Christmas

Christmas is so wonderful, and this year was no exception. I came and went (without any snow) too quickly, though. 

We didn't have an Arbon family party like we usually do this year, because Sue wasn't coming up again and I guess no one else wanted to plan it. But we did get together for a nice dinner at Maddox. It's fun getting all of Tim's big family in one room. 

Since we didn't have the Arbon party I decided to throw an Arbon party for just our little family and I'm so glad I did. We played a bunch of games with prizes and watched a movie together and it was perfect. I love when I get all my kids involved in something together that's fun for everyone. They're my favorite people to hang out with. 

Christmas Eve was spent at church and then my Dad's house, as usual. Everyone agreed this is their favorite tradition. We had our Mexican food dinner and then the kids did the nativity. I sewed new costumes for everyone this year so it was extra fun for me to watch. Then Pop read The Night Before Christmas and we had our gift exchange. I didn't grow up with a lot of cousins involved, and just fills my heart to see my kids surrounded by so many people who love them and who they love around the holidays. All the time, really. 

Kelson and Lexi stayed with us for Christmas and it was so fun having them here. Luke and Jane are at such a fun age. We don't get to see them often enough so I'm glad they stayed here. Everyone woke up to lots of fun presents on Christmas morning. We had crepes for breakfast and then spent the rest of they day with visitors. Christmas just fills my soul.

Some Ski Days

This the last year that the kids all get season passes to Nordic Valley for free, so we've been trying to take advantage. We've each taken them up a couple of times to ski while we hang out by the fire, trying to keep warm. But we can't let them have all the fun, so Tim and I got passes to Snowbasin this year. The girls also got the Ski Utah pass that lets them go to all the resorts in Utah three times. We mostly got them so that we can take them to Basin with us. 

A couple of weeks ago we took Bri, Ava and Bus out of school to head up there and take advantage of the passes. Brielle is just absolutely flying down the mountain, she looks like a natural. Bus just wants to go fast and doesn't care that he's not really doing it right, cruising straight down and then snowplowing when he needs to turn or stop. Ava has it figured out, but she's a little more cautious, like her mom. Which was good for me, because even she kept leaving me in the dust.

I am a nervous skier. But I love it!

Last week Mason finally took a day off school (seriously, the anxiety this kid feels at even the thought of missing a day...he turned down a trip to South Africa because he would miss too much) and went to Snowbasin with Tim. He has really caught on they had a great time together, he came home so happy. That was quickly forgotten when he got home and had to do all his homework for the day, but we'll try to get him up there again.

Love Day

 I love Valentine's Day. I know a lot of people say its just another way for companies to make money off of suckers, and "I" show my love all year long so what's the point?

The point is, showing people love and celebrating that love are not the same. So let's party.

Brielle is 12

This week my baby Bri turned 12 years old. 

She has been so excited for this day and spent the two days before her birthday very anxious that she was going to get sick (like the rest of us) and it would spoil the day. But she didn't! She was healthy and happy and "had the best day ever!"

First thing in the morning she opened all her presents, which were all clothes and shoes, and some beads from her siblings. The crepes for breakfast and off to school. I brought doughnuts for her class and sushi for her lunch in the morning while her grade was practicing their play. 

After school she helped me finish up her devil's food cake with chocolate ganache and then it was time for her party. She had five friends come to have pizza and go to Urban Air for a couple of hours. They all had so much fun and Tim and I loved watching all the kids run around with big smiles. 

Brielle is such a sensitive soul. She is definitely at a difficult age, emotionally, and it's driving her nuts. But she has grown and learned so much this year. She is still a big fan of her mom and I could sit and talk to her forever. She is a hard worker and keeps her mind on her goals. She is on the elite stunt team this year and it has been a huge new challenge, but she's taken it on with total determination and has seen a log of progress and success. And she loves it! When it's not making her so nervous that she can't sleep or think about anything else.

My girl has a smile that will light up any room, its infectious. A happy Bri is about the best thing in the world. 

An AVA Birthday

 My sweet Ava girl turned TEN this week! Double digits!

She has been asking for a pet for a few years. "A rabbit, a lizard, I would even take a fish!" So, even though we vowed we would never have another indoor pet, the day before her birthday Tim and I headed to Petco to pick up a fish. An hour later we left with two geckos, a terrarium, plants, dry food, and live worms and crickets. We both walked out of the store a little stunned.

We set everything up in our closet and told her it was too hard to wrap and she positive that was because it was a fishbowl. The morning of her birthday was so exciting! And she was totally shocked that we had actually gotten her a pet. All the kids were beyond happy about it. She is determined to take perfect care of them and she just loves them. 

We had the whole day planned out. Presents, go out to breakfast (we went to IHOP for crepes), come home and get Bri ready for her first stunting competition. Take her to the comp while the boys go to Bus' basketball game, and then take her to lunch at Hug Hes. We didn't have time to go to the restaurant because Bri was too nervous to leave for long, so we got some McDonalds and then back to watch. The home to play and then Mason's basketball game. Then finally have all the family over for cake and ice cream at night. Only we got the time wrong for Mason's game and he and Tim had to leave for the game just as everyone was arriving. All the hitches to the plan aside, she had a great day.

Ava is so easy to please. She is so happy. She is always looking for way to have fun, which can be exhausting, but also makes life so much better. So much more fun. Instead of watching TV or playing Xbox, she wants to bake something, or play outside, or have a friend over, or literally anything! Please, give the girl something fun to do! She is kind to everyone, especially her siblings, even when they don't deserve it. It makes her happy to make other people happy. There really is no one better to turn to when you need a little cheering up. She will drop whatever she's doing to make someone feel good. I remember when she was toddler, she was so so busy, and a little crazy, and sometimes it would get overwhelming to other people. But I have always just been in awe of how much joy she finds in life. Her energy and her fun spirit is the best thing in the world.

Christmas Break

We had a great time with the kids out of school for two weeks over Christmas. I had been hoping to travel after Christmas since the break was so long this year and the break can get pretty boring, but with airfare quadrupling that week, it wasn't really an option. So instead we took the kids up to Nordic Valley to ski several times, went tubing, played a lot of games and watched a lot of movies. 

We had the Arbon family Christmas party the week before and it was so fun! Angie and Sue came with all the plans and decorations and we set everything up the day before. We had a grinch theme and it turned out really cool. Lasagna, lots of fun games, a Christmas message, and ice cream sundaes. We just laughed and loved it the whole time. The kids always come away from the is party with a lot of loot, which makes it that much more fun. It was a little foggy for me because I was on day 6 of some serious vertigo, but it was still great.

Christmas Eve was spent at Pop's house with our traditional Mexican feast. Emily bought tamales from an abuela off Facebook and I made carne asada for the first time. Everything was delicious. Then we did the nativity, read The Night Before Christmas, exchanged gifts, and had bread pudding. Sometimes I feel like we don't have a lot of traditions, but lasagna with the Arbons and Mexican with the Englishs are some of the my favorite traditions.

We pulled all the kids mattresses out to the floor in the living room downstairs and let them slumber party down there. They stayed in bed all the way to 6:00 am and then we opened nearly all the presents before our 8:30 church. I actually love having church on Christmas and I wish there was always a program, even if it doesn't fall on a Sunday.

I love looking forward to Christmas, it really is the best time of the year. Now we just have to make it through January and February!