Christmas break fun

With Seth having the whole time between Christmas and New Year's off from work, we got to spend a lot of time together having fun and making memories.

Wednesday, December 26

We had the annual Hendricks family Christmas get-together at our church the day after Christmas. We missed Grandpa Hendricks (since he passed away last March), but had a good time with cousins.

Winnie crafting with sticker foam. 

 Analee and Bekah eating lunch.

Miriam the (ninja?!) wise woman. 

Grandma holding baby Rowan. 

Rebekah the shepherd caring for her sheep. 

Analee the star. 

Listening to Uncle Jim read "The Night Before Christmas." 

Winnie's pinata-smashing face.

Thursday, December 27

The public library had its first Yule Ball, and it did not disappoint. We drank butterbeer, made monster books of monsters, took a bunch of pictures and danced the night away. We entered the costume contest and won the best family costumes. Our prize was all seven Harry Potter books on CD.

Seth and Andrea as death eaters (by a "Death eaters on the dance floor!" no less), Rebekah as Luna Lovegