December 2023 Piano, play, grandparents, and Christmas!

December 4 - Melissa, kids and friends went to Blanding 4th reservoir to explore for the morning.  Everyone came home muddy and happy.  

That evening was the 7th ward Christmas party.  The kids participated as shepherd (Finn) and the traditional manger animals, pig (Hannah) and kitten (Lilian). They seemed to have fun and the party was a fun chance to talk to some ward members we don't chat with very often. 

12/5 - Emily and Kendall Laws' neighbor gift was a poem/scavenger hunt to find Christmas light displays around Blanding.  We spent almost an hour walking around our neighborhood the first evening, the kids loved it.  When we reached a block with no lights (Christmas or porch) the kids complained about the lack, so I told them to look up.  The sky was completely clear and thy were in awe.  Lilian even pointed out a star in the Orion constellation and said it was probably Jesus' birth star (imagine Orion's knee cap a star cluster called M43 and M 42). 

12/8 - Monticello temple with Grandma and Grandpa Aurich. Melissa - My Dad told me that he and Darlene were going to go to the Monticello temple while they were visiting us. Andy was off the next day, so we joined them. I knew it was my first time going to the temple with my dad since he got his blessings back. When we were walking into the temple is when it hit me that it was the first time ever going to the temple with my dad. I missed going with him for youth baptisms, going through the temple for the first time and for my sealing. It was a very special moment seeing him in the temple. I'm so happy for the changes he has made in order to be there.


12/9 - Saturday after the kids were in bed and while I was walking the dog Melissa and Grandpa Aurich finished their puzzle. 

12/10 - Sunday afternoon Finn and Hannah performed at their first piano recital.  I was really impressed.  Finn spent the "preplay" section on my lap, never happens, and I was shocked when he popped up and walked right to the piano at his turn.  He was really nervous, but he did a great job. He played Jingle Bells, right hand only. 

Hannah did a great job and was very confident.  Next time we'll need to put her hair up so you can see her face while she plays.  She performed, We wish you a Merry Christmas, with two hands. 

Lots of grandparent support!

Even one of the kids extra Grandparents! Thanks for loving our kids so much Elida Numbers.

For Sunday dinner I did Korean hot pot.  I had just finished about book about North Korea and one of the defectors was shocked at the abundance of food in South Korea.  They specifically mentioned hot pot and the ability to choose from so many different foods. 

To celebrate Grandad's birthday (a few days early) and the twins recital, Melissa decorated a piano keys cake! Yum. 

12/11 - Hannah was in the Angel Choir in the Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever.  She performed Fri, Sat, and Monday.  She practiced for several days before and sang her songs at home nonstop!  She was great! Finley and Lilian went to all three performances and Melissa and I each attended 2.  Plus all 6 grandparents got to watch, since they were in town for the weekend. 

This girl is a natural performer! She loves to sing and dance. 

12/16 - Saturday in a bit of an odd day.  We ended up with a neighbor girl almost all day.  The kids played all morning, then she came over for lunch... and never left! I guess when we gave Finn permission for the girl to eat lunch with us, he told her mom that we would "watch her."  So the mom went to Cortez and wasn't home until about 7 PM. 
In between lunch and dinner we made graham cracker houses/mangers with Grandma Workman. Melissa and Hannah's stable. 

Lily and Grandma's big house with no roof. 

Ellie made a manger, with Lily cheesing it up. 

Finn and dad's house with heart shaped porch. 

12/18 - Finn and Hannah went to perform their Christmas songs at Four Corners Care Center with the other students in Haven's group. 

Wearing Christmas jammies?  No, but all your clothes look like jammies when you're 7. 

12/20 - Wednesday before Christmas means Santa and the Grinch come to the library!

And Grandma Workman got to read the stories. 

The library did a fundraiser to try to get new computers.  They had community members donate gingerbread houses for a silent auction.  It didn't go well, most of the houses went for $5-10.  Melissa outbid herself to buy her mom's house for $30.  As soon as it made it home, Black Widow moved in. 

12/22 - Friday evening at Nana's house.  Lilian hanging out with the Barbie dolls.  Purple is a brand new Melissa piece. The pink one is Hannah's.

12/23 - Saturday we went to King Buffet in Orem with Jon and Belle and Nana and Grandad.  Belle's birthday is on 12/24, so it was kind of a birthday bash, but mostly a Melissa and Belle always go out together when we're in Lindon. 

Lucky for Lily it is an Asian buffet, so she got to snuggle with a Hello Kitty statue. 

12/24 - Happy Christmas Eve! After church with nana and grandad Melissa stopped everybody for a picture. 

Playing a game with Adam's family before Christmas Eve dinner. 

We found this London bus at the Marks and Spencer display at a Target store in Oregon on our Thanksgiving trip.  It was supposed to be "build with Nana" but Nana was making giant meals for a couple dozen people, so it became "build next to Nana." 

After dinner opening of presents with James' family, not them, this is Adam's family. 

There is James' family.  

Oops, more Adam's family. 

12/25 - Merry Christmas!  7:26 AM.  The kids were great, they slept through the night. Just as I was sitting them down on the top of the stairs to wait for Nana, out came Nana.  

We opened most of our family presents and the kids started on their building toys.  Finn's new electronics set had a broken wire, so Grandad ended up soldering that back together. 

Christmas day game with Adam's family AND NANA!  Whoa, she sat down! A game about puns. 

Merry Christmas Jon and Belle. 

Merry Christmas Josh and Mandy's family. 

5 PM Christmas crackers to end the festivities. 

12/27 - We headed home ASAP on the 26th because Uncle Andrew and his girlfriend Andressa were staying in our basement in Blanding for Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Workman. Out for a hike with Uncle Andrew. 

Andressa is Brazilian and was living in Ireland. In October Andrew went to Ireland, they toured around Europe for a couple of weeks and then went home together to Oklahoma. Lily and Andressa are making Pao de Queijo. We stopped at the Brazilian store in Orem while visiting Nana and Grandad. Andrew caught whatever respiratory bug Grandma had so they stayed a couple of days longer than planned, then hit the road Saturday the 30th.

12/31 - Sunday dinner and New Year's Eve. Grandma and Grandpa Workman snuggled up after dinner to watch fireworks. 

The kid's with sparklers

Final holiday photo.  We ended up watching Dubai and London 2024 fireworks with the kids, then sent Grandma and Grandpa home and the kids to bed a little after 10 PM.   

It was a fun year.  The month long trip as a family was definitely a highlight. 

 

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