Not all Dogs are perfect but this One is.

One day (Adam and I were visiting cousin John at his office having some moles removed) we were gone for several hours.  The kids failed to pay attention to the Dog.  Our dog is the best dog ever!  Im not complaining at all; this is all the kids fault.

We got home and found that the Dog had needed to use the bathroom and the kids had not let him out.  This dog is so amazing that sitting by the front door was two pairs of shoes.  One pair was Adams church shoes, the other pair Avrams church shoes.  Buddy pooped in Avrams church shoes.

Did Buddy plan that?  I don't think so but it just shows what an awesome dog he is.

Who had the best Christmas?

I asked the kids to each hold up their favorite toy that they had received.  Its a good sign when they want multiple pictures taken because they can't decide what toy was their favorite.  

 This year I was able to get all my Christmas shopping done early because I did it all online while I was recovering from my hip surgery.  It was nice not having the last minute stresses of finishing up gift shopping or wrapping presents.
Since it was so difficult to hide the presents once they arrived by mail I made sure to wrap them immediately that way if my kids stumbled onto the gifts they wouldn't know what they were.

 It was fun having a traditional Christmas this year especially since we were on a vacation last year.

I think Duke ended up enjoying Christmas the most.  He loved exploring each box and playing with the wrapping.  He is such a funny cat.  Most cats don't like when things are different or chaotic around them but Duke doesn't mind as long as he is in the middle of it.  

We had the Prestwich family Christmas Party at our house on the 22nd.  Adam smoked a great Pork Shoulder.  We had homemade rolls (orange rolls also), potatoes, salad, delicious homemade desserts, etc.  I was thankful when the party was over.  It is always stressful for me to have in laws over.  I have a couple of in laws that are very critical and I haven't figured out how to let that roll of my shoulders yet.  But I am thankful they are willing to come up.  

At the family party we decorated Ginger bread men and houses.

 Since the kids were out of school I need to find something productive for them to do.  I took them ice skating while I finished up the Christmas cards to mail out.

I can honestly say the best part of the Christmas season was sacrament meeting on Christmas Eve.  The Choir put on a fabulous program and many people in the ward participated in a spectacular program.  

I am so eternally grateful to my Savior.  I know all I have and all I am is because of him.

These are Ilas gifts to her brothers:

Dear Brigham, You are so nice.  I am sometimes crazy.  Im Sorry.

 Dear Avram, You are so nice.  I am sometimes crazy.  Im sorry.

Does Santa Forget some kids?

Each year our ward puts together and Angel tree and whoever wants to help can donate money, clothes, or toys to help another family.  As I was looking through the angel tree I saw a request for an LOL doll.  Not many people know what an LOL doll is but I do because I have a 7 year old daughter that wants one so bad for Christmas that she honestly thinks she is going to die if she doesn't get one.  

I thought this will be a good chance to help Ila learn about giving to others.  I read her the book:

This book compares some of the similarities between Santa and Christ but then explains how Santa is just a symbol of giving.  We read the book a couple of times and then I talked to her about how some families aren't able to have Christmas so just like the story we are going to give like Christ has given to us.  

This was all going well until I told her what we were going to give.  When she realized we had an LOL doll in our home and we were going to give it away she fell apart!  

She pleaded to give this little girl anything else but not the LOL doll.  I told her just because this little girl was going to get an LOL doll it didn't mean she wouldn't get one at Christmas.  Ila cried, "But what if Santa doesn't bring me an LOL doll?  Why do we have to give her one.  If Santa can't give her one then he wont give me one.  Why do we have to give away the doll?  Why wont Santa visit her?"  

I tried to calm her and explain that there was a very high likely hood that she too would get one for Christmas too.  The next day Ila wrapped the present with me.  She was trying to be brave but she fell apart and started crying again.  She couldn't understand why Santa wouldn't bring this little girl a doll.  Why did we have to do it.  

This was more then just a concern she was devestated.  Well the whole Santa thing had lost its magic.  Ila and I had the talk.  Santa is a nothing more then a symbol of giving at Christmas. 

I think Ila was almost relieved to get the true answer.  She had many friends at school that told her Santa wasn't real but she didn't want to loose faith in Santa; and she especially didn't want to loose the change to get presents at Christmas.  

It was still hard to give away the LOL doll but I told her to just have faith that Mom knows what she wants for Christmas.  She probed a little bit more because she really wanted to know if she was getting her own LOL doll but I simply told her she would have to wait.  

I never fathomed this would be the result of participating in the Giving Tree.  Maybe I should have chose something that she wanted so bad.  

The really important stuff

Ila has been very busy taking care of her baby dolls.

 We haven't had much snow but the majority of this week we were trapped in a cloud.  The humidity was 90% and it was below freezing.  So everything was covered in frost.

 Duke is the boss of this place now.

 Buddy is always waiting for more play time with anyone and everyone.

 We drove down to Mapleton on Saturday to pick up Adams Mother and take her to lunch for her birthday. 

 Adam was able to arrange to get all of his sibling to join us.

Ball Room!

Briggs is in a Social Dance class in school.  He told us he had a performance last weekend and I assumed it was kind of like Ilas Christmas performance where we go and watch him for a few minutes and then leave.  Briggs is not the most dedicated student so it was very surprising when he told us he wanted to go a couple hours early so he could practice.  We still didn't think much of it.  

We were running a few earns that day and we stopped to swing by the school and watch Briggs performance.  

We walked in and our mouths dropped.  There were a lot of people there, there were programs, and we had to pay to get in. What is going on?

We sat down and looked at the program.  This was a 5 hour competition.  

What have we gotten our selves into?

This was a new world for us.

 It was a blast watching Briggs compete.  He danced the Mumbo, Cha cha, Waltz, and Rumba.  

 The very best part was at the end when Briggs and his cute little dance partner took 1st place in the Waltz.  I don't know if I have ever seen Briggs so excited. 

This was a big competition! A lot of people competed.  It was a huge honor to see Briggs not just complete but to Win!!