Branch Christmas Party, Dress of the Week and a Slightly Crazy Weekend

The kids in our branch at church doing a nativity enactment. So cute. =)

Tegan smiled at Santa, but this is as close as she was willing to get. At least there was no screaming this year. =)

She liked the goody bag.

Dress of the Week

This weekend felt pretty crazy, not that most weekends are uneventful. Friday evening started it all. Jamin had tennis, but I couldn't find his tennis shoes. So while Matthew and Gord went to help set up for the Christmas party, I took the other kids to get Jamin some new shoes. Then we had a sitter come and I finally got to see Breaking Dawn. Matthew about passed out. He doesn't do well with blood and stuff. I think it is pretty hilarious. He actually did pass out while he was reading the same part in the book. We were on an airplane at the time, so that probably didn't help. Then we went out to eat. When we got home, I realized I left my purse at the restaurant. I called them and said I would pick it up the next day.

Early Saturday morning we got out the door to start our activities. First Neil, Gordon, and Jamin had swimming. Then I skated with Neil at his lesson. Then Gordon and Jamin had tennis. While they were playing, I went with Neil and Tegan to go pick up my purse. Then we grabbed some lunch, ate in the car, and then I dropped off Jamin with a friend so he could make it to cubs in time. The babysitter got to our house just before I did so that I could take Neil to his music class. When I got home from that I had a little time before I needed to pick up Jamin, so I worked with Gordon on the piano. When I looked at the time, I had two minutes to get in the car to get Jamin on time. Unfortunately, it took me 12. So I called up his friend and asked if they could bring Jamin to their house and I would pick him up from there(They live about 10 minutes closer than I do). So I got to there house and waited and waited. The other mom's cell was dead. So I waited about 40 minutes(I guess they just finished later than they thought at cubs and she couldn't contact me because my number was in her phone which was dead). I called her husband's cell. He said they would just bring Jamin to the Christmas party. So I drove back home. Matthew pulled in at the same time. I spent about 5 minutes pulling myself together. Then we drove to pick up the buns for the Christmas party and went to the party. We were a few minutes late, but that is to be expected at church functions. We had a good time and got home around 8:30. We hurried and got the kids to bed and I cleaned up a little. I was completely exhausted, but Matthew encouraged me to finish a movie we had rented a couple nights before and I had fallen asleep during. So I did. Then at about 10 I could keep my eyes open no longer, so I got ready for bed and went to sleep.

Next day. Matthew has early morning meetings every Sunday, so I am on my own getting the kids ready. Sunday clothes are a little more tricky than any other day, so I need to help all of them except for Jamin. So I get them breakfast, shower while they are eating, get ready, then catch the kids one by one to help them get ready. I was only a few minutes late to church that starts at 10. I have been trying really hard to be on time, but am not always successful. So I made it through another sacrament meeting which is always an experience with four active children. I am nursery leader at the moment, so I got to go play with my four little girls for a couple hours. Matthew interviews people after church. It is tithing settlement season, so it takes a little longer than normal, I think. So I cleaned up the nursery and gathered my kids to go. It always takes me a really long time. Anyway, when I got home, thankfully it was not my Sunday to make the family dinner, so I practiced my flute part a little for Prelude to Christmas, got the kids a small snack, turned on Veggietales, and laid down on the couch for a little bit. Tegan and Neil came and snuggled with me. When Matthew got home, it was time to go again. We went over to my in-laws for an early dinner and then to the Stake centre for Prelude practice. Matthew came later with the kids. Tegan cried every time I got up, but the other kids enjoyed it and were very good. Matthew was stressed to have to take care of Tegan when I got up to perform with the choir. But I enjoyed singing and playing my flute in my few moments of freedom. We got home pretty late for the kids and they all quickly went to bed. We had a strange message on our answering machine when we got home. In the busyness I never looked in my purse after I picked it up and apparently some guy has my wallet. He came to our house to drop it off, but we weren't home. He went to our neighbour and left a wrong number with him. So I spent a big chunk of yesterday cancelling all of my credit cards. Hopefully this guy will find a way to contact me again. Oh and Gordon was sent home from school yesterday because he wasn't feeling well. He has bronchitis and we started him on antibiotics. He doesn't act sick, but he is coughing a lot so he gets to hang out at home for a couple days with us.

