Christmas Eve 2012!

Fun and Festivities at The Hunter House again this year!  It was so fun to have my Mom with us at Matt's Parents' home this time as well.  After our delicious dinner, we had the kids act out the Christmas Story again, which was sweet and hilarious all at the same time.  Our little Baby Jesus is the little girl  (Savannah) in the bottom right corner of this picture.  She's dancing-  which I don't think happened that night, but it was still pretty cute!  

After they acted out the story, they all stood "on stage" together to sing Picture a Christmas.

Picture a stable in Judea 

Picture a sacred, silent night.

And can you hear the angels near

or see the star so bright?

Picture the little baby Jesus

Picture His life and words so dear

Sing praise to Him

Remember Him as you picture Christmas this year.

Picture a kind and gentle Joseph

Picture the Mother, Mary Fair

And can you see, so reverently, the shepherds kneeling there? 

Picture the little Baby Jesus

Picture His life and words so dear

Sing praise to Him, Remember Him

As you picture Christmas this year!

It was pretty much the sweetest and funniest thing ever- they weren't exactly reverent (Penny, Savannah and Tori were dancing through the whole thing and Luke and Zach were having volume contest) but it was so sweet to hear their little voices sing those words.  Perfect way to celebrate Christmas, if you ask me!

After all the performances, it was time to open gifts!  We go youngest to oldest, so Victoria was toward the beginning.  Here she is getting started:

Since she is constantly drawing and doing art, Nanny and Papa gave her an easel:

And some fantastic art supplies:

Here she is thanking Papa:

Daphne asked for an American Girl Doll, and Nanny and Papa were happy to oblige:

I was so glad that she chose a Historical Figure Doll.  (They each come with a book and I think it is good for her to learn about different time periods>)  Caroline is from 1812 and is one of my favorites!

Isaac got a basketball, a Jazz jersey and Private Lessons on Free throw shooting!  He was SO excited!

Matt's parents are always tricky to buy for, but I found out that Time out for Women is coming to Layton this year! For anyone who isn't familiar,  Time Out for Women is like a Women's Retreat.  Speakers, special Musical Guests (Hilary Weeks!!!!) and there is usually a service project as well.  I was excited because I went a few years ago and it was such a good experience.  Since this one will be local, we don't have to worry about staying overnight anywhere or anything.  We got tickets for Marsha, Raegan, Natalie and me to go together.  We really wish Paige could come, but she's so busy!  

Matt's parents are always so generous to all of us.  Their selfless giving is such an example to me.  

I hope that your Christmas Eve was as fun-filled and Spirit-filled as ours.  It is such a blessing to join with family to celebrate the matchless gift we have in Jesus.

"Thanks be to God for His Unspeakable Gift..."

Christmas Countdown- Part Two

While GiGi was visiting, she helped us make Christmas Cookies!

And... we got pretty silly:

Especially Isaac:

We even convinced Matt to come frost a few with us!  But of course, I didn't think to get a picture of the finished cookies.  We were too busy eating them!

We also went to see the Layton Lights while my Mom was visiting:

We walked through the whole thing:

And then we drove through to see the parts we missed!

We always try to take little gifts around to  all our neighbors.  We spent a whole day making fudge and Rice Krispie Ornaments and then we delivered them the next night:

There's something about how we are standing and the angle of the camera that highlights the sheer enormity of my son!  I really still have a  few inches on him, but Dang it!  He's so tall!

I was in charge of Isaac's Class Christmas Party this year, and my Mom got to come help!

It was so great to have her help.  Here is Isaac making a marshmallow snowman:

And here he is with his finished Ice Cream Cone Christmas Tree:

Victoria came with us and made  her own tree, too!

Thanks for all your help, Mom!  It was such fun to have you here.  

Christmas Countdown- Part 1

If you are one of the three people who read my blog, you may recall that last year, we tried to do an Advent Celebration and do a Christmas activity each night in December.  My purpose was mainly to help us stay focused on the Savior during Christmas, but also to build excitement and just kind of strengthen our family.  It ended up being like a Family Home Evening every night in December.  We had a blast, but trying to do that and Christmas shopping and finish up the Semester and Blog about it all was a little much for me.  And when I say "a little much", I mean it almost killed me and turned me into an unkind person for a few days.  And we all know how great I am at blogging promptly. Ha!

So.  This year, we decided to just to a 12 days of Christmas Countdown with activities.  We still used our amazing advent calendar (specially made for us by Matt's uber talented sister, Paige) for the whole month of December.  Each little box holds a treasure for that day.  But once we got to December 13th, we did an activity each night, read a passage of scripture and sang a Christmas Hymn or Song.  We had so much fun!    

Isn't our Advent Calendar darling?  Thanks, Paige!

So instead of sharing each activity with you, I'm just sharing two posts with highlights from some of our activities:

Making Gingerbread Houses!

After careful advice from a few friends, I chose to buy the pre-made kit to so that the kids could decorate our houses.  Maybe when they are all older, we can try to make our own and construct the houses, but I wanted them to have fun and be able to decorate!  I would definitely do this again, we had so much fun!

Another reason I liked the kit was that it required very little from Matt and I... and I don't me n that in a lazy way, but just that I wanted them to be creative and have complete control over the process. Hard to believe that ever happens with a control-freak like me for a Mom, but I try.  

Finished product:

The is our reprise of the Gingerbread house building.  Daphne had a really nasty cough and was experiencing some breathing difficulties, so we kept her home from school on the day her class made Gingerbread houses.     We had all the supplies, so I just let she and Tori make some at home.  

It was a really good activity-  Daphne's kept falling, but we figured out how to manage, both the house and her emotions!  :)

This night we focused on the Star.  We read scriptures about the Wise Men following the Star and made our own stars!

