Late December to Christmas!

I LOVE rec basketball.  I love that it gives all these kids an opportunity to be ballers even though the competition with high school basketball is overly intense.  Zac's team has played some terrible teams and some good teams, and we've played terribly and good.  It has been so much fun seeing his growth: he's an excellent rebounder and good at driving up the middle.  He communicates well with his teammates and asks for the ball this year.  SO MUCH FUN.

Also fun?  When your cousin shows up to enthusiastically as one of the 5 fans there, yelling your name and saying "THAT'S MY COUSIN!" after his breakaway score.

Living in Utah means we get to attend Kaua'i reunions.  This one was Jeremy Herr's wedding and ring ceremony.  I loved watching the Kaua'i boyz walk down the aisle before their buddy.  I taught Jeremy in primary for years and it was so fun to hear how much his new family loves him.

I cried hard hugging my dear friend Julie, Jeremy's mom and also one of my best friends.  She is ready to leave Kaua'i but limited by job situations. I also found out this night that Dawn is fighting Stage 3 cancer.  Life changes fast.

Chandlar, our interior designer, dropped off the most perfect Christmas gift--a commissioned sketch of our home.

The last two days of school before break, Kate and Owen went DOWN with Influenza.  They both had the flu shot, and neither were a confirmed case, but enough of their friends had confirmed cases that it was obviously the diagnosis.  They were feverish, so achy, had terrible headaches, and could not move from the couch for 3 days.

Brady was feeling overwhelmed with pre-Christmas tasks after a busy work week and willingly stayed back with the sickos while I went to Alta with Kristen, Walker, and Elise.  We expected junk snow (WHERE IS THE SNOW, UTAH?!?), but it was perfectly fine!  Nothing to get overly excited about, but certainly better than any other resort experience right now!  

That night, Brady and I left our sick kids and joined Cory and Kristen at the game, where we finally connected with the Giving Machine and Facetimed our kids to pick out their donation.

Monday morning, I met up with Kevin, Allison and Brandon for a ski day at Brighton.  Kate and Owen were finally feeling a touch better but still week, but could not imagine missing out on skiing with cousins.  They never actually connected for a run!  By the time Allison and Brandon were done on the magic carpet, Owen and Kate were completely wiped and hanging out in the lodge.  I was so proud of them for not complaining and instead entertaining themselves for hours while I helped their cousins ski.

I spent a lot of time working with Allison and Brandon on the magic carpet.  Initially, Brandon bolted down the hill and crashed to stop while Allison cautiously made her way down the hill with wide curves.  She became confident enough to try the bunny hill and after three runs, I challenged her to take on the green with me!  I couldn't believe her rapid progress and I was so proud of her willingness to take it on.  Kevin stayed and worked wtih Brandon.  Allison fell once but otherwise made it look doable!

Quick runs with Kate and Owen while family ate at the lodge.

Terrain park!

I try hard not to be jealous of the kids when I drive home.

Beautiful white poinsettia from our YW president.

Brady went to dinner with his buddies to cheer up Steve after his second surgery and father's sudden death.  

Another day, another issue.  My car got trapped in the garage!  

One of my favorite things that pops out with decorations is a painting Kate made, followed by the same painting mimicked by Owen.  It makes my heart pound with love that Owen wants to be just like Kate.  This year, they did the same with paintings, and the rest of us picked our own design.

This year, Kate and Owen were our custom gift wrappers.  The presents never looked better!

On the 23rd, we went to Salt Lake and stayed in Paul's hotel.  The world's greatest cousin exchange took place--everyone had $25 cash and had to purchase a gift for their person within that range (a rule broken by 50% of us).  Cory split up the groups and we were all in a group of 4 with just over an hour to shop together.  We helped each other avoid mistakes, laughed at possible white elephant disasters, and rushed from shop to shop looking at clearance racks.  Everyone finished so excited for the grand reveal after dinner.

The Ritchies ate at The Roof while we broke off and ate Italian.  They put us in a private dining room and we could all hear each other talk!  Our melted brie appetizer had me full before the entree. 

After a winter of 60 degree weather, it should not surprise me to see my son in short sleeves and slippers.

Walking Temple Square is underwhelming compared to full force lights.  Still a charming church behind us! 

Happy moment!  We ran into Kaua'i friends Michelle and Tony!

This was my best moment of Christmas: singing and dancing while this street performer played.  We danced and sang and talked with him.

After our gift exchange with lovely surprises and laughs, we "all" met to go rooftop hot tubbing.  All except for me and a few others who were too pooped and went straight to bed.

The next morning started with a family workout.  Owen proudly made it over 2 miles on the elliptical while Kate learned some weight lifting from Elise and Rach.

