Toy Train Exhibit and Church Christmas Program

One morning Melanie wanted to "Feast on the Scriptures"

I completely forgot about the Toy Train Exhibit!  Saturday, after Melanie woke up from her nap we headed out for the Toy Train Exhibit.  We stopped by to get some cash and when we got back on the road we were right behind Daren and Crystal K*.  We waved and wondered aloud if they were going to the same place we were.  As it turns out they were.

playing with the trains

Some of the displays

 Amy refused to get in the picture because she didn't know the person taking the picture

  Getting on the train to the "North Pole"

 I probably should have brushed Timothy's hair - oh well

 Before seeing Santa

 The "professional" pictures:

" the best one"

I was trying to get Amy to look at the camera - no such luck

 riding up top in the caboose on the way back

 Timothy and David up top in the caboose

 Melanie eating a cookie

 More displays

Sunday morning I wanted to make sure to watch the "Music and the Spoken Word".  It had been a few weeks since I'd had the opportunity.  We had all slept in until 7:00, so after breakfast I quickly got ready for church.  I figured Melanie wasn't going to nap before church.  I didn't even worry about until after my song.  Before I even sat down before church, Kaitlyn K* offered to sit with my kids while I sang.  I was grateful for that since Aaron would be on the stand the whole time.  Unfortunately I was really nervous, and I tried to calm my nerves, but it wasn't working.  I gave Melanie to Kaitlyn and told her she may have to take her out.  The beginning of the song was fine, but then I began to think about the words, and I choked up, and barely made it through the song.  Once I gained my composure I looked down to see Melanie just sitting on Kaitlyn's lap, not making a sound.  That made me happy.  Once I sat down I could enjoy the rest of the program.  Melanie was exhausted, and it didn't take much for her to fall asleep.  I didn't even have to get up and walk with her.  She slept for about 40 minutes, and woke up during Sunday School.  The program went a little long, and then Sunday School went a little long, so we only had about 35 minutes for Relief Society.  I was on my own, but it all worked out.  Julianna had prepared a lesson ahead of time and gave me the materials before she went out of town.  I had people help me read a story while I pulled things out of Santa's sack, asked questions for discussion and had us sing some songs.  I messed up once when I couldn't find the Santa ornament.  I did eventually find it though.  After church I wanted to get a picture of the girls in their Christmas dresses.  The ones at the church with my phone didn't turn out that great.

 I got some better ones at home

We didn't do much else.  I put Melanie down for a late nap.  That evening we just played together for the most part. And enjoyed a delicious dinner.  Aaron made this Quinoa Red Bean bread - yum!  I'll have to post the recipe soon.  David put together a great FHE lesson, and they watched "The Nativity Story".

Monday was a pretty quiet day.  The primary had a great activity planned.  They ordered pizza and made bread sticks and popped popcorn.  They fed the kids and showed a movie "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas".  They also had a choice of playing in the gym or playing games in the nursery.  I dropped them off, and ran to the local grocery store.  I fed Melanie some lunch and put away a few things at home.  Then I went back over to the church and talked with Katie S* and Crystal K* until it was over.  I gathered the kids and then went home to get Melanie to take a nap.

I don't remember much else about that evening, but we were playing Ticket to Ride for an activity and Aaron got called in to the hospital.  He wasn't on call, but the Dr. on call needed some back up.  That's only the second time that's happened, where's he's needed to go help when he wasn't on call.  Eventually I got the kids in bed, then I wrapped the presents I hadn't gotten to.  I was playing around on the computer and then noticed what a mess the kitchen was, so I started cleaning, and remembered a few things I could do to get ready for dinner the next night.  Before I knew it, it was 11:00 and Aaron still wasn't home.  I was doing dishes when he called and he was home before midnight, I hadn't gone to sleep yet.  It was a late night!

Ward Christmas Party and Peds Luncheon

I think I posted a few of these already, but they are just so cute.  This is Melanie's hair Monday morning after having it up in a pony tail on Sunday.

