Christmas 2008

Making mangers for our baby Jesus doll, this was such a great idea because, everyday of December the kids were rewarded with hay to fill the manger by being kind to one another, just like our Savior commanded.
Ira and Brett, and their manger

We had a lovely Christmas, really it feels like it has been so long since then. All I really remember was yummy food, smiling kids, lots of snow, Josh shoveling lots of snow, my parents here, lots of scrabble, and Santa.

Our tree this year ended up really pretty, unlike we thought it would. We decided to get a fake tree this year, little did we know the trauma we would do to our children. Josh and I have really only had two trees since we have been married, and

already we are sick of the mess they bring in... so we saw a great one at Costco. I bought it, Riley cried, Olivia cried, we got Olivia on our side some how, and then Riley cried, and we just told him he had to deal. So we go home for Thanksgiving... we go tree hunting for Sarah and Brett, and Josh's parents. Josh carries out the tree for his dad (Kim had just undergone some pretty intense surgery) and I start crying. "The kids can't have a fake tree, what kind of parents are we???" So we take the Costco one back, and saddle the kids up, and head north. We found a tree farm in Sandpoint. We follow a road out for miles, and see an elderly gentlemen asleep on the side of the road, in his truck, with a sign that says tree farm. Josh pulls over and asks "where might the trees be that we can cut?" The man replies, "There's some over there, and some up the road." So we drive for another amount of miles, and notice it is just homes, homes, and homes, we head back, and realize the trees we have to choose from on the "tree farm", are all about the same height or less than my 5' 3" stature. So the rule of the game was cut the tree that is taller than mom. We found it! It was a good holiday.