December

It's always a hassle remembering where to put the holiday decorations so I thought if I take pictures then I can reference them for the next year!

The Shaheens were in town and while Bron would have been happy doing our usual, laying by the pool, it was a little too chilly for the rest of us! So, instead, we went to the zoo and then checked out Merry on Main St. in Mesa! We tried out the ice skating (not bad, but the skates were torture chambers!), took pictures with Santa, tested out a new donut place then drove to the Mesa temple to see the lights! We ended up running into Brinn there which was so fun. Finally ended the night getting Ritos from their new location at Riverview. Ugh, the service was terrible and the food did not taste the same. What a bust! Still had a great time with our favorite family!

Can we take a moment for Collin and Bron, here? They really channeled the same energy haha.

Travis and the boys helped put up the Christmas lights on this very tree! They were proud to show off their work.

30 years ago, Kristen Hathcock had a birthday party scavenger hunt at Superstition Springs mall that I went to and now Olive got to go to her daughter's same party! Full circle haha.

Oh that elf is back! I think the kids renamed him Stewart. It's funny, I have never used the whole "Santa's watching, you better be good" tactic. Our elf started out as a service elf and then I got tired, so he became a "normal" elf, except he only shows up occasionally and gets into half-hearted mischief. Lol. Actually, for the past several years, the elf has been under new (cough, teenage) management and that is awesome sauce. I generally create the first sighting though. The big drama of this year was that Olive caught on. She was a full believer before. She came downstairs after I thought she had gone to bed and saw that he had moved. I lied my way out of it, and she went back to her room, but came down again and this time saw ME moving him. Ugh. She just burst into tears. I didn't even know what to do. I let her go and cry and gave me a little time then gently went into her room to talk about it. She had just started to calm down when her eyes went wide and her jaw opened and she exclaimed, "WAIT. Does this mean SANTA isn't real too?!!!" Oh geez. I thought she had already put that together and was the reason for all the crying in the first place! It was honestly heartbreaking to watch her sadness! It ran so deep! I wish she could have had one last "believing" Christmas but what are you going to do? She is 10 so it was getting to be time. It just felt like all the innocent excitement and giddiness was stolen from her. Now we just have one last Santa lover left in the house. But now she gets to join in on creating the magic of Stewart.

Collin's football team was amazing this year so the coach signed them up for a tournament out in Goodyear. Andddd they got their butts handed to them. What stunk more was that Travis was able to take him while I had to be somewhere else, but he couldn't stay the whole time, so I had to drive out there too, to bring him home. 

Part one of the Evans Christmas program. I think Wayne is just feeling the spirit of Christmas but it sure looks like snoozing. Tanner played the xylophone, Weston and Olive played the piano and Collin participated in making a silly video with his cousins. He absolutely refused to do anything else.

I was put in charge of gathering money and buying gift cards and gifts for some families in need in our ward. 

Collin has been complaining about his knees hurting for months. I finally took him in to see Dr. Udall. They took an x-ray and he said he didn't see anything off other than his growth plates seem a bit lower than what is normal?? Alas, no real answers. But he conned me into getting Ned's Crazy Sub for lunch afterward. They accidentally made Collin the wrong sub but just let him keep it. It was a meatball sub so I knew it wouldn't keep in the fridge well. Then I saw a homeless man as we approached the freeway so I pulled over really quick, shoved the sandwich in Collin's hands and said, "Go give this to that homeless man!" He sat there stunned until I started shouting, "Go go go go hurry hurry hurry!!!" So off he ran as I watched from the car. I see him saying something. Now the man is talking. Then Collin starts running back WITH the sandwich!! He said the guy told him he was a vegetarian!!! For the love! Well, as soon as he told me, I see another homeless man go by on a bike so I shove him out the door again and there he goes, running helter skelter after another one! I was dying! This guy actually takes the sandwich haha! Collin is a good kid. 

Olive's violin recital! She is picking it up pretty good for only practicing at school!

This month for scripture study we are reading excerpts about Christ's birth and life and I usually have a video clip to go with it. Just look at Olive's face and body language. She is so darling. The older boys can barely stay awake but she is so eager to learn!

Morrison Ranch Christmas festival is always a favorite. I had to be in a dozen different places at once so I only got to be with Tanner for cookie decorating then put him in Weston's care while I picked up Olive. She was so happy we saved her a cookie.

There is nothing like the feeling of getting Christmas cards done. It takes so much time I figured it was worth documenting as a major part of December.

Olive and I squeezed in another Instagram reel. This one had us absolutely doubled over in laughter. We sat back to back and spun backwards with our legs in the air to switch places. My abs were sore the next day!

