Post-Christmas Cousin Fun

 The day after Christmas, we drove down to Tennessee and Georgia for some fun with family.

Before watching the Dolly Parton Stampede in Pigeon Forge, we enjoyed riding a mountain coaster (Clara watched) and playing a quick game of putt-putt. The next morning we traveled down to Chattanooga to see some sites that both of us remember (albeit vaguely) from our years growing up in Georgia.

Ruby Falls was really neat (although Clayton wasn't too impressed). 

We drove over to Rock City and met up with Michael's parents, who drove up from their mission in Florida (!), along with his brothers Seth and Joseph and their families. A little crazy with cousins running all around, but it was great for the kids to have time to connect.

The weather couldn't be beat, and we enjoyed Five Guys at Coolidge Park where the kids got to ride a carousel and play tag out on the lawn.

After church at Joseph and Jenna's ward, we went to Chickamauga (sp?) park for the boys to burn off energy. Grandma and Grandpa had brought their tandem, and the kids all got a kick out of taking a turn with them.

Throwing rocks into water is possibly one of our kids' favorite activities.

So grateful Michael has such wonderful parents. I always enjoy talking with them.

That evening we had a fun time at Seth and Marissa's home eating dinner and watching cousins wrestle and play. 

Then the next morning we drove down to LaGrange GA to meet up with everyone again (this time plus L'Anita and Bethany's families as well) and enjoy more cousin time at the Great Wolf Lodge. After playing hard, we ate pizza and the kids all got to watch a movie while the grownups talked and laughed.

It was a terrific trip and a great day to end 2025. 

Looking back on 2025, I'm grateful that we could redo the kitchen and survived quasi-living in the basement for a couple of months. I'm thankful I felt my testimony grow of the truthfulness of the gospel as I spent a lot of time digging deep, seeking to gain greater understanding and faith re: polygamy and Joseph Smith, the temple endowment, and the truthfulness of the gospel. I felt peace as I realized because I have felt the Holy Ghost, I have therefore been witness to the reality that God lives, He loves me, and He knows me personally. I feel greater covenant confidence, even though I mess up and deal with the same weaknesses I always have (worrying about the future, comparison to others whether due to pride or inferiority, giving into the "animal within" re: not having as much self-control, and negative thought patterns, among others). Despite these weaknesses, or perhaps I should say because of these weaknesses, I feel greater gratitude to my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for His redemptive power on my behalf, His younger sister who continually falls short. I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who accepts me despite my failings and, I feel, is proud of my efforts and never tires of hearing from and reaching out to me through His Spirit.

Happy New Year!

Christmas!

 Having young children makes Christmas extra fun--their anticipation is contagious. 

One highlight of the break was the super creative chain reactions that Robbie created (followed by his brothers and the Mathuseks when they came over). The mess was real, but the results were impressive. He used so many different materials. I'm also grateful that the kids could get together with friends, make deliveries, and enjoyed singing Christmas hymns at night. We read many of our Christmas books as well, which made me happy, and the boys loved having some extra screen time to watch TV.

Making gingerbread houses with our friends the Robertsons was a memorable night. I had helped Ruth cut out the pieces in advance, and boy, I no longer feel the need to make gingerbread houses from scratch. Graham crackers lend themselves more to creativity and are less stressful for sure.

Our Joseph and Mary dinner this year felt extra special. The kids were generally reverent and we felt the Spirit as we read Luke 2 and sang a couple of songs, and then they exchanged their sibling gifts.

Robbie decorated our yule log this year--a triumph.

This letter to Santa from Clara made me smile.

So did Santa's response.

We like waiting to put out the presents after the kids go to bed so they all appear magically the next morning. A few of those big ones were family gifts, like a batting net and tee.

Lined up and ready to go!

Oh boy! Stockings! Santa brought me a super handy neck massager among other things. Santa got Michael a phone charger and some keto snack mix. Lame!

Michael was in heaven assembling a super cute Wall-E set, and the $10 Tetris game keychain that Santa brought each of the older boys was probably the best gift of the year. He gifted me a garden starter kit to grow seed and a Muse headband that will hopefully help me with my goal to practice meditating more 2026.

