Merry Christmas

We love Christmas!

This year our family gift came in a message on the back of three different puzzles.  The kids had to assemble the puzzles to find out what the gift was.

A week in California!  Look out sunshine, here we come!

Christmas Eve

The traditional reading and acting out the nativity. We've never been big into costumes.

With our family getting smaller, Alex had three parts.  He had to switch between the angel bringing tidings of great joy to being a shepherd who was sore afraid.  Alecia was Mary while Karl was Joseph.  I joined Alex as a wiseman.  Bill read the story.

Family fun

One day during Christmas break Karl and Alecia took a rather long walk.  I thought they were crazy because it has been so flipping cold!  They walked to Alex's school to check out the new playground toys.  They discovered a xylophone and decided to play a song.  Hmmmmmm, what to play?  "Carol of the Bells" of course!  They spent some time figuring it out and then recorded it on Karl's phone.  On Christmas Eve day we went as a family for the live performance of "Carol of the Bells" performed by these two crazy kids.  They did a good job.  The xylophone could use a tuning though.

 

Checking out some other toys.

Merry Christmas, Kayla and Patrick

Alex had Kayla's name for Christmas this year.  Because they were only here for the night, we had them open their gift so we could watch them.  Alex got them a Christmas ornament for their first Christmas as a married couple.  Ohhhhhhhhh, so sweet.

Ninjas Attack!

Karl and Alecia learned a game while living here in Utah.  It's called Ninja Attack.  Each player in turn must make one move, trying to hit the arm or hand of another player.  Other players can only move out of turn if they feel they are under attack.  Karl is pretty good at it.  They decided to teach Kayla and Patrick when they stopped in on their way to New Mexico for Christmas.  Karl got Alecia out, but her reflex to the hit made her arm fly in such a way that she slapped Karl on the face.  They laughed about it for a long time, but Karl never broke his concentration.

What's a Girl to Do?

Yesterday I went to a neurosurgeon to check on the deterioration of my back problem.  Seven years ago I was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis - phase I.  After having new MRIs and x-rays, my new doctor told me that I am now at a phase II and that he thinks this whole problem was congenital.  My former doc thought maybe I had broken the facets as a teenager.  Looks like there was no way to avoid this issue I am having.  With the worsening of the spondylolisthesis (slipping of the spine), my disc has collapsed.  I have three options.

1.  Do nothing.
2.  Injections for pain.
3.  Surgery--placing a spacer between the vertebra, inserting rods with screws, grafting bone along with bone growth booster, and having complete fusion within 6-12 months.

What's a girl to do?

Puppet Play

Alex's 4th grade teacher is big into readers theaters and puppet plays.  Each child got to make their own puppet and participate in one of three different plays.  Alex memorized his lines and spoke up loud and clear.  They all turned out pretty cute.  Alex's play was called, "The Cross Princess."  She was cross because she did not go to bed when she was supposed to.  That made her a tired, angry princess and one who could not learn.  Alex thinks he doesn't have to smile for pictures.  How I wish he would!  He was really excited about the play, I just wish it showed in his face.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we went to Rexburg, Idaho.  Bill's parents live there and invited the family to feast with them.  Those who came were David and family, Chris and family, and Dan and family.  We stayed with Kayla and Patrick in their apartment.  We met their turtles and got to try our hands at Rock Band.  This was a first for most of us.  Karl was awesome on the drums.  Alex wanted to just be the singer.  Karl wasn't thrilled when he was handed the mic, but our ears needed a break from Alex's wonderful serenading.  It was fun!  We ate a lot at Grandma's house, played with cousins, and visited with family.  Rexburg has a new fun center, so we went miniature golfing and played laser tag.  It was tons of fun!