Grandpa sent out a text that his hot chocolate shop was open all month for the grandkids to enjoy! One night I miraculously had a few hours open with Olive and Tanner to go partake! 

Collin's year to put the star on top! I think the joy isn't quite the same at 14. 

Elder Ballard had passed the beginning of November. I was standing in Hobby Lobby when I got the text that Elder Kearon had been made the newest apostle. What felt like electricity started at my head and whooshed down through my body to my toes, then back up again to my head, then down to my toes and back and forth and back and forth so many times I lost count. It was the weirdest, but best sensation as warmth filled my chest and tears rolled down my cheeks. I have never experienced anything like that before. The most undeniable witness that he is truly called of God! I am so excited! After what he did for the Shaheens I will always love and revere him. 

Olive is in the Nutcracker again this year. I volunteered one night of dress rehearsals. She gets to be in several scenes, dancing with the Spark group as dolls and then her tap company and also do acrobatics with two other girls as Chinese Tea. Camilla is so nice to come every year with Posey. Grateful for supportive grandparents too! The venue is not close and the performance is not short!

A sample to-do list for a day in December!

I love our tradition of giving out Carolina tortillas as a neighbor gift. I just laugh when people think they are homemade. That is the most ridiculous assumption to me. Usually we have all the kids' help in running them to doorsteps, but this year it was only Tanner!

I have long since been "in style". Abbey helped me pick out some jeans and boots. Praise Abbey.

These boys' relationship makes me laugh. You can always find them in the backyard playing wiffle ball or on the driveway playing basketball on Sunday evenings.

A very late Primary program this year!

It's a good year if I can squeeze in our Grinch dinner! We invited the Monahans and Laws this time. We would be lost without these good friends in our ward.

Olive missed her piano recital with Kim. Probably because of Nutcracker. Collin and Weston have been taking from Annie Coon again but neither of them practice. I can't remember why, but it doesn't even seem like Collin did the recital. At least Weston did. I decided to let Collin quit. It's not worth the fight. I'm so.sick.of.fighting. I told him on Christmas that it was one of his presents that he could quit. But in return, he had to agree to do competitive diving. Even that took a ton of convincing. I took over his lessons the second half of the year. I've been wanting to learn piano for ages!

Poor girl got an expander put in. It hurts a lot and she hates it.

I planned a Relief Society Christmas progressive dinner. I have spent countless hours on this. There was a good amount of money in the budget left so I was excited to be able to cater the main meal from Oreganos. I bought the appetizers and desserts from Costco. I spent all day cleaning and getting tables and chairs from the church to put in Tasha's backyard. We started at the Weight's home. Maybe 8-10 people showed up. I was so disappointed! But thought maybe more would come for the main meal at the Monahans. Only a couple more did. We have 100 women in our Relief Society. The Christmas party is usually the best attended activity. I was crushed that not more women came. I got my plate of food and sat down at the table across from a Brazilian sister who speaks broken English so most people avoid her. I wanted to make sure she felt included. As I was talking with her I realized the women next to me were complaining about the ward Christmas party that was coming up in a couple days. The ward party *I* had planned with Alisa. Even though it's the same program we did last year and was highly complimented, they were annoyed and had plenty of negative things to say about it. Not just negative, incredibly rude. I couldn't believe anyone could be so rude. I guess they didn't realize I was in charge of it. I felt tears come to my eyes and didn't want to cry in front of everyone so I slipped away and sat on the front porch. I felt like if I had been 1,000 inflated balloons they were now all popped. So, so dejected. It's amazing how much time, effort and love you can pour into people and feel like none of it matters. They don't care. What's even the point? It's DECEMBER, for heaven's sakes. I have a million things to do. But I have devoted untold amounts of time to my calling. It's not like I wanted credit. If I hadn't even been there but known lots of women came and got to socialize and eat a meal they didn't have to cook, that would have meant everything! I just wanted to promote unity in our organization. But no one cares! I know December is busy for people but I got feedback and tried to plan it on a night others wanted. It was an hour an a half out of their lives. They didn't have to bring anything. They could just show up and eat yummy food. What's the deal? What am I doing wrong? So to hear people COMPLAIN was just too much. I had zero appetite. I just wanted to go home and crawl in bed and cry. But no. I'm the stinkin' Relief Society president! I don't get to bail. I wouldn't have gone back out there except that I needed to grab my purse. I just left my food on the table. Then I text my counselors that I was going to my house to prep for dessert because my house was the last house in the progression. I truly didn't think anyone would notice. As the women started to show up, the ones who had been complaining were first. They innocently, seemingly probingly, asked why I had left. I was BARELY holding it together. Somehow I smiled and just said I needed to get the desserts ready. One girl, who hadn't complained but had been nearby and heard it all, came over to me and asked if I had left because of what had been said. Instantly tears sprang to my eyes. I didn't deny or confirm but thanked her for checking on me. I found a new sister who moved in this year and has a new baby and went to talk to her. I was supposed to lead everyone in our Udall Christmas program but ohhhh I didn't want to. Every second of smiling was torture. When it was finally over and people started leaving, one of the women who had been complaining came up to me and asked if what she said had hurt my feelings. Then she quickly followed up with, "I wasn't the one who started it!" And also disclaimed that she didn't realize I was in charge of it. Wow. But truly, this was a lesson I will always remember. The age old rule applies, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Be a supporter, not a complainer. ESPECIALLY when people are volunteering their time and didn't ask to be given the responsibility. I cried myself to sleep and woke up with zero motivation for anything. I cried to Rachel and wondered how on earth I was going to get up the motivation to do what needed to be done for the ward party. Then something magical occurred. I had one day of abject sadness. And then I woke up the next day fine. How? OK, not 100% fine, but no where near the depression I had felt the day before. It was weird and made no sense at all. Nothing like this has every happened to me before. Then I recognized it. Prayers. God. Blessings for time served. The Atonement of Jesus Christ. Seriously. I might sound dramatic, but really, what happened that night held the weight of a year of serving and trying and trying and serving. Always with a positive attitude. Doing my best to lift and help. It just all came crashing down that night and I was done. DONE. I didn't want to do it anymore. Then suddenly I could again. I don't care what you say, that was Jesus intervening. I will always remember that experience as a time that the enabling power of the Atonement blessed my life. 

