Sunday, January 11, 2009

The Mother of All Summaries

(First of all, for journaling purposes, I have to catch up. If you are too bored to read, I totally understand). I just finished it and it's really boring. You've been warned.
okay...

Let's just pretend you are visiting. And let's also pretend that you say, "Hey Jessica, how was your December?" and I say, "Oh funny you should ask! I just put together this darling December In Review photo album (now we're REALLY pretending!) and you should check it out." And so you sit down on my brown leather couch and ignore the stained and holey striped fabric ottoman (aren't you nice?) and put your feet up and have a look-see at the pictures that encapsulate this crazy month:

In December we did lots of her. Lots and lots and lots of her. She's a great night sleeper, a not-so-good napper, she's only happy if she's held and she's the laziest, longest nurser EVER. At least she's really pretty.


Christmas festivities started with the ward party. Here are the kids getting ready to attend in obligatory holiday attire (and Gabe only has a red shirt, because apparently boys over 6 are too cool for holiday shirts. Whatever.)

We watched the LDS Christmas Broadcast at the Nebekers and made gingerbread boys and girls for dessert.

This is the picture I took after everyone left our Third Annual Neighborhood Cookie Exchange. Too busy eating to shoot pictures.


These are pictures of the obligatory, but suprisingly entertaining, holiday concerts. Gabe played the "bar instrument" (not xylophone, in case you were stupid enough to make that mistake) and Emma on drums. You haven't lived till you've experienced "Polar Puppy"--ruff!!

We held Jessica A's baby shower the same week as the 29 other holiday events.
Cause we are dumb.
These are pictures, taken the night, of 4 of the 5 babies born in the last few months and their hideously exhausted mothers.
This is from the Rowell's Ornament Exchange Party. Everyone tries to buy the tackiest ornament they can find, but someone brought ONE pretty one...which we got and promptly had stolen. We ended up with a really darling moose on skies. If you get something resembling a darling moose on skies next year, forget you read this.
There are other pictures from the Bishopric Holiday Dinner. But, for obvious reasons, this is the one I'm choosing to show. Aric Albrecht getting what he deserves...
On Thursday, December 18, Spokane had more snow in 24 hours than EVER BEFORE. Seriously. 31 inches. Our house looked like a gingerbread house. There were walls and walls of snow. And, obviously, no school.
Despite the weeks of crazy snow, Heavenly Father blessed us with a 24 window to drive to Boise for Ryan's brothers wedding. Here are Grant and Zaundra:
And the best sisters-in-law EVER:

The whole family (except Brooke, frown!) was there in the Boise Marriot. We did lots of swimming with cousins:
and dancing at a fun, beautiful reception.
Above is my brother, Nate, who is close friends with Grant and below is my sister Bekah, also friends, who joined us for the wedding. Bekah braved the icy roads BACK from Boise and came a few days early for Christmas.
Nate and Kelsie and Luke (and Grandma Dorrie) showed up on Christmas Eve. Luke and Faith really enjoyed each other:
We did our usual Christmas Eve lunch and movie (Bolt...good, not great).

Then headed over to the Daines for the annual Bethlehem dinner. Here are Bekah and Grandma Dorrie in authentic (as Bekah did BYU's Jerusalem Study abroad program) attire. The rest of us shlep it in bathrobes and leather belts around our heads.

We always have a birthday cake for Jesus (because EVERYONE needs more dessert by Christmas Eve).
and then the pajamas

Winner of the My Pajamas Fit My GoofBall Personality award:
Getting ready for Santa (in the makeshift bed in the basement, as the houseguests had displaced the kids from their beds--they LOVED it.)
Christmas morning:
Faith was SOO excited:
Pictures of the Loot...
Emma
Gabe (why is the most expensive pile also the smallest???)
Jane
Seth:
and Faith:
she'll love it two months, really!
For New Year's Eve, we took the kids to Spokane's First Night Extravaganza, where they watched shows (Gabe got called on stage) and did millions of crafts:

Here's Seth in his crafty costumes. During the night he was
a robot

a marmot:
and a viking:
After the crafts, we marched in a big parade through the center of downtown...


We capped off the night with dinner at Olive Garden and a fun game night with the Daines. Don't tell my 19 year old self that crafts, parade, mac and cheese and games with 5 kids is really the funnest way to spend New Years Eve...she won't believe you.
Here is one of the 2 billion activities I came up with to occupy my children during their horrendously long winter break. I'm too scarred to discuss it further.

Thanks for coming over and looking at my photo album (and not at the ottoman...I'm getting it reupholstered soon, I swear). Next week, I'll come to your house and look at your cruise pictures, I promise!

30 comments:

Laurie said...

Well, I read the whole thing and wasn't bored. So there.

I love boys in striped pjs. Can't convince Dan to wear them though.

Thanks for the catch-up.

G and G Nut said...

It's been a looooooooong wait, but the fun pictures made it worthwhile! Looks like December was lots of fun!
xoxoxo

jessica said...

That wasn't so bad...I lived through most of it with you and I still enjoyed the post and the pictures. I can't believe I forgot to post about Aric's unfortunate photo op at the Bishopric dinner!

