Change of Plans

The weather was unusually warm yesterday so James took to working some more on the roof--in a T-shirt!

We planned on meeting up with the Delos Reyes and Kase and Brielle's family at Makaley's game in Connell but we got there too late.  Instead, we watched the UofW/Boise State Football game in Papa's classroom.  Don't think the boys were too disappointed.

Ice Skating

Last week, Sariah and I went to the Figure Skating Recital.

This weekend, the family went ice skating. 

I think everyone (except maybe Bryant) came home with at least a few bumps and bruises.  I missed it, but they said Talmage did the splits.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Talmage got here about 9pm on Thursday night.  The whole house can feel his upbeat spirit.  He was teaching Sariah the cha-cha at 10 o'clock at night.  He had the little boys dancing by 6:30 the next morning.

He slept by the Christmas tree. Bryant joined him sometime in the early morning.

Christmas Festivities

Bryant got this winner gag gift at the seminary gift exchange.  He and I muddled over whether or not the book itself was a spoof for quite awhile until he had to look it up.  He found out it is a real thing!

Got to be with Rex and Lyle at their class party. 

I'd never seen the game where you decorate the kid like a Christmas Tree.

Last week I was not feeling well so Grandma went to Rex and Lyle's Christmas Program at the school.  Rex thought it was pretty funny that his face is perfectly covered up in this picture (the red shirt on the second row).

Eagle Project

The air was a little tense around here at times this week as Bryant worked to get his Eagle Project completed, and all his blue cards and paperwork signed.  Sariah and I and the little boys even delivered our neighborhood Christmas gifts one night without Dad and Bryant as they scrambled.  Time and time again, things came together, people bent over backwards to help him, and by Friday afternoon he received an email from the Scout Office that his paperwork had been approved and he was ready for his Board of Review.

The assembly at Phil Bleazard's shop.

Bishop, Bryant, and Hyrum

Class Presentations

Since all of the little boys had class presentations this week, for FHE we decided to let them practice, microphone and all.  Each of them had made a powerpoint with sources.

Hyrum presented on the colony of New Hampshire.

Lyle and Rex presented on Christmas in Russia and Ukraine respectively.

New Phone

James went to all the leg work and got me a "new" phone off of Facebook Marketplace.  Sariah is having fun with it.  It's nice to have a phone battery that lasts for more than 1/2 hour.

Projects

Bryant is hustling to get his Eagle Project before the end of the year.  He was super blessed with a trip to Lowe's and a generous manager who donated all of the supplies.  He and James went to town yesterday with some help from the little guys.

 

He has stressed a lot about it, but he's going to make it!

James is also working on a HUGE project for Grandma Wells, copying decades of family videos onto DVDs. 

Rex and Lyle are working on PowerPoint presentations about Christmas in Ukraine and Russia respectively.  Lyle's opening line, "Since Russia overtook Ukraine, I decided I would just overtake Rex's Powerpoint."

You May Need Some Blinders

When Hyrum showed up at the back door like this we were wondering what had happened.  Apparently during a game of frisbee he had an unfortunate run in with some dog do-do.  He left everything contaminated in the backyard.

Bryant ended up loving James's gag gift.  We caught him in the Santa boxers. Yes, the ones complete with fur trim and jingle bells on the fly.

Christmas Shopping

Took the kids to town Friday evening so they could do their Christmas shopping.  I think it you could say they had fun.

Rex and Lyle

Had to stop them before they started having too much fun.

Ward Christmas Party

James actually stayed home from school on Wednesday because I felt so rotten.  It worked out well.  He went to the church to fulfill my set-up assignment for the Ward Christmas Dinner.  It gave him an opportunity to prep for his part of that night's program.

The youth were in charge this year.  Christmas dinner this year was PIZZA!

It ended up that Lyle stayed home with me as a consequence of yelling at his Mom.  It was a SAD occasion (Lyle on his knees literally begging for mercy).  We made the best of it and cuddled up on the couch and read Christmas stories.

We have a winner!

I got a call on Tuesday afternoon--Rex had won the AR drawing, a NEW BIKE!

The best part was that Hyrum and Lyle were good sports about it.

Last Cub Scout Activity...Ever.

When Rex and Lyle were born, we knew there would come a day when we had three Cub Scouts (AKA 3 pinewood derby cars), and likely three missionaries, all at the same time.

Last Cub Scout Activity--swimming at Woodward's Pool.

Then we came home and had family night.  They actually liked my FHE activity!  Painting plaster Christmas tree ornaments.

Nice Wheels!

James finally got the license plates and we have all enjoyed buzzing around town in wheels with lots of bells and whistles.

Air Soft Battles

This was a week of early releases for Parent/Teacher Conferences so the afternoons consisted of some pretty epic airsoft battles.

Rex with his sniper rifle.

Hyrum on the run.

Rex taking his chances.

James joining in on the fun Saturday afternoon.

They were out there for a LONG time having a blast.  We have to use portable tables since we're low on mature trees and bushes.  There were a few welts but definitely more smiles.

Christmas Festivities

Packages started arriving in the mail this week and the wrapping began!  Lyle is pretty excited about his gift for Talmage.

James's white elephant gift he scored at the Seminaries and Institutes Christmas Party on Friday.  Santa boxers in a Victoria's Secret box.

Sariah's first project with her new tools!

A birthday cake for Aunt Taneil.

Making snowflakes.

I love to see my boys working their little creative minds!

Choice and Accountability

While we were putting away the groceries on Monday, I asked Sariah to wipe a shelf in the fridge.  Next thing I know every single thing in the fridge was unloaded.  She scrubbed and organized the whole thing.  So much better!

We've been having challenges with disobedience.  James and I were pretty consistent with consequences with the older kids when they were little.  We wanted to make sure everyone knew the expectations so that consequences were understood ahead of time.

As a result, Rex's monkey has been sleeping with James and I since Wednesday.  When it went flying through the air during a piano meltdown, I put it up in a cupboard.  That night when Rex went to bed he was pretty upset about his monkey being lonely.  We had to maintain the consequence, but I told Rex the monkey could sleep with me so he wouldn't be lonely.