Visiting a replica

Today after church, I was going thru papers my kids brought home from primary. I am excited for Jerom to be in Val8 class this year and to study church history. So I ask him about the map he brought home and if he's ever been to the places (Harmony, Fayette, Palmyra, Hill Cumorah, Kirtland). I gently remind him that we used to live a mile from the Susquehanna river, and that we had been to all these places. Multiple times.
still doesnt remember them. And then he says "my teacher asked if I had been to the sacred grove. I told him i hadnt been there but we went to a replica once" apparently I need to do a better job teaching about where we are visiting. Lol. And that we are at real, not replicated places. Thanks for reading. I just want to remember this one in my journal.

Happy birthday to avery!! the party begins today!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

5 days before Christmas, Abe, his dad, and 2 of his brothers decide to go hiking. Their reasoning? They want to take the YM on a big adventurous thing over the summer and want to go check their location out. I still don't get why right before Christmas, and in the middle of winter, and even why it has to be so remote there really is no town nearby. Anyways, they went. There was too much snow to do the exploring hike they wanted to do. And it was cold. Really cold. like 8 degrees cold and Jared had icicles hanging off his eyebrows at the end of their hike. I'm sure glad I got to stay home for that one! Fear not, they made it home fine. A little cold, and sick. Definitely Nickle-style.

Christmas is probably my favorite time of year. Kids make it so much fun.
They must have done their own photography in front of the tree...they all turned out a little fuzzy and oddish. 

I really struggled this year for Christmas Eve. We have always had family to be with on Christmas eve. We'd get together and have some food, have kids play parts while someone reads the nativity. Hang out til late. When we were in PA we had friends that were also away from family, so we got together with them and they became our family. Now that we are here in UT, we don't have family right here close. All our friends that we could get together with DO have family close-by and had made other plans. Which I completely GET! I just didn't know what to do with just the 5 of us on Christmas eve to make it special and memorable, and not just sitting around being uber lame. 
SOOO I thought long and hard about it and didn't like any of the ideas abe came up with. 
I was probably just being stubborn.
 I don't know. 
We finally agreed that we would go out to dinner (which we RARELY DO-maybe once or twice a year with kids) come home and do the nativity thing, and then watch a movie until the kids all fell asleep. 
So thats what we did. 
It ended up great! and I'm happy the way it all turned out.  
Merry Christmas everyone!!

I love new pillows for Christmas. We use them every single day! Might as well make it a good comfy one!

Thursday morning (2 days after Christmas) I hear a knock at the door. Its like 715. Who in the world would be knocking that early? My Mother in law. YAY!! She had traveled late to make it from Rexburg back to Arizona and stopped in our driveway to sleep. I don't really know why she didn't come inside...but she does have a set-up in the back of their minivan so she can sleep. She's an adventurous lady! Anyways, we visited for a while, and then she offered to take Jerom and Avery back to her house with her. We still had a week off for Christmas break. So we sent them! Boy oh boy did they have fun. They both got sick for the first few days, which I felt bad about, but they got over it. And what did Abe and I do with only one child at home? Party Time!! Wow we could do anything we wanted! Unfortunately, Chloe is accustomed to having siblings to play with. Most of the time she drove us crazy wanting our full attention 100% of the time. She was really, really challenging, but it was fun to have some 1 on 1 time with just Chloe. We also got caught up on chores, laundry, cleaning up after Christmas. We snuck in a late movie to The Hobbit (we took chloe, a pillow and blankets and she slept thru most of it) It was a great time! Thanks to everyone who had Jerom and avery over to play!

Yesterday (Monday, New Years Eve) we decided we should probably figure out how to get kids back. School starts up again on Wednesday. Abes parents were planning a work related trip to vegas but that didn't work out. So we decided to just go pick them up. After a little thought, and my fabulous husband agreeing, I stayed home and he took Chloe. What do I do with 24 hours all to myself?? CRAFTY TIME!! It was a fabulous New Years Eve!10 years ago I would have DIED to be home alone on new years eve. What could be worse than that?? Boy have my ideas changed! I loved having time to get little crafty things done that I want to but never had the time to just do them. YAY!! I was so happy.

To go along with my girl crafty night, I decided to do a twilight marathon at the same time.  So there are 4 movies out on DVD. I have 2 of the movies, and quickly got on redbox to see if I could get the other 2. One of them was all over the place. Breaking Dawn part 1? There was only 1 within 50 miles. I quickly added it to my cart, and then it was gone. Someone else got it! I screamed. And then it came back. So I added it, and paid, and I got it. YAY Sorry to whoever about got it. Fun times! I ran to the store to pick up movies and some supplies I needed. THEN I pulled my kitchen table into the living room, got myself all set up and worked and watched all evening. Happiness!!

So, ready for an update on the bathroom? Remember it was plain ol' white? Well, check out what I did! I went with the idea of Lisa. I painted the wall gray, and did an accent color of purple. I can change it up anytime by changing towels/wall hanging. Come over and see it. Its so hard to get a good picture. I put together the wall hanging myself out of scrapbook paper and foamboard from the dollar store. so less than $4 to put that little hanging together. Do yo like my rug? Chloe and I found it at Ross. When I brought it home, abes first comment was "wow, thats an ugly thing"! I couldn't believe him. Its so purple and matching the room!

Well, remember how I painted my bedroom when my sister was here? I forgot to tell you what my husband said.











Ready?















Nothing.

















He didn't notice it one bit! Granted, it was a busy week and he got home a little late, but he had been in there many times, and had been home at least 2 hours. He didn't say a word.



 

So before I go to bed, I ask him how he liked the paint. He looked around, Jumped a little, and was surprised. He didn't notice it himself at all. HE does say he likes it though.

Well, happy new year to you! I'm gonna go finish my movie marathon and relax before the madness starts up again.