No Long Winter's Nap

Christmas is over. Abi took down the tree today. 

Usually I'm ok to leave it up though January 1st, but Abi was in the mood to get it done, and I didn't mind. So it's all packed up and put away. My BeReal - 

We vacuumed the plastic pine needles off the floor and the front room has been reclaimed. Christmas is over, but the vacation from school isn't! And we are grateful to have time in the mornings to climb. We don't even need jazz band to get us up and out the door. I went climbing with Joseph and Wes this morning nice and early (6 am during a "break"! Wow, go us). Wes showing Joseph how to send the green V3 that Wes just figured out on Saturday!

And with Wes showing him and coaching him, J got it too. 

We love climbing, it's so fun.

We had to get up and go early cause everyone was going to go skiing at 8. Our desire to go climbing first made them a little slower getting out the door, sorry Corey. They went skiing up at Snowbasin. I stayed home with Abi and Natalie, cause they're both feeling a little sick. And we kept Peter and Katharine so everyone could have fun skiing without the little ones. I was glad Abi felt well enough to work a bit, so that was nice. They didn't take a lot of pictures skiing, but I got this one from Joseph of him (right) with cousin Seth in red, and Ethan in the middle.

Ethan having fun ~

Looks like it was a good day to ski! I've never been to Snowbasin. I'll have to check it out later. The college kids were happy to get a BeReal while skiing. It's with our Mountain Collective pass. So it was a good day - climbing, skiing, tree down, cleaned a bit. After they got home, they sat around adoring Katharine...

And we broke out the Wii. 

Most of the kids did that. Joseph still has school work - studying for the MCAT. Mel was workign on her computer too, Peter eating pizza - 

They give him a fake control so he thinks he's playing, and they cheer for him and tell him good job. 

Wes didn't play video games. He was too excited to start putting together his Metal Earth temple. Working on the spires above. I'm impressed how he can work with tiny things like this. 

We tried a little bit to be lazy, but there's a lot to do to recover from the holidays. Slightly wondering when is the part where we all settle down for a long winter's nap? I guess that's Katharine's job.

It's fun having almost all the kids home!! We are missing Hyrum but are so excited to almost be able to say we'll see him "this year" and he'll finally meet Katharine. Life is so good. 

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! It was a happy day. Kids playing with Katharine and enjoying time together. 

They enjoyed their sleepover in the front room under the tree. 

They ate the treats in their stockings. After Corey and I got up, Corey gave everyone the letter that Hyrum wrote to them. 

In the letter to Corey, Hyrum let him know that it took him FOREVER to write everyone.

...followed by "You have a lot of kids."

Then it was the moment they'd all been waiting for and they opened gifts from each other. the kids drew names for Secret Santa over Thanksgiving, and it was supposed to be: J - A, M - Eth, E - Wes, W - lily, A - Joseph, L - Mel, S - O, N - S, O - D (Lily help), D - N (Abi help), and P and K did not participate. Ethan didn't buy Wes anything, but I had a gift that I let Ethan pay for and he gave that to Wes - a metal earth SL Temple, which Wes loves. After opening the first present and putting the wrapping in the trash, Natalie jumped up and grabbed it from the trash "Don’t throw that away! That bow is still useful!” Uh oh - she might be her mother's daughter. Two other quotes from today - Corey and people talking about India - “it’s a different world…” Ethan- “There are a lot of different worlds in this world...” haha. Also, Corey warning the children "The more you complain, the more your mother will laugh." Some highlights of the gifts: Sophi gave Wesley a coupon book - 

Some of the coupons will be very helpful. Most of the gifts were just regifting personal items, or someone else's items that they found. 

Joseph put Katharine in his Christmas sweater that he got in a thrift store in Guatemala. She didn't like it.

Mel gave Ethan a poor student discount plan but disguised it as digital Trump cards as a joke. It looked pretty legit that it really was Trump cards, so funny!

He wasn't very excited to get digital Trump trading cards.

Everyone knew what it really was, haha.

We've enjoyed having Ethan's pet fish Sushi here over the break. He's a nice fish. Abi gifted Ethan some of her fish's former belongings, on loan until Sushi dies or Abi gets a fish. 

Then to the side room for more presents. 

Lego sets...

The mission books for JME were a hit. The only problem we realized was that some of Ethan's photos must not have downloaded onto his blog, so there were a few weeks that were missing the photos. I don't know if he'll get it reprinted sometime, but I don't think I'll redo it, unless I give it to him again for Christmas next year. I'll let him decide if he just wants to make do or if he wants to pay for it himself. 

Joseph looking at the photo of him, on the side room tv, wearing the same sweater, just two years ago. 

Peter liked the Spidey and his amazing friends cars that Wesley chose for him at Costco.

At one point, Daniel was crying cause he couldn't carry all his stuff. We were laughing at the first world problem. Joseph went to help him. 

We went to church for just an hour today, for a special musical Christmas program. Sophi and a group of girls sang one of the numbers.

Katharine wore her pjs to church. But with a bow and pearls!

A photo from someone in San Diego who was taking care of Hyrum today. 

It had been an early day for Peter, and he fell asleep during church. 

We went over to Corey's parents house around 1 and enjoyed lunch/dinner over there, visiting, and more gift giving.

Katharine being sweet and beautiful.

Talking to Hyrum!

Playing with more presents. 

Back at home - basking in the Christmas fun explosion. 

Wesley helped Owen build his Ninjago temple lego set, it was pretty cool. It reminded Wesley of Avatar. 

I'm glad I've been able to sneak in some blogging up here (Today is actually 2/26/23 but I truly am grateful I was able to sneak in blogging, yay, I'm almost done with December!) Time for bed soon. Katharine with a tiny bottle of sparkling apple cider that I stole from my parents. Merry Christmas.