The latest update

I'd like to use the blog instead of emailing everyone, so then you can visit the blog if you want--or not! We'll see how it goes.

Here are some of our highlights of the last month and holiday season. The first is this cute picture of our kids with our friends, Kayla, Ellie and Ethan at Disneyland. Since this is our "year of Disneyland" we decided we need to experience at Christmastime. It was beautiful! I was amazed at what they do.

Claire broke her little finger—it got shut in a door by her friend. The doctor had to pull the nail off, to the chorus of much weeping and wailing. This was compounded when he announced that it was broken (at the very tip). All of a sudden the pain increased ten-fold. But by the time we were driving home and the pain had subsided, all of a sudden it became a very novel, I’m-the-first-one-in-the-family-to-break-a-bone kind of thing. She was making calls to Daddy, Grammy, Grandma, and her friend to relay the gory details. She only had to wear the splint for 3 weeks, which actually came at a good time because we were able to put gymnastics on hold for the busy holiday season without losing our registration fee. So now she is just waiting for the nail to grow back—and showing her nail-less finger to anyone who cares (or not!)

It has been an exciting time for Claire because she also had a pallet expander installed. She talks really funny (I have to catch myself every once in a while cause the urge to make some joke about it is overwhelming) but she’s gotten used to the nightly cranking and the discomfort. She had to have it checked today and on the way she said, “What is he going to do?” and I said, “Just check it” to which she replied, “I thought he was going to take it out! Don’t I only have to have it for 2 weeks?!” Ah, if only Claire. Sadly she’ll be talking like she has taffy on the roof of her mouth for many months to come. The saddest thing is that it puts a real damper on her singing. Luckily her Christmas concert was over before she got it.

The highlight of Coleman’s holiday was going out to shoot rabbits in Tropic with his uncles. It’s a good thing we have others who hunt in the family, because Garrett has no interest and Coleman can’t get enough. Luckily, there’s plenty that they enjoy doing together. We had a great hike as a family, plus Grandma Dixie, up to a frozen waterfall and a cave with icicle stalagtites. It was beautiful.

Ellie has spent at least 90% of her day lately (that would be 24 hour day) in her Snow White dress that she got for her birthday from Grandma and Grandpa. She does everything but go out of the house in it. Yes, she sleeps with it over her pjs. Hey, I pick my battles.

Anson had the good fortune of being sick on the drive home from Utah because the normally 8 hour drive took us 14, thanks to road closures and CalTrans. He spent most of the time with his blanket pulled over his head in a drug/fever induced sleep. It made for a definitely-could-have-been-worse drive home. That and Claire and Coleman taking turns riding in Aunt Lyn's car--much less arguing!

I hate that now that it's a political thing if I say "Holidays" the implication is "not Christmas" whereas it used to just mean the whole season, pretty much from Thanksgiving to New Years. So despite the implication I have to say that our holiday season was wonderful. We spent a lot of time with family and enjoyed the Christmas spirit.