Celebrating the Season

 Leading up to Christmas we had lots going on. Greg traveled to Cali twice and I held down the fort. Rafe and Jaxon had their Tanner Dance performances this semester. Rafe for some reason, avoided me and my camera. I couldn't get him to dance near me so I could get a picture. And Jax's class was invited to dance at the U of U for the program sponsors in January. Their interpretive dance story was about space with the planets and at one point Jax was a satellite and did cartwheels across the whole floor. They also did some battles with the Romans and Greeks they've been learning about. Always so "entertaining" to watch the dancing. Or shall I say movement.

Greg and I went to Ebay's big x-mas party at the Grand America. The hotel was all festive and gorgeous. Yummy dinner, entertainment and then we left to relieve Jax who was babysitting for us. We use him ALL-THE-TIME now! It's so great having him old enough.

On a freshly fallen snow Sat. morning we had our ward x-mas party breakfast. It was at Camp Tracy Lodge up Millcreek Canyon. A hop skip and jump from home. And that morning driving up was so PRETTY! It was like a magic wonderland. Greg was in charge of the fire, and the boys were being silly so I took a picture. The ambiance was pretty neat as it is every year up there.

The previous Saturday was the Bangerter family x-mas party breakfast. Jax forgot his music, but Creed had his memorized and played a short song (along w/ cousin Lucy) for the Lorenzon entertainment. And a selfie shot of us saying Happy Birthday in a text video to Greg's mom LeeAnn.

The week before x-mas at school was busy. Bodie had a 1st grade program. They sang religious songs from all different religions. Our neighbor snapped a few pics of us before church so we could send out our annual electronic email card. And I was able to join Creed on a field trip to see the Utah Symphony. I was all excited for that. And it was the shortest performance ever! Ha! 45 min. and the show was over! I was so into it and what a bummer it was so short. But we got front row in the balcony at the awesome Cottonwood High School - that's an impressive building and auditorium. And the last pic is when I made Greg volunteer as a "watchdog" at the boys school for a day. That's where the dads come and spend the day helping and making a presence at the school. I figured all 4 of his boys are there so he had better go in this year. He only stayed a half day. Didn't even eat lunch with any of them. Pshaw!

Greg had the whole week off of work before, but he didn't get much down time like he wanted. Friday when school was out we did all go skiing at Brighton. Rafe was in a refresher class so next time I will get a picture of all of us.

And then Christmas came, and this is some stuff we did after. During the break. Creed and I in a selfie on Sunday (New Years Day, I'm back posting these) and then the younger 2 had to get in on the action. Rafe was upset he couldn't squeeze in. And then Greg and I went to our friends ugly sweater party. I borrowed mine and I stuck a Santa hat on his sweater and we called it good. Ha! Then one night we went over to our neighbors, the Abbott's, pool for swimming - in December. They heated their pool to like 92 for a few days. The boys all had a blast. Rafe had a bad asthma cough going on and the steam totally helped him. But getting out... burrrrrrr.

We were all sick at one point over the Christmas break. That part sucked. We blame Greg!

And here's this years ecard...

Christmas Day 2016

So after a rough night. It was dark and early. Actually it wasn't bad, 7:30am is just fine. The boys were all so excited of course. I did the lights, music and got the camera's ready. We checked out our stockings and then moved onto opening presents.

We had to hurry and be done so we'd have a few minuets to get ready for church by 10am. I wanted to wait for presents till after but Greg said NO! Greg had to go shovel the church and Jax had to be there early. I love having Christmas on a Sunday. It's just kinda special and neat and different. Once only every 7 years. I was looking forward to my boys feeling the spirit in the short music filled, Christ centered meeting. I told them how special it will be to go to church on the day we celebrate Christ's birth.

And a sad part- we got a call that the Stake Pres. had cancelled church because of the snow. 18 inches was all. Ha! And the parking lot and roads weren't plowed. I guess a plow broke down too. Erg! I was really quite bummed and sad. But it was also kinda nice to have to not hurry and get dressed to get out the door. We were able to stay home and relax and do nothing.

Anyways, back to our morning...

We took turns opening presents, still kinda chaotic but I try to do it one at a time. Here's a picture of all 6 of us opening something. Jax was thrilled with a pink Lamborghini, Bodie and Rafe got some glo-fish, one had died by morning. We said the dead one was Greg's. And even Greg got a auto nerf gun like all his sons. We have darts coming out of - everywhere. :)
Some other presents from this year were big remote control cars, dino, and robot. Race track, fish, clothes, watches, socks, sleeping bags, video games, and swords. Lots of boy stuff ya know.

