The Mother of All Summaries

(First of all, for journaling purposes, I have to catch up. If you are too bored to read, I totally understand). I just finished it and it's really boring. You've been warned.

okay...

Let's just pretend you are visiting. And let's also pretend that you say, "Hey Jessica, how was your December?" and I say, "Oh funny you should ask! I just put together this darling December In Review photo album (now we're REALLY pretending!) and you should check it out." And so you sit down on my brown leather couch and ignore the stained and holey striped fabric ottoman (aren't you nice?) and put your feet up and have a look-see at the pictures that encapsulate this crazy month:

In December we did lots of her. Lots and lots and lots of her. She's a great night sleeper, a not-so-good napper, she's only happy if she's held and she's the laziest, longest nurser EVER. At least she's really pretty.

Christmas festivities started with the ward party. Here are the kids getting ready to attend in obligatory holiday attire (and Gabe only has a red shirt, because apparently boys over 6 are too cool for holiday shirts. Whatever.)

We watched the LDS Christmas Broadcast at the Nebekers and made gingerbread boys and girls for dessert.

This is the picture I took after everyone left our Third Annual Neighborhood Cookie Exchange. Too busy eating to shoot pictures.

These are pictures of the obligatory, but suprisingly entertaining, holiday concerts. Gabe played the "bar instrument" (not xylophone, in case you were stupid enough to make that mistake) and Emma on drums. You haven't lived till you've experienced "Polar Puppy"--ruff!!

We held Jessica A's baby shower the same week as the 29 other holiday events.

Cause we are dumb.

These are pictures, taken the night, of 4 of the 5 babies born in the last few months and their hideously exhausted mothers.

This is from the Rowell's Ornament Exchange Party. Everyone tries to buy the tackiest ornament they can find, but someone brought ONE pretty one...which we got and promptly had stolen. We ended up with a really darling moose on skies. If you get something resembling a darling moose on skies next year, forget you read this.

There are other pictures from the Bishopric Holiday Dinner. But, for obvious reasons, this is the one I'm choosing to show. Aric Albrecht getting what he deserves...

On Thursday, December 18, Spokane had more snow in 24 hours than EVER BEFORE. Seriously. 31 inches. Our house looked like a gingerbread house. There were walls and walls of snow. And, obviously, no school.

Despite the weeks of crazy snow, Heavenly Father blessed us with a 24 window to drive to Boise for Ryan's brothers wedding. Here are Grant and Zaundra:

And the best sisters-in-law EVER:

The whole family (except Brooke, frown!) was there in the Boise Marriot. We did lots of swimming with cousins:

and dancing at a fun, beautiful reception.

Above is my brother, Nate, who is close friends with Grant and below is my sister Bekah, also friends, who joined us for the wedding. Bekah braved the icy roads BACK from Boise and came a few days early for Christmas.

Nate and Kelsie and Luke (and Grandma Dorrie) showed up on Christmas Eve. Luke and Faith really enjoyed each other:

We did our usual Christmas Eve lunch and movie (Bolt...good, not great).

Then headed over to the Daines for the annual Bethlehem dinner. Here are Bekah and Grandma Dorrie in authentic (as Bekah did BYU's Jerusalem Study abroad program) attire. The rest of us shlep it in bathrobes and leather belts around our heads.

We always have a birthday cake for Jesus (because EVERYONE needs more dessert by Christmas Eve).

and then the pajamas

Winner of the My Pajamas Fit My GoofBall Personality award:

Getting ready for Santa (in the makeshift bed in the basement, as the houseguests had displaced the kids from their beds--they LOVED it.)

Christmas morning:

Faith was SOO excited:

Pictures of the Loot...

Emma

Gabe (why is the most expensive pile also the smallest???)

Jane

Seth:

and Faith:

she'll love it two months, really!

For New Year's Eve, we took the kids to Spokane's First Night Extravaganza, where they watched shows (Gabe got called on stage) and did millions of crafts:

Here's Seth in his crafty costumes. During the night he was

a robot

a marmot:

and a viking:

After the crafts, we marched in a big parade through the center of downtown...

We capped off the night with dinner at Olive Garden and a fun game night with the Daines. Don't tell my 19 year old self that crafts, parade, mac and cheese and games with 5 kids is really the funnest way to spend New Years Eve...she won't believe you.

Here is one of the 2 billion activities I came up with to occupy my children during their horrendously long winter break. I'm too scarred to discuss it further.

Thanks for coming over and looking at my photo album (and not at the ottoman...I'm getting it reupholstered soon, I swear). Next week, I'll come to your house and look at your cruise pictures, I promise!