McKay wore this sweatshirt with a present pocket where he held his water bottle.  The best ugly sweatshirt of ugly Christmas sweaters!

We had a fancy breakfast at hotel where I won entree of the day: lemon ricotta pancakes.  

Nutcraker!  Our big splurge of the holidays.  The dancing was delightful and theater suffocatingly hot.  I texted Hilary that you can take a girl away from Kaua'i Ballet Academy but you can't shake ballet from her soul. I love the grace and movement of ballet!

That night (Christmas Eve), we hosted Cory and Kristen's family, Mom and Dad Nufer, Mom and Dad Edwards, and Ian and Anna for the traditional salmon bowls. I was lucky to score the salmon because apparently lots of people skip ham now and go straight for fish.  The butcher told me all about it...:)

Can you smell salmon and love?

Having my parents and in-laws dining together was bliss.

For young women's the week before, one of the girls shared her favorite Christmas Eve tradition: these nostalgic chimes.  I found them on Etsy and was thrilled to get them prepped for Christmas Eve.  Kate and I made three posters and we will have more for next year!  The first couple times through were rough but it came together.

Next up: carols around the piano.  I told my parents and Anna/Ian that we start rambunctious and end reverent.  We even sang "Far, Far Away" with the Spanish verse we learned for neighors when I was young.

Kristen tested our coorination with real flames for "Away in a Manger" and "Silent Night."  I burned my hair off at age 12 on Christmas Day so Kate was extra cautious and tucked her hair into her sweater.

Doesn't my girl look like me at the piano?  I loved that she and Elise took turns with the carols accompaniment. 

We finished off the night with a secular Christmas dance party.  Mom Edwards started by stretching, all in and ready to dance the night away!  Dad Edwards had no idea any of this happened.  

Nuptials in 3 days!

Kate, Owen, Grandma and Grandpa watched the new nativity movie put out by our church.  Kate asked them question after question about their experiences at Christmas and Brady and I listened to all of it while we frantically finished Christmas prep.

Christmas Morning!  In our own home!  With a real fireplace!  I won't lie, I was bummed that we didn't have the kids all marching up Cory and Kirsten's stairs in age order, but having our own home at Christmas was also magic.

Owen's expression seeing the 3D printer!  He said he knows Santa must be real because there is absolutely no way we would purchase it.  I'm not sure where his belief scale lands but I'm pretty sure it is at "hopeful" and not true believer.  That's good enough for me!

Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad Edwards!  

Zac ate every bit of his stocking candy within an hour.

Ketchup?  In his stocking?  Yep.

Go Pro!

Kate ordered almost all her Christmas at Pac Sun and Brandy Melville on Black Friday, so the occasional surprised was a delight.

Cologne

Her favorite hand sanitzer

Another surprise!

After Santa presents, we went to Cory and Kristen's for cinnamon rolls.  Zac gave Cory the fright/high of his life with smelling salts (oops), we saw their Santa gifts, and licked our plates clean.  So, no pictures walking up the stairs in age order but also no pictures of Zac in a sling on Christmas or Kate and me barfing--our other Christmas past times.

Roxy got the number one dog toy of the year: Lamb Chop.  Consider me impressed!  She barely plays with toys anymore but loves this little guy.

Mom and Dad Edwards gifted the oldest boys lighthouse socks and the girls a lighthouse necklace.  They wrote a letter explaining the significance of lighthouses and how they are a guide and safety for ships, and related that to God's light guiding and keeping us from harm.

Matching Jordan jogger sets!  I thought this was a grand idea but Brady let me know in the kindest way possible that he is not a jogger guy.   So, Owen has a jogger set and Brady exchanged for a vest.

Alta beanie!  A surprise paid for exclusively by Brady and picked out exclusively by me.

Grandma and Grandpa Nufer gifted Zac an art kit, Owen a BYU shirt and Kate a set of dystopian novels.

Shoulder Cosmo!

"Oh Snap!" ornament sums up Kate's year!

World Series Champs!

Rox fell asleep in her stocking.

Kate's gorgeous wrapping job.

When Kate told me to order Zac the tortilla blanket for her sibling gift, I questioned her judgement.  I was wrong and she was right, and he's been wrapped up like a burrito every minute at home.

Zac built me a flower lego set.  It will be displayed the rest of my life.

The boys got right to work, and I went and took a delicious nap.  It was almost as good as the cinnamon rolls.  Then, my second favorite moment of Christmas was running with Brady, who made it 3 miles without any knee pain!  Win!

Christmas night included Ruth Chris sweet potatoes, twice baked potatoes, appetizers, and Roxy peeing on their couch.  Yes, peeing on furniture for the first time in her life.  Horrifying.

Hoping it cleans up better with the professionals.

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!