Holidaze 2016

This past year, more than any other year, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years all seemed to just blend into one giant holiday. Perhaps it was because we were home for all of it, perhaps because time has picked up its pace somehow, perhaps because of an increased level of chaos in our family life--at any rate, the result is one giant blog post documenting multiple events.

Here is Thanksgiving. Mika was the last victim in a wave of stomach virus that hit our home in November. On Thanksgiving morning, I found her asleep at the bottom of the stairs, her little body still recovering from the illness. Thankfully, the worst of the sickness was over, just in time for Turkey day.

For breakfast/snack/dessert, I made a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cake mix cookies. Who knew four ingredients could make such delicious morsels?

While Forest prepped the turkey, I made the essential potato rolls.

Even though she was feeling better, Mika still spent a lot of that day on the couch.

Wylie enjoyed his first Thanksgiving, despite being too little to try any turkey.

Pie was store-bought this year, but brought everyone to the table just the same.

Not long after Thanksgiving ended, it was time to start counting down to Christmas. The season for exchanging cards and treats was upon us!

Advent calendars for my three princesses

Jii and Baachan came to stay with us for a week. I was so grateful they were willing to make the drive to Colorado.

They arrived the day after Jii's birthday, so we put together a belated celebration with an ice cream cake.

For one of his gifts, we gave him a welcome mat with "welcome" written in several different languages. I think he identified every single one.

Happy birthday, Jii!

Baachan didn't teach the kids quite as much Japanese as she did last summer, but Ramona had fun with some Japanese activity pages she brought with her.

She also helped the girls arrange a little "Christmas Village" with tiny ceramic houses, mini electric tea lights, and flashlights.

There was quite an assortment of items added to the village by the end of the evening.

One night, Jii showed the girls some of my early artwork. They laughed hysterically at my potato-like illustrations of people.

We also got a visit from Paca that week before he headed to Salt Lake City. He and Wylie got lots of snuggles.

With so many adults in the house, Forest and I finally found time to hang up some stockings (with care) on our mantel.

Perhaps on of the most memorable events this Christmas was a nativity play organized by Ramona. The kids made a stable out of the coat rack and a blanket, and gathered an assortment of stuffed animals (including a My Little Pony) to be the livestock. They could only find one stuffed sheep, so to substitute, they scattered several stuffed snowmen in the "field" for the scene with the shepherds. We performed the play for Jii, Baachan, and Paca.

Cast List

Narrator: Ivy

Mary: Ramona

Joseph: Forest

Baby Jesus: Wylie

Shepherd: Mika

Shepherd: Paula

Angel: Ramona

Jii and I played a little bit of Piano Guys after the play--an arrangement of "O Come O Come Emmanuel."

Some other fun activities that week included bowling and crocheting.

Toward the end of the week there were some class parties at school.

I volunteered at the snowman craft station in Mika's classroom.

I found a moment to take some pictures of Wylie wearing his little elf shoes before his very first Christmas. 

He was born with a pointy bump on his right ear, which we affectionately call his "elf ear." We just love our handsome little elf prince.

On Christmas Eve we made sushi for dinner, then got some of the present-opening out of the way by letting the siblings exchange their gifts.

We kept up the tradition of reading letters from Daddy to each child in age order.

The kids also got to open up Jii and Baachan's omiage from Japan. The fans were a big hit.

Ramona really wanted to crochet a little chain for Baachan to give to her as a gift. She opened it that night, and she was really impressed.

After our children were all bathed and dressed in their Christmas pajamas, they happily went to bed.

Christmas Day was on a Sunday. Half of us went to church early so I could prep for all of my responsibilities that morning, which included string ensemble prelude, playing my cello for a couple of pieces, and singing in the choir. Musicians are busy at Christmas time, but it really is a joyous kind of busy. For me, music really helps make the season what it is. 

It snowed on the way home from church, giving us a little bit of white on Christmas.

Once we unloaded the cars and hung up our coats, we arranged ourselves for a group photo . . .

. . . then changed back into pajamas and gathered in the kitchen for some cinnamon rolls.

This whole time the kids had patiently waited to open their presents. Now it was finally time!

Paula finally got her own Dream Lite . . .

. . . and Ramona finally got a charm bracelet to replace her old one with missing charms. She gave me a big hug and a "thank you," which melted my heart.

 Even the grown-ups got to open some gifts.

Thanks so much to all the friends and family who sent gifts--we feel so blessed.

That afternoon we played with lots of Legos . . . 

 . . . and lots of Monster High dolls.

