Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve

 Holy Cow!  What happened to the last month?!  I'll do my best to summarize.  One of my New Years Goals is to get back into the habit of journal writing...even if just once a week on Sunday's.

We went to Las Vegas for a few days before Thanksgiving.  We met up with Craig, Amanda, Jazzlyne, Kynzlee, Alyssa, Ellie, and Dad and Lisa.  It was a lot of fun!

Alyssa came back to our house afterwards with us.  She stayed all the way until we drove her back up to Utah for Christmas.  We were in Utah from about December 22nd to the 28th.  It was a memorable trip!  We stayed at Tara's house for 3 nights and Dad's house for 3 nights.  We enjoyed an epic traditional Christmas Eve Feast with Tara and Craig's family.  It was wonderful -- I know Mom was there in Spirit.  Santa found the kids at Tara's house and left some gifts.  We gave the kids our gifts a week early when we were still at home.  We went to Dad's house on Christmas Evening and stayed for a few days.  The kids tried ice skating and sledding for the first time!  I think they enjoyed it!  Caitlyn and Lizzie, in particular, really caught on quickly to the winter sports.

I started working the week after Thanksgiving and worked for three weeks until Christmas Break.  I start up again on January 3rd (Monday).  The rest of the family won't start work/school until January 10th.  My first weeks at work were interesting.  I mainly just spent time in the 3rd/4th grade classroom.  The teacher that I'm replacing wasn't leaving until after Christmas break, so I just got to hang out with her and get to know the kids a bit.  I've been busy trying to lesson plan and get things ready for when I return (as the "real" teacher).  I really think that I'm going to like this job and feel so extremely blessed to have been able to get it.  My only worry is my own kids.  What will happen if they call in the middle of the day needing me to pick them up?  What if they are sick?  What if Mason refuses to go?  The kids started riding the bus as well.  It's a lot more convenient, that's for sure.  I should have put them on the bus years ago, ha ha.  I have also (finally) been able to start volunteering at the kids' school.  I get to spend an hour or so in William's, Caitlyn's, and Mason's classrooms.  I really enjoy it!

Today is New Years Eve!  I will write another post reflecting on 2021, but I just wanted to write this post first in an effort to catch up with my pictures...and there are A LOT.

Enjoy!

Caitlyn and I on New Years Eve!  I told her that I was always going to remember how for New Years Eve, 2021, I cuddled on the couch with my Caitlyn Dawn and watched her favorite Movie, "Cruella".  Lizzie went to a Sake New Years Eve Dance and the Boys played a video game with Jon.




William got these really neat Magna Tiles for Christmas!






William loves playing with Slime!


Caitlyn lost one of her upper teeth at the hotel in St. George!  Her other one is just about to fall out as well...


Christmas Vacation Fun!
















































































































































































































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