Christmas, 2013

Christmas this year was a family affair. We had both families in town, and divided our time down the middle. Up to December 25th at 2:00 pm was all Harman. After 2:00, all Packers. With both families, we had 25 people in and out of the house. It worked out well. On Christmas Eve all the Harmans came over for a Christmas devotional at a neighbor's barn (a tradition in our ward) a delicious dinner of steak and salmon, Christmas Bingo (with some 'premium' prizes this year) and a sleepover. Christmas is more fun with kids, and Ava, Ella, Anna and Penny did not disappoint. Ella was especially excited to get a bike, with a bell AND a basket. She asked Santa for a bike with a bell or a basket. She could not believe that she would get both. Lucky, lucky, girl. Anna asked for Pez, watercolors and a Dreamlite. She was equally pleased to have her wish granted.

The only downside was that around 8:00 am I started feeling horribly sick. Cough, congestion, can't get out of bed sick. My mom and sisters were fantastic put me to bed while they cleaned the post-Christmas and entertained the kids, just in time for Christmas part 2 with the Packers. Doug and Janet, Brad and Alisha and Greg and Lauren arrived that afternoon and Aaron and Kendra a few days later. The kids had so much fun playing with each other, their toys, and especially their Grandma and Grandpa. Unfortunately, Anna, Greg and Lauren (and a few other kids--I can't remember which ones) caught my bug, so we weren't running on a full tank. But thankfully it was spaced out enough that we never had all of us sick at once.

a sick selfie. the best kind.

Lauren, Kate, Ella and I had a fun adventure. We took the girls to lunch and to the Nutcracker. Ella LOVED it. Asked if there were other ballets that we could watch. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it, but it was so much fun to see the girls enchanted by the story and the music.

And for the guys, 2014 was the year of the helicopter. There were both inside and outside helicopters to be flown. Greg mastered the weave through the kitchen light fixtures. 

(look closely and you'll see a blue and a red one)