The finished products:

Daphne even made up a song about her star!  She chose to use lots of different colors. If you read the lyrics, it really does rhyme, you just have to hear her rhythm and notes.  I love her creative spirit and sweet heart!  

On this particular night, we read the book, "Memories of the Manger".  We sang Away in a Manger and Made our Own Mangers with little peanuts for Baby Jesus.

(Daphne used gloves since she's allergic to peanuts)

Our finished Products:  

This week, the kids worked on memorizing Matthew 1:21:  

"And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS, for He shall save his people from their sins."

We got GiGi for Christmas!

We were so blessed to have my Mom come visit this week!  GiGi got to be here for lots of our fun activities leading up to Christmas and was able to spoil my kids lots!  She is such a saint-  they spend the first 36 hours or so relentlessly vying for her attention.  It can wear a girl down, but she was a trooper.  I was so grateful for her ability to play with them so I could finish up a few last minute Christmas tasks, as well.  She even stayed home with them while Matt and I went to TWO different late night movies!  Thanks, Mom!  

So, I was so blessed to have my Mom come to Church with us and sing O Holy Night.  It was AMAZING and there were very few dry eyes in the room.  She's such a gift to us!

 OK... this one isn't of GiGi, but she took this pic of Matt and me and I think it's super cute!

 Mom and me before church!

I am completely aware of the fact that I haven't blogged in like 6 months, but I'm determined not to be a quitter.  So, stay tuned for more current posts of Christmas festivities mingled with older posts.  I hope that you had a blessed Christmas filled with the peace of Christ!  

PIGWAB 12/12/12

As you may recall, Matt's Dad's side of the family has a big (and I mean BIG) shindig every 13 months on that year's repetitive date.  We started on January 1, 2001 (01/01/01) and have done it each year since. Here are some links to previous celebrations:  10/10/10  , 11/11/11or  07/07/07.  We call it PIGWAB and it also seems to become a bigger event each year as well.  With the exception of this year due to a variety of reasons:  12/12/12 is the last official repetitive date, but December is a super crazy month for all of us.  Matt's Auntie Val and Uncle Jeff (who are the geniuses behind PIGWAB)  weren't able to join us this year. So... we had a very toned down version this year:only one day of celebrating instead of 2 or 3 like past years).  We did all want to make sure we were together when the clock struck 12:12.  Matt snapped a pic at just the right time: 

 

Marsha and Calvin designed our awesome t shirts this year. 

 The shirts have a lamb and a lion under the mistletoe and they say PEACE PARTY.  Marsha has magnificent decorations and makes everything so inviting for us all.

Marsha asked me to bring a dessert, and I wanted to bring something festive AND easy, so these Rice Krispie Treat Ornaments were perfect!  (Gotta Love Pinterest! ) 

 Penny and Tori loved them!  

 Especially Tori:

Raegan made the cutest little coloring and activity books for the kids!  

 And of course, A Hunter Family gathering isn't the same without music and silliness.  So Matt and I thought we would provide both!  We spent an embarrassing amount of time coming up with a presentation of "The Twelve Years of PIGWAB"!  Here we are getting ready to start our song!  I'm not sure what Penny and I are sad about in this one, but I thought it was a cute one of her:

 Singing the first few verses:

 Matt and I stayed up until 2 in the morning making these awesome posters to represent each year of PIGWAB and the accompanying verse.  They seemed like a really great idea, but then, at about 1:30 am, I started thinking maybe they were the worst idea ever.  Once we started to sing, I was so glad we made them and everyone loved them!  So... now I kinda want to frame them all and hang them on my wall.  But I won't. (That would be ridiculous.  Right?)

 Singing!

 Please know the sacrifice it is for me to post this terrible picture of myself.  BUT... Matt and Isaac and the girls look so cute I wanted you to see it!  We had so much fun!  

  

Here are the lyrics, in case you care  (I didn't repeat everything, I figure you get the jist!)  ((Comments in italics are brief explanations of the lyric-  for further explanation, please leave a comment; there really is no sufficient explanation for our weirdness)):

On the first year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me:  A Party Without Any Beer!  (invention of PIGWAB)

On the second year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me: Two Fresh Mormons!   (Uncle Jeff was baptized and Auntie Val returned to Church)

On the Second year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me:   THREE Nephites! (We all dressed up like famous trios.. Matt, Isaac and I were the 3 blind Mice, but Paige and her girls were the 3 Nephites and John was John the Revelator-  I thought it was hilarious!)

On the 4^th year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me: FOUR EASTER EGGS

On the Fifth year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me:  LUKE. SKYWALKER. JOHNSON!!!   (Luke was born right in the middle of our PIGWAB celebration on 05/06/05)

On the Sixth Year of PIWAB my Family gave to me: 6 Hula Dancers  (Hawaiian Theme-  the kids did a Hula Dance)

On the Seventh year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me 7 PIGS A POPPING  (One of our Contests was called "PIG BOMB"-  each boy used fireworks to blow up a pig.  Not a real one, that would be gross.  Just a little toy one.)

On the Eighth Year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me:  8 Crowns and Castles  (Fairytale theme)

On the 9^th Year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me:  9 DECADES DAZZLING  (Decade theme-  each family represented a decade with costumes and report)

On the 10^th year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me:  10 Jack O’ Lanterns!

On the 11^th year of PIGWAB, my family gave to me:  11 CORNUCOPIAS!  (Thanksgiving theme- cornucopia)

On the 12^th year of PIGWAB my family gave to me:  THIS AWESOME SONG!

My kids are still singing it around the house- we had so much fun!  Everyone asks what we'll do in 2013 and, well, we really aren't sure.    We think we'll start to just have a get together in June to make it easier on everyone.  Who knows.  Let me know if you have a suggestion, cause PIGWAB is way too fun to just quit!