A White Christmas

We have been very busy with many travels, adventures, Christmas prep, Christmas clean up, and lots of family time. 
 



 Annie just finished her first preschool class.  She loved it and loved Miss Mandy.  She's excited to start a new preschool with Apollo this Tuesday.  My little Ann is growing up.  She became a Sunbeam today and was very excited about it...no tears for Ann, just excitement.



Apollo has really grown so much this year in Miss Diana's class.  We've seen his confidence and independence grow.  He is excited every preschool day.  Ty and Apollo were the class helpers.  They lead the class in counting and other things in a song, talk about their "mascots", and the kids ask them questions.
 

 Here's what Parks has been up to lately...
 



 Thanksgiving with Cordell, Heidi, Ken, and Canyon.  One of the best.  Great company, food, activities, no stress, just loved everything about it.  I asked my  mom, Aunt Susan, and Grandma Darlene for some yummy recipes.  We went to Magic Mountain and rock climbing.
 


 



Parks looooved the truck ride...mostly the steering wheel.  He would cry every time the ride would stop (we took him a few times he loved it so much).


 Annie and Apollo ran their first race (by themselves) at Thanksgiving.  Carleton and I did a 6 mile race too.  Fun day!  The kids were really excited about their race and Annie keeps saying she wants to do another one.  She's ready for a mud run...Apollo's not so sure.

 


Christmas Prep.
 


 

  WE ARE SPARTANS!  We ran a crazy obstacle race with Tanya and Tyler...the perfect couple to get muddy with and have a blast!  Definitely a life highlight.  I wanna do another one...jump through fire, swim in freezing water, run uphill in mud, army crawl in the mud under barbed wire...loved it.  Thank you for a great memory.  Carleton was built for this kind of race.  He helped me through everything.  He could have gone on with a great time but I'm glad he stayed to help...I would have drowned in the water or still be scrambling up some muddy slidy parts.

Nothing better than being muddy, in the rain, and feeding the babies while waiting in a two hour line before getting rescued.
 

December was our turn for Funday Monday.  We did experiments with our Halloween candy, went to the Lego store, watched peppermint sticks being formed at a candy store, and gave out cookies and sang to a couple ladies.  Johanna loved it (the kids love her and go over often) and the other lady lost her high school son in a car accident.  Very special experiences.
 
 

 RZR rides.  Annie and Apollo got this for Christmas.  The best is seeing how much fun Parks has on Apollo's lap.  He cried hard when we brought him in from tonight's ride. 
 


I have the best kids.  They found this bad and wrote "mom" on it and gave it to me...just because.  These were the gifts that were inside.  I told the kids tonight that I want to freeze them just like they are and asked if it were possible.  Apollo said it is through "Santa's Magic".  I have felt very very blessed lately.  I love being a mother.  I really enjoy my kids and love every day with them.  We went out to Juice it Up the other day (hadn't done any food shopping since returning from Christmas break).  Parks was giving the kids his open mouthed kisses and smacking his lips.  Apollo wasn't sure how to kiss him back.  We were laughing.  The weather was great and we were outside...sharing our yummy drinks and bagels.  I've been blessed with a lot of these moments lately where I just feel so happy and so grateful.

 I've started a little business buying, refinishing, and selling furniture.  So far I've sold a coffee table, vintage record player cabinet, fire engine red table and chairs, lime green dresser,  and rocking chair.  I just bought a bunch more pieces and am excited to get started.  Older furniture is so well made...sturdy and comes out so beautiful.  I watched my mom doing this all growing up and not Heidi and I love to do it.  We look forward to the day we can open our own furniture shop...for now I'm doing it out of my garage.  Carleton bought me a hand sander for Christmas.

 We were asked to participate in a Christmas program.  Apollo stole the show.  He had a whole paragraph to memorize.  He memorized it in one sitting and never forgot it.  He was very confident.  Mike told Annie she was the prettiest pioneer he'd seen.  No wonder the kids love him.

 We opened our own family's gifts early so we wouldn't have to lug them all the way to ID and back.  Here is Parks opening his first Christmas present.  What a great addition he is to our family this year!  I always wonder what our new family dynamics will be with each new kiddo.  I am amazed at how well Annie and Apollo play with him.  Annie said the other day "I wish I could play with Parks all the day."  I told her she could.  Tonight they were giving him rides on their legs and backs...he loves them to.  I remember as a newborn, he would take naps in the kids arms.  He was adored the moment he was brought home.  His crib was stuffed with all sorts of animals the kids had put in.  They would sing and rock him to sleep.  I remember thinking how fun it was to really see a baby being rocked to sleep.  Annie held him on her lap and sang him to sleep...she was in heaven.  I've said this before but it seems like another kid would add more chaos...now that he's into the toilet and rolling the toilet paper off that's sometimes true, but I've noticed more the peace and happiness he brings to our family.  He brings a lot of laughter and fun.

 Parks loved being swung by Uncle Justin.

 I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about leaving CAs great weather for the very very snowy and cold Island park.  We had to put chains on the car to make it to my parents' cabin.  But, the time flew by and I could have stayed for months.  It was amazingly beautiful.  We went sledding, snowmobiling, played cards and chatted until late, saw big horned sheep, dug a snow cave for the kids, played ping pong, and pulled people on the sleds behind the 4-wheelers.  The cousins are the best of friends and our kids were brokenhearted to leave.  I miss all the good food.  Mom is an incredible cook and is always a good hostess.  It was great to have all the family together.

 


Maddy and Annie did my nails.

 Parks loved Harley and would try to get out of my arms to go to him.  Here Parks saw him out the window and crawled toward him smacking his lips (he does this when he wants to kiss or sees good food).

 Graham cracker houses.

 This kids loved the snow and said they would rather live in snow than here.

 Making elf hats.

 Parks favorite toy was from Grandma and Grandpa Skenandore.  It made music when you opened it.  He opened and closed it and would rock to the music.  Annie like to take pictures...not all turned out so well but I like these she took of Parks.

 Christmas night program.  My parents have friends that came over that night.  Their kids are amazing at the violin and piano.  Josh played his guitar while the kids sang and danced and I played for a sing-a-long.

 We spent New Year's Eve with Heidi and Josh.  Jord babysat while we went out to dinner to one of the coolest restaurants...the Communal in Provo.  They had a special menu for New Year's Eve...super fancy food and super yummy.  We watched "The Dark Night" to bring in the New Year.  A few hours later we made the very long trip home.  One of the best New Year's Eves I can remember.