The Weidmans

On Christmas Eve we finished our final preparations for Christmas and then headed to Chuck-A-Rama with my family. We definitely have favorites there including macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, french fries, and chocolate milk. We sang songs, acted out the Nativity, read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and opened presents. Hap's costume only stayed on a for a minute. We were in charge of the big gift for my parents and got them a statue of Jesus holding a lamb. Hap fell asleep on the way to the Weidman festivities and slept until morning. Brynlee loved beating me in this basketball game. Weid shared a great Christmas message.

With school over for the calendar year (finally! We had a full day of school on the 20th), we were ready for some fun. We went to the Vawdrey Christmas Party. It's always a highlight for me to hear Grandma tell us how much she loves us and hear her bear her testimony. My Dollar Tree props worked great for the photo booth. Cougar got to go shoot hoops while his dad ran. We celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary by going out to eat at The Pizza Factory. Simon and Chloe were in town for a few days so we got together and made gingerbread houses. After they left we had the service auction (not pictured). Lacey loved writing her name on presents this year and especially loved the donut wrapping paper I bought. Jodi gave all the kids super soft blankets. Having Hap play with cousins this year is apparently dangerous. We have no idea how he ended up with this cut on his head. Weid took the older kids to go ice skating with the rest of the family. It was Cougar's first time and he did ...

Lacey's teachers, the Knights, gave her a cookie. The primary kids sang in church and it was beautiful. Weid asked Sipho how he could talk to his mom and found out she was here in Utah, so they came by for dinner and a visit. Luckily Weid asked or we might not have known she had come because they "didn't want to bother us" during the holidays. I will never forget the happiness I saw and felt as Weid hugged this wonderful lady for the first time in 17 years. We all smiled (I love her smile) and laughed as they shared stories of people half a world away. It was a fabulous Christmas gift to meet Mama (or Gogo to the kids). Hap and Lacey loved that Grandma sent a chocolate tower again. Hap liked playing in the box it came in and setting up some Christmas decorations. Cougar is a great kid and got outside early and shoveled the walks when he saw it had snowed. Brynlee drew a cute Nativity on a scrap of paper. I finally got invited to go to a girls' night but it just ha...