Together is a great place to be: December in a snapshot

Aside from the big things (those posts are coming) here are a few other things we enjoyed in December.

We pulled out all our Christmas decorations and got busy,

starting with the tree of course,

celebrated Grandma Bonnie's birthday at BJ's with the GIANT pizookie,

excuse the iphone pic, but this was big and delicious!!

and our at home party

was in charge of a HUGE ward party, for 375 people (complete with dinner, a program, and family activity rooms - blessing bags, missionary letters, and snowflakes for the elderly home),

(this could be a post all by itself, but I will just say the ward that had their party the night before was a big help as we borrowed most of their decorations and then just added for our numbers)

delivered wrapping paper to our neighbors, hoping that they were

"wrapped up in a beautiful, Christmas season",

Tyler worked on re-doing the downstairs baseboards any "spare" moment he had,

took the twins on a date to get our favorite, Starbucks salted carmel hot chocolate treat because they won a piano practice contest for the kido who practiced the most over Thanksgiving break. They each practiced 18 (15 minute) times! So proud of these highly motivated girls!!

made and labeled homemade vanilla for teachers and friends,

learned to make delicious peanut brittle from my friend and neighbor Donna,

went caroling as a Primary presidency with our families to as many of our Primary teachers as possible (wish I had a huge group photo of this fun night),

recruited some friends to join us in decorating a tree (for the second year in a row) that would go to a needy family as part of Rocklin's Light the City event,

hosted an open house for my dear friend, Paige and Brian Greenwood. They will be sorely missed!

Here I am with Rebecca and Paige, my favorite running friends and below almost all of our Ragnar team.
These ladies are amazing!!

took the twins to the eye doctor to find out that they BOTH need glasses,

made snow flakes to help decorate an assisted living center and then sang to the elderly there,

went to a darling party that our friend's host where SANTA comes to visit, bringing each child a toy!!

The older kids were feeling a little too old...that is until he pulled out the gifts!

I LOVE this picture of Megan. Look at that face. And this was after she didn't want to sit on his lap.

LOVED being served by someone who delivered to our family "12 days of Christmas" every night. The kids would squeal with delight and run to the door to see what had been left.