December

December started off with the Thomas Family Sub 4 Santa. So we also helped buy some stuff for another little boy as well which was cool. 

 

100's of awesome Nativity scenes set up at a South Jordan Stake Center. I recognized some of the names from people in my old Hearthstone Ward. 

  

Traditional Luminaria with the Williamson's. 

 

  

Gingerbread houses. Ty's favorite (NOT!) it's really one of my favorite things to do. This year we took it down to the living room to do them during the First Presidency devotional. That might have to become a tradition. 

  

Teaching High by myself is not near as fun as teaching with Crystal but she will be back from baby mooning soon and it will be glorious! She sent me Crumbl cookies for a thank you and they were quickly commandeered by Brynlee and Kambria. 

  

4th grade Program. I'm so stinkin' proud of my kid. She memorized and said her part like a boss! Ty was able to come to this one as well and we all thoroughly enjoyed the recorders.... *sarcasm*

   

We were babies. Michael Zoellner sent us this picture from when we got together with all Ty's buddies 11 years ago. I can't remember where we were but wow.... blast from the past. 

Fooding it with Mimi and Papa and all the grand kiddos. 

Adult Christmas parties.... so nice. Mystique Dining at Gardner Village. Dinner and a legit magic show made for a fun night out with just the adults in the fam. 

  

Sincerely proud of this beautiful dutch braid I did for Brynlee so it had to be documented. 

Best friends are simply just that.... the best. 

  

Mrs. Bradt is, sadly, retiring and won't be returning after the Christmas break. Brynlee was super sad about it and made sure we got her a gift and that I could come get a picture with them together. So much uncertainty starting the year with not knowing who her teacher was going to be. Then she grew to love her and is sad she is leaving. 

 

Gene Fullmer Elf Workshop = cheap family fun for half of the day. The Grinch came up behind Brynlee and scared her so bad, it was awesome! They let everybody swim afterwards. 

    

Christmas Sunday Family Selfies

Not sure how long she will want to match exactly what I'm wearing so I will soak up every second I can get. 

    

Sunday night before Christmas we trekked all over the valley looking at Christmas lights with my family. From the amazing dude that lives behind the Capital with all the vintage yard decor and giving out small gifts, waiting in gobs amount of traffic in Magna to see the Christmas street there, then heading to Gardner Village to walk around and see all the elves. Brynlee was miserable because she had to pee and it was all closed so no bathrooms. 

Project Dance Christmas class. I'm pretty certain I embarrass Brynlee. 

  

Brynlee and I spent the rest of the day making cookies for our Christmas neighbor gifts and delivered them. Red velvet is always a hit. That night we went to Grandma Thomas' house to celebrate Christmas with the Thomas family.

  

Christmas Eve morning class! Our gift was Crystal got to come back and take it a bit easy and teach class with me! Woohoo! Such a great turn out. We gave them all High Fitness chapsticks and Happy Hippo treats. 

Christmas Eve - During the day Ty, Brynlee and I went to see Star Wars Rise of Skywalker then it was off to Mimi and Papa's for celebrations, jammies and memories. 

 

  

My heart was beaming and my eyes were wet because of how proud I was of this little girl. She played Silent Night while Kingston and Cash sang it in German. Oh my gosh we have awesome kids in our family. All through the month we were doing acts of service to fill the manger for baby Jesus to have a soft bed on Christmas morning. It was Mimi's idea. I think we did pretty good. 

  

  

Christmas morning. My favorite part is watching the Nativity videos and saying prayer together before the festivities start. We also asked Brynlee to play a song for us. It was kind of a big deal because she left her piano book at Mimi's and was freaking out she didn't have it so we had to have Mimi take a picture of it and send it so she could play it on the iPad. 

   

      

 

Harry Potter legos, overalls, beanie, a weight set, new 49'ers hat and sweatshirt, scooter, Harry Potter illustrated book #4 and lots of doo dads and fun. Our main gift to ourselves this year was to refinish the basement. We got started on it pretty fast and it won't take us long to finish it I don't think. 

Christmas Day

Breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa Brown. Then to the Thomas Fam. We got a folding chairs and a folding table and we could not be happier!!! That's when you know your'e getting old! Going to see Grandma Cookie and Grandpa Donut is becoming a tradition but probably won't be for too many more years. Grandma is getting worse and it is really sad. So this was a cherished gem for me to witness Grandma playing the piano with Mc and Brynlee. I think Brynlee was impressed her Great Grandma can play a mean piano song. Mimi always out does herself every year but we always have a good time. 

   

   

This year we finally decided to get rid of this little tree. It was our very first one and it makes me sad to see it go but it's time. Another funny (not at the time though) story. Brynlee and Kam came running in the house one night after we had been somewhere and they jumped on my chair which knocked the tree over. Brynlee was screaming and I was screaming because she didn't let the dog out and I had no idea the tree was falling over (or had fallen over). So we were all screaming, Kam was feeling terribly awkward as I sent Brynlee to her room for freaking out because she wouldn't listen to me at all. Ty and I tried to get the tree back up and as we were doing so, that red decoration you see in the picture is a solid piece of wood and it fell and hit me in the head. Like the corner of it hit me directly on the back of the head and I was a bit light headed for a second there. I didn't even care the tree had been knocked over. I was just upset Brynlee was yelling at me and hadn't let Toby outside after we had been gone for awhile. 

 

Sleepover with Maga and cousins. A tradition we all look forward to every year! Ty and I went to see the 2nd Jumanji while Brynlee was gone. Not as funny as the first one but definitely still a crack up. Christmas break was spent doing lots of legos, demo and refinishing the basement and just chillin' together. 

 

 

New Year's Eve Brynlee and I went to get pedicures together. I am happy we can do grown up things together. Tradition reigns and we spent NYE at Grandma and Grandpa Browns doing the drawing. 

 

Happy New Year!

This past year was awesome. So many new things. Ups and downs too but I love this crew of mine. We might not be the loudest, most interesting or fun all the time but we love each other unconditionally, no matter what, and I get to keep them forever and ever!