December Summary Part 1

I'm so far behind that I'm just going to summarize December.  Here's a few things we did in the first half of the month.

Decorating the Tree:

Science Fair:

Dan missed the Science Fair because he had to work late and there was a big storm that day, so the roads were terrible.  So we went to McDonald's after the Science Fair, because I didn't feel like cooking after such a crazy day.

Gingerbread Houses:

Shoveling Snow:

Jorgen practicing Jingle Bells with his "class pet" Corduroy:

Ethan's Blessing

December 1st - The last thing we did over Thanksgiving weekend was attend the baby blessing for little Ethan Hall, Derek and Stephanie's new baby boy.  After 4 girls they were super excited to finally have a boy!  This is the only picture I got that day.  I think everyone was sick of me taking pictures.  After the blessing we had a quick meal and then started the long drive home.  It was a fun weekend!

Thanksgiving Weekend - Saturday

Saturday morning, November 30, we headed to the St. George Children's Museum.  Admission is free and there were a lot of fun activities for all the kids.  We got there first and left last, that's how much the kids liked it there.

After the museum, we all split up to do our own thing.  Our family decided to drive to Zion National Park and do a few of the shorter hikes.  We didn't get there until afternoon, so we chose 2 hikes, the Weeping Rock and the Emerald Pools.  Weeping Rock was very cool and the kids loved it.  Violet couldn't stay out of the mud!  Then we did the first of the Emerald Pools.  There are 3, but we only had time and energy for 1.  I remember it being much more green and pretty, from years ago when I was there last.  This time it looked murky and dull.  But it was almost sunset, and also fall instead of summer, so that probably affected it a bit.  It was nice to be hiking in the cool autumn air.

That murky puddle in the top center photo is the Emerald Pool.  The kids were not very impressed with this one.

Violet was WORN OUT!  She slept on the couch for a long time while everyone ate dinner that night.

Thanksgiving Weekend - Friday

On Friday (Nov. 29) we went out to the Hurricane airport where we got to take turns riding an airplane.  Dan's sister Steph's father-in-law was gracious enough to give a ride to everyone who wanted a turn.  It was just a little four-seat plane, but it was fun!  The weather was again gorgeous.  We flew just a small route around the Hurricane valley.  Just over the mountains to the east would be Zion National Park.  The water you see in some of the pictures is Sand Hollow Reservoir.  

Later that night we had a hot dog and marshmallow roast.

Thanksgiving Weekend - Wednesday & Thursday

This year was the Nay's turn for Thanksgiving.  But Grandma and Grandpa Nay are in Mongolia on their mission, so they were not going to host like usual.  So Dan's sister Stephanie invited us down to her place in La Verkin (near St. George).  It ended up being just our family, Steph's family, and Paula's family, but we still had a lot of fun.  We stayed Wednesday through Sunday so we could see the baby blessing for Stephanie's new little boy Ethan.  Our family stayed at a hotel, except Bethany who slept in her cousin Mauri's room.  That way we only had to get one room :)

Wednesday we arrived just after dinner.  So we played a little, got Bethany settled, then went back to our hotel.

On Thursday the adults cooked and the kids played on the bouncy house that we rented.  The weather was beautiful and the food was delicious.

Bounce House

Meeting Ethan, and playing with Lily

Thanksgiving Dinner

Pie and more bounce house

Playing with cousins

Cute and tired babies

November

Here are a few things we did in November.  Bethany and Andrew won awards at the School Reflections Assembly, both in Music Composition.  Andrew left before I could get a close up picture.

On Jorgen's birthday we finally got our new playhouse (that we ordered in July).  Dan has pictures of it on his phone.  I for some reason don't have any photos of the whole thing.

We had some beautiful weather in November.  One day Jorgen, Violet and I had a picnic in our new playhouse.  Peanut butter sandwiches, apples, chips, and juice boxes.

Bethany finished up her volleyball clinic.  Here she is serving and celebrating because she scored the winning point for her team.

BFFs Taylor M. Taylor P. and Bethany

Jorgen lost his first tooth on November 19th.  He didn't even have a wiggly tooth, but one night he tried to open a toothpaste tube with his teeth - and came up crying because his tooth was now bleeding and very loose.  The next day, he was crying that it hurt really bad.  I looked at it and it was hanging by a thread.  So I told him if he pulled it out it wouldn't hurt anymore.  So he did!  He just yanked it out and that was that.  No more tears!  

Another sunny day, more pictures of playing outside.  November really was beautiful.

I'll do Thanksgiving in a separate post!