Ringing in 2016

So after Christmas I kind of just went on a stay-cation. I wasn't going anywhere and Gaupo still had to work, but I really didn't do anything. The girls turned into great sleepers and weren't waking up until about 7:30 and I mean seriously, who wants to wake up when your bed is warm and the house is quiet. Actually, sometimes I do like to wake-up when it's like that, but sometimes I just want to bask in the laziness of it all and that was what I did for the week between Christmas and New Years. So, I got up when my kids got up, I did do some workouts. They were pretty chill though and I kind just did whatever. Sometimes it is super nice to not have a schedule and just do whatever you want. One day was pretty warm, so we went outside and played in the snow. It was too slicky for sledding with only one adult. So, instead I pulled the girls around the yard, made snow 'cakes', and pushed Tia in the stroller.

The nights between Christmas and New Year were awesome too. We played games almost every night. Our 6th anniversary was on the 29th, which was a Tuesday. I had just planned on not doing anything, but then as we were planning the week Gaupo said he would take off a little early, so we could spend time together. So, when he got home at seven we had family prayers, then I jumped in the shower. Then we had ice cream and played games. It was perfect. It was cheap, we spent time together doing things we love. I am so grateful I married Gaupo. He is such a great guy. He loves me and supports me in almost everything I want to do. He work hard to provide for our family. He tries hard to do well in school and be a great dad. His girls love him. One of my favorite 'traditions' of theirs is whenever he comes home for dinner, or lunch he pulls into the garage and honks his horn. The girl immediately perk-up, run to the door and usually start knocking. It is super fun. I also love that Gaupo doesn't leave without hugging us all good-bye. Six years ago I never would have dreamed all that has happened to us, but you know what I wouldn't change it. I love who we have become and the family that we have. I love  Gaupo and he loves me and we both work at our marriage and family together. It is a journey, but boy is it a journey worth taking.

After our anniversary, the next big night was New Years Eve. We invited the missionaries and our friends the Jacobson's over for dinner. We had Navajo Tacos. They are one of Gaupo's favorite things. I was super blessed he could take off a little early, so he could help me fry like 25 'tacos.' We set up a kids table. Really our kids kind of still need some adult help and supervision, but I don't have enough spots at the table for more than 8 people. I know this sounds crazy, but really I wish I had a table that could expand more. Oh well, I don't and then kids had a great time eating on their own. Plus they loved getting down and running around between bites and also when they were all done. The poor missionaries. It was kind of chaotic, but really so fun. Just info... the Jacobson's have two kids Tori who is Kylee's age and Trent who is 1. So we had dinner and then crock-pot cake for dessert. It was a fantastic meal. Not very healthy, so it was the perfect meal to end 2015 with. After the missionaries shared their message, we sent them on their way and cleaned up dinner and let the party begin.

We started with our kid games. So, we played The Ogre game (actually called Race to the Treasure), Hungry Hippos, and the farm game (actually Life on the Farm.) Kylee and Tori did really good and Tia did good for awhile, but then she was just getting to tired. After the games, we got the kids ready for bed and put them down. Trent was already asleep, so it was just the girls. However, we got them all ready and Kylee was at one end of her bed and Tori at the other and Tia in her own. Once they were in bed us adults started playing games. As we were playing though, the noise upstairs kept getting louder and louder. Mainly I heard Kylee using her yelling voice, but anyway, I decided to go up and get them all settled back in. I go up and Tia wants in bed with the other two--surprising? No. Anyway, I lay her down with Kylee and Tori is still at the other end. Then I tell them, it is okay to talk, but no more yelling we don't want to wake up baby Trent. So, we didn't hear anything for along time because they fell asleep. I asked Kylee later if it was fun to have Tori "spend they night" (they left after ringing in the New Year)? She said, "No, because I wasn't allowed to talk." Don't know where she got that idea from, but oh well it led to a better night sleep and I know they had tons of fun still.

Anyway, while our delightful children were dreaming we were playing games. We played Wits and Wagers (family edition), Quiddler, Ticket to Ride, and Five Crowns. Wits and Wagers was the favorite game of the evening, but really they were all good. We had a good time playing them all, but you can tell that we are not well versed in the midnight chapter of the night because as it started getting later we all started slowing down a little. Not that we were non functioning, but definitely not full speed. Anyway, at midnight we toasted in the New Year with sparkling juice (cherry flavor). It was super fun to have people to play games with on New Years. That really is one of the things I miss about not traveling at the holidays. I love playing games with my family, so it seems kind of lonely to play with just the two of us. So, shout out to the Jacobson's for joining us and letting their kids go to bed here, so we could stay up late.

January first was a great. The morning started off with a a breakfast of raisin oatmeal muffins. We ate at the little table, because Kylee really wanted to and you know what it was super fun. It was fun to all cozy like. After words we video chatted Grandma and Oma. Then, we talked Gaupo into taking us bowling. It was really fun. We actually all did pretty well. The girls didn't throw the ball quite hard enough a couple of times, and mom guttered a couple of times, but really for not having bowled in like 2 years we did really good. Plus with little kids, bowling takes awhile and it was really fun to spend some time together. Other than bowling we just kind of chilled all of New Years day. We were going to go to Sams Club, but it was closed. So, we just stayed home and had homemade pizza and enjoyed being together.

Kylee, Gaupo, and Tia. Enjoying breakfast.

Tia, Me, Kylee. Sorry for the perturbed look. I was trying to tell Gaupo he was doing it wrong, but he didn't listen.

Tia, Gaupo, Kylee.

Kylee girl getting her ball.

Tia and her daddy, rolling it down the lane.

Kylee getting ready to throw it.

Gaupo showing his skills.

Come back Tia.

All of us together. Pardon the cut off face, we are not well versed in selfies.

We did go to Sams Club on Saturday (2nd). We got a lot of things we needed and few things we didn't. I hate that we can't ever just get what's on the list, but really we did pretty good. After Sams, we headed over to Home Depot and got some wood for shelves, and new switch. We needed a switch for the disposal and Gaupo put that in right after lunch. Then after naps we started on the shelves. We don't have all the right tools for this kind of work and, so don't judge when you actually see it, but it does the job, and I love it. I love that my two lower cabinets now have shelves. It totally helps with the usage of the space. Like now ALL the books, ours and the library ones, can go in the cabinet. We were going to watch a movie, but we were tired at the end of the day, so we just watched a couple of episodes and called it a night.

The new ones are just those bottom ones on either side.

Sunday dawned luckily not to early with 11:00 church. I HATE that time. I am sure by the end of the year I will have a schedule that works down and I wont want to switch, but man it really is a hard time to have church when you have little kids. Anyway, I taught the lesson this month. It was on how we can get to know our Heavenly Father better. It was really amazing how the lesson came together. i didn't know exactly how it was going to all play out. However, I started preparing early and was so guided in what I should do. I was originally going to do a different topic, but this is the one I felt we needed. I loved the talks that were given with it, but when it came down to deciding what to share it wasn't that. It was a series of scriptures. I decided to call certain sister to help me with them. It was amazing the names I found, and also how when they took it on the discoveries they made. Its really good to share things as you find them in the scriptures, but I felt we got to go to a deeper level, because the people sharing the scriptures were prepared. It was really a very cool experience. So, between the scriptures and the movie Earthly Father, Heavenly Father, the majority of the time was gone. It finished with a couple of testimonies and then it was the end of a great church meeting.

2016 is already shaping up differently that I thought it would, but I am still excited for it. It should bring new stories and adventures. I bet I will grow more and become more over the course of this year. I look forward to learning new things, meeting new people, developing stronger friendships, and making more memories.