Raya's Wedding

I'm so excited about this wedding!  I have been taking pictures of this woman for the last 7 years.  It feels surreal that it was her wedding pictures this time.  I loved seeing how much her new husband loves her.  I was lucky enough to be there at her wedding and her reception. This was the first time that I'd been booked alongside a videographer.  It was a little weird trying not to step on each others toes and still get the shots we wanted.  I think that it worked out pretty well though.  I was pleased with what we got.

Their reception was in a barn in Draper.  It was lovely!  They had some technical difficulties and could plug in the lights that they had strung up over everything, but it turned out gorgeous anyways.  My favorite thing was that the videographer had this portable light that created some really nice back lighting for me.  I'm going to have to get me one of those. 

This was cute.  She had their wedding date on the back of her shoes.

The cake made by Jenn Smith

Raya and Mom's rings

Seth

Seth came to me after being told to pick up his room.  He said, "Mom, I'm done!  But I don't want any moms to check."  I asked if Sam could check.  "No, no kids either."  I don't think it's done for some reason.  (I sent Sam up with Seth and told Sam to count the toys as Seth puts them away.  Seth thinks that's awesome because he gets time with Sam and because he loves numbers right now.)

New favorite picture

I am very excited for this girl to come into young woman's with me. The beehives leader was saying how many crazy fun young women are coming in and I was very proud that one of them was this one. And yes she is crazy and fun.

Thanksgiving pictures from my brother

Messiah sing-in

We took our whole family to the Messiah Sing-in.  We weren't sure how it was going to go, but I think it went well for having a 4 year old with us.  Ada sang really well most of the time and Sam sang a couple.  He loved singing the Hallelujah chorus though.  Evelyn and Seth played on my phone and with the gum out of my purse.  My favorite moment was walking out of there and asking each kid which was their favorite song.  I loved listening to all of them singing snatches from the songs.  I think that Sam liked the trumpet and Seth loved "Hallelujah!".

A week after this, Ada, Sam and Evelyn sang in the Stake Christmas Primary Choir.  I loved seeing them up there, all three did so well.  Ada and Evelyn both found friends from their soccer team.  I actually teared up a bit.  But they performed about halfway through the program and decided that they were done and wanted to go home.  I wanted to stay and do the sing along songs.  Seth and Sam tried to wrestle, Evelyn tried to fall asleep on Jer's lap and Ada read the book she brought and sniped at Sam every time he got too close.  She got up to take Seth to the bathroom for me because our friend was performing his choir arrangement and I wanted to see how it had turned out.  When she got back she saw that Sam was holding the music for the Hallelujah chorus that we were going to sing next.  Instead of standing next to him and singing with him, she threw the biggest tantrum right there in the middle of song that she wasn't the one holding the music.  She didn't stop, so I dropped Seth, grabbed her hand and hauled her outside into the cold. Nothing she said made any sense and she wouldn't stop crying.  I'm not looking forward to the whole puberty thing. 

Chocolate party

The last couple of weeks we've been getting together at Jer's parents house.  We mostly will eat dinner together and have been able to hang out with Emma and her husband Stephen.  One of those Sundays was spent with Jer and his dad making the truffle centers for the chocolate party.  Ada helped with the lemon centers.  Those were my favorite this year.  Whatever she did, she did it right.

Ada, Evelyn, Frankie, Laurel, Janelle and I made and hung decorations for our party.

Ada loved helping Dad with cooking prep.  Seth insisted that he help too.  Ada let him.  Too cute.

We had a lot of people come this year.  I loved visiting with our friends and neighbors.  We had 116 or more people come and used 75 lbs of chocolate.  Our neighbors are generous too.  This year, we had neighbors give us about $140 to offset our party costs.  I think they enjoy it as much as we do. 

This is just part of the aftermath.  I cleaned for two days... and Jeremy was amazing.  He cleaned cupboards and hands and knees scrubbed the floor.

Christmas brunch

Instead of an evening thing, our Ward family put on a brunch with all breakfast foods.  It was very fun.  Was not very allergy friendly, but it was fun.  Sam took a look and the only thing that was allergen free and that he liked were the donuts.... hmmmm, healthy.

The kids went around and spotlighted the people in the ward that have been "caught" spreading light to the world.  It was very cute.

Clean up party.

Stringtown Railroad

We had an amazing Christmas activity this week.  On Tuesday, one of the parents of my fencing class had gotten us tickets to the Stringtown Railroad.  It's 6 neighbors in Lindon that got together and built a mile and a half long train track around their properties.  Every Christmas they donate the time and their homes to host as many people as they can for about two weeks.  You first go into the garage and watch Polar Express until they call your for your ride. Then they have the engineer punch your magic tickets and get you on the train.  They have Christmas music playing and drive you out to another home where they have Santa in his workshop.  You get to talk with him and then he talks to the kids about the real reason for Christmas.  Then they get you back on the train and turn on Away in the Manger.  They drive you past depictions of Christ's life and miracles from birth to resurrection.  At the end, they have tables with cards for missionaries that you can sign and send.  It was a great experience and I have no idea how I'd never heard of it before.

Ready for Christmas

We finally decorated for Christmas.  I don't decorate for any other holiday, but I love Christmas lights and reminders of Christ's birth.  We really only put lights on the front of the house and put up whatever we have in the living room, but it makes me very happy.  Especially when I don't have to do it by myself.  Ada was a great helper.  I think she had just as much fun decorating as I used to.  Seth told me for days that it was time to put lights on the tree.  Evelyn asked to put stockings up because she made me a present that she wanted to hide in my stocking.  Sam was very ready to pull out the Christmas books.  We always have a goal to read a Christmas story ever day before Christmas.... We've never actually accomplished it, but Jer and the kids sure do their best.  I love seeing them all huddled on the couch reading together.  That's one of my favorite family traditions.