Funny kids

This last week, Jer went on a business trip to Florida.  In the mornings before his conference, he went beach combing and brought back shells for the kids.  He found some really pretty ones.  At home, I got to take the kids to the Live Nativity at the University Mall.  That was so fun.  They had a camel, donkey, sheep, and goats for the kids to pet.  Unfortunately my phone battery died and I didn't get any pictures, but Ada and Seth ADORED the camel.  Seth was the same height as the camels' neck.  He stood right under its' chin and would giggle every time the camel moved.  Ada just sat and stroked it.  I rather liked the donkey with its' winter coat.... it was fluffy like a sheep.  We got there towards the end, so I let the kids stay and watch the animals get loaded into the trailer.  I had the kids all stand by me and watch the camel stand up.  All the handler said was, "Hup.", and the camel was smoothly up on it's lanky legs.  Then we walked through the lights and watched the water show that they put on at night. 

Sam has been working hard on his scouts.  He spends about 1/2 hour on it ever couple of days and is making good progress.  He's also progressing really well with his piano.  I think he's going to be one of those pianists that can see the music and play it on sight.  Ada is opposite, she mostly plays by ear.  It will be interesting to see how they grow. 

Last week we took them to the German Christmas Market at This is the Place State Park.  I was getting my phone fixed, so I stole a bunch of pictures from my Mom and Janelle.  It was just right for getting us all Christmasy.... and it was fun to see Elder Uctdorf.  The pictures of the event also have the candy bomber in them, but I must of missed him.  Apparently the Uctdorf family was very instrumental in setting up the Market.  Besides Sam wandering off and getting lost briefly, I very much enjoyed browsing in all the fun shops.  Seth LOVED getting to ride the train that runs through the park.  We also stopped off in a booth with our kids' art teacher.  She had some marvelous paintings.  She was in my oil painting class at BYU... and she's sure perfected her style.  I'm glad that I have someone like her teaching my kids.  She gave us one of her prints for free.  I chose her nativity scene painting.  The St Martin's parade was fun.  They had a Roman soldier at the head of it, lots of German things like an angel in white with gold wings, kids with star lanterns, missionaries, live music and some General Authorities and their families.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdI8MVinS5Y

My parents also watched our kids while Jer and I went to the Symphony with Judy and Jim.  It was Sam's turn to go with us, but Jay is in town doing part of his residency here at Utah Valley Hospital, so Sam gave his ticket to Jay.  I like Saint-Saens before, but hearing his organ symphony in person was amazing!  And it ended up that they were recording it, so it was better that our learning to sit still Sam wasn't present. My brother and sister ended up taking the kids to see Coco while we were gone.  Evelyn especially liked it.

After two weeks without a dishwasher, the guy came and said that it had an internal breaker that had flipped off.  Joy.  I now have a dishwasher again!  Yay!  I also bought some of those laundry balls with the spikes on them to use instead of drier sheets... Sam saw the packaging and tried explaining what they were to Ada... "You put them on top of your towels and it makes them softer."  Almost, but not quite.  

Seth has been helping me wrap presents.  After we were all done he said, "Now we open them!"  I told him that we were going to open them at Christmas time and with Dad there, so when Jer got back from his conference Seth said, "Now Dad's here, we can open it!"  He also saw one of his presents that I was trying to hide, he was ecstatic and now he picks up all the packages and says, "These are my cars!"  I asked the kids to make presents for each other this year... They were pretty excited to do it.  We're now running out of time, but they're happy to make things for each other.  I love it. 

Saturday, we went up to North Ogden for Emma and my Mom's birthday party and dinner to celebrate all our December birthdays... It was fun.  Sharon had made a disco dance party with dress ups and glow sticks.  We celebrate 5 birthdays in 2 weeks, so it was fun to recognize everyone anyways.

I have a bunch of pictures to post, but they're in two different spots, so I'll have to do that later... but man are these kids cute.  I can't get enough of them.