Christmas Concert and Dress of the Week

Gordon's and Neil's MYC Christmas concert...

Neil had a difficult time holding still during his performance (as expected by a four year old boy), no tragedies that I saw like knocking people over and stuff. Gordon did great while he was performing. I was so proud of him when he played his piano piece. I could tell he was trying so hard to do a good job.

Dress of the Week

National Child Day, Work Party, and Lots of SNOW!!!

This week was National Child Day. Every year our area has a free thing that is fun for the younger kids to go to. They do crafts and stuff. I like quality activities that are free. =)

This gym kids stuff is pretty cool.

=P

Neil learning about how to be safe around electricity.

Tegan loves to color.

Matthew's work party was also this week. We always go to Celebrations Dinner Theatre. It was a good time as usual. This year the theme was Glee. Matthew's parents have an anniversary always close to the time we go, so they are always asked to come up on stage. We make sure to make it known that it is their anniversary. Good times. Uncle Devin got up on stage a couple of times. First to dance with the scary gym lady and then to do the macarena. =) It was pretty hilarious.

It snowed a bunch this week. Freshly fallen snow is so pretty. =)

Dress of the Week

Aww... Tegan taking care of her baby.

We also had parent-teacher conferences this week. They have improved so much this year. Jamin is growing up and is a star student in his class. It is so happy to see. Gordon does a good job on his work. Sometimes he can be a real handful, but he has a great teacher.

Gordon's 6th Birthday!

The morning of Gordon's actual birthday. He got to open a present. He was so happy.

A couple days later we had a small party for him at a movie theatre. So of course I had to make a popcorn bucket cake. I was so proud of myself until Matthew told me he thought it was like a guy or something and the popcorn was hair. lol. Oh well. The red stripes were made with fruit roll-ups and I made homemade caramel popcorn and glued it on with a little buttercream frosting.

Gordon and some of his buddies and new toys.

... and the celebration continues. We hadn't had a chance to sing happy birthday to Matthew's Dad yet because we were both gone over that time. So we did that and he blew out the candles with some help from Gordon.

Then Gordon got to open his last present. It was a good one. =0)

Catching up - some Dresses of the Week

I love this skirt. It is a Children's Place one that I found at a consignment shop for like 3 dollars. Hurray for deals!

We drove down to the states and flew out of North Dakota to save some cash, so while I was down there Matthew let me run into Target for a "little" Christmas shopping (everything costs more up here). I picked this outfit up while I was at it. It is amazing how you take things for granted when you are not around it. I never went to Target when I lived in the states, but that place is awesome.

I found this dress at Winners. They have name brand stuff that costs less, you just have to keep your eyes open to find the super cute stuff. There is a lot to look through.

It is difficult to get her to pose for a picture lately, but she did pretty good with this one.

Vegas Scrapbooked

Notes by Jamin/ put together by Mommy

So I really wasn't looking forward to our Vegas trip. Vegas is not my favourite place. We were only going there because Matthew had a convention that he needed to go to there. But you know, we had fun. We made it fun. There is not a ton of kids stuff in Vegas that you probably couldn't do anywhere else, but we found all that we could and stayed busy. My favourite parts were the Hoover Dam and the Springs Reserve. The kids favourite places were the Adventuredome, Blue Man Group, and the Hoover Dam. The only thing I definitely would not have done if I were to go back was go to the giant screen on the ceiling at downtown Vegas. It was a very unpleasant environment. We did not stay there long. But overall, there were good memories made there, it was nice to spend quality time with the kids and it was an educational experience for them.