Brooklyn's 14th Birthday

Can somebody please tell my babies to please stop growing?  Brooklyn turned fourteen in December and Annika turned six last week.  Fortunately, Brooklyn's birthday was much less dramatic than Annika's.  (Annie's included the stomach flu, smashing through two window panes, and putting a tooth through her lip.)

Brooklyn's birthday, on the other hand, got off to a great start with some egg nog french toast.

Between BYC, choir, church, and a ward orchestra rehearsal, Brooklyn had a busy day.  Fortunately, there was still plenty of time for a family dinner with Justin, Brianna, and Ruby.  Brooklyn requested chicken alfredo...

...and lemon cake.

Brooklyn is always very grateful for her birthday gifts, but this year we nailed it.  In addition to some money for her upcoming choir and ELP trips, she got some sushi-print pajamas, a watch, and a water bottle.  You know, teenage stuff.

Even better, however, was this Harry Potter Snuggie from Aunt Brianna and Uncle Justin.

Plus check out this amazing booklight from Aunt Callie and Uncle Adam.  I'd steal it if it weren't for that whole ten commandments thing.

I think the festivities kind of wore Jason out.

You'd think the Brooklyn would be the only one receiving gifts, but Jason's coworker Nicole brought all the gals in our family these super cool Peruvian headbands.

As for Eli, he received this fun llama hat.  Jason got a grey woolen scarf that he loves.  Viva Peru!

The festivities continued the next day when Aunt Christy came to visit and we were able to celebrate her birthday.

Nothing says birthday love better than pie...

...except perhaps a baby.  Unfortunately this one was just on loan to us, but Uncle Ben seemed to enjoy his snuggle time all the same.

It was definitely a full house with the addition of the three dark-haired beauties we were babysitting.  We'd be glad to keep them but we'd have to get in line.

It's scary to think that in another decade, Brooklyn could have one of her own.  (Two decades would be fine too.)

Happy 14th birthday, Brooklyn!  While I get teary eyed thinking about you growing up and officially moving into high school, I am consoled by how happy our days right now.  Far from being the stereotypical sullen teenager, you are thoughtful, considerate, and engaged in so many great things.  I love working at West where you stop by every lunch with a huge smile spread across your face to give me a quick hug.  You are a natural leader, whether at home, church, school, or scouts.  Between Young Women, Junior Choir, Science Olympiad, Youth Chamber Orchestra, Cadettes, and piano lessons, you artfully manage an extremely busy schedule, particularly given your intense academic load.  I love how through it all, you continue to make family a priority.  Thanks for making time to ski with us, tolerating our no-phone fetish, and being so fantastic with your siblings.  We love you and are so blessed to have you in our family. 

P.S.  Just for the record, here are the classes and teachers you currently have as an eighth grader in West's Extended Learning Program.  I know you have an incredible memory, but some day when you are officially old like me, you might appreciate the reminder.  

• ELP Science - Crystal King
• ELP Language Arts - Marene Stensrud
• Honors Sec Math II - Ni'l Kinikini
• Advanced Art - Jamie Delfin
• ELP US History - Sandra Twiggs
• PE 8 - Sydney Aland
• Spanish for Native Speakers II - Yulliana Novoa
• Junior Choir - Melinda Benson

After this schedule, ninth grade should be a breeze!

December in SLC

Celebrating the Christmas season from the heart of Salt Lake City can feel downright magical.  Most days, I drive past the Salt Lake Temple on my way to and from work.  This familiar sight becomes breathtaking when bejeweled by all the lights.

I took these photos while Brooklyn and Talia were in the baptistry.  I dropped them off, then slipped into the Assembly Hall to enjoy a free holiday concert.  Every once in a while chauffeuring has its perks.

A few days later, we found ourselves back in the Assembly Hall for stake conference.  We took this picture while spying on our friends and their adorable new baby girl.


