Henry wanted to climb up to the top of these lava rocks and was up there so fast!
We did a fun hike all together through some lava fields and ended by seeing a cool arch. The kids loved being able to run around and explore in such warm weather. We did too! On our way back we realized that it was two months exactly from the date that Rusty was released from the hospital. We are so grateful and blessed to have him healthy!
Because it was Christmas, we were able to do some fun Christmas-y things there too! My mom and I went to see Elf the Musical, and it was so good! We had never seen it before and I thought it was extremely well done. We laughed so hard!
There was a swimming pool at the condo, so of course the kids loved going swimming! Rusty got to float around and said it made his back feel so good! It was a little chilly outside but the pool was heated so it felt just great. And we always had it to ourselves haha!
Another Christmas thing we did was Christmas in the Canyon. We got to see Santa, do a little train ride, see pretty Christmas lights, and it ended with watching a live nativity. It was such a wonderful experience, and you could feel the spirit very strongly. We particularly loved it because they had a lot of people with different abilities that got to be involved, and it felt so wonderful to remember that Christ loves everyone and the gospel is inclusive. It was a great night! Della hated Santa and wouldn't even look at him haha. Meanwhile, Henry ran up to him and just started telling him all about how he wanted a dragon that could walk and breath fire and had big wings.
The Giant's Sandbox in Snow Canyon. The kids played here for so long, and could have stayed a few more hours but we had to drive home!
When we got home from St. George the Christmas Festivities were already well underway! We felt behind and like we had to hurry even more to catch up, and now I'm not sure if I want to ever travel in December haha. Maybe that's better for January. But we got our Christmas tree (we left it outside for a long time to ensure there were no mice like last year haha) and then had Jessica over to watch Rudolph and eat chip dip while we decorate it. That is one of my most favorite traditions!
We had a lot of movie nights watching our Christmas movies, reading Christmas books, drinking hot chocolate and snuggling. What is not to like about all of those things?! Gingerbread houses were also on the list and we made those with Jess and Aaron. Henry was so excited and took ownership of his for the first time, making it just how he wanted it. Della was more interested in eating the things than decorating haha, but Gigi helped her out.
Our ward did a Christmas Breakfast which was fun to go to. And we had some sweet soul that gave us the twelve days of Christmas. It was such a joy to come home to every day! My kids looked forward to it, and so did I. It was a nice little gift after our rough fall, and it was nice to be on the other side because we always try to do 12 days for people at Christmas.
I like to try to make a handmade ornament with the kids each year, and this was what we did! The felt ones work a lot better I have found because the don't break haha. So this kind is my new favorite. We also got Christmas lights up on our house for the first time since we have been married! I LOVE IT!!! Charlie, our elf, came back to visit and stayed until Christmas Eve. We found him doing silly things every day! And we had the chance to participate in Light The World where we were able to buy some much needed supplies for people in need all around the world. I love that.
The Salt Lake City Temple is closing at the end of this year for renovations, and will be closed for a few years. It was so crazy busy there because everyone was trying to get in before it closed, but Rusty and I were able to drop the kids off with Jessica and go and do sealings. It is so special to do sealings there where we were sealed for eternity. This was a very special date for us! After we were done Jess and Aaron brought the kids up and we all walked around Temple Square and looked at the lights!
The Santa Sleigh Ride has become a tradition for us, and it is one of my favorites! They did change it a little bit this year and I hope they go back to the old way. It was still so much fun though! This time was cool because the wagon ride went through SO MANY Christmas lights! We got to see so many beautiful lights, and the kids loved it! Then we went and saw Santa and Mrs. Claus. Della and Henry had gotten little stamps at Kneader's where we had dinner all together before, and Della put the stamps all over the bottom of her hands. Then she rubbed them all over her face. When we finally got into the light of the room where Santa was, we slowly noticed that something was wrong haha. Oh my Della.
Our Grinch
Then it was time for Christmas! For Christmas Eve we went to the Porter breakfast and nativity. Henry was a shepherd and Della was a dove because they knew she wouldn't sit still and because we have a billion kids in this family haha. My favorite part was right when it started Henry ran out on stage and started waving and yelling "Hi Mom!" haha!
Christmas morning was a blast! These kids are such a fun age for Christmas and it is so magical. Henry got a dragon that roars and walks by itself, and Adeline got a little grocery store. They both loved their dress up stuff and their new sleds!
Later that day we went out and tested out the sleds by getting pulled behind the snowmobile! It was so much fun and we were all dying laughing. Jessica and I went together and Dad tried to kill us, so we asked to have a turn to pull Dad hahaha. So funny!
To finish up this glorious month we went to the Nickelcade and had a great time as a family. It was really busy, but we got to do a lot of fun games and earn some tickets for prizes!
Extra Pictures
So much laundry.
Henry was so proud and excited to use his own money to buy gifts for me, Rusty and Adeline. He was so sweet!!
Just Elsa going to do some yoga
We met the Barrus' at the Children's Museum and had a great time!
I fixed these music dancers for my mom for Christmas. She got one of them when she was 12, and they were very special to her! I loved having something to work on for her.
I took the kids to a bouncy place
We could not find Adeline anywhere, and I started to get kind of nervous. We were yelling for her and nothing was happening. I came over to look inside the laundry basket and she was just laying there letting us all panic haha. She said she was pretending to be asleep.
First lego set! From Granddad and Grandma Joan
Waiting for Gigi
Our New Year's Celebration haha! Very low key, and at around 8.
Henry's Highlights
- He loves to help Della, Mommy and Daddy around the house. He feeds Bailey, unloads the silverware and makes his bed.
- For some reason he thinks it's hilarious to turn the lights off everywhere
- He is a wise soul. I was tucking him in and after the "pon a time" he said, "Mommy, I need you to teach me all that you know so that I can learn all that I can for when I'm a adult and have a baby." And earlier that night at dinner he came and put his hand on my arm and told me he would miss me when he was an adult and moved away. Like WHY?!?!!?!?
- He says, "Does that sound good to you?" ALL the time
- He has some issues with sexism haha. One morning at breakfast he was talking about how Daddy had to go to work, and all he does is work. He kept saying, "Poor Daddy." Rusty came in and talked about how I work too, and he was like, "No, Mommy doesn't work. Daddy works all day though. Poor Daddy." HA! Another day he was playing with Della and told her to go do "Girl's Work" and he would do "Boy's Work." I asked him what those meant, and he said girls just play and play and boys actually work. YIKES.
- He saw the ballot box at the library and wanted to know what it was, so we had a good discussion about that and voting. He asked who the president is and I told him, and then he asked if I voted for him and I told him yes. Then he said, "Well.. why didn't you vote for Jesus?!"
Adeline's Adventures:
- If we say no to her for something, she says, "But... I'm nice!"
- She was showering with Rusty and he said she felt cold so he put her in the warm water. She said, "Oh, my bum is happy now! How are you Daddy? Is your bum happy?"
- She sang in her sleep one night
- Della says, "Guys!" all the time
- She gets SO mad if we call her "babe" haha. I did a few times on accident, but then now I do it because I love it. She will scrunch up her face and say, "No me babe! Daddy babe!"
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