Friday Dec. 20th

Today was busy. I had agreed to come help with Summer's class party this morning. (I'd ordered 4 dozen donuts from Lee's that needed picked up beforehand. And of course Lee's isn't close. Nothing is really close to us up here. [Except for Costco. Interestingly enough, Costco is sort of close. Which seems strange. Shouldn't Costco always be ... slightly inconvenient to get to? It's our closest store now. Though that will probably not be true once we live on the PeaViner land.]) But, back to Lee's. Luckily Daisy is home for Christmas break. She went to pick up donuts for me so I could get the morning-rush mess under control and get a load of laundry folded. Then it was off to reading Stickman to 5th graders while they had donuts and chocolate milk. 

Around this same time I got a text from an anxious mother in charge of Mette's class party. Parent helpers were sick. Was there any way I could help? 

So a quick trip home in time for more laundry and for Starling to be dropped off from morning kindergarten. Then Daisy saved the day again by being willing to tend while I headed back to the school to run a "Christmas Bingo" game.

I haven't typically been a help of any sort in my kids' classes. It's just been too tricky to arrange with babies and toddlers at home. But today I made up for it. 

(And it's interesting the small things that occasionally jump out--startling me into a realization that we truly are becoming settled permanently in Cache Valley. I'd had so many years of taking kids to the same familiar schools [and their associated events] back in Pleasant View that there were just a host of familiar moms who I'd come to know from seeing them at all of the same things and from having our kids become friends, etc., that it felt quite strange last year -- walking around the school at Back-to-School Night, walking the halls at Parent-Teacher Conferences, etc. -- not knowing a single face. But today, as I walked into Summer's class, I was immediately engaged in several easy conversations with women I now know. I've gotten really good in recent years at talking to people I've only just met. So it's not that I couldn't have been talking to someone either way. But going to the school and seeing familiar faces of people whose lives are somewhat known to me [and mine to them] -- "Is all that roadwork being done for your place?", "Tell me exactly what you are doing in your new job at Utah State!", etc. -- well, it was just another of those moments of recognizing things as more settled here.)

Anyway, by the time Mette's party ended, the school bell was ringing so I waited for the elementary kids and brought them home. Mike came home early to print off a lot of things for a meeting the two of us were going to at the bank to get the construction loan rolling. I began cleaning out backpacks full of Christmas-party crafts, projects, and treats then began working on a very early dinner. (3:30!) and Abe (who is also home for the holidays now) nicely went to pick Jesse up from playing Dungeons and Dragons after school. Then Mike and I left Daisy in charge again (Abe had to head off for a friend's bachelor party and Pen was at work) while we went to the bank. 

We came back and let the kids watch Home Alone before heading to a ward member's house who had invited us for visit and a treat.

And then it was getting all the kids to bed long after bedtime.

And now? It's officially Christmas Break!

We are only five days from Christmas. The big Allred Christmas party is tomorrow. And honestly it does not remotely feel close to Christmas to me! (Though I can't say why.) I've been more behind on present buying and wrapping than usual and feel we still need at least three weeks of holiday music. 

But, for all of that, there have been some fun Christmassy things. Someone has been doing a version of the 12 Days of Christmas to us. (We truly have no guesses who it is.) Every night a crocheted member of The Nativity is left on our porch--with a verse of scripture and a treat. It's been so fun for the kids. (I'll post a picture once all the figures have arrived.)

And Mike got us tickets to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Kids under 8 aren't allowed in, but we still all drove to Temple Square. Mike dropped me and Penny through Mette off at the Conference Center where we met up with Abe and Daisy who had driven up from Provo. Then Mike and the two little kids went into the old tabernacle to watch the devotional broadcast while we found our seats in the conference center. (Multiple times our kids stopped to say hi to friends. Which seemed rather surprising at an event with thousands and thousands of people!) It was a happy evening.

 And though we are down to only a few tiny days, there are a few fun holiday things to experience yet! (For one thing, we still need to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol.) :)