Sam update

It has been a frustrating year with Sam's allergies. His office has been hard to work with but he's the only pediatrician allergist that's in the area. Jeremy knows just how frustrated I've been with them in the office and with their billing office. (Double billing almost every month and being treated like I'm the bad guy for not knowing when they changed how to order and which days to order his meds.) Now I'm frustrated with the doctor as well. We just had a check up and the doctor basically said that they don't know why we've been doing the treatment plan that we were assigned to do two years ago. It's very frustrating that maybe the last $7,000 and the last 2 years of treatments have been worth nothing. Sam was put back on his same treatment plan and one extra medication until we can get in to see them in person in 2 months. The only good news is that when we went to renew his EpiPen and now cost $25 instead of $100 per pen. That is one regulation that I agree with. I'm not looking forward to trying to adjust to a new treatment plan. Sam is having all sorts of anxiety. And that causes all sorts of anxiety for me. Jer might have to take over Sam's care until Sam gets adjusted. Happy New Year.😜

Family history

My Mom mentioned while we were singing carols that she had my Great-Grandma Camenish's copy of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  It's really fun that it has her writing all over it.  My mom said that she never heard her play any other song except this one.  That's kind of a fun memory.

 

misc

I've had daycare this week, so we've mostly been picking up toys and listening to how everyone enjoyed their Christmas.  

My Mom likes to encourage developing talents.  This summer she let Aubrey, Rae and Ada all paint the doors in her garage.  Aubrey did sunflowers out in the garden and it looks gorgeous.  Rae got distracted, so my Mom painted an american flag on that door.  This is what Ada did.  I love her creative spirit.  This is her first big painting and she was so nervous.  Too nervous to put a face on the girl, but I think it's cute anyways.  She mixed her own colors and everything.

Evelyn playing her new switch game.... I was dying because that doesn't look comfortable at all.

 

Wilcox Family Christmas

 

My parents hosted their Wilcox Family Christmas on Christmas afternoon.  My Mom made hand stitched the edges of throw blankets for each person.  They turned out really cute.  Because we have a cold in the family, we wore masks and had a great time.

For the talent show this year, Ada showed some of her art.

Seth recruited me to help him sing jingle bells.

Sam played the flute for everyone.

Evelyn played the piano.

These cute nativity actors.

Thea's leg in the left corner

Evelyn, Ada, Seth, Jordan, Michelle, Aubrey

Vivien, Sam, Devin, Isaiah

Sam conked out hard.  We hadn't even finished the Nativity yet and he fell asleep.  That's what happens when you only sleep 6 hours over two days I guess!

Seth was a wiseman.

Sam was the shepherd and Thea was his sheep. Yes, I know his mask is down.  I wasn't about to yell at him during the nativity.... great spirit killer.

Ada was a shepherd too.

Miss Aubrey did so well with being the narrator!  She has some problems with reading because of some of her diagnoses, and she pulled off the Nativity so amazingly well!  And take a look at our 'Donkey-corn'.  

Cup stacking race.

Christmas morning

 

Christmas was pretty low key this year.  We weren't told about the Robertson's get together.  We wouldn't have gone anyways because Seth and I have a cold. (Not Covid...tests were negative).  We went out and enjoyed Christmas lights and talking about favorite Christmas memories.  When I uploaded pictures they uploaded in reverse order, and I'm too lazy to move them around.  Our oldest three kids stayed up to fill stockings, then they went to have a sleepover in the girls' room and Dad and I got to work.  I think everyone loved their presents, but Ada sure won as the great gift giver this year.  All three of the oldest kids independently chose to make presents for everyone... Ada's were amazing.

Ada post Christmas morning nap.

Sam trying out Dad's new back scratcher.

Sam got new paddle ball racquets and Dad took all the kids to the park to play with them while Ada napped and Mom tried to finish Hannah's present.  When I play pickleball with the kids they say that I'm really good as long as they hit it to me.

Evelyn got and read the new Cytonic book within a day.  She was wearing last year's Christmas jammies and found out that we bought a family doomslug for everyone to share.  Happy girl there.  Sam and Jeremy have now both read the book too. 

This is one of Ada's awesome gifts.  She made a dragon ceramic piggy bank for Evelyn.  

She also made Jer this ceramic face mug.  She didn't have time to glaze it yet, but it was awesome.

Ada made Seth this neat paper gun.  It's pretty impressive and he still plays with the origami knife she made him before.

Evelyn has loved being in the puzzle club this year, so she deserved this beauty.

Sam was so excited to get the rest of the Harry Potter lego castle that connects to his other sets.  And Seth got a beyblades battle arena.  We don't watch the show, but he loves playing with his friend's set.

Jer got me the expansion to one of my favorite games.  I love the Firefly game, it's fun and changes depending on your setup.  Even more so with this new expansion.

All in all, we had fun together as a family.  

Warhammer

New experience:  Warhammer with Seth.  (A picture... Evelyn said that's the caption for this picture). Thanks Seth!  It was fun learning something new.  Jer and Seth played while I picked up Sam to come join in at the end.

 

Provo Pioneer Village

Our one community Christmas thing this year was actually really fun.  There were only about 20 people around at a time instead of hundreds like at the Salt Lake Christmas things.... The Pioneer Village had caroling, old sleds, hot chocolate, Santa, blacksmith, and snow.  They had the missionaries come and sing around a camp fire while you could walk around the pioneer houses.

Seth is in that stage where he's starting to not believe in Santa and that's okay.  Maybe this is his last year, but he needed Dad's help to sit by Santa this time. He asked for Dinosaur toys.

Evelyn was sweet.  She doesn't believe in Santa, but it's been her mission this year to help Seth enjoy believing in Santa for a little while longer.  She talked to Santa so he wouldn't be the only one, and wants to help him make cookies.

I think this is my favorite Santa yet.

This was the blacksmith shop where they were making metal candy canes.

Candy candycane and metal candycane.

Evelyn, Sam, Seth, Jack and Rose.

 

Chocolate dipping and Jer's birthday

Because of covid, we're still not doing our neighborhood parties, but we had my brother and one of our neighbors to dip chocolates this year.  They were so yummy and Jer got to dip a lot more than he usually does.

Jer got a Lego Millenium Falcon for his birthday.  You're never too old for Legos.