Christmas Activities

We enjoyed the Christmas season.  I think it is more fun to go on outings and have experiences than it is to actually open gifts on Christmas.  I don't know if my family completely agrees but they don't complain too much.  We attended a "Live Nativity" which is held in Draper.  It is really wonderful and if you have the opportunity you should put in on your list of things to do.  This is the second time we have attended it.  The first time was VERY crowded.  This year there was a large storm and we decided to brave it anyway.  It was not crowded at all.  They have several living animals to view.....my favorite is the camel.  There are warming barrels throughout the line to warm you up.  They depict prophecies of Christ's birth from the bible.  They have a shepherd's field.  The town of Bethlehem is very busy with all different kinds of merchants counting their money and selling items.  You are told several times that there isn't any room for you to stay and to "move on".  You move along like this for a bit and then you round a corner and the feeling instantly changes as you view "The Holy Family"...complete with a living baby.  I enjoy the distinct feeling of holiness and peace that comes from this activity.  I appreciate all of the work that is involved in making this event possible.  Byron (who is NOT a crowd person at all) said he actually enjoyed the contrast better when it was more crowded than he did this year when it was less crowded.  This must mean you appreciate things more when you have to wait a really long time to actually enjoy them.  We will see if he still thinks this way about Disneyland in a few weeks!

Ella made a "graham cracker" house at school.  I helped out with this activity and the kids were so excited.  There were enough items to decorate their houses 3 times over!!  It is hard to see. but her she loved her falling snowman, the car parked outside the garage, the light pole, and the Chistmas tree in the yard.

We have a tradition of adopting a child from the Christmas Box House each year for Christmas.  They are always great to give us a child Ella's age.  So far, we have had a girl each time.  They tell you the interests of the child and some gifts they might like.  You get 3 gifts for the child and drop them off.  We got started doing this several years ago.  I went on a tour of the Christmas Box House and wanted to get involved.  The house is a place where children go when they don't have a safe place to be.  Sometimes children are taken to this house by the police, when they can't remain at home for a variety of reasons.  I am glad that we can do something to help.  Last year when we dropped off our items Ella said she was glad we got to do this because she felt, "like someone is hugging my heart".  I am glad we can do this activity too!

We also have a tradition of going to Winder Dairy and getting scones.  There is a cemetery close by there that does luminaries for every grave one Saturday during December.  It is amazing to see them all lit up.  We talk about the people that have left this life, but still light up our lives and then talk about all of the people that continue to give us light today.  We are so blessed!!  We light luminaries at our house on Christmas Eve.......Santa needs to know he is welcome at our house, but more importantly it is a symbol of the Light of Christ....we believe in Him and want Him to be welcome here too.

We attended a local Gingerbread house display.  You get to vote on your favorite.  The entries have to all be based on a Daybreak design.  These pictures aren't very good, but you get the idea.  You also get to decorate your own cookies as well.  There are so many items to use to decorate your cookies.  It was fun!

Notice the car tracks on the driveway

Notice the BBQ on the deck

Grinch themed

Ella's favorite was the Lolla-Loopsy house.  It was very good!

Our cookies...Ella's, Mom's, Ella's and Dad's

Utah vs BYU

We also went to Hale Cente Theatre to see, "A Christmas Carol".  It was excellent.  Our seats weren't great but we enjoyed it.  

Summer Fun

We have kept very busy this summer.  Ella and I went boating (compliments of my sister, Sara and Jason).  I didn't get any good pictures.  Ella got up on the knee board and did great.  I was really proud of her.  I tried it out and lets just say.....Ella is better than me.  I did get up but not for long and my arms were sore for days.

We went camping at Palisade Lake State Park...near Manti.  It is one of our favorite places.  They have a lake for swimming, a playground, room for biking, golf, some hiking and lots of fun.  Our neighbors joined us and we had a great time.  It just happened that we left on Byron's birthday.  Happy Birthday Byron!  We celebrated the night before with some take out Buffalo Wings....one of Byron's favorite foods.  We stopped on our way to our campsite in Mt Pleasant at a local grocery store that has a great bakery....Terrel's...in it.  The eclairs are fantastic!!

Our neighbors joined us.  It was really fun....cast and all!

Ella and Raegan

Ella, Raegan and Ross

Only a daughter can get her Dad to join in some swimming...well it was hot too and that helped.

Then a downpour came and our friends needed a battery jump start so that we could go to have pizza.

Warm, dry and awaiting food that we didn't have to cook in the rain!  We returned and the night was cooler and all of our stuff was dry........thanks to that Spring Bar tent we bought over 20 years ago!....that was an excellent purchase.

We saw a local community theatre production of "Peter Pan".  It was very well done with flying and everthing that goes with it. 

Ella with "Tiger Lily".  Ella said she wants to be an Indian for Halloween......the next day she said she wants to be a ballerina.  We'll see....still months away.

I saw "Footloose" this summer as well.  It was excellent and so much fun to watch people I know too!

We also saw "Fiddler on the Roof".  Our friend, Layne, was Tevye.  He was excellent!!  We thought we had prepped Ella well enough.  We talked about the story and listened to the songs.  She really enjoyed the 1st half of the show.  We forgot about how the 2nd half would look to a 7 year old......third daughter leaving "the papa" without full reconciliation and then the family forced to leave their home.  Ella was sitting in between Byron and I.  Near the end I look over and there are great big tears just streaming down Ella's face and she has her arm wrapped around Byron's arm.  She whispers...."you didn't tell me it would be so sad".  I felt so bad.  I see the play ending with a lot of hope for a better future, but that is hard for a 7 year old to completly recognize.  Byron did a great job afterward talking her through the play with comparisons to other stories she has heard and experiences we have read about together.  There are lots of them from the scriptures, our country's past, and our religious history as well.  She felt better and has been singing the songs most every day ever since.  Let's hope her experience at the Utah Shakespeare Festival goes a bit smoother.

We've been to Seven Peaks a couple of times.  Ella has taken some more swimming lessons.

The best part about Pioneer Day is the Float Preview which is held every year at the Sandy Expo Center.  I love viewing the floats up close in an air conditioned environment.  You might even get a chance to listen to a marching band.  I still have hopes of one day actually attending the parade, but until my parade going sister is here from Texas......I'll just have to wait.

Ella's favorite was a music float.  They had a table of instruments that you could play.

I had 2 favorites....this is the one that actually got the people's choice award.  They gave out "I Spy" cards to find things on the float.

This was my other favorite....from Riverton!!  The ark went back and forth and the animals were very cool.  This one also had a "Seek and Find" activity to go along with it.  I highly recommend attending the Days of '47 Float Preview.

Pioneer Day itself was spent making Apricot Jelly, Jam and Syrup.  In the taste test, the syrup won by far!!  It is really good.  I also made Dill Pickles.  I have helped my Mom do them before, but this time she helped me.  My goal this year was to be able to make pickles independently and think I achieved it.  I recently found out that my Mom prefers store bought pickles.  All these years she has sacrificed her time and lots of energy for us.  Thanks so much Mom.....we don't like store bought pickles.  All in all we canned 108 jars that day with more canning to go!! 

Ella, my Dad and Darren juicing apricots.  This project is only to be done outside.....it is messy!

Grandpa asked Darren and Ella to pick some tomatoes.  They got distracted in the nearby mud puddle.  I'm not sure the tomatoes got picked, but they had fun!