Christmas 2024 more

 

Our cats loved the Christmas tree.  They were a little put out when we put presents under the tree and when I took the tree skirt down to throw the tree out. 

Christmas this year is changing.  We have three teens and an almost tween.  The presents get smaller and more expensive. Main presents this year.  Ada got a punching bag which she loves and uses regularly.  Dad had fun brainstorming and filling it to just the right weight.  Sam requested legos and so legos he got.  Evelyn got a kindle so that she can have all her books with her wherever she goes.  Seth got little robots and some games to play with us. I got stained glass window tools and Jer got stuff for his model trains. 

I did a photoshoot for my cousin's new business.  In exchange she made this print for me.  There's two of them, one for me and one for my parents.  This is their engagement photo.  It's beautiful and I love all the art that I see come from my family.  Amber is a printmaker, Eowyn a painter, Heighly a painter, Mitch a frame maker, and many others have artistic talents like cake making, organ performance, drawing, writing, poetry, singing, speaking.  I love to see everything they create.

The cat liked the lights I put up and kept biting at the plastic parts.

This was Seth's present to his siblings and entirely his idea.  I loved it.  He saw me browsing t-shirt for growing siblings and decided that they should all have among us shirts.... and that he should be the sus one.

Dad got a Charlie brown t-shirt.

The kids have fallen in love with the Wingfeather Saga.  Jer had bought the books years before they made a cartoon and the kids love the series.  They started selling t-shirts and plushies.  That was fun.

Evelyn got Ada this crochet bowl.  It's so cute.

And she's already read all of these... two months after getting them.

Christmas 2024

I had the opportunity to work with the Spanish branch as their choir pianist for the Christmas program.  I enjoyed my friend, Cristina's, company and meeting all these new and wonderful people.  It was a new experience for me.  Most choirs that I've played for all have the basics on how to read music.  This choir only had two or three that could read the music, yet most of them had perfect pitch.  They would record their parts while I played and would come back the next time and not need any help at all.   It was a little hard to be away from my family during the Sunday evenings for the weeks leading up to Christmas, but it was a blessing for me to be able to experience.   One Sunday I literally played the piano for 4-5 hours of the day.  Our sacrament meeting, our choir practice, their 2 hour choir practice and then the Stake Music of Christmas.  I loved singing out our stake music night.  It always brings the spirit and my kids sing out beautifully and boldly.  Evelyn came with me to the spanish program and enjoyed listening and understanding people in Spanish.  She was so cute listening intently and responding appropriately.  I'm impressed with how quickly she's learning the language.  There wasn't light for me to read the music so Evelyn helped by holding my cell phone up to the music so I could see.  Then they surprised me and asked me to accompany the Primary singing Away in a Manger.  They had to stop the program and find the music for me, then the Primary had never actually sung with accompaniment, so they just rushed ahead without any heed to the music.  It was funny and a little frustrating.  Also, a little sad that a branch in Utah that needs at least two pianists has none.

Christmas Sunday, we all dressed in Christmas colors and sang proudly with the choir and Primary.  Seth borrowed Ada's work bow tie that changed from red to green.  He was very proud of it.

Ada crocheted this fuzzy whale for her friend as a Christmas present.

We went to the Wilcox Family Christmas party.  Almost all of the grandkids are older teens now.  Grandma and Grandpa said that we didn't have to do a nativity and that we could just talk about it.  Our cute teens went and grabbed the dress ups, assigned roles and did one anyways.  It was our best one yet.

Sharon's girls especially love Sam.  It's adorable.

We chatted and Sophie told us about taking her sister's name through the temple that week.

The three wise guys

Ada was the camel/donkey/etc... she was cute.

Isaiah found this fake beard somewhere and it was a funny thing.  It fit with him well but was such a fun addition too.

Ada, Michelle, Isaiah, Sam, Devin, Evelyn, Aubrey, Jordan

Seth, Viv, Thea

Seth like's grandma's Santa.  He carried it around all night.

Jordan borrowed my camera and took some pictures.  These two are some of them.

Uncle Seth bought everyone sunglasses and googly eyes for Christmas.  So fun.

The next morning, we joined Aunt Nellie at her new place for breakfast.  

Our family did a fun Christmas medley that we'd prepared for our Ward as our family talent.  Me on piano, Sam on flute, Jer on recorder, Evelyn on violin, Ada singing, Seth on the bells.  Then we pulled out kazoos and played Jingle bells.  That was fun.

For Christmas, Seth made this for Jeremy.  I thought that was spectacular.  Jeremy is best.