Playing and hanging out all day. I was able to get a short nap. Greg's parents stopped by and the boys played in the snow for a bit. Lots of fun and a lot of mess. Oh and one of the presents lead the boys on a scavenger hunt around the house reading clues that took them to Greg's office where they opened a big heavy box that (didn't want to be moved upstairs) was our Trampoline.

It was a Merry Christmas! I just share the good and the bad.

Xmas Eve '16

For Christmas Eve we were with my Williamsen family side. And poor Greg started feeling sick the day before and woke up full on sick on x-mas eve. Boo! He came to Bountiful with us and stayed in the back bedroom or wore a mask. He gets sick almost every year on x-mas lately. 

The party started earlier, at 1pm. We visited my dad's grave at the cemetery and I tried to get a pic and you'll notice my kids are in the back ground roaming all over. Then back to my mom's house to play fun games and eat and then we did the nativity. Rafe said he didn't want to be a shepherd again and wanted to be a main person. So he switched with Jax and was Joseph. Then we did gift exchanges and everyone opened presents. There was supposed to be a snow storm coming in, so we wanted to start the party and head home before it hit. And we sure did. No snow until about mid-night.

Home by 6:30-7? I can't remember. Then we had the boys open their gift exchange that they drew names for. No crying this year. Then it was pj's and as tradition Greg read Twas the Night Before Christmas and I looked at our other book with them, Jolly Old Santa Claus.

Bodie was sure to leave cookies, milk, and carrots and he wrote a note to Santa this year. Jax used to always do this. So cute. He asked me how to spell some words, and guess at the other words. Ha!

Off to bed they went. Or so they were supposed to. You know, be dreaming of Sugar plums and stuff.

Ugh.

Here is where the night went bad. At 10pm I thought I might be in bed by 11pm if I hurry. Remember Greg was sick and basically useless so I was doing everything. Bodie decided this year that he was scared of Santa coming to our house and called us into his room multiple times. Worried about every little thing. We couldn't even say Santa's name. He was that scared. And he wouldn't sleep. We told him lots about Jesus and he wanted me to sing songs about Jesus. We were up with him until almost 2am! For a bit we thought he was asleep again, but no. Greg helped keep guard while I did almost everything! Ugh! And then I fell asleep and at 3am Creed is in my room upset because he can't sleep. Then again at 5am! I was dead tired and wasn't functioning normal and don't even remember what I told him to go back to bed. And at about 7:30am Rafe was awake to start our morning.

It was supposed to be a happy and joyous time and instead being tired and anxious and having a never ending night! Merry Freak'n Christmas! Ha!

Jax the Deacon

 Our Jax is a 12 year old deacon! What the what?!

He was ordained on Dec. 4th after church, Greg's parents came up for it. And I tell ya, he was so excited and looking forward to it. He kept talking about it for weeks and months leading up to it. And it finally came. He got the priesthood - as he'll tell you. Our bishop said it just right, how Jax is so eager and enthusiastic about all of it, turning 12, the deacon responsibilities, the gospel, living life. I agree, he is just a happy person. A great example to his brothers, and to me. And I love that he is always willing, willing to do whatever is asked of him. 

Oh, except to stand and pose normal for a picture. Ha!

I took these the next week after he passed the sacrament for the first time. He was SO proud and happy to be able to finally do that. And he looked good doing it!

 He's a stud. A James Bond 007, GQ model poser. Ha!

I love how proud and excited his brothers were watching Jax during the passing of the Sacrament. They kept smiling at him and waving. We sit on the back row of the chapel. Right in front of where they line up when the deacons are done. And I'm sure he was embarrassed but who cares, right?

It's surreal knowing that this day would come. We talked about it for years. We'd say, one day when you're older you'll be the one passing the sacrament. And now that day is here. It's all down hill for the mom from here.  

This last picture is from Dec. 20th. We took Jax to the do Baptisms for the dead in the SL Temple. He was so excited to finally be able to do that as well. And it was neat to share doing Temple work with one of my children. The Temple workers made him feel special for being there his first time. 

Catch-up

 Well for bits of November and the start of December, here is the low down. Besides our Toronto trip and Jax and Creed's birthdays, this is all the other stuff.

