December’s Instagrams

 

Location: Liberty Lake City Hall

The obligatory Santa Lap Photo

 

Location:  Liberty Lake City Hall

Emma singing with the Spokane Youth Choir

 

City of Liberty Lake

Little Town = Little Tree

 

Eating a jalapeno for $10.  ON the right, you’ll see before, first bite and last bite.  #crazygirl

 

Location: LLES

Really, with the face?

 

Location: Greenacres Middle School

Student of the Month for Respect and Responsibility.  #typicaleldestchild

 

Location: nowhere I have to drive to!

We miss Cassie (our old piano teacher) but I’m sure enjoying the piano teacher coming to my house! #funtolistenin #exceptthesullentwelveyearold

 

Photos for the fancy work party.  #voguewillbecallingnextweekimsure

 

Location: the Davenport Hotel

Mama wants an iPad! #highroller  #donttellhimitsmonopolymoney

 

Mouths full of Cafe Rio

 

Neighborhood cookie exchange.  #favoriteholidaytradition #toomanycookiesleftatmyhousewhenitsover

 

Location:  Greenacres Middle School

Orchestra concert mistress.  #herwalkinandbowlookedveryofficial

 

Location: Spokane Valley Mall

Successful kid-less hour! Knocked out 11 presents! #makesmefeellessgrinchy

 

Location: Seth’s class

Helping with a painting project

 

Location:  Greenacres Middle School

#alsocuteonthetrombone

 

Location: Chez Romney

Christmas goodie plate day. #kidsarehelpingnothindering!

 

Location: Fire Artisan Pizza

Favorite husband. Favorite pizza. #thaiandpepperoniaremyfavorites

 

 

Family Memory tree.  #favoriteholidaytradition

 

Location: the UPS store

Out of town gifts wrapped and mailed = BIG smile

 

Boys v. girls.  theyarentevenfighting

 

Ryan does the 12 Days of Christmas for me. Today he took the whole day off as his gift for the day.  Best! #icouldbereallyawesomeifthereweretwoadultshereallday

 

Location: Trailhead Golf Course

Snow days when school is out are magical!

 

Location: Trailhead Golf Course

Sled race.  #iwonbecauseieatlotsoffudge

 

Location: Trailhead Golf Course

Snowboarding on the sled

 

Location: Trailhead Golf Course

Snow Angel.  #itlooksbetterifthereismorethanthreeinches

 

Snowball fights are good cardio.  #goodmomday

 

Location: Liberty Lake Athletic Club

Combating the depressing gray gray gray skies with a little indoor swimming.  #whoneedshawaiiwhenwhenyouhavethelibertylakeathleticclub

 

Location:  the Liberty Lake Athletic Club

Racing #dadwonbyasecond

 

#aprettygoodChristmaspicture

 

#preparingfortheChristmaspicture  #whyaretheysodumbduringpictures

 

Location:  MeadowWood Golf Course

Perfect start to Christmas Eve.  #christmaseveisbetterthanChristmasforme

 

Location:  Grille from Ipanema

I Heart Christmas shirts

 

Location: bethlehem

The innkeeper and her guests: Mary and Joseph from Nazareth, a heavenly messenger, a wiseman from the East, and a shepherd.

 

Location:  holiday house

The Christmas pajama shot

 

You’ll notice the sun’s not up yet and we’re done. #ihavesuchgratefulkids  #notspoiled

 

Christmas puzzle.  #ilovefouryearolds

 

Location:  parking lot of Sports Authority

“1-2-3 Serious Contest!”  #kidsplayawesomegames

 

Location:  amazon review section

Jane’s super helpful review of the 7th Harry Potter book.  #whyisshethecutestthingever?

 

Location:  Northwest Orthopedic Specialists

This is my view.  #wheelchair #bustedknee #stupidtrampolineplace

 

How I’m getting around these days.  #ihateinefficiency  #didimentionryanisonascoutcampout?