Sweet Kim and her kids were looking for leaves to rake and picked us!

Travis, Collin and Weston were shepherds in the pageant. Another girl was chosen to the be the star child but she bailed so Olive got to do it for the second year in a row! Tanner was an angel. We had a dress rehearsal the night before. We spent a considerable amount of time setting everything up. We decided to do it in the chapel this year and I'm so glad we did. The singers Alisa got were amazing. The Spirit was beautiful. Camilla's whole family showed up to support me. She is next level wonderful. Getting all the desserts there was a feat. I'm so sad I didn't get a picture of the spread!

How cute is this "drawer freshener" Weston sewed?! You put a dryer sheet inside and stick it in your drawer to make it smell nice. His teacher said he did so good that she asked him to help the other kids who were floundering.

Olive went to her friend, Lily's, birthday party in Agritopia and it is PACKED at night with people driving around to look at lights. So we parked far away and walked in. This candy house was incredible! I can't believe the lengths people go to.

We did our Lindblom Christmas party on a Sunday night when we would have been together anyway. But at least we didn't have to cook! Mom ordered food from Gecko Grill the day before.

The kids all played their piano songs. 

Cute Stetson mimicking Grandma leading the music!

Aunt Marcie coordinated decorating gingerbread cookies.

I volunteered to help with the Giving Machine in downtown Gilbert one night. It was super fun! I loved visiting with all the people. The whole family came down to donate while I was there. Mom came to see me too!

I had all the Fig kids over and got the giggles over dinner. These leftover plates are pretty useful!

Really love our annual High Tea at Christmas with Camilla and Posey. We have hit up just about every tea place in Arizona. This time we drove an hour to Carefree. I really liked how they set up their tea menu with lots of choices. It was so yummy and the cutest place!

Wonder of wonder!! Miracle of miracles! Weston organized his dresser! The boys are really tired of their "little kid" room. So it was time to clean it all out. We even got rid of their beds. (Their NICE bed frames we paid to have handmade from real, quality wood.) Now they have bunk beds, no baby pictures and extra room for hanging out. Guess I didn't take an "after" picture. Oops.

I waited 45 min. for this orange gold.

We did our family's "Christmas Eve" two days before Christmas. We got a fancy dinner at Cheesecake Factory (as fancy as I'm willing to get with kids haha) then visited Grandma and did the Udall program with her. I told mom about it so she and dad joined us. Grandma shared the story behind the Bowden candy and passed it around for us to try. It was a nice night! Then we went home and the kids exchanged their sibling gifts. Tanner was ecstatic about his gun. I love my family.

The only night that worked out to have the Goodmans over for our annual Christmas night was Christmas Adam. I made "gingerbread" houses using the hot sugar method of gluing them together and it worked great! Minus a couple burns. Even us grownups participated! Then we drove around with hot chocolate, in the back of Travis's truck with the music blaring and dropped off a few goodies to houses we deemed as having the best lights!