Erin said...

Loved it! Not boring at all. Of course, it is a slow night at work (2:30 am to be exact) but still. Loved it.

Lauren in GA said...

Jessica, that wasn't boring at all! I loved it! Your humor always makes me smile. I think you don't think you are funny when you are.

Your kids are so gorgeous...every last one of them.

You also look beautiful in the pictures. Don't roll your eyes, there missy. Especially the one at the Christmas Eve dinner and outside the temple the with you in red.

Shirley said...

Love it. Love hearing about exciting holiday stuff and everyday stuff. Love it. I keep up on your blog so it doesn't feel like we have been gone for OVER 6 YEARS!!! It is great to sometimes see pics of other people I know there as well. And see all the new people that are in good old Liberty Lake. Thanks for sharing!

the wrath of khandrea said...

i am exhausted from reading this. i don't know how you lived it.

my favorite pictures are the one of the two babies, one screaming and one looking like someone just pinched its bum; and also the one of faith freakign out in the super saucer. santa won't appreciate her lack of gratitude.

Adrianne said...

Thank you for the update, I enjoyed all of it. Is Ryan in the bishopric?? Love your red coat, Zaundra looks like Grant, and I wanted to do a night in bethlehem but it didn't go with the food I wanted to serve so the food won out. I'll email you soon about how we get to actually see each other IN PERSON!!

Bekah said...

It was great to read through and remember all the fun! Your family is adorable and hilarious and I miss you guys! Thanks for having us!

Lisa-Marie said...

Do you really think your life is that boring that you have to have a disclaimer? Most certainly NOT! Always a fun read!

And I could use a cruise too!

Melanie said...

Wow! I'm impressed because it actually was entertaining despite it's length. Good work.

I had to laugh at the lazy eater part -- my 6 month old son is SO the same way! My daughter was a lazy, slow nurser too, but she at least grew out of it by about 3 months old. He just hangs out and keeps nursing! I'd love to keep him on in hopes that all that fatty hind milk would help me shed a bit of my muffin top, but really, after 45 minutes of just sitting there 6 times a day, I think leaving the hind milk there and actually moving around may help the muffin top situation more.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you drove to a wedding in all that snow with all 5 kids, including a NEWBORN! You are truly a Sherrill :) Always love to read your updates.

Jenibelle said...

Very Fun. What's a Bethlehem dinner?
If you lived close I'd have that Ottoman recovered for you in a couple of hours.
By the way, you won the favorite Christmas card competition in our family. I'll be sending you something soon. It's an annual tradition of ours!

Kimberly said...

You might not think it is thrilling, but I say, bring on the kid pictures! Especially the babies. So cute and looks like a fun holiday (maybe minus the snow- I can always do without that except for Christmas Eve and Christmas day).

Kimberly said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Abbie said...

Fun times! This post took you forever, didn't it? It makes my brain explode to think of the planning these kinds of posts take. But you did it and we all enjoyed.

Anisa said...

I'm having a hard time finding a v-day shirt for my big boy. Maybe they are too cool for them.

You guys are such party animals... nothing slows you down.

Jeanelle said...

are you kidding? We miss you when you don't blog and love hearing about your family & adventures. So glad you were able to get out for the wedding, etc. What a blessing that was!!

Ilene said...

So funny. I have been working on the same exact thing for a month. Blech. December blogging is tough.

mandy* said...

This wasn't boring at all! I enjoyed every minute of my reading! Thanks for the very entertaining update.

Bridget said...

So good to see you back in Blogville! It's been a long, long time.

Hideously exhausted? No. Beautifully exhausted. You look fantastic. The babies lined up on the sofa are so darn cute too.

Hazen5 said...

Great recap! I am in the same boat...too much to blog about and not enough time to do it. I love the picture with all the sweet babies on the couch. Looks like December was filled with fun and Family. My two favorite things!

elizabeth scott said...

And she is back! Love to peek at your posts! That baby announcment was the CUTEST EVER!!!! If I wasn't recovering from Christmas I would have called the 100 times I thought about calling to tell you that!!!!

Anonymous said...

IT'S ABOUT TIME!! I am on this blog every 18 mins or so for 3 weeks and nothing! Good post. Now I can go get some sleep.

Your favorite brother-
Matt

Anonymous said...

welcome back to the world of blogging. it was a bearable read b/c the kids are cute and their mother is a word charmer.

queenieweenie said...

The picture of Luke and Faith is PRICELESS.

Looks like you had a perfectly marvelous Holiday!

Tammy said...

Yay, you are back! So many great photos and so many fun, Sherrill--Romney traditions which make you guys so unique! No one has as many traditions, annual this or that...and I love it. It makes everything more special in life and your kids must be loving it!

Randi said...

that must have taken forever.
thank goodness for children back in school.

fun. fun.
what is first night? that sounds fun.

Meghann said...

The picture of Faith and Luke is HILARIOUS!!! She was not happy.

rachel said...

Read it, top to bottom!
And oohed and aahed at Jane's crocheted beanie. Seriously, I love it!!! I want them for my girls. (do you make them yourself?)