I neglected to mention that we had a new gate put in last Monday  It's mostly to keep Max in and other animals out.  I'll have to get another one of when it was completely done.

 Melanie had a bit of curl in her after her bath on Tuesday

 While I was taking pictures of Melanie (when she turned 14 months old) Amy wanted pictures of her too, but silly ones only

 I had to read Timothy's letter to Santa - too cute!

Wednesday I ran to the stores since all the kids were feeling fine and back in school.  David rescheduled his piano lesson for after school.  That night was the Ward Christmas party.  I brought a pasta salad.  There was plenty of food.  The U* family had made some luau food - teryaki beef and chicken too.  They served rice and everyone brought salads - potato, fruit, pasta, green etc.  Carol made lots of cakes for dessert.  After dinner was served there was a short program.  Michael C*played a song, the Primary sang a song (I was surprised that Amy got up there!!!), and the I*s sang and signed a song.  The Primary kids spelled out "Merry Christmas" with each letter representing something important about Christmas.

Then Santa and Mrs. Claus came.  Timothy went up before I could get a picture.  Amy refused to get anywhere near them, and this was the best we could get of Melanie.

Sis. W* had to take a turn too

Thursday after dropping off the kids at school I stopped by Crystal's so I could practice my song.  I was a little worried about getting the notes right with the accompaniment.  It mostly went well.  Aaron had taken the day off to finish up some CME before the end of the year.  So he watched the girls while I was a Crystal's.  Then I came home and took over.  Then it was time for preschool again.  I only had three kids again, but this time it was Dani Kameron and Amy.  We did more Christmas Activities and books including stringing Froot Loops for Christmas tree decorations.  Kameron ate almost as much as she put on her string.

After preschool I was busy trying to get ready for the next day.  Aaron and I volunteered to cater the peds department holiday luncheon again.  This year the menu looked like this:

Appetizer

Brie or Sharp Cheddar cheese on crackers

House Salad

Organic Spring Mix salad with cranberries, served with

poppy seed or traditional ranch dressing

Honey Ham

Hickory smoked spiral sliced ham

with brown sugar glaze

And Mustard Dipping Sauce

Potato Crescent Rolls

Sides

 Green beans with slivered almonds and

Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Walnuts

Dessert

      Choice of banana roll with cream cheese filling or

Double chocolate caramel filled brownies

Aaron had a meeting Friday morning, but set up the conference room with decorations and plates etc.  After dropping the boys off at school, I put the ham in the oven and started on the rolls.  Cooking for 20 people I doubled the roll recipe, but somehow forgot to double the yeast!!!  The rolls did rise, but were too airy and the crescent shape was gone.  Oh well.  I had made the brownies the night before, as well as the poppy seed dressing.  Aaron came home and made the butternut squash and mustard sauce and I did the potatoes and green beans.  Aaron went over ahead of me and set everything up.  I came with the rest of the food.

I was a little late in trying to find a babysitter for the girls, so they came along.  It all worked out, and everyone loved seeing them.

The food was delicious - even the rolls

Amy sat on the sidelines until I got her something to eat.

Celi and Angi (they participated in an ugly Christmas sweater contest)

After the lunch they did the gift exchange (everyone drew names a couple of weeks ago), then we cleaned up and I took the girls home.  Melanie didn't get nap until 2:00, but went down just fine.  I don't remember much else, but the boys were excited to start their vacation.

Saturday the plan was to do Christmas shopping with the kids.  We want to kids to think about what their siblings would like to get rather than just focus on what they want, so they each get a few dollars to spend on each of us.  We went to Goodwill and the Dollar store to pick out presents.  It's fun to see what they come up with.  That after noon we wrapped as many presents as we could.  After dinner we had a practice for those of us in the Christmas Program the next day at church.  Aaron was one of the narrators.  We got home around 7:30.  Aaron and I stayed up late wrapping presents so we could get to bed at a decent hour on Christmas Eve.  There were only a few that didn't get wrapped that night.