The Pollard Place: December: A New Tradition!

After the tree lighting ceremony we went back to the cabin. We used our new little waffle maker that is shaped like Santa which was so fun! While we were up there the kids wrote their letters to Santa.

We did something so fun this year and we cut down our Christmas tree up at the cabin. It worked out because we couldn't get a permit to do it in the Uintas, but it was super easy to get one for up by the cabin. In the end, I'm so glad it worked out that way because we had the best time up here at the cabin! It will now hopefully be our new tradition. We took the side by side up through the trail and looked around for the best tree. We found so many beautiful trees but eventually found the perfect one for us!

OUR TREE!!

Rusty jumped on top of Bailey while we were getting the tree and she freaked out because he pushed her down into the snow. Bailey bit his nose, but I think he deserved it.

We went to Iluminaria again this year, and enjoyed it just like we normally do! We saw the statues of Jesus, the kids loved all the photo ops, and the lights are always so beautiful!

My cute friend Sara threw a Christmas party for some of our friends. We went and the kids decorated cookies, ate yummy food and had a great time!

It was time to decorate the tree!! We watched Rudolph and had our chip dip. One of the best days of the year!

And then we watched Rusty's weird show he loves about the weird mice. It's not my favorite.

Rusty wanted to make snowflakes with the kids, which was really fun because I don't actually really know how to do that haha. So we did that and then this year I really wanted the kids to be able to make their own stockings like I did growing up. So we did that too!

We had the ward Christmas party! The kids were in the nativity and helped sing some of the songs.

Henry was a shepherd

Della got to be the angel that was bringing the good tidings

Rusty went over and helped Wes take the side rock off their house so that they could do their addition to their home!

Amelia played doctor for me and took care of me. I had very many things wrong with me haha. But she fixed me up really good!

The kids opened up their own shops in their rooms. Henry started it with a room full of lights and snowflakes, and then the girls came into the game with their nutcrackers and the singing hippo.

The kids are still doing jiu jitsu and they are killing it! They are doing so well and progressing so much. They've been asked to be the team leaders and have really risen to the challenge. I'm so proud of them!

Rusty took the girls ice skating one evening, while Henry and I wanted to stay home and do nothing. They had a blast, and so did we!

Thumbs up!

We had a piano recital at Carissa's house. It was good for Henry to do it because he doesn't actually play in recitals with his lessons. He was very nervous but he did it! I also played too, which was really scary for me.

We watched Timmy's Gift, which was so fun. I'm so glad I found these movies online! We love watching them! Yay Christmas!

I learned this year that there is a live nativity in Heber every year, so we went and it was wonderful! They did a really great job and it was so cool to be able to focus on why we have this holiday. I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ's birth.

Charlie came back and was up to some more mischief!

I got the house all decorated for Christmas! It feels so festive. I love Christmas decorations so much!

Rusty had a work party for Christmas and somehow we didn't take any pictures, but we did take a picture at the cupcake place where we stopped to get some gluten free cupcakes for us and then surprised the Bartons.

Rusty's work party and then cupckaes

Snow means skiing!! We started out on the bunny hill for Amelia and for me- I switched to skis this year so we'll see how this goes. Amelia caught on pretty quickly so we moved on over to some green hills. Henry and Della remembered how to ski so quickly that they were getting bored already, especially Henry.

Great first day!

We took the kids to see the Nutcracker this year, and they really loved it. I love seeing it every year. The girls loved dressing up in their special Nutcracker dresses just as much I think.

The kids were being quiet and then all of a sudden they came out and Amelia was all wrapped like a present or like Cindy Lou Who on the Grinch.

Secret Santa gifts- the kids were so excited about being sneaky while dropping them off. They made up code names and wore masks. Henry was Frank, Della was Patina (what?) and Amelia was Banana. They got to the door and Henry said, "Let's go Patina!" and Della said, "I'm scared Frank." We laughed so hard when they told us that.

We made our Christmas cookies and frosted them, and it is so fun to do it with the kids as they are getting older. Della was doing her and said, "Oh no! My cookie broke!" And Amelia said, "That's okay, sometimes... your life is ruined." So, there's that.

