Willie Family Est. 2006: December's Blur!!!!

Our December seemed like it was so busy and flew by! After we were feeling better from our strep, we headed up the mountain to get our Christmas tree. (Jess absolutely hates getting a real tree, but every year I insist. This year, I was just ready to get things up, so I decided I would be nice told Jess we could just put a fake one up – and I really was being sincere. He said he was fine to get a real one and he was actually getting used to it, so I didn’t push for a fake one too hard.) Well, we soon realized that because we had gotten so much snow this year there was no way we could go where we normally go. So, we had to just park and find one close to the road. (Does close to the road mean that you can see it from your car? Or does it mean really actually close to the car?) Jess told us to wait and he would cross the river to see what he could find. About five minutes later I heard the chainsaw start and then watched a tree come crashing down. I was playing with the kids on the sled and then proceeded to watch Jess try to get the dumb thing back to the truck. It took forever! He was soaked with snow and sweat by them time he got back to us. However, he did keep a positive attitude and didn’t complain. I was shocked. I knew as soon as I watched his boot slip through the ice, that was it. But, things actually remained calm this year. Our Christmas tree hunting usually ends in us not talking because I want to keep looking for the perfect one and Jess just wants to be done. This year resulted in not only us speaking, but us having a great time as a family setting up the tree. Jess strung the lights on it and did a very meticulous and fabulous job! Anya helped hang the ornaments and Huey was just fascinated with it all. We poked his hand with the tree a few times to teach him it was pokey and not to touch it. Actually, I just didn’t want him pulling down everything we had just put up. Is that mean? It worked. He left the tree alone the whole time it was up.

Next was the Elementary play. “WOW!” is all I have to say. After many hours of set building, costume making, practice, and rehearsals, we were sure it was going to be terrible. The kids were just not listening and it was so frustrating. The day of the actual play we were ready to cancel. To our surprise, however, they actually pulled it off, and it was a success. Both Jess and I were so glad to be done with it. Jess always says, “Christmas doesn’t begin until the play is over!” With the play over and only a half day left of school Christmas break was about to begin. Santa came to visit the elementary school, so we took the kids by. As you can see, he was pretty happy about being there. I was actually surprised that Anya went right up and say on his lap. Hugh....that was a different story!

This year we stayed at home until Christmas day. On Christmas Eve, we went with our friends, the Cooks, and took the kids sledding. It was in the middle of nowhere, and we had to take a hay ride behind a tractor to get there. When we got to the hill, we built a fire and roasted hot dogs and drank hot chocolate. The kids were not “happy campers!” Anya ended up falling asleep by the fire, and Hugh cried the whole time. It was fun, but would have been better had the kids enjoyed it a bit more. That night, we went to our friends, the Thomas’, and ate dessert with them. We have done that for the past three years, and it has kind of become a tradition. We had fun with them and the Barnes family, who came as well. At 8:30 on Christmas morning, we had to wake Anya up so we would have enough time to open presents before leaving town later that day. Huey was so excited the second he saw what Santa had brought. He knew exactly which toy was his and ran right to it. Both of the kids really enjoyed all of the gifts. Their big gift was from Aunt Donna. My parents gave us money that she left them and told us to buy something special for us and the kids with it. We bought the kids a really nice playhouse that they LOVE!! We literally had to drag Anya out of it to leave for Lyman.

On our way to Lyman, we got to talk to Dave. We didn’t make it to Lyman in time to talk to him, so they held Richy’s cell phone up to the phone and we talked that way. It was short and sweet, but it was good to hear his voice. He is doing great, as was expected. Once we got to Lyman, we quickly dropped our presents off at my house and headed over the Willie’s. This year was our year to spend with them. Everyone was home, and we had fun spending time with them. Sunday, we went to church. By the time Sacrament Meeting ended, Hugh was screaming and Anya was running around in her panties because she had wet them for the third time that day. (That’s what you get one you have one baby teething and the other with a bladder infection. Jess jokingly went and got our diaper bag and told Rich, “You know it’s time to leave church when you are out in the hall with a screaming baby and another one is running around without pants.” Needless to say, we did leave as the closing song was starting. On Sunday, we sneaked over to my house for a quick party with my family. We ate dinner and then had a gingerbread building contest. It was way fun. Each of the four little ones got to pick their team. I was on Jilly’s team along with Jay. Of course, Mark was over the top and whipped out the piping bag and made shingles and everything. They all turned out cute and it was fun putting them together. We stayed a few more days and then came home to enjoy a nice quiet house with just the four of us for New Years. We were all in bed by 8:30. Pathetic, I know, but necessary after a long, fun week in Lyman.

Jess dragging the tree!!!