Weekly Happenings: This past week was a fun one (as it ought to be, being the week before Christmas). There were parties (a Relief Society one and a kindergarten one), Zoo Lights, and a birthday, of course!
The Weekly Weather: It’s been a mix. It’s been mostly cool (and sometimes cold), but we had some dry days and some rainy days. It’s been nice to have a break from the heat. 🙂
What Paul’s Been Up To: He’s been enjoying having his evenings (and the weekend) homework-free. He installed both the baby gates that he made and has, of course, had a lot of Dad-and-son time with Joseph.
What Sarah’s Been Up To: I attended my Relief Society Christmas party. It was fun to have an evening of relaxed conversation and munching on treats (it was a white elephant gift exchange and cookie bar). I also made bread bears for Paul’s home teaching families. It felt good to be able to continue on a tradition that Mom started many, many years ago.
What Joseph’s Been Up To: He had a Christmas party for his kindergarten class. I didn’t go (Abigail was fighting a tiny tummy bug and really needed her nap), but I know he had a good time. He came home with some fun treats and presents from his sweet teacher.
What Abigail’s Been Up To: She fought off what was luckily just a 24-hour bug just in time to enjoy her (insert drum roll here) first birthday! I am truly having a hard time believing that it’s been a year! We went out to eat (at IHOP so she could have one of her favorite foods: pancakes), went to the zoo to see the Christmas lights one last time, and then came home for presents and cake. It was a fun night. Her personality continues to develop. She has waving down (and will do it whenever she hears the words “hi” or “bye”), loves to dance (mainly bouncing) to music, and loves to scoot around to see what mischief she can get into. The other day, she caught sight of me as she came ’round the bookcase in our room (I was heading into our closet to hang some clothes up). I heard her shriek and turned around to see her peeking out from behind the bookcase. Every time I saw her face, I would say, “boo!” and she would laugh, pull her head out of sight and then put it back into sight. It was the funnest game of peek-a-boo, ever.
This Week in Pictures:
A present from our Relief Society presidency. The beads spell out the word “peace” in Morse code. The holidays can be a bit chaotic. It’s nice to have a tangible reminder of the peace that is possible if only we seek it out.The cookies I brought to the Relief Society Christmas party. They’re a citrus shortbread cookie with candied cherries on top.Abigail trying to figure out this set of wheels. 🙂Paul said she was up on her knees at one point, trying to figure out how to get on.Downstairs baby gate……upstairs baby gate!Joseph’s kindergarten ornament: a plastic (thank you!) bulb with his hand print. The fingers were made into snowmen. The back has the year and his name.The poem that came with his ornament.His teacher gave each student a book with……a picture of their class the day after we got snow (so there was still snow on the playground) and a sweet message. I seriously almost started to cry.The decoy boxes (usually she loves to play with boxes) are ALMOST as entertaining as trying to get to the ornaments.She really loves blueberry pancakes (and puffs, which are pictured here…since she had already practically inhaled her pancake).Bread bears and some strawberry preserves for Paul’s home teaching families.525,600 minutes of awesome!“Surfing” the Komodo dragon.“Rawr!”Abigail’s first carousel ride!We sat on a stationary bench. She loved the lights and animals…and taking pictures with Momma, of course.Paul stayed with Joseph, who picked his favorite spot.“Ta-da!”A while back, one of the hippos at our zoo unfortunately got sick and passed away. When we went to see the remaining hippo on Friday night, we found out that they had just gotten a new hippo (from a zoo in New Mexico), who happened to be the grandson of the hippo they still had. There was also a cute sign on the glass that said they got a hippopotamus for Christmas.Opening her present from Uncle Jason, Aunt Saira, and Luna……a really cute book (she LOVES books).Momma and Daddy got her a Minnie Mouse.Joseph also picked out a different Minnie Mouse for her when we were at the mall earlier this past week.There’s a sweet sister in our ward who is kind of like a surrogate grandma for the kids. She got Abigail this puppy that is interactive (and has different levels of difficulty depending on age).Abigail’s cake. I found a mix for a mini cake (which was perfect for our family) and decided at the last minute to draw a butterfly on there.With the candle lit.She LOVED being sung to!“What is this?”“I can eat it?”“Are you sure?”“Well, alright! Mmmmm, yummy!”“This plate can double as a toy, right?”Playing with birthday presents is the best!