On Monday, Jii and Baachan left to go back to Illinois, but Forest was able to stay home from work. We decided to make use of our gift from Dan and Christie and played a round of "Pie Face." Mika and Paula initially showed some trepidation about this activity, but Ramona bravely stepped up to the plate and faced the pie.

Paca was here again on New Year's Eve. He watched the kids so Forest and I could go see a movie.

That night, we had a party to celebrate the end of 2016. We threw confetti . . .

 . . . did multiple balloon drops from the loft down to the front entryway . . .

 . . . played with balloons . . .

. . . and drank bubbly cider. 

There it is--a lengthy and joy-filled summation of our family's holiday celebrations in 2016. Now that those events are finally documented and yuletide decorations are stowed away, I may just be ready for 2017. Maybe.

Home away from Home

Soon after our family decided to move to Colorado back in 2011, we found out that there were plans for an LDS temple to be built very close to our new home in the city of Fort Collins. Throughout most of our lives, the closest temple was at least three hours away, so the idea of visiting a temple after just a 15 minute drive was very exciting for us.

For a long time, nothing was happening on the vacant lot set aside for the new temple. Then in August 2013, there was a groundbreaking ceremony, and eventually construction began. At the time, our assigned church building was right across the street from the temple site, so we were able to watch the building progress from week to week. Some Sundays our family managed to take a few photos.

September 2014, temple site:

February 2015, temple site:

March 2015, Trilby Building, Fort Collins:

(the church building across the street from the temple)

May 2015, 28th Street Building, Loveland:

(Our church building we attended while we were living in Loveland. I sometimes went back there for meetings related to my assignment, and took baby Paula with me)

August 2015, temple site:

(It was around this time that local growth in the church required some boundary changes and we were assigned to a different building in Windsor. We no longer got to see the temple site every Sunday, but still found opportunities to visit)

December 30, 2015:

July 4, 2016:

August 30, 2016 temple open house:

At the end of August of this year, the temple was finally completed and open to the public for three weeks. I was able to play some music in the welcome tent one of those days.

August 31, temple open house:
We were able to take our family through the temple open house on August 31. This was my first time going inside the building.

All guests were required to wear booties over their shoes before entering the building. Paula thought this was hilarious and kept repeating the word "booties" and giggling.

As we entered the building, I felt overwhelmed with feelings of humility and gratitude. It was hard to believe such a beautiful edifice had been built--as a symbol of faith and a place of worship--just a few miles from our home. I knew this building would bless countless lives, but as I walked within its walls that very first time, even among crowds of visitors, it felt like a very personal experience. It almost felt like I was opening a gift that was far more valuable than I deserved. I felt so grateful to be there together with my family.

The girls loved looking at the Christus statue inside the welcome tent.

There was a group photo opportunity inside the tent, where we posed in front of a giant picture of the temple . . .

. . . and we also got a picture in front of the actual building before we left.

September 3, 2016: Denver Temple:

While we have been living in Colorado, we have been attending the Denver Temple about once a month. The last time we went was at the beginning of September. This temple has been such a blessing to our family.

The Fort Collins Temple was dedicated on Sunday, October 16, 2016. Forest and I were able to watch a broadcast of one of the dedicatory sessions from a local church building. Even though we couldn't attend the ceremony in person, the messages were inspiring and I know that day will be a highlight among my experiences in Colorado.

Around that time, Paula brought home a sugar-cube statue of an LDS temple, complete with an angel Moroni on top. Her nursery teachers at church had helped her build it.

I tried to make a temple out of rice krispie treats, and was less successful.

It almost looks like a temple, if you use your imagination.

Once the Fort Collins Temple was dedicated, it was ready for the Lord's work. Forest made it there to do some work early on the morning of November 2. The sun was just coming up as he came out of the building.

Ramona walked the grounds again after going to a friend's baptism across the street.

I attended the newly-dedicated temple for the first time on November 15. For me, there really is nothing like stepping out of my normal, everyday life, and stepping inside the walls of a temple. It really is the house of the Lord, and my home away from home. Spending time there provides me with a spiritual renewal that I cannot find anywhere else. I come back out reminded of who I am and what I want to accomplish in this life.

Having the temple so close has allowed us to attend more frequently than the Denver Temple, but trying to make it there together as a couple has been a little more challenging than going individually. Lining up a babysitter for four small children and having zero kids throwing up was not easy, but we finally made it happen the week before Christmas. Thank you Grandparents!

And thank you, Fort Collins Temple! We are so happy to have you here.