December 18

Getting ready for Christmas. . .

• Make a list of what we want to do to celebrate Christmas
• Listening to pandora kids Christmas music
• Setting up the Christmas tree--fun, kids want to put up all the ornaments
• Building gingerbread man boxes at Home Depot
• Watching the lighted boat parade on the Columbia River
• Watching Christmas movies like Frosty the Snowman and Santa Clause comes to town
• Building gingerbread houses with friends
• Going sledding at Badger Mountain Park with Liam and Becky
• Making snow angels
• Making salt dough ornaments
• Reading stories about Jesus each night for scripture time
• Visiting the reindeer and Santa at Beaver Bark--The kids were convinced that this Santa was the real one.  He had a real belt, boots and beard.  They were a little uncertain about talking to Santa, but did talk to him.  Cade asked for an alligator and Cami asked for a pony.  
• Buying Christmas presents for family members--Kara  met us at Walmart and she took Cami to pick out a present for Cade and I took Cade to get one for Cami.  
• Sending off Christmas cards to friends
• Seeing Christmas lights at Riverwoods shopping center
• Giving gifts to teachers
• Packing to go to Utah to see family

--Cami keeps telling Cade that he is getting a box of rocks for Christmas.

--Today she was playing with a nutcracker and said "where the blazes is a nut for this thing?"

Its been a fun couple of weeks!  Now we are in Utah.  

We drove back down here on Friday, December 16.  We ended up on snowy roads with fog in the Blue mountains.  We were going about 35 mph.  Luckily, there wasn't much traffic and we could drive down the middle of the highway.  The rest of the drive went smoothly, just long.  Saturday we spent most of the day at Tom and Lisa's.  Cade had a great time playing with legos and Cami spent the day setting up a house for Grandma's dolls.  Kirk went fishing in 15 degree temperatures.  We went out to dinner.  Kirk and Cade went to church today.  I stayed home with Ellie and Cami.  Cami had a fever last night and Ellie was awake for a couple of hours during the night.  After church, Kirk and Cade went up Provo canyon looking for animals.  They saw deer, elk, and bald eagles.  Cade even found a shot gun shell.  They had a great time.  Then Kirk and I went to visit my parents without the kids.  

This next week will be busy.  We are planning on going to the aquarium, north pole at 7-peaks, BYU basketball game, playing with cousins and celebrating Christmas.