The first week of December my parents came to visit. Though we had only been unpacking for a week, we were pretty well moved in. It was a great time for a visit. We needed some family love in our new unfamiliar place.
We were grateful to play games, go out to eat, snuggle, tour schools, and make memories.
I love keeping this tradition with the ones who started it all. Singing around the tree with chocolates is so special.
Our last morning with them, a waffle send-off!
Love Love!
While Mom was here we toured the schools the children would go to if they entered public school and/or the local charter school. These visits led to Adam choosing to start school 2 weeks before the Christmas break at Desert Willow Elementary School.
Of course Adam loved all the games and parties and special Christmas activities that happen right before the Holidays. We tried to warn him that school was also going to be work, not just parties, but when the real work came, he loved that too.
Mom and Dad snuggle with little Adam.
Sarah enjoys snow.
The tiny amount of snow that fell and stayed in our barren backyard.
Sisters can't believe real live flakes are falling where they live.
Rachel continues her ballet stretches in hopes to be able to start ballet here someday.
Fixing the couch yet again. We hope it holds.
During the school break Adam finished his last math workbook with me.
We made big gingerbread bears on Christmas Eve.
Our nativity play.
Good little children ready for Santa to visit.
While everyone slept soundly with their Aunt Luise pillows, Santa came.
3 happy children. Adam got the Scooby Doo Lego Lighthouse, Rachel got the Lego Friends Hot Air Balloon set, and Sarah got a complete set of Jane Austen's books.
The aftermath of Christmas...
Sarah and Rachel got a new daybed and trundle, so we didn't have nightmares from the squeaky shaky bed, and we can roll the bottom mattress out now, instead of fight the carpet as we pull the plain mattress out. We sold the other bed for $75. Adam also got a bed frame.
Christmas Day relaxing, eating cheesy Cheetos, watching cheesy Christmas movies.
The morning after Christmas we decided to have hot cocoa for breakfast and make a cozy fire and roast marshmallows in the fireplace. We got the directions wrong and closed the fireplace flue, which filled the house with smoke and nasty.
We had a lot of fun before we realized the problem, then we put out the fire and opened all the doors to let the Kingman wind blow the house free of all the smoke, which made it absolutely frigid inside. We bundled up in our warmest clothes and scrubbed the soot off the bricks and it was like it never happened. The next time we used the fireplace we knew what to do.
So funny to me.
Sunday with our new ward, we made up the rest of the gingerbread and made paper snowflakes.
So creative.
Then we drove to Utah to be there Jan 2nd for Gary and Sybil's wedding. We were happy we'd make it for New Year's Eve too. I always love being greeted by beautiful temples. This is the new Payson temple blanketed in fresh snow.
The Cole's traditional New Year's Party.
Adam and Rock having their celebration downstairs with the fisher price toys and their stuffed animals.
The puzzle crew upstairs.
What a Party!
What a great way to ring in the New Year!
Welcome to 2016!
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