Joseph's 6th Birthday: Mario

This year Joseph requested Mario to be the theme for his 6th Birthday. It was actually a lot of fun to try to figure out how to decorate. I couldn't find decorations so I had to create my own. 

 

Christmas 2020

 Christmas Eve, I had to work a 12 hr shift until 7:30 pm. After Joe woke up from working the night shift, he took the kids to Grandma Sally's and Uncle Phil's house. Grandpa Gary joined the there and they opened gifts and had a fun time with family. 

Joseph lost his top front tooth, number 3 for him:

Joe had to work a 12 hr shift that night. So the traditional celebration had to wait for the following day. But Joe and the kids did come see me at the switch of kiddos. We did open PJ's when we got home from Grandma and Grandpa Hebdon. And when Joe came home we opened Christmas presents. The kids played with their gifts while Joe slept a few hours. 

This was how things looked before the kids woke up.

And then we drove to visit family in Arimo. By the time we got there, it was around 6:00 pm, and we enjoyed a nice Christmas dinner with them. Then we reenacted the nativity while Joe read the Christmas story from the Bible.  It's honestly my favorite part of Christmas, and my favorite picture to capture:

We found out that Sunday, Adam would be receiving the Melchezidek Priesthood. The Bare's made a quick visit and we were able to be all together. It was such a fun visit. I told Joe usually I get the Christmas Blues as soon as the presents are open. Some kind of sadness sweeps over me and I have a hard time snapping out of it. But this year I didn't get that. I am not sure if it's because I had my visit to my family? Either way, this was a wonderful Christmas and I will cherish it forever!

The kids wanted to take a picture with grandma, so they could look at her when they missed her. My mom has a very special bond with all of her grandkids. I don't quite understand it. But they all ADORE her. She is a very special person, with a very special spirit.

Christmas Preparations:

Addie made this cute snow globe at school:

Joseph drew this self portrait in school, and colored his own wrapping paper:

We spent a couple of days baking and delivering treats to our ministering families or as surprise Elves. We didn't do a very good job in sneaking away, but we still had a lot of fun! And the kids always love baking!

Second weekend in December the Baseball league delivered our first real Christmas Tree. Joe was excited, they always had real trees when he was a kid. I remember having one when I was little. So this was our year to have a real tree. It was very pretty and full.

Addie's favorite ornament through the years, a fairy/angel.

Joseph's favorite ornament throughout the years, his handprint made into Rudolph.

We went to Lindor's farm to see Santa, and dur to Covid, it was hard to find one where they could actually visit with Santa. It was freezing, but totally worth it. So fun!

We drank hot cocoa and the kids played on the tires while they got our polaroid ready. 

We also went to Boise Fairgrounds for Christmas in Color. We drove through music coordinated lights. It was a lot of fun. We missed going to Indian Creek in Caldwell, but Joe's feet were killing him due to an arthritis flair up. So we splurged and went here instead. 

We wrote letters to Santa:

We went a couple of times to the Scentsy lights. 

I even rolled down the hill with them a couple of times. My favorite part!

When it snows here, we always joke the kids better play in it before noon because it will have melted. This time it lasted a few days. The kids were in heaven.

And our cute baby kitty Twinkle loved to sleep at the bottom of the tree....and often we would find oranments on the floor. She had a lot of fun.