My Christmas Adventures

We've been up to a few things as a family this holiday season.  I personally have been up to a few things too.  Check back for family updates. I am trying to get the blog updated before Christmas!

Last week was the annual ornament exchange for the Relief Society sisters.  My friend Chasity came, which was fun!  Before the exchange we had a great demonstration from my friend Katy about sugar cookie decorating.  Wow.  She is amazing at decorating cookies and cakes!  It was great to learn from her and find about about using piping gel for "glue", decorating cookies with fondant and the difference between 10 and 20 frosting (not sure of the correct terminology!). We had another surprise during the ornament exchange. If you can remember from last year's ornament exchange, Mabel Jones ended up with a snowman ornament.  The person that brought it to the exchange had received it as a wedding gift.  Well, someone saw that the ornament could be opened and $10 was inside!  Here is the picture from last year:


Well, Mabel, the lady above with the red sweater, brought in the ornament again and put a $1 in it!  It was so fun to see it again.  I had it the snowman one point, with the intent to bring it in again next year.  Another sister snagged it from me though.  Hopefully the snowman will make an appearance again in 2013! Here are some shots from this year's cookie decorating class and ornament exchange. 








Last weekend I attended a "My Favorite Thing" party.  My friend Risa invited a bunch of ladies from the ward.  We were to bring one of our favorite things to eat and a $5 or under gift of a favorite thing.  It was a very fun night of eating yummy treats, talking, exchanging gifts and playing Bezzerwizzer! I admidt, I am not good at trivia games!


This week Shanna, Haley and I attended our much anticipated mommy-daughter date. Some of my friends attend the Nutcracker every year with their daughter, and I thought it would be so fun to do the same.  I bought the tickets this past spring, so it was fun to be able to finally go!  Lois drove down and came with us, which was really fun.  Lee had 5 boys at home with him.  Lee picked up pizza and they had a Lego party while we were away.

First stop of the night: El Paso.  For a small town, Elkton has some yummy places to eat!  And of all things, Haley and Shanna ordered HOT DOGS!  I don't like hot dogs, so I rarely buy.  I mean, maybe once a year I buy them?  I don't think I bought them at all last year. I thought it was funny they ordered hot dogs. I did snag a few fries from Haley. Lois and I ordered fajitas.  They were SO GOOD!




We left late from Elkton, and missed the first part of the Nutcracker.  Getting to the mall (a walking/outdoor mall like in DC...not a shopping mall) in Charlottesville took a lot longer than I thought.  My friends Kathryn and Leslie met us there to see the ballet with us.  It was great that they went to the ballet with us too. I scared Kathryn as she was calling the cell phone I had, and I didn't answer. She thought I was in a deadly car accident.  Sorry Kathryn!!! She called multiple times, but I heard it ring only once.

We had a great time at the ballet.  Shanna seemed to like it; though I am not really sure what Haley thought about it.  Overall, I think they both enjoyed the evening very much. My favorite part of the ballet was when different countries were represented in their own "dance".  One couple was amazing! They both were all muscle and when you saw their routine, you could see why!  I am sure they got quite the workout just performing for us! The lady could bend her body in unreal positions.  On one of the "tricks" it looked like she was falling to the ground, but was positioned of course to land just fine. It was just incredible.


Shanna, me, Haley and Lois with my friend Kathryn.


I am not sure why I look taller than Lois.  She's taller than me!




Kathryn was sweet and bought popcorn for the girls and they LOVED that.  It was cute. And Kathryn was awesome and bought a bottle of water for them too..which was handy.  About 10 minutes of eating popcorn Shanna asked for some water.  Thank you Kathryn! On the way home from the Nutcracker Shanna said "When are we going to eat hotdogs?"  Lois and I thought that was so funny.  After a cultural night at the ballet, Shanna starts asking about hotdogs.  Shanna and Haley were quite giggly the first part of the ride home.  Oh, I saw a gas station where if you paid with cash, you could buy gas for $2.87 a gallon!  CRAZY! We stopped at McDonald's for hot fudge sundaes (drivethru) and Kathryn met us there.  She gave me some cute clothes for Elden that her youngest had outgrown.  It was fun visiting with her in the parking lot for a little bit.  I need to get together with her more! She was my visiting teaching companion in Missouri, actually and we became very good friends.






We went to bed pretty soon after we got back to my house.  Lois slept a few hours and then took off. Reed had school the next day.  She had a pretty crazy morning! Thanks for joining me ladies!  I am looking forward to doing this every year. Clark and Cal wanted to come too.  The other day Clark asked about going again.  Maybe we'll do that some year.....I wonder if they mainly were sad that they didn't get to go out to eat?