{DeCemBer wRap up}

Sam keeps telling me I should update my blog. She's right. I've just been so busy I haven't had time to do it. So I'm cheating and dating this so it goes into December.

The hula turned out great. The girls were fabulous! The boy's Hakka was excellent also. Santa showed up at the end of the party.

Ally's birthday was the next day.

Taking family pics for the Christmas Card is always a treat!

Ally wanted a disco party with her friends. They danced and sang. It was loads of fun!

We took a trip to Temple Square to see the lights.

It snowed A LOT!

Landon's friend did the 12 Days of Christmas. Here's Ally late one night blowing bubbles that had come that night.

Christmas Eve we ate Chinese food and opened presents with my family.

Christmas Morning - the kids definitely got what they wanted.

Chris' parents came over Christmas Morning and played with us.

Ally and I had a fun day out, looking for dresses.

New Years Eve Day - our stake took the youth ice skating. It was great!

New Years Eve - we ate, played games and watched fireworks at our neighbors.

{dAnciNg the HULA}

OK, I don't know that it is the Hula exactly, but some Polynesian dance, that we are having to learn for the Christmas Party this Saturday. I am such a bad dancer, I hope the girls get it down so they can make the rest of us look good!!! Leah is so great to teach it to us. Thanks, Leah!!!

{cHoiR cOncErts}

The choir department had a Christmas Concert last night. 4 of the young women (Sammy, Laura, Tara, and Ciaran you all did a fantastic job!), from our ward, were in it, so we decided for our activity this week we would go see it.

Their director is great! She said the concert would be an hour and I believe they were done in under an hour. I was glad that I went early to save some seats. I thought I had enough, but then when I got the text that we would need more I was the only one there saving seats so I couldn't leave to find some. Oh well, it worked out ok. I couldn't believe it was so packed though!

(pre-concert rehearsal)

{sCiEnce fAiR}

Landon, I'm so proud of you for doing such a great job on your science fair project!


Doing science fair projects is so stressful to me. At our old school it was an optional thing and if my kids didn't care to do it I didn't mind one bit. However, at the new school doing a project was mandatory for 6th graders. Landon was so good about it. He and Chris found something to do and Landon worked on it all by himself. All I had to do was take and print pictures and then worry about his grade! Since he said if he fails this project, he will fail science and won't pass 6th grade. For a kid that couldn't possibly think of something worse, as far as school goes, this is a big deal.

I have to admit it was hard looking at the picture placement and the crooked, taped and cut paper without a background, and so on, but I was more than happy to see, once I got there, that the kids had all (mostly) done their own boards also!

{sAmmY's CULLEN chRisTmas TrEe}

After the Festival of Trees Sammy wanted to have her own Cullen Christmas Tree. So I helped her gather, buy, print, and cut stuff so she could hang them on her tree. She wanted to immediately cart it off to her room, but we made her leave it so we could all admire it a bit longer! Good Job, Sammy!

{feStiVaL of tReeS}

We love going to the Festival of Trees. It's fun to get ideas on how to decorate your Christmas tree. I wondered how they did this year. I was worried that lots of them wouldn't sell, just because people are pinching back this year, regardless of effects that the economy has on them. We were there on the last day and there were more unsold trees than normal, but it seems like they did pretty good. All the money raised from the sale of the trees goes to the Primary Children's Hospital.

We also like to go to the Festival of Trees to see Sammy dance!

{caNdY wiNdOws}

During the Gallery Stroll we were also able to see the Candy Windows. It doesn't seem like they had as many as usual, but maybe we just missed some.

{doWnTowN gALLerY sTroLL}

Every first Friday of each month Downtown Provo has a gallery stroll. Galleries are open in the evening for free, so that people can come and see the local artists stuff. This year my in-laws were the ones in charge of the show at the Covey Center for the Arts (I prefer to call it the Covey Arts Center, so if you see it mentioned either way, it's the same place!). They along with about 15 other artists displayed art in a fabulous showing. It will be there all month.

{ooPs...foRgot to pOsT piCs of THANKSGIVING}

Thanksgiving was great! It was probably the most laid back Thanksgiving we have ever had. Yes, we did have to cook and we even had family over for dinner!!!

Turkey Bowl JR Edition!

gobble...gobble...

{tiMe iS sLippiNg By}

Life has been crazy lately.... I guess it's that way for everyone!

Since I've had my thyroid out, It seems like when I get sick, I get pretty darn sick. I wonder why that is? So I haven't been up to typing much lately. I seem to be on the mend now. It's a good thing. I asked my kids what they wanted to make sure and do this holiday season and Landon's immediate response was - "not have any surgeries". I guess having me out last Christmas was pretty traumatic!!!

So it's almost been a full year since my surgery. I think I've adjusted to my meds pretty good now. I think it was only changed 3 times to finally get it right, if it's even right. I'm not sure you know how to tell completely. My scar is never going to go away, but at least it doesn't bug me anymore. I couldn't wear shirts or necklaces that would rub against it, or even have my hair down around it. My family doesn't make as much fun of me anymore for doing strange things, so I'm guessing either they have gotten use to it or my body is really balancing out better.

All in all I think Landon will get his wish!!! No surgeries this Christmas, Please!!!