I went with Rafe to the zoo on a field trip. I sat with him and his buddy Jonas. And our group of boys had a hay day roaming around Hogle Zoo for a morning. Who knew one of the favorite things to see was not an animal, but a scuba diver repairing something in the seal habitat. They loved it.

And I caved, I can't believe we are pet owners. The day we got the birds, their names are Frederick for Creeds and Jax named his blue parakeet Sticky Joe. We had them in the kitchen upstairs for about an hour. Down to the basement they went. If you look close you can see how Bodie is whistling to the birds in the picture.

And then Creed's magnet art the day of the infamous election of 2016. Ha!

Last year Greg took the boys to Toys-R-Us and wanted to do it again. So we went one Saturday and roamed the store, taking pics of the boys with things they might want to ask Santa for. To get ideas for their x-mas lists. And I might add, we certainly were not the only ones doing that. Quite a few people were, kinda funny. Anyways, in the parking lot after I snapped a few or 10 pictures of the boys. So cute, arm in arm, then hand in hand and even a group hug. Just because they love each other. I didn't have anything to do with it all other than quickly snapping a few pics. I just loved it!

December life - Christmas stuff was up before Thanksgiving as usual. The boys played a 5 hour long game of Risk by the fire one evening. I got a picture of Jax and Creed on the joust bounce thing on Jax's b-day, I can't remember who won?

And a typical morning at our house. The boys all huddled under a blanket after cereal to get warm. If they aren't over a heat vent they are fighting over blankets. 

And I was volunteering in Bodie's class when they had a "hard lock down" drill (you know, where you hide from a bad guy) so all the 1st grade class squished and huddled in a corner. Their teacher did a good job explaining a situation without scaring the kids and never used the word gun and shooting. She just said sometimes a bad guy will have a weapon and get out around the neighborhood or come to the school, so they now know what to do. I almost got emotional. Geesh! What a situation?! You can see Bodie down in the front.

And Dec. 1st we went with Greg's family to Hires for dinner and then Temple Sq. for lights! This year there were several choirs around singing, that was kinda fun. And this time we went inside the Tabernacle. The boys thought it was neat to see inside and as we wandered around seeing everything we just saw in my mom's Temple Square Documentary that was on TV (KUED- PBS) a few nights before. (Yeah! Go April!)  We forgot to get a big group picture for some reason. But here is our little family. Gotta love our selfie's.

We love Christmas time! Poor Greg is traveling this week and next, he hates being gone during his favorite season. So we'll have to get his Christmas on when he gets back!

Jax turned the big 12!!

 This kid...

That picture screams Jax to me.

These 2 pics Jax is about 9 months old. Whipping the phone around and can I just mention his legs?! Chub to die for! He went through a stage of puckering his lips, I wish I could go back in time and savor baby Jax just a little more. He was such a delight. A fun and always happy baby.

Here at around a year old Greg had concocted this "new bar" to raise his crib a little higher so he would stop crawling out and falling to the floor. Jax is check'n it out. It worked for many more months and saved us until it was time for a big boy bed, and then we had to use it again for Creed. What is with those climbers? Bo and Rafe never tried. Every child is different.

And now, the baby boy that made me a mom has turned 12! What the?! This is a big birthday I tell ya! He was so happy to be 12. I have never seen a more enthusiastic kid to be able to get the priesthood and ordained a deacon on Sunday at church. And he looked awesome in his new suit.

Here he is opening his presents the morning of his big day. With his happy brothers piling on their oldest brother. He was also happy about turning 12 because that meant he could finally get a pet, he wanted a bird, which I wrote about before. And he was counting down until his big birthday party with his friends.

We had it at our church gym. And I tell ya, it was ideal. They got to do whatever they wanted and lots of playing and hanging out. We had a few activities...  Just dance, there was always a group dancing, then there was always a group shooting hoops or playing bball, and we rented a joust blow up thing and everyone had fun doing that and bouncing around on that too!

We were able to just sit and watch all the 11-12 year olds play. Greg helped direct the jousting a few times and then got a timed obstacle course going. I was worried the girls wouldn't want to do the jousting, but man, a few got in there and were beating the boys, everyone seemed to love it! Phew. We ate lots of pizza, had cake and ice cream and he opened his presents. With the music going and the blower noise and basketballs bouncing it was quite loud, but it was all part of the fun.

I think one kid is missing from this picture but here's the only group shot I got. It was hard to get them to hold still so I could take it. Ha! What a fun good group of kids!

Jax loved the whole night. He said the party and his birthday was epic!