. We went to a park by the home I grew up in and rode on the same hill I spent all my winters on. Aahhh, nostalgia. It was only about 20-30 degrees out, so when we skid to a stop at the bottom of the hill we had to stretch our mouths out before we could talk.

Happy New Year

Well, I have no pictures of the momentous occasion but it was held at my in-laws home with Heather and Evan and family and we commenced the evening with fireworks, (illegal), a game of Mad Gab, and chips and queso and oh ya, rootbeer floats.

New Years resolutions:

E- Be cooler
ie. do more sculpting, painting, robot making, figurine making, & reading more books with me.

J- watch less TV series via netflix and read more books
Take a photography class
take a dance class
Design and make my own patterns and sew clothes for all of us

L- Become more like Sean Kinney, living lord of Legos.

A- Learn Aikido to take down Liam and to dance in a castle with Prince charming.

Christmas Sunday best

The kids wore their Holiday best to church today and they looked so cute. Sure do love them

Ward Christmas Party

Anna Elf at the ward breakfast.
Liam singing jingle bells.
Anna walked straight up to Santa, looked him over once, walked back to me and asked " Santa no poke me?" After some reassurance she sat on his lap and told him she wanted Tinkerbell. Liam had decided long before that he wanted a remote control ghost.

Liam has been playing with our Christmas train this month. He made Christmas land and has been listening to holiday music and while watching the train pick up packages from the North Pole.
We went with Heather and Evan to see the Tacoma Zoo lights the other night. Washington has had no Carl's Jr. restaurant's until recently and it has been one thing that Eric has really missed since leaving Utah. He gave the star a little love at the zoo to show his appreciation for all the fat filled greasy goodness that has meant so much to his college self.