I love Christmas week each year. I love how the spirit seems to fill everyone's heart. The kids did awesome finishing up the semester. They each had amazing grades and had worked hard through the uncertainty of the year. Ella and Cavin both had their orchestra concerts. Ella was allowed to have hers in person, and Cavin had his virtually. It was fun to hear them both.
Cavin was recognized for making Region orchestra. Normally he would get to play with a special group and have a separate concert, but this year it is basically a recognition that he made it into the orchestra. He also was nominated for National Junior Honor Society and was named TMS Stem Student of the month! I am proud of him for working so hard!
The night before Winter break began we went to the Rockets preseason game. It was a night for family and their friends to try out procedures. It was fun to be there.
It was very different with so few people there, but the kids were excited that their cousins were able to come as well.
We got on the big screen several times since there weren't many people to choose from ;)
The official break started by going to a special girls night at my moms to celebrate our Nutcracker tradition. Since they aren't doing live ballet performances, we made due with my mom ordering a nice meal from Arcadia's, playing games, eating desserts, and watching a performance on the big screen upstairs.
The Texas girl cousins! I wish the rest could join, but I love that we still have this tradition.
We had a fun night and I'm so glad my mom put it together. The girls stayed at grandmas and had a sleepover!
We enjoyed making smores as a family together!
We also did our annual Gingerbread houses, but this year we did a village and each child had their own house and Ragnar and I decorated one together.
We went to the Gulla Family's Christmas light display by my parents to look at the fun lights.
I love looking at Christmas lights!
It is always great to be with my parents. On Christmas Eve we had a nice zoom call with Ragnar's family. Several people played a musical instruments and his dad read the Christmas story. It was nice to be all together, even if it was virtually.
Afterward my parents, Natalie, and Chris' family came over to have dinner, play games, and do a musical concert. Cavin put together a sweet concert of all Christmas songs. He, Ella, and Ragnar played their cello, Deacon sang Jingle Bells, and Caden, Charlotte, and Channing played pieces on the piano. Then we did a puppet show of the Christmas story while my dad read it. It was a nice night together.
It was nice to have the cousins together since I didn't know we wouldn't be seeing them for Christmas day.Christmas morning is always fun with children.
Cavin found the pickle but since Channing hadn't had it, he was sweet and gave it to her so she could open the first present.Ella was excited she got the Keeper of the Lost Cities sweatshirt and hasn't taken it off since Christmas ;) haha. She also got lots of books series, jewelry, a bigfoot squishmallow, paint pens, and more books and clothes!
Cavin got binoculars (which he hasn't stopped looking through) a baseball glove, a kickball, a chess game, a switch game and controller, shoes, books, beyblades and other little gadgets.
Channing got lego friends, jewelry, beanie boos, soccer equipment, a backpack, books and chapstick!
Deacon got spikeball, soccer goals, a frisbee, balls, cars, sweatshirts, and other fun things! We got some new family games which we love, but I really have no room for in my game closet!
I hope the kids were happy and felt the joy of Christmas.
We had a wonderful morning! I am lucky to have this sweet family! It has been an interesting year, but our family has grown even closer with all this extra time together and I love it!We finished the day at my parents. It didn't turn out how we expected, but we did get to see my nephew John Speers who is serving a mission on a family zoom call. We also got to give my parents our gift of ourselves. Our testimony through written word and song. We each wrote them our testimonies and then Channing, Ella and I each had recorded a song and put it on a cd for them. Channing sang "My Own Sacred Grove", Ella "If We Love Him" and I sang "This Is The Christ". Both of our mothers love music, so we hoped it was a good memory for them to always have. We sure love them both!
Meanwhile here, in Texas, we were colder than in Utah!!
We actually got snow and it reminded me how much I really don't like being cold!! So many are without power and I am so grateful that we still have it for now. 
It was 16 degrees and the kids were so excited to go out but only lasted 10 minutes at a time. It was so cold!!
Channing made a tiny snowman and so did Ella. 
The kids had no school Monday and a "snow" day tomorrow which I never thought would happen here. haha
I love how excited they were. It was fun the first day when we knew we had power and heat. After that, the next 3 days were hard. Ragnar wasn't able to get home and had a nightmare of cancelled flights. We didn't have power for long stretches. I had great men in the ward and a ministering brother, Ben who helped me. Finally on Wednesday afternoon when Ragnar knew he wouldn't be able to get home for another day, I turned off the water to my home, prayed that the pipes wouldn't freeze and made a long, slow drive to my parents who had power and heat the whole time. Ragnar finally got home late Thursday night and all was well in the end. A lot of stress, and staying up all night hoping I had turned the water on enough to keep the pipes from freezing, and some night sleeping by the fire with no heat! We made it though, and it was a week we won't forget!
