Christmas 2025

This kid got glasses! It was a shocking development where he off-handedly mentioned to the pediatrician at his well-visit that he was having trouble seeing the whiteboard from the back of the room. I had never heard him mention that! He has 20/70 vision and uses his glasses mostly just for school and only to pull out at certain times. I rarely see him put them on at home.

Kari and Jared planned some new Christmas Eve games for us to try this year!

One of our Christmas presents was a family trip to Six Flags! We had a great time.

Our Christmas plan originally was a trip to Universal Studios as our entire Christmas. We planned to use Matt's Christmas bonus to off-set the cost and enjoy one last trip as a family before Caleb started his mission. The trip was booked and paid for with the itinerary of leaving the 23rd and spending the next 3 days at Universal in Florida. However, things started going badly at work for Matt where he was juggling so many balls all on his own and not able to keep it all afloat. His boss called him into the office and told Matt he wasn't working hard enough, being lazy, and thus would not receive his Christmas or year-end bonus. Matt was crushed. He had been overloaded for some time, begging them to hire more help to alleviate his load. They didn't want to spend the money. Matt was drowning putting in so much over-time to try to keep his head above water, and it was taking a toll on him emotionally, mentally, and physically. To be told he wasn't working hard enough and would lose out on his bonuses broke him. He turned in his two week's notice, which would put his ownership of the company at risk, and we canceled our trip fortunately only losing out on $200. He started lining up options for other jobs with the future unknown. His boss refused to accept the two week's notice, however, and this triggered them moving two people over from engineering to help Matt with his responsibilities. After a week, the two engineering men said it was too much work, and they couldn't keep up with their engineering responsibilities and the tasks assigned to alleviate Matt. In the end, they finally hired two new people under Matt that he could delegate responsibilities to. Matt is still not happy at work, but he keeps his head down, avoids his boss when possible and is trying to ride it out to the end and the company sells. 

When we canceled our trip, we then had to scramble to come up with Christmas presents! Caleb was easy as we were already purchasing things for his mission. It became a year of mostly gift cards as presents for everyone else, which felt lame! We also did some new family games; Six Flags was our Universal replacement. 🤣

Christmas

The Christmas season has included me participating in the Stake Noel choir. I spent years as part of the choir, but lately I have been 1 of 3 accompanists each year.

Austin's school Christmas party

Cousin gifts on Christmas Eve

Opening presents Christmas morning

Caleb and his presents

Bryson's presents

Documentation of our Christmas tree this year--a lonely branch. Perhaps traveling over Thanksgiving played into it, but each week went by without Matt putting up the tree. (It's always been something he does, and I didn't undertake doing it myself!) As we got closer to Christmas, it seemed like too much work to set it up only to take it down a few weeks later.

Our main experience gift for the kids was some indoor skydiving at iFly. Our package deal only included 5 people, so I sat this one out and took pictures and cheered them on. Austin was especially nervous.

Austin

Carter

Caleb

Bryson

Christmas 2022

We had the opportunity to join in on some service activities this year that hopefully made Christmas a little more memorable.

After caroling to an apartment of refugees downtown, we stopped off at the Giving Machine and let the boys each pick out something to donate.

A friend invited our family to join in making sack lunches to pass out on Christmas Eve morning to the homeless. We had an assembly line going for decorating the bags, making the sandwiches, and assembling the lunches. Then we drove downtown to pass them out.

My mom hosted Christmas Eve. It was a night filled with musical performances, chimes, dinner, the Nativity, white elephant game, and gift exchange.

The boys were so excited to open their presents on Christmas morning.

Stockings

Christmas Jammies

Caleb got lots of hand sanitizer and gum in his stocking. It should last him awhile!

Not pictured are the orbeez guns for Austin and Bryson that were supposed to arrive in time but ended up coming 2 days after Christmas even though they were ordered on December 9th!

December and Christmas

Austin's Kindergarten field trip

Bryson was assigned to make a historical figure out of a 2 liter bottle. This is the type of project I turn over to Matt! They did a great job! (Let's face it: parents do most of the work.)

Bryson's 3rd grade Christmas party--playing bingo

A note Bryson wrote me that I want to remember. I misplaced my engagement ring in the house and finally gave up looking for it. I think it will turn up one day. In the mean time, I bought myself a cheap ring to wear.

We joined Ariane's family for some rock climbing over Christmas break.

Austin is so stinking cute in this picture.

Christmas Eve celebrated at Kara and Clayton's house.

Christmas morning

Austin's main present, which we learned he loved so much on our Galveston vacation. He is very creative and loves craft projects. He got his dad's artsy side.

Caleb's presents. (He spelled Kari's name at the bottom using his presents because he wanted to text Aunt Kari how he was going to get stronger and beat her next time they arm-wrestled.)

Bryson's presents (including a note from Santa that he gets to pick out a new bike!)

Carter got freeze-dried strawberries, a game, ping pong paddle, and books. Austin got a science kit and a marbling paint kit. The boys also collectively got two experience gifts: Urban Air trampoline park and a movie. I got a new set of pots and pans, winter coat, and silicone placemats.

Christmas 2020

 Christmas Eve festivities at my parent's new house consisted of the usual chimes, dinner, nativity and games.

Christmas morning. Bryson and Austin were up at 5:30 ready to open presents. We sent them back to bed till it was light outside. They went ahead and started on their stockings all on their own though!

After all the opening!

Matt got me some organizers for Wingspan and Terraforming Mars, 2 games that Caleb and I play often. I also got some glass containers. Matt's presents included 5 new work shirts, Oreos, and a new card game. My parents gave us a new Nativity set, white church shirts for Matt, and some Doctrine and Covenants study helps for me.