 

Location:  Some cold place near Sandpoint

Gabe climbing into bed for the night at his snow camp Friday.  #imnotkidding  #hesleptinasnowcave  #heclaimsshewaswarm

 

Fifth Sunday mean Faith is conducting Family Home Evening.  #thatlittlevoiceissocute

 

Location:  Sheneman’s party place

Some of us had to sit out due to torn ACLs.  #stillhadfun

 

Location:  Sheneman’s party place

Some of us were trying to stay on the “iceberg”  #annualprogressivenewyearsparty

December Report

(Oh I’m getting so close to catching up!)

We were pretty good this year at doing one on one dates with the kids every other month.  In December Ryan and Seth went to a do it yourself pottery place and out for yogurt.  Jane and I went to the neighboring stake’s production of Annie and a gas station visit that resulted in Mamba’s (because: yum.)

We had the usual spate of Christmas concerts and events.  In 8 days, we went to 7 concerts/meets the second week of December.  I took a few pictures, but they’ll show up in the Instagram post.

Jane was in a cute Activity Days play:

 

I am continually surprised at how easy Christmas decorating is with older kids to help.  I turned my back and the tree was done (with Emma saying in the same not-so-nice she heard for years from me “Um, that’s not where that goes.  Here just let me do it!!”)

     

Ryan’s work party was all kinds of fun this year.  They did it at the ritzy hotel downtown and had a fun faux-gambling activity planned and great food, but mostly I like picking out my party outfit and chatting with my good friend Tessa, who’s husband also works there.

We went to a few of the usual holiday events (our Christmas cookie exchange with neighbors and the Rowells annual adult gathering) and a few new ones (Liberty Lake tree lighting and the gingerbread house event downtown):

Christmas break was super fun.  It snowed like crazy the first day and we sledded and played in it all day, we did gingerbread houses, we did our Christmas tradition stuff, I tore my ACL, we did a few New Years things and then it was over.  No “How am I supposed to entertain these people for 5 more days in the depths of winter” or anything.

 

 

Ryan was a superstar and did the 12 days of Christmas for me, which included back rubs, running gear (boo hoo!), an arranged lunch with girl friends, a night out alone, a day when he stayed home from work, a spice cabinet and a Clarisonic (eee!).  It’s my favorite thing that during the most stressful time of year, I have that daily treat to look forward to.  Here’s one of us having lunch together:

We also made lots of cookies and took them to people and I gained my usual 10 lbs.  (Lame.)

We were all by ourselves this Christmas and we still had a lovely time.  After much debate, we decided to repeat our Brazillian grill restaurant choice from last year.  It was a pretty day and every obliged me by putting on their holiday shirts. 

We went to Legends of the Guardians (cute) as usual, but then were sad to have to do the Bethlehem dinner sans Daines this year (Hawaii, pfft!).  We had a simple hummus spread and enjoyed dressing up and a simple nativity re-enactment (we needed those Daines cousins desperately for that one). 

Of course we opened PJs.

Christmas morning was nice.  Everyone seemed happy.  Jane was on her kindle, the boys played Legos, Faith and Jane had Soap Opera world with all her new dollhouse stuff until I shut that dysfunction down, and we all watched movies together.  I did the unusual and decided to do a simple dinner (Clam chowder, rolls and pies) and it was the best decision of the month.  I actually relaxed and enjoyed my Christmas.  Honestly, Christmas 2013 was my favorite year ever.

Ryan (ward scoutmaster extraordinaire) organized a snow shoeing/campout for the last weekend of December and it was a rousing success.  Lots of good dutch oven dinners, pancakes from a mix, fires and snow caves made for the perfect Boy Scout event, apparently.  (He left me 12 hours after my injury, but we managed just fine). 

We rang in the New Year with our awesome progressive party:  Finger foods at Foxes (last minute change after the busted knee), games by Youngs at Shenemans (so so so fun.  Especially the limbo party.  We got some bendy Mamas in our group.) and dessert at the Beykirchs.  Honestly best New Years Eves I’ve ever had.  It’s a genius set-up, I tell you.  You’ve just got to not be scared of 50 people at your house for an hour.

      

How sad is my Crutch dancing:

    

 

And that’s it for 2012!