Bla, bla, bla...Blog Humbug

I'm actually posting this on February 16th, 2012. Yes, I've been busy, but mostly I've just had zero desire to blog. I'm hoping if I get caught up, I might be able to muster some. So here's the month of December in a nutshell:

December 1st:

I hosted a dinner for the Relief Society. It turned into quite the ordeal, since our power was out for most of the day. I farmed out the honey baked ham to a good friend who even offered her home if necessary. Luckily the electricity came on just in time to make the au gratins, garlic beans and rolls and warm up the house before the guests arrived. I was so stressed that I completely forgot to take a picture of the event, but here's one of Ainsley showing off the artwork that I took down in the cleaning process.

December 4th:

We invited Ralph, Judy and Jake over for dinner, and got one more use out of the fancy table setting.

December 9th:

It was our ward party. We had a dinner this year, with a simple, sweet and spiritual program—the nativity, and carols, performed by the primary kids.

December 13th:

A parent demonstration in Ainsley's ballet class—I forgot my camera. I took a few with my phone, but this one, by my friend Christianne, was my favorite. Ainsley, Duffy and Lulu:

December 14th:

Ralph and Judy gave us their front-row tickets to Annie, and I took the three youngest. We loved it!

December 15th:

Ellie's ballet class performance:

December 16th:

Joey's band performance at school. He and two of his friends played a song as a trio, since they're "the best musicians in the band."

December 17th:

We got a phone call in the early afternoon suggesting that we try to pull off a cousins photo to give my parents for Christmas. Here's how it turned out. Not bad for almost zero planning, 14 kids and an amateur photographer (me).

December 21st:

The school program.

December 23rd:

The Marsh family party. Details here. And the cutest presents ever, made by Melissa—see here.

December 24th:

We had what is usually our Christmas morning breakfast (ebleskivers)on Christmas Eve morning, since we knew we'd be scrambling to open presents and get to church. Yum.

And went to the Backman family party in the afternoon. Here's the traditional nativity re-enactment. Ellie was excited to finally play Mary.

The kids opened their new jammies and slippers, but I forgot to take a photo of them after they'd changed into them.

December 25:

I can't really pick just one photo from Christmas day, but I tried to narrow it down from the 155 + video that I took.

We always start with stockings, and the girls were so excited about the wands that they found in theirs.

Robbie was totally surprised by his new electronic drum kit. It was hidden under a huge plastic cover, and he guessed that it was a desk.

Joey and Ainsley both got iPod shuffles, so I think we own every color now. :)

Joey's big present was a Kindle. He loves being the first in the family to have an e-reader. He also got a new puffy coat, as requested.

Ellie got a new sewing machine and accessories, plus sewing lessons. She was very happy.

She also loves her microphone.

In addition to the iPod shuffle, Ainsley loved her Lalaloopsy doll and scooter.

We managed a photo with the timer on the camera before going to church at 11:00. It was a nice meeting. I love the focus on the Savior that comes when Christmas is on Sunday.

Ralph, Judy and Jake joined us for church and for lunch we had breakfast casserole, muffins, fruit, and the orange rolls left over from breakfast.

The kids opened their presents from Grandpa and Grandma. My mom and dad stopped by too, but didn't stay long enough for a photo...

Aww, aren't they sweet?

And silly...

Ainsley, aka Ginny, showing off her mad magic skills.

December 26th:

The fun continued, with the Riley family party. Since Cara hasn't been good enough to post for me, like Melissa did, here are a few photos:

We had brunch:

Ellie and Ainsley with cute Logan:

All of my siblings and their families were there, as well as my Grandma Clayton and Bus, Jan and Kaitlyn.

Joey was Mr. Cool, wearing his hat all day.

Robbie was fully engaged, like any good teenager.

And my parents loved the photo.

Grandma Clayton's party was that evening. She loves being surrounded by her great-grandkids!

December 29th:

We felt lucky to have our friends the Hydes come by for an afternoon during their trip here from Hong Kong. Wish they still lived here, but at least we see them every summer.

December 30th:

We finally took Robbie out for the steak dinner we promised for getting a 4.0 his first semester in junior high. After a great meal we went to see Sherlock Holmes.

New Year's Eve was laid back...I think we watched a movie.

Whew. I'm not sure how zero desire to blog translates into the longest post ever, but there it is. Finally.

Deceivingly blank...

It's not the first time I've skipped blogging for a whole month. But this time I hardly took any photos, which is unusual. 288 photos, on only eight days. Here's what I captured:

1st

Robbie had a persistant cough for months, and was treated for infection and walking pneumonia with no results before I finally made an appointment with an allergist. It turns out he's not allergic or asthmatic, but the appointment still did the trick...he stopped coughing.

5th

It wasn't the first snow of the year, but maybe the deepest. Ellie and Ainsley played outside for hours.

11th

The elementary school was out for the day, so we staged a photo on 11/11/11 at 11:11 a.m.

19th

We were able to attend the Draper Temple, where Davy and Emma were sealed. Oh, and the Utes beat Washington State in overtime. :)

20th

Ralph told us about our Marsh ancestors at the Backman Family History Night.

21st

Ainsley lost her first tooth! The slacker tooth fairy didn't make an appearance for four whole days though...

24th

Thanksgiving! Our favorite holiday. We had a fabulous day and dinner in St. George at Ralph and Judy's. We were grateful to enjoy the company of Jake, the Stringhams, Grandpa & Grandma Backman, the Rasmussens and the Knaubs. It was my first year ever making my Grandma's fabulous candied yams, and they were a success!

25th

We had a fun game of dodgeball with the family. The kids told me earlier in the month that their favorite Thanksgiving tradition is going to St. George. No wonder, they spent hours playing outside with their cousins.

28th

We put up the Christmas tree a little early this year, since I was hostessing a Relief Society dinner on December 1st.

So, why the lack of photos? No, it was not restraint on my part. I was pretty much overwhelmed with daily responsibilities.

Here's what doesn't show up on this calendar: carpools, ballet lessons, piano lessons, early mornings at the gym, volunteering at the school, chess club, helping kids with homework x4, Webelos den meetings, pack meeting, Young Men's, volleyball, Achievement days, church, bishopric meetings, two book group meetings, primary practice & program, Beehive books, babysitting, SEPs, chiropractor, eye doctor, two birthday parties, PTA movie day, assembling 80 gifts for OJH piano donors and making dessert for the piano concert. Not to mention packing, unpacking, cleaning and trying to keep everyone fed & in clean clothes. More than I could fit on this little calendar, and stuff I'm trying to repress at this point.

Rob tells me my only New Year's resolution should be to say no. Of course then he called me to be a gospel doctrine teacher. No time commitment there. My first lesson was on December 6th, on...the Book of Revelation! So I also spent a couple of weeks in November preparing for that. Hard to believe I didn't fit in some time for blogging or Christmas cards. Maybe next November.