Christmas Festivities

I regretted that I planned back-to-back trips as soon as we got back from Thanksgiving. Not that I didn't want to go on either trip, I just realized that the timing really condensed our Christmas season. (Ben traveling several days during that period and it being my busiest season with the Tabernacle Choir didn't help either.) Consequently, we cut out a few things that we normally do, and abridged others. Of course it was all fine in the end, but I was kind of fixated on maximizing the time we had and didn't enjoy the season as much as I could have. Here's a quick recap of the Christmas fun we squeezed into 3 weeks:

We began setting up Christmas decorations and decorated

the Christmas tree the day after we got home from our Florida/Georgia trip:

The next Saturday, Ben took the kids to Cabela's to get Jack some antlers:

Meanwhile, I had a brunch date with Suz in the back of my minivan...

in the middle of nowhere Utah between Lindon and St. George.

The next day we quickly decorated graham cracker houses during the

3ish hours I was home between choir rehearsal and broadcast in the morning and

the rehearsal and First Presidency Christmas Devotional in the afternoon/evening.

Ben was doing ministering interviews and didn't get to make a house.

I didn't make the Royal icing very well so the girls and I had to
work extra hard to get our houses to stay together. I don't blame the
boys for building more... horizontally.

Ben was out of town the next day but I took the kids out to watch a little of the light show 

in PG we've been visiting for a few years. We brought hot chocolate and herbal tea.

Luke and I read literally 1.5 Christmas books together before I

had to take Liza to volleyball training one Saturday morning.

I booked us a spot to see "Luminaria," a big Christmas light

display at the Thanksgiving Point Garden. It was beautiful!

Jack was a little bigger than the other
kids playing with the giant Lite Brite.

But Luke joined him and they had fun with it for a few minutes.

The Nativity Scene was set up outside of the Light of the World garden, which was
beautifully illuminated by battery-operated candles in hanging hurricane lamps.

Photo credit: Robert, who joined us for the last part of our excursion
before heading out to what would be his surprise birthday party.

Our family Christmas concert was later than usual, and the program

was shorter than usual, but we were glad we could put something together

and share Christmas music and quality time with a few neighbors.

That night, after a fair amount of coercing/begging, we all went caroling

to 2 families in the ward. Luke and Liza also made signs for them.

Luke's original creepy Santa Claus just had black eyes.
Liza added the green to make it less creepy.

Ben took Cat, Jack, and Luke to see the Tab Choir Christmas Concert the last Thursday

before our trip, which also happened to be finals week for the older three.

Liza wasn't able to go to the concert because she had a volleyball training and Christmas party.

They had dinner at City Creek and admired Christmas displays in the
windows of Macy's while walking around.

They donated for food, housing comforts, and education for families in need.
Their purchases included a few - you guessed it - chickens.

In Deseret Book, they met John Munoa, the art director for the
Book of Mormon videos (and the one who made the Liahonas for the videos).

I love the lit-up cranes at the Temple construction site on Temple Square.

Post-concert photo in the lobby of the Conference Center.