ONE BIG PARTY!!!

It's  B-day #3 for my main man Mace. (12-2)  Its fun to kick off the Christmas seasons with cake and ice cream.  For a fun activity--Kids have been begging to dip chocolates since they had so much fun at Grandma Pam's for Thanksgiving.  I was NOT nearly as clean, organized or patient but we did it and they had a blast.  
12-6 -12-8 Pam was awarded the Farm Bureau Women of the year for District 2.  We were all able to attend a Celebration Banquet to Honor the Nominees.  I was really impressed at how well the kids did for such a long  sober event.  They were so excited to see Grandma on the big screen for her clip and on stage to receive her award.  "She's famous".   Congrats!  On the way home she stopped by our house for a day to watch the kids for Preston's work Christmas Party.  Good food, Nice drunks,  Free stuff and a night with no kids. Win!. She was a huge blessing cuz we had Friday while Preston was at work to finish his Quilt.  I was panicking how to set it up to tie alone. I bought the picture blanket online flash sale from a Facebook ad but it was way smaller than I thought it would be so I hurried and made a Levi quilt around it.  Decorating for the Holidays took several days. #1 Because Preston refuses to help, or even be of good cheer until after the 10th something about trying to limit Commercialism.  Whatever Bring on the lights, music and mistletoe. #2 Not feeling 100%,  getting big, no energy. Have to take it slow.   and #3. just super busy like every other day is a party, ward function, Doctor or Dentist appointment. Uggg.   
16th- Aunt Loretta's 50th Birthday party was at Delwin and Tena's house. Nena was in from NY and we got to meet Charlies new girlfriend.  

We have a really mild climate here for Idaho and the canyon protects us from a lot also.  Good for me-bad for snow hungry kiddos.  We got our first few flakes Christmas Eve.  Just enough stuck around to make a dirty snowman with Dad after work.  I finished the Book of Mormon reading challenge by President Nelson by the skin of my teeth.  It was inspired. I have never read it that fast.  It gave me a new perspective on it.  I saw the whole story.  The connecting timeline, progression of events, new insights.  I loved it. Christmas Day dawned very early.  Like 3 AM and every hour till I gave in at 5:30.  We had a great haul. Lots of fun new dinky toys for Preston to play with.  This year we did the $5 gift exchange.  It was the highlight of gifts. The ones they remember.  Probably cuz I bought the rest throughout the year and wrapped 99% of them alone.  We went to the DI and picked names.   The kids were so excited. They looked at everything. Mace gave Axel a basket, a basketball, and spider man jello mold.  Axel gave Katana a basket with a body board and an Anna Elsa Topsy Turvy Doll.  Katana gave me a ceramic Mother poem plaque and bright yellow church shoes.  I gave Preston the book HOST and Hobbit DVD.  Dad gave Mace a Nerf gun and ride on toy truck.

12-27 to 12-29 This year for Christmas Mom and Dad wanted to buy us memories. So they bought everyone hotel rooms in Provo for 2 days. We were all down one hall so the kids were in and out the whole time.  complete chaos and Awesomeness. Trujillo's family was upstairs cuz their room still had people in it that had extended their stay.  Sad but probably best for Little Hyrum to have quiet.  Day 1: we arrived, set up,  had a pizza party and played games, just hung out. Dad had Pj's for everyone.  Even the 3 in utero.  Day 2 we got day passes to the Provo Rec center.  We played racket ball, wally ball, and basketball all morning.  The kids were in a day care for a 2 hour block so the adults could be free.   It was great.  Lunch and naps for the Kellys then we met back for swimming.  They had a kids area, lazy river and slides.  Then we went out for dinner at Golden Corral. So much yummy food!
Day 3: Packing up and heading out. Met back at the rec center for a family photo shoot.  That's always fun.  Stopped at Syringas for a while then hit Trafalga one last time before our cards expired on the way home. Big Weekend.  To many Memories to write so thank goodness for pictures that say so much more. 

Oh side drama.  Syringa was in charge of Parents gift this year  Started back in June trying to get Standing Tall Files from Aunt Clarita who bought them digital a few years back. This Series Mom asked for specifically.    Generational technical deficiency, distance,  lack of customer service and a system reboot from Brite Books Incorporated...It was a nightmare for poor Syringa.  She got it done like the day before we met up.  MP4 voice and read along picture books too.  We also got them a year of  Living Scripture (LDS Netflix)

And the year ends on a high.  Game night with the Kimballs where  Preston and I both won a game.  Katana put herself to bed about 10.  Emily got slime in her hair and cut it out (we found it the next morning.) and threw up about 11:30. The boys were up on a hard core sugar high and easily made midnight.  The rest of us counted down. Kissed.  And headed to bed as soon as we could.  Well folks We survived 2018.  So 2019 < HOLD ON...The only way is UP... baby . >