New Year's 2021

 All throughout the year the kids reminisce about the New Year's party at Grandma and Grandpa's because they LOVE the fact that they get to stay up until midnight!

This year definitely didn't disappoint with all the family time!

Mom and Dad are amazing in handling such a crowd!  They are both constantly preparing food in the kitchen, spending time with grandkids, and pulling off such memorable gatherings.

So grateful to have Geoff by my side to get me through all the unexpected turns of 2020.

Plenty of games were played, laughs shared, and even some trash talk exchanged.

Bridger was very kind to let Kyron play with his games in Kyron's fashion.  I'm sure Grandma and Grandpa are still finding sticks and monkeys hidden throughout the house!

My faith in the future was definitely tested during this year.  I am incredibly grateful for the guidance we receive from the scriptures, our church leaders, and personal revelation.  Spending more time with family has definitely strengthened our relationships, I have been putting forth better efforts in cultivating a loving spirit in our home, and we have been so blessed as we've strived to study the "Come, Follow Me" curriculum.  Not knowing when things will clear with this pandemic and what is to come with all the political turmoil is nerve-racking, but how thankful I am for a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  May our family always desire to walk the path that leads to Him...no matter how bumpy it becomes from what the world throws our way.

Here's to strength, joy, and confidence in 2021!

Christmas in PA

 On Christmas Eve, we jumped in the car and headed to Grandma and Grandpa Nelson's to celebrate with family.  That evening we got together with Dean and Andrea's family to tell the story of Christ's birth.  Each child drew a picture of the different events that happened that night and took turns sharing the story.

Santa was kind enough to drop of gifts for the kids at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Jared and Genevieve were also able to come and we all enjoyed playing the days away!

Hylie tried her hand at a Virtual Reality game and loved the experience.

Kyron warmed up pretty quick to all the love and attention!

As always, the kids were SPOILED by Grandma and Grandpa!

What a treat to have a porch visit with Grandma and Pap Pap!  It was definitely a highlight for me.  We love them and are so grateful for technology which also enables us to visit with them throughout this pandemic.

Family Gift Exchange

 

On December 22nd we had our family gift exchange.  The kids didn't seem to mind opening presents a few days early.

Kyron was big into unwrapping things and was never disappointed about what he found inside.

Geoff took the day off and we all enjoyed playing and spending time with each other.

I'm grateful our children love all the Christmas traditions we try to do each year, including the evening devotionals we have about the life of Christ.  I hope and pray that each child will nurture their relationship with Him and recognize the joy we can constantly have by focusing our faith on His powers of grace, love, and peace.

Decking the Halls

The kids were pretty excited when we pulled out the Christmas decorations at the end of November.

Geoff and I thought this would be a fantastic way to set up our Christmas tree with Kyron on the loose!

 

Kyron loved the tree.  He thought it was a "new toy" display as well as a "ball dispenser".  I must admit, after the first day of having the tree up, I was ready to take it down.  Kyron was CONSTANTLY taking ornaments and chucking them around the house.  Most of our decor is plastic, but this kid was ruthless with how much he'd throw all over the place.  Fortunately, the novelty wore off, and he only bothered the tree from time to time for the rest of the month.

One night the kids all worked together to build a gingerbread house together.

And I didn't realize until I was finally making this blog post that I never got a picture of the finished house!

Getting Ahead of the Game

 Kyron's been watching his two older sisters participate in e-learning and he wasn't about to feel left out!  We caught him logging into Hylie's computer one evening and got a good laugh at how proud he was of himself!

and here's a cute, random picture of this little cutie:

Family Christmas Facebook Video

 The missionaries asked us to help with a Christmas video that they wanted to post on Facebook.  We agreed to it in October, but I must admit the day before it was going to be filmed in November, I was a big stress-ball.  I still didn't have a clear understanding of what the video was going to be, what time they would be here to film, who needed to provide what props, and how much of the house was going to be used.  I was tired and just not in the mood, ha!  Because of all the unknowns, I was feeling justified to cancel--but overwhelming feelings of guilt kept coming anytime I thought about doing that.  So I tidied up the main floor of the house Friday night and when they arrived on Saturday I was much more optimistic and energetic.

It ended up being a really fun and enjoyable experience.  The kids cooperated with each and every detail--no matter how many 'takes' it took.  The missionaries also let us help with the plot line of the film so we shaped things for the kids to be more involved in helping to turn the focus on Christmas Festivites to the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

After filming for two hours, they left to work on the editing.  By the time Christmas Eve rolled around, I figured the missionaries weren't able to use the material--but then I got a call on Christmas Day that the video was posted! Click HERE to see it.

I love the Christmas traditions we have in our family that do keep us focused on the blessings that are in our lives because of the Savior.  This year, with all the unexpected turns and disappointments, I have felt the spirit of love and unity grow within the walls of our home.  Our hearts have been softened and strengthened.  I'm thankful for all that we have that reminds us of the true Source of Joy, Love, and Peace.

Kyron's First Haircut

During the first week of November 2020, we made an attempt to cut Kyron's hair.

Even though I didn't feel it was THAT necessary for trim, Geoff definitely felt it was time to give him a nice, short 'do.

I held the trimmer on his arm to help him get acclimated to the buzz.

 This little guy took his first hair trimming like a champ!  The treats we bribed him with during the ordeal definitely helped!

I truly thought this haircut would take place over several days, but he sat still enough to do it in one session!  It definitely isn't a perfect cut, but it was much better than I had anticipated!