The missionaries joined us for dinner this year--the one in the gray sweater, Elder Mulholland, has only been in the field one week, bless him. Ready to crack our crackers!

Wanda Olimski joined us for Christmas--her husband passed away two years ago and she's super lonely.

Fancy glasses are the best part of every nice meal.

The holidays

 The holidays really begin each year with Michael's birthday. 

Michael's gift for his birthday (and Christmas, and Father's day . . . ) was an e-foil, which he purchased after taking lessons twice over the past year or so.

Pretty amazing to watch him ride--it takes quite a bit of balance and coordination. It also has a little attachment, so he was able to have the kids sit on it and he could take them out as well. 

Reading picture books always draws a crowd, even those who are "too big" for them.

Thanksgiving this year was spent at home, and we were grateful we could host the bishop's family, the Earwoods (a family from church, a new friend at church, and the missionaries. It was a little tight but we made it! I forgot to take any pics but the two kids tables.

The "older kids" table. 

The kids each helped me with a part of the meal--Clara helped me with the apple pie, yum.

The day after Thanksgiving we enjoyed a great evening with friends the Karrens and the Fitts, which involved some hot tubbing on a chilly night. I'm not personally a fan of the hot tub (mostly just because I hate getting into a bathing suit), but I love that it draws people together and the men-folk had a fun time. The younger girls had their own time in the tub so they wouldn't have to share with the rowdy boys.

The day after we enjoyed a visit up to DC to the Udvar-Hazy Space Center, the Lego discovery center, an impromput dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (haven't been there in probably 20 years), and a trip to a Giving Machine at Tyson's Corner. That was a neat experience. Then we visited a Chinese Lantern Winterfest, which was cool. And cold.

For the first time in ages, we got some December snow on two occasions. 

The first snow was fairly meager, but the second was about four inches and made for a lovely snow.

Snow days with kids out of school are a little stressful for me in terms of helping everyone stay occupied, but it turned out that I ended up doing several of these things entirely solo because the boys were busy outside sledding with friends, which was super awesome.

Clara informed us that this was her last Christmas ballet--she did beautifully.

This season I guess I was just in a baking mood, because I ended up doing a lot of baking throughout the month. And eating it. Clayton is a super helper.

Despite missing days for snow days, seminary ended for the semester and I'm so grateful for the faithfulness of these kids! (a couple had already left before I took this pic)

We haven't quite finished our scriptures and poems for the year, but we did decently.

End of year holiday concerts, like a piano recital for Henry and Robbie, a class concert for Benjy, and a preschool nativity for Clayton made for very sweet watching. We also hosted a caroling night at our home with several families from church, which was just a delight and definitely brought the spirit of the season. Secret Santa (aka Gadianton Givers, based on an experience Michael had as a child in which their family was gifted very generously) was a success but not without a few injuries while running away. We also enjoyed caroling at a nursing home (Robbie actually caroled twice), which was lovely.

Just a few more days until Christmas. The kids are counting the days (Clara informed me the number of hours this morning, actually), and I am as well, but more from a "Aack, so much to do and the kids are out of school!" perspective as opposed to an "I can't wait!" point of view. Despite significant moments of contention and therefore discouragement on my part, there are also moments when I succeed at being present, when I truly recognize the boys playing so nicely together, when I feel my kids' heads leaning on my shoulder during church, or two little hands on my cheeks to get my attention, a enthusiastic squeeze hug before bed, and "I just love you!" from Clayton, and when we feel the Spirit in our home and I recognize it. A moment like that happened earlier this week for devotional when the kids just wanted to keep singing Christmas hymns. Those moments are precious and help me feel gratitude and more hope for the future. (As opposed to the tears I shed last night as I prayed and wondered if I should just return the thoughtfully-purchased and carefully wrapped presents we had for the kids.) There is opposition in all things, which also means that even in discouraging times, there is always good. This time of year brings joy, but I also know that for many it is a painful time of loss and changing traditions, of uncertainty for the future. I haven't yet been touched personally by this deep kind of pain, but I am grateful to know we have a loving Savior who is with us through both the joy and the difficulties of each season of life.