Robert turned 42!

First, my disclaimer.  I lost the memory card that had Robert's birthday on it.  Since we don't have any photos to prove it, let me just give you my word that we made an excellent dinner for him.  We sang Happy Birthday (the extended version) and he blew out candles.  It totally happened.  It was awesome.  

Now, I did manage to get one picture of his cake on my phone.  See?

No frosting because this delicious cake is full of cranberries and has this completely-bad-for-you, buttery-vanilla sauce that coats it.  It is a little slice of heaven.

The next day, I surprised Robert with a mini-trip into Atlanta.  We had about 18 hours total that we could be gone, and we made the best of it.

I booked a night in this super cute...and very southern B&B.  (Our room had birds painted on the ceiling, just like the birds in Cinderella.)

I then booked us a glass-blowing class which was one of the best surprises I've ever given Rob.  He never saw that one coming and he LOVED it.

That night we went out to Cuban and the next morning we got up to walk around the fun old-town, newly-hip shopping area.  Walking around with that many millennials was only bearable because we stopped by and got some of the best ice-cream ever.   On our way out, we stopped by the birth place of Martin Luther King and would have explored the visitor's center but it was closed until about 10.  

So off we went, and we got home just in time to take the family to see the primary's Christmas production   It was a fast, little trip, but so fun.  We were lucky that Mom and Dad were there to hold down the fort while we were gone.

Happy Birthday Good-Job-Rob!

This year Bishop Nelson invited us to join his family in making Christmas trains.  Why trains and not gingerbread houses?  He said it had to do something with being German.  Whatever the reason, we enjoyed mixing it up a bit and everyone got just a little competitive.

Here are our first train attempts 

Robert's

Mine and Jason's.  (it's been so long now, that I can't remember exactly who did what. Ah well.  They all got eaten, regardless.)

I think we might try this one again next year.

December finally arrived, which means all things from this point on connected, in one way or another, to Christmas!  

First we got an early Christmas present.  A snow day.  Just look at all that snow!

I know.  That's a little disappointing.   But the kids made it work.  Just look how they scraped every possible handful off the grass.  It took major work to get enough snow to make that little snowman out there.

Now the front yard was a different story.  Just take a gander at our highly inappropriate snowman.  I don't think the kids saw it...but I was highly embarrassed every time  I walked out to he car.  Just FYI, there are actually three giant snowballs at the base of this monstrosity.  Not just the expected two.

In any case, he was a happy snowman, even if he was slightly offensive.

I took out all the decorations for Christmas and found this little beauty.  My little Christmas miracle, all wrapped up in stockings and a hat.

 

We went tree hunting.  We found a super cheap lot where we could cut down our own tree for 35 bucks!  What a steal!  Of course, all the trees looked a bit sickly and later we found out, infested with spiders.  But who could pass up the good deal?  Not us.  So one freezing, icy day, we trudged out and picked up this giant sucker.

I couldn't even decorate half of it, because I wasn't tall enough.  That is too tall of a tree!

It also had thin, spaced out branches which wanted to bend with every glass ornament put on the ends.  Robert ended up making it look beautiful.  Naturally.

He also went overboard on the lights this year.  I know...it's expected.  We only blue a couple of fuses before he got it all straightened out.

Alaina was in charge of making caroling treats (although my lame family refused to carol this year.  They just awkwardly shoved a plate of treats into people's hands with not preamble and no singing.  To get the full effect...read this in a grumpy, grinchy voice, "Here.  Take this. Merry Christmas!"  But look at all the love Alaina put into making these treats;

The delivery may have been disappointing, but the taste was perfection.

We enjoyed the lovely Christmas talks.  (all three asleep at once!  Good thing we were in the last row!)

We didn't have our Nevada Christmas train, but the little boys did take several trip on the 'Ethan train."

Jason had his first Christmas school party.  (the kindergarten moms in this class are a wee bit obsessive.  I just enjoyed their crazy efforts instead of pitching in.  Why?  I'm lazy.  End of story.)

The kids met on of their heroes at church...one of the stars of their favorite comedy show, Studio C.  I believe this is Jason Grey and his daughter.

Getting ready for Christmas is exhausting.