In early December, Jason took a trip to Chicago to help Lance with some projects around his apartment.  Meanwhile, I took the kids to the Christkindlmarkt at This is the Place Heritage Park.  It was a bit chilly, so we were grateful for the barrels to keep us warm.

Kling, glöckchen, klingelingeling--one of my favorite German carols.

Here's Brooklyn enjoying a Weisswurst mit süßem Senf.  (White sausage with sweet mustard--every bit as delectable as I remember.)

You know a Christkindlmarkt is authentic when it is attended not only by Nikolaus...

...but Krampus as well.  How well I remember being in Austria for my first (and only) Krampuslauf!

Fortunately our kids spent more time with St. Nikolaus than the horned Krampus that punishes those who have misbehaved.

Since my memory of the Austrian Christkindlmarkt also includes a beautiful snowfall, I grew nostalgic as snow fell for us in Salt Lake as well.  The kids were less impressed.

Fortunately Annika was more approving of the snow pack at Brighton.  We've had some fabulous ski excursions this year, courtesy of our season passes.  They were a splurge, but totally worth it.

Annika and Eli get ready for their first run.

While Annie may love skiing, it definitely wears her out.  Here she is the first time on the ski bus.

And here she is the second time.  The crowded bus didn't bother her!

Just another pretty day on the mountain.

Love these cuties. 

My very favorite ski excursions?  Weekday ski dates with my hubby.  Twice we've headed up the mountain for a few hours in the morning and made it back to work by noon.


Back at home, Annika set up a reindeer-making station where we all got to make our very own reindeer necklaces.  Not quite sure what I'm doing here--trying to give Talia a red nose?

Here's Jason starting to trim the tree. 


And here's Talia putting on some final decorations. 

Talia again, sitting beneath a different tree at Justin and Brianna's new home in Millcreek.  While we miss having them in the Avenues, we are so glad J&B found such a lovely place for their family.

Decorating Aunt Brianna's sugar cookies.  Yum!

And here we are eating dinner all together, this time at Charles and Susie's home in Logan.

While the primary purpose of our visit was to hear Grandma Susie and the American Festival Chorus perform with Lexi Walker (the concert was fantastic!), we also had fun making santas out of toilet paper rolls.

Plus, you can never get enough snuggle time with grandpa.

Back to Salt Lake City, we headed downtown one evening to see the window displays at Macy's...

...before boarding the free Jingle Bus to see the lights.

We enjoyed the nativities around Temple Square...

...and admired the giant tree in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

My favorite part?  Visiting the Giving Machine to help Light the World.  I was touched to see the generosity of so many, with some even donating enough to purchase a cow.  Our kids chose to give some backpacks and mac & cheese.

Speaking of giving, instead of organizing a Christmas party, our ward hosted a neighborhood service project where we made lunch kits to distribute to kids who wouldn't have access to school meals over the holiday break.  Super fun!

A few days later we headed over to Red Butte Gardens for their winter solstice celebration.  We wrote down our sunny hopes for the new year...

made wreathlets...

...and decorated gnomes.

I'm pretty sure that ice chucking not on the original event schedule.

Nothing says solstice like super long shadows.

Never the same garden twice.

Next up on our crazy December events: neighbor gifts.  I was personally tired of sugary treats, so we looked for something different to give away. 

Here's a neighbor friend playing with our gingerbread play dough.  It smells so good, plus you can roll out as many cookies as you want without worrying about calories.

Truthfully, when it comes to gingerbread, my kids prefer the real deal.  Luckily for them, our friends the Wrights invited us all over for a gingerbread house party.  So fun!

While December was chock-full of parties and events, my very favorite moments were when we gathered at home as a family.  I absolutely adore lighting the candles on our advent wreath...

opening up our Advent calendars...

...and focusing on Christ through our Christmas devotional scriptures, stories, and songs.

I may have cried the day that I took the tree down, but given our new Come, Follow Me Program, I'm hopeful that these devotionals will continue.