December 2013 Happenings

Things I didn't get around to blogging about in December...

1) Adams family date night to dinner and "Christmas On the Air" - a darling play about a radio show that puts on "A Christmas Carol" each year.  It was witty, creative and touching.  Ebeneezer Scrooge was played by Fred Adams who founded the Utah Shakespeare Festival here in Cedar City back in the '60's.  He was fantastic!

2) Burke's last training trip to Spokane took place over my birthday, which was a bummer, but we survived and shouldn't have anymore business trips longer than a day or two in the future.  Hooray!

Daphne and Ayla

3) A surprise visit from Isaac and Lyndi Ison (plus their two darling boys Cannon and Colten) and Blake and Annie Nielsen (plus their sweet little ladies Ayla and Eden) who were home visiting family in Utah for the holidays.  I can't tell you how nice it was to see these dear friends from our early marriage.  Blake and Isaac have both been getting their doctorate degrees in business in Mississippi and the Nielsen's relocated to Missouri after Blake's graduation last summer to work at a University in Joplin (or somewhere near there).  It was so fun to hear Annie say "ya'll" and rave about the crawdads while Lyndi (still relatively fresh to the South and aching for her Utah roots) was disgusted by the "mud bugs" and hadn't embraced southern life quite as fully.  Unfortunately, Daphne was in the meanie-baby mode I talked about last week, so she didn't play very well with the kids - the farewell hug in the above photo is quite deceiving! :)

4) In early December I watched Mike and LeeAnn's girl while they went on an overnight trip to the NFR in Las Vegas.  Burke joined me at night to sleep over at their house and then left again early in the morning, so it was mostly just me with 5 little girls...and I absolutely loved it!  In some ways, I almost felt like it was easier taking care of 5 than just Daphne, because they entertain each other so well.  

The older girls got home from school and wanted to play in the snow, so out came all the snow gear and this is the hilarious snowsuit Daphne ended up borrowing.  I think she looks like a pink marshmallow puff similar to Ralphie's little brother Randy off of "Christmas Story".

Look at Laney's cheeser!  That little girl oozes with personality!

After homework, dinner, and a game of Candyland, I was cleaning up the kitchen when the girls came running out in dance costumes and proceeded to dance in the kitchen for over an hour!  It was darling!  Daphne was having the time of her life.  I just can't quite keep up the energy of dancing for an hour straight like her cousins can. 

Daphne, Hudson, Ollie and Brinlee

5) In mid December we drove down to Mesquite for our Clark Street Christmas Party hosted by Shane and Shannon.  It was so good to see all of our wonderful old neighbors and so kind of them to include us since we don't live there anymore.  It had only been 4 months since we had moved, but I truly missed them all so much already!  We had a chance to talk to everyone, but it wasn't enough time.  I would have loved hours with each family all to ourselves to catch up on everything.  If only we could transplant our Clark Street neighbors to Cedar City!  We were so blessed to live there and become good friends with them.  At one point in the night, we had seen the kids all run outside and when Burke went to check on them, this is what he found; our little technology-deprived child mesmerized by a cartoon on Huddy's Ipod.  Of course. :)

6) Burke took the above photos of Grandma Elaine on Christmas day.  How many 94-year-old women do you know who still live alone, keep up all their own housework, garden every day in the spring and summer and chill with one leg up on the couch?  She is amazing.

7) The night we made Gingerbread houses for a combined Adams Family FHE, Alan, Wes and I went down with Daphne, Jade, Lyndee and Laney to feed the ducks.

8) Catherine and Mat's angel baby Collin was given his baby blessing on Sunday, December 28.  As always with our new nieces and nephews, we felt so privileged to be there for the blessing and to have Burke participate in the circle.  Not to mention the bomb lunch the Rowleys served afterwards, plus the wonderful conversation the family had about the future of the farm that evening.  Lots of good dialogue.

9) And last, but not least, Burke led the Jazz to victory.  No big deal.