DECEMBER 2017

Oliver's school picture is the cutest thing ever!



One of our last weekends on Kolob, in December! We cut down our Christmas tree. I had so much more joy with a real tree this year. Last year I put up our fake flocked tree and then took it down a week later because of monster Jack. So I learned my lesson and didn't  even try to put it up this year.




Annual Christmas tree photo shoot



I made a new tree skirt, and before we put up the fake tree, we put this tiny fake tree in the middle of it. I was thinking if we left it, the kids would think we had a ton of presents by the proportions of everything.




WWF family Christmas party



These two are our neighbors. Sometimes they are obnoxious;) They were trying to light the world so they came and raked our leaves. They earned a lot of points in Kyle's eyes.



Jack threw a marble at the biggest window in our house and broke it. two hundred and fifty bucks later we got a new window.



We went and watched Dylan wrestle. It was crazy. His braces cut his lips so he was bleeding all over. The kids were kinda scared.



My brother's episode debuted. They won it was awesome



Took the kids bowling:)



We did the 12 days with Linie, April, and Marylu. The kids loved it



Gus took some money to the school Christmas store. He bought Kinlee, Oliver, Jack, and himself something:)



Gus went to the house of jumps for Brigham Holt's bday. He loved it and he ATE the pizza. He hates pizza



I've been listening to conference talks, and I loved this quote!



We took the kids to see Coco over the Christmas break. Gus helped me out by tying my shoes, its getting harder and harder to bend over at 9 months pregnant.



I helped in Gus and Oliver's class for their Christmas parties. I brought fake snow to Gus' they loved it. The last picture is Gus with Laosher (sp?) his Chinese teacher.



For Christmas this year my mom rented a cabin on Brianhead for everyone to stay at. We haven't had moisture since September, so there was no snow before this night. The night we stayed it snowed 14 inches. It was 0 degrees outside so only the brave like, Gus, Oliver, Skylar, and Dylan went sledding outside the back door. We ate yummy food, had a dance party, played games, and had a ton of fun.



One night we were looking for something fun to do after dinner so we took the boys to the carousel on behind the tabernacle in stg. Jack thought it was the neatest thing ever.



Ugly sweater party for Grandpa Ballard's side of the family. Gus won, which I laughed about because he didn't even have an ugly sweater. Kyle thinks no one knew the kids names, and a lot of people know Gus' there so they just voted for him. I was super sick with a cold so stayed home.



Our leaves usually all fall by the first of December, but we still had leaves close to Christmas. I think they eventually fell the 16th or something. So we made huge piles for Kyle to bag and the kids jumped in them. We stopped to help Sister Thompson with her leaves one day on a walk, and she told us Paul and some grandkids did that so I promised the kids we could do it too. Oliver was jumping from the very highest position into the bigger piles.



Old pictures of Kyle fishing. One of Kyle's friends has a friend in Oregon who is an artist. He just found out she has a painting of this picture. I can't remember what she titled it. I'll have to ask him.



The weekend I had a super bad cold. Kyle and the kids made this lemon cake for dessert. It was super yummy. He took a picture and sent it to Summer because she also enjoys the Great British Baking Show like we do.



sleeping children are the best



Gus was throwing a fit one night, and his hair looked awesome so Kyle to a picture. We are trying to grow it out surfer style. I have a love hate relationship with the process. He had a really awkward phase for a minute. Mainly because I tried to cut the front of it and made him look like a lesbian girl. Oliver said he looked like the girl off of Charlie and the Chocolate factory (the one with Johnny Depp)



Christmas Eve we went to our ward and Grandma Linie's. Oliver jumped right up to the stage when they called the primary kids up to sing. We had enchiladas and did the favorite things exchange at Brooke and Chance's house again, then we went to Aprils for the Ballard side. She had a fun sumo charades game they played.



We tried out the kids sand sleds right after Christmas. They say it is a lot of fun, when I'm not fat with child I'm gonna try it. It wears them out like a charm, which they need most days.


A few days after Christmas we went to see my dad in Circleville, a long drive for a short visit. My kids call him serious power's Grandpa. Gus started it when he was around 2 because he gave him a truck that repeated its got serious powers. The name stuck. He gave Jack a similar truck this year that says the same thing.



We went with Grandma Linie to meet her cowboys the Wright brothers. All of the kids got autographed pictures. So now we have 15 pictures of cowboys autographed lying around their room. My favorite line from one of them is Dream Big Oliver;)



We went with Grandma and Grandpa to the ranch one weekend. Grandpa the little fart knocker found a turquoise bead. Probably right in my footsteps. It was such a nice day. I love this weather, but it scares me for Summertime



I finally pulled all of the baby stuff out of the attic and washed it. Jack was convinced everything was his and tried to put a lot of it on. Hopefully he accepts this new baby with love and kindness.



New Years Eve pics. I was in bed by 10:30 or 11:)