We also had a special visit from Grandpa Wiemers at Thanksgiving.  The cousins loved being together, and I think it is safe to say that Maya and Ellie stole the show.

Christmas Traditions

The more people in the Nativity play the more fun!  We get a little crazy with costumes and parts.  Not shown is me playing the innkeeper, Maddie playing the inn security guard (because she was at the time a security guard for the Gateway Mall), and Collin playing the guy who tried to sneak into the already-full inn, but was thrown out by Maddie right before Joseph asked if there was any room in the inn.  

 India and Maya were princesess (not angels) for the Nativity play.

 David the shepherd.

 With his trusty sheepdog, Apollo.

 Jared, the wise guy.

 Nathanael, the wise guy.

 Ammon the narrator and Maya the princess.

Princesses and shepherds visiting Baby Jesus (Wesley in my Mom's crib when she was a baby!) and Mary and Joseph (Josie and Bryce).

 The 2 wise guys and Waldo tag-along played by Brittany.
Rachel as King Herod in the background.

 Christmas Day!

 Bryce, Josie and Wesley

Cutest family photo ever.

 Following the footsteps of his dad.

 India loving the Real Salt Lake jacket she got from Daddy.

 Humongous pillow pet #1 - major hit.

 Humongous pillow pet #2 - major hit again!  

Apparently, I gave the girls the wrong colors.  

India is usually our pink girl, and Maya is our purple girl.

Visit from Grandpa and Grandma Parker.  And lots of Garey aunts and uncles visiting!

Holiday Catch Up

 Santa's chair at the rec center.

 Thanksgiving at the Reed home.  It was amazing.

Cousins!

 Collin and David trying pickled herring for the first time.  

What?  Two thumbs up?  

Traitors.

Wiemers tradition - pickled herring.  

It hasn't picked up among the other in-laws yet, I mean, ever.

 The girl likes sushi and pickled herring.  Definitely a Wiemers.

 Ammon's "I can't believe you won't even try it" face.

  

 These punks - the Reids - at Temple Square.

Not pictured is us at a shady, downtown McDonald's drinking something called but not similar in taste to hot chocolate.  

 Fun nativity scenes at Temple Square.

 Baby Gabey.

  

 Maya called this lantern at Temple Square, Leo the Lion who is the mascot of Real Salt Lake.  

She makes her daddy so proud.

Heck yeah, we fit over twenty people in our kitchen for Christmas dinner.

Valentine's Day

I have gotten out of the habit of making a big deal out of holidays.   But I made a great come-back.  I thought it would  be funny to decorate in black and white and broken hearts for Valentine's Day.  The girls got a new poem book by Shel Silverstein - their favorite poet!  Ammon replaced my phone I dropped in the toilet, and I got him got some schmancy stuff.   We played Valentine Tic Tac Toe and had a fondue dinner and dessert the next night since he was in class.

Happy Halloween

I lovelovelovelovelove Halloween.  It is my second-most favorite holiday.  Naturally, the girls were princesses:  Mookie Maya was Princess Tiana while India was the self-proclaimed "Princess of Everything."  

Maya (to India):  I pinpess Tiana.  You pinpess of everything.

India:  That's right, Maya.  That means I'm the princess of you.

Brittany came over and helped carve pumpkins.

Then she was quickly ditched by the princess of everything who didn't think highly of dirtying her hands of pumpkin guts.

I thought we'd only go trick or treating for half an hour.  Nope.  

We hit the neighborhood for an hour and a half.  

Aunt Maddi painted the girls' faces and went trick or treating with us as a fairy.  More accurately, Maddi went sprinting and treating with India who was half a block ahead of us. When India lost her necklace that night, the young women in my ward found it and returned it back to us.  I love them!

The star of Halloween was Wesley who had the most adorable costume ever!  

He fell asleep within the first two minutes. 

But then my cackling woke him up.  

And he enjoyed his first Charleston Chew - paper included.

Ammon's so-not-a-princess pumpkin.

Josie and I had our annual Halloween party - a superhero murder mystery dinner for GIRLS only.  (Wesley made an appearance or two, but got to hang out with Ammon and Luca upstairs.  And ps - Ammon and Luca totally saved my bacon by fixing dinner for the party.  I'm so spoiled.)  It was freaking awesome. Oh yeah, and Carla, if you ever run for office, you better tell me so I can take this picture down. ;)

New Tradition

In honor of tricking and treating this month, India and I started a new neighborhood tradition called Mummy Tagging.  India told me she wants to do it every night.  Ammon didn't think we (mostly I) could do it without getting caught.  Tsk, tsk silly.  I  give Ammon credit.  He thought of the idea a long time ago.  

Recognized.

India learned in primary class that after Jesus was "taken off the hangers," he was put in a tomb.  The angels pushed the rock away, and then He was "recognized."  And after we die, we will be "recognized" like our Savior.  I love this kiddo so much.  

Stake conference was wonderful.  Dinner (by Ammon) was amazing, Company (via skype and over for dinner) was delightful.  Life is good.

 Before the hunt.  Kind of.

 

Can you read the writing on her ice cream bucket?  It's the yuck-yuck bucket because I don't believe in spending $1 on something I don't want to make room to store for a year.  I guess we could make something.  Nah.  Throw up bucket is way easier.  It took some convincing to get her stop spitting in the bucket and actually put her eggs in.

My happy brood.  And the sweaters sent and darling skirts made by Kate's mad sewing skills!  

 India made a cute basket for Easter in preschool.  

 Marshall and Belle.  My brother probably takes the best care of Belle out of all of us.  I had to get a picture of him and the family doggie because I'm not sure she'll be alive when he gets back from his mission in two years.  But if she does make it, I also won't be surprised.  

Maya and India had fun helping me load the eggs with candy beforehand.  When Maya couldn't get any more candy to fit in an egg, she'd eat whatever was left in her hand!