Work, holiday, work, holiday

 Christmas break has been busy! 

The first week of the break we spent putting electrical throughout the house.  Andy and Dad came up Monday to start the week of work. Casey had Brett Welch come help so we could finally get the last truss up on the patio! We used a couple of gift cards and took the kids along with my dad and Andy to Texas Roadhouse one night. Santa was there too! (probably for the rolls) I never imagined pulling wires throughout a house would be as laborious as it was but the temps were freezing so the wires didn't bent well and we had a lot of holes, walls, and things in the house to get around. My arms ached for days from all of the pulling. David came up for a couple of days to get some work done as well. 

 

We sent the boys home on the 23rd. Casey took Kendal and Pete to the movies that night (they saw Wakanda Forever) while Alice and I stayed home to enjoy some Bluey together. We enjoyed Christmas Eve at home with the kids. We attempted to make gingerbread men, but my recipe failed us and we made some very sad looking cookies. We had some Wii time with the kids and just had a nice low key day.  That evening we went and had tamales at Brett and Vanessa's with the family. We got to see Brett and Vanessa's hard work on their basement redo and have a bit of family time with the Darrington's. We ended our night with stories (Alice insisted on a reenactment of the nativity) and putting up our wrapping paper barrier for the kids. Kendal hated it, but the other two got in on the fun! 

Christmas morning we ended up going in to get the kids up just after 7 so we could get a bit of Christmas in before church. We listened to the nativity story then had the kids break through the paper barrier and see what Santa brought! Alice was thrilled to finally get her much anticipated Barbie house. Peter got a wooden puzzle / rubber band gun that he has been enjoying. Kendal got roller blades from Santa this year! After Santa and stockings we had the kids open their new Christmas church clothes. The girls got matching dresses and Peter got a new tie and pullover. 

The kids were good and got ready and we went to church. Kendal and with the choir and Alice and Peter sang with the primary kids. It was a beautiful morning celebrating our Savior. 

After church we got to come home and open the rest of Christmas. Pete was elated to get a mini drone and Speks that he wanted. Kendal got a new book set and a nice water color set along with online lessons she's been enjoying. We spent the day building, playing, and having a wonderful day together!

Monday took Casey and I back to the grind of working on the house. Casey had basketball practice every morning. He took Kendal the first day and then both kendal and Peter the rest of the week to practice as well. Casey and I worked hard all week to get the test of the shingles on the house. We had a hiccup Tuesday morning when I locked the keys in the loader. It was about an hour and a half of stress and calls to the boys, and mucking around in mud. In the end I used a nail file and Alice's hair clip to Jimmy-rig my way in. We worked our butts off in the cold, wind, and some snow, and got the roof 99% done. (Just have a row and the roof cap on top, plus the cap on the front room pitch to do. 

We feel so guilty for all the time the kids had to be in their own the last two weeks. Kendal had a hard time managing the two kids some days, but she did a wonderful job overall. The kids played, made, and did this and that both weeks. Peter got to see friends here and there and Kendal got to have friend time a little bit as well. 

Friday we came to Logan for the weekend. The kids got to open presents from Grandma, Grandpa, and Katherine. They all got cute travel bags, and books. Alice and Pete got a lego set, and Kendal got an alarm clock from Grandma and Grandpa. Aunt Katherine spoiled the kids with books and a toy! David and his crew came for the afternoon and we had a nice evening together. 

Saturday (New Years Eve!) we went out to Fredricos for lunch with Mom, Katherine, Andy and crew, Tony, Lisa, Wendy, Billie and her three youngest. Afterwards I took the kids to swim at the hotel with Maggie and Ben. We took our New Years Eve celebration to Nana's assisted living center and had a little family party there. The kids played bingo and we had some good and treats. When we got done there we came back to my parents for some fireworks. After fireworks Alice and Pete watched a show while we pulled out Kendal's new game to play. We didn't make it to midnight, but had a good evening nonetheless.

Today we went to church, and then visited Nana for a bit. It's been a lazy afternoon since, but that's not a bad way to start off the new year since we ended last year working hard, and this year will definitely hold a lot of work for us in the plans. Ended the night playing with cousins and watching a magic show by Elliot and Isaac.

Casey's big Christmas present that he got and put together (or rather Sariah Welch did ; ) at school the first week of January.