Christmas in Utah

This year we decided to go to Utah to spend Christmas with our families.  It has been 7 years since we did that and figured it was time.  It was fun to share in the joy of season with family.  The kids enjoyed it but it is not what their Christmas memories/traditions are so it was different for them.  Jason and I, on the other hand, that is what Christmas was like for us growing up, parties and family so it was fun for us.

We drove down to Sioux Falls Friday, Dec 18th after the kids got home from school, spent the night there and then Jason flew out early the next morning, (he had different flights because we stayed longer in Utah and he flew into Aberdeen instead.) and then the kids and I flew out Saturday afternoon.

 

 

Sunday: We went and saw Grandpa and Brenda.  Brenda has been diagnosis with ALS and isn't doing well.  Both of them are in denial so it is hard to talk about but since we were in town we decided we better stop in just incase it is the last time we see her.  It is very hard to see but I'm glad we went.  We just kept it light and had a very nice talk with the two of them.

The thing I wanted to do most with our kids was see the lights on Temple Square.  So we went there Sunday night.  I love it there and it is so beautiful with the lights and snow.  It was cold and wet since it snowed right before we got there but we had a fun time anyway. (see other post for more pictures)

Monday: Jason, Savannah and I went to see the new Star Wars while my mom took Madi, Olivia and Austin up to Jeff's house to go sledding.  Madi even snowboarded for the 1st time and did awesome she looked like she had done it before.  They had a great time!  Austin even came back and said, "We had way more funner than Savannah."

 That night Kierstin took the kids and they had a big sleepover at her house. 

Tuesday: We night we had Olivia's baptism (see separate post)

Wednesday: Jason went to Star Wars again and the kids and I went to see the windows and gingerbread house at the Grand America Hotel.

Thursday: Christmas Eve we had dinner and programs at grandpa and grandma Jensen's

Friday: Christmas morning, we opened the presents Santa brought (we didn't bring gifts for the kids because it would have been to much to take them and bring them back home so we decided to do our own Christmas later when we got home).  Had breakfast. Then went over to grandpa and grandma Gardner's for more presents and dinner. (see other post)

Saturday:  I can't remember...shopping maybe. 

Sunday: Jason went to see his grandparents and friends. The kids and I went to church with my parents then we had dinner there that night

 

 

Monday: We went ice skating at the Gallivan Center.

Tuesday: Jason flew home, he was on call and had to get back to work.  The kids went to the movie Hotel Transylvania 2 with grandma Jensen and their cousins, while I went shopping.

 

 

 

 

Wednesday:  I went shopping in the morning while the kids went on a walk with grandma, then we drove up to Bear Lake to spend New Years up there. (see other post for more Bear Lake Pictures)

Thursday:  Went sledding all day.  The kids LOVED it!  We couldn't keep them off the hill.  Then we celebrated New Years with poppers and all kinds of fun stuff before going to bed.

2016

 

 

 

 

Friday:  New Years Day!  We went sledding more.  Then that night we celebrated Austin's birthday!

 

 

Saturday:  The kids went sledding more while we got the cabin clean and ready to go.  Then on our way home I drove the kids by Weber State to show them where we meet.



 

 

Sunday:  Happy Birthday Austin! We went to Lydia's baby blessing.  It was fun to be there for that since we have missed almost all the other baby blessings in the family.  Later that night we celebrated Austin's birthday with the Jensen side of the family.

Monday:  We went to the Trampoline Park with the Jensen cousins. Then gathered everything together and packed up.

Tuesday:  Flew home and then did some shopping in Sioux Falls at Costco before driving the 3 hours home!

We had a great trip and enjoyed spending time in Utah in the Winter!

School Christmas Program

One fun thing that they do in SD that they didn't do in IA, was have a School Christmas Program.  They do it twice in the day one at 9:30am and the other at 1:30pm.  Jason couldn't get off for either of the programs so I went to the morning one.

It was called "December 'Round the World" each grade sang songs from different parts of the world.

The prelude music was 3-5 graders taking turns playing one Christmas song on the piano.  Madi decided that was something she really wanted to do.  She already taught herself part of "Silent Night" last year so that is what she wanted to play.  We borrowed a piano keyboard from a friend and I taught her the rest of the song.  She was nervous but she did a great job...especially for never having had a piano lesson. (I don't have a picture because I was filming her playing)

 

 Savannah plays the violin in the school orchestra.  They played 2 songs, (Christmas Chopsticks and Jolly o'l Saint Nicholas) at the beginning   They also did a good job. 

 

 

Kindergarteners (Austin) sang about Hawaii

 

 

 

 

2nd graders (Olivia) sang about Hanukah

 

 

3rd graders (Madi) sang about Mexico/Spanish

 

 

5th graders (Savannah) sang about Jamaica and song called Peace on Earth (it as a really nice song, I really liked it) and ended the program singing with the 4th graders a song  called "December 'Round the World.

 

 

Savannah also had a narrating part right before the last song.

 

It was a very cute program.  All the kids did a great job.  It was very fun to watch!

 

 

SAVANNAH'S 11th BIRTHDAY!

 

Savannah had a fun birthday!  She went to the County Club to eat with dad a few days before her birthday.  Then she took root beer for her class treat and everyone loved it, she said.  Then we went to lunch on her birthday and later that night we had her special dinner, opened presents and had cake.

 

We love you Savannah!  You are getting so grown up and are a great example to your siblings.

We are so glad you are in our family!

Christmas Activities

Gingerbread Houses

 

Decorating the tree

 

Ward Christmas Party

(Savannah was a narrator, Madi was Mary, and Austin was a Wiseman)

 

"Living Christmas Tree"  a concert put on by a local church in Aberdeen

ice skating

 

Can't live in South Dakota and not know how to ice skate, so we signed up for lessons.  They did a great job!  The 1st time getting on the ice they could barely stand but now they are off and skating.

It's been fun to watch them and now we have a sport to do in the winter here.

OLIVIA'S 8th BIRTHDAY!

 

Olivia is turning 8 years old!! What a special birthday!

 

 

  She went to the Country Club to eat with dad the day before her birthday and then the day of her birthday I took her to lunch.  That night we had a special birthday dinner for her then opened her presents.  It was fun for her to get her very own scriptures.

 

Olivia we love you!  We love your cute cheeks and dimples!  You are such a good girl and bring so much joy to our family.

 

 

 

On December 5th she got another birthday celebration, this time with her new friends.  The original plan was to go ice skating but plans changed a few days before when the ice skating rink decided to be closed that day.  But everything turned out ok and they had a good time playing games and things at our house.