Amelia took a bite of the cookies we were going to bring to people... and our frosting is not as colorful because I'm trying to use natural colors so don't judge me.

Bryndee through a fun Christmas party at her house and invited us and the Cowleys to come. They played some fun games with marshmallows, did charades, and played a memory game.

We made gingerbread houses again! Obviously, because we do it every year haha.

Alyson and I did a girls night and went to Park City and got some sushi and then stayed in a hotel and watched Christmas movies! It was so fun! And... the fire alarm went off at about 1 AM, but there was actually no fire so we were all fine.

For school the kids needed to apply for a job at the North Pole with Santa. We talked about different elf jobs up there and which ones they would like to have and which ones they would be best suited for. Then they wrote their cute letters and I loved it so much!

We had the Grinch party at Grandma's! The girls had their cute Grinch dresses and Henry had a shirt, and the food was festive and fun! My mom's whole upstairs room is all decorated like the Grinch which is super cute.

The Porter Christmas party was fun! I did the Bingo game for the little kids while people were getting things ready to eat. We ate breakfast and then did the nativity play! Then my mom handed out kazoos and we did Christmas carols.

Henry is a camel!

Della being very reverent during the play

Our husbands hiding...

While we do this haha

It was finally time for the Christmas Eve party! We hosted it this year and had all of our normal food, watched our shows, and then read some books. Each kid got to pick a story they wanted to have read to them and then of course we did the Cajun Night Before Christmas.

After we each opened one present!

Hanging their Polar Express bells on the tree for Santa

Christmas morning is always so magical!! I love hearing their excited squeals and seeing their eyes so excited. This year Santa brought us all roller blades which was really exciting! And some binoculars for our upcoming trip to Africa!

A little sleepy

Out trying out our new roller blades!

New nails!

Hanging out in the hot tub!

The kids stayed out there for a long time haha

We went sledding at the golf course by the Cowleys house and it was so fun! The hill is a good size but not too big that the little kids didn't get too scared.

We did a girls night with creepy masks. These things are so weird haha.

We went back up to the cabin for a little bit! It's nice and relaxing up here. We spent New Years Eve up there and it was so fun!

I told the kids they could watch any show and I was so proud of them because they chose an orca documentary haha. But they wanted Sneaky to watch the show with them so they put him in the kennel and faced it toward the TV so he could watch it too. Very thoughtful haha.

New Years Eve!

Henry's Highlights:

Randomly while driving Henry asks "What animal does sausage come from?" "Mostly pigs" "Oh, so is sausage a pig's weiner?"
A woman singing "Joy to the World" came on Alexa and she was abrupt and really loud. Henry said, "Oh wow. She is invested in this."
We've been learning about the branches of government. Henry told me that I'm like the branch that enforces the laws.
Henry told Amelia on Christmas Eve, "Open this one! It holds great promise!"
We were talking about fruits and vegetables and I said, "Everything comes from seeds." Henry said, "Not yaks."

Adeline's Adventures:

I told the kids they could watch a show while we were at the cabin and they turned on a documentary called The Secret Life of Whales. I was so proud! And Della moved Sneaky's kennel so that he could watch too.
Della was watching her friends running all around and being absolutely bonkers. She looked at them and said, "You guys are psycho.... I like that!"
Della was helping clean up in the play room and was putting the vet stuff up on a shelf. The dog/cat cast fell down on her head and she said, "It's raining casts and dogs!"
"The world is like cats. The cats have claws. That's what the world is like."

Amelia's Updates:

"Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this pray. Please bless that Porter will know that Jesus Christ didn't abandon him or kill his cat. He would never do that to someone that is trying so hard! He is the Savior! The Peacemaker King! I believe in Santa! I believe in Jesus Christ! I believe in anything that is right! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
Della's cookie broke and she was sad. She said, "Oh no! My cookie broke!" And Lia said, "That's okay! Sometimes... your day is ruined."
"Mom, I'm sorry I'm too rock and roll"
Amelia asked Rusty something and he said, "No." She replied, "I'll take that as a yes."
I asked Rusty where the kids got the stomach bug and he said, "I don't know." Amelia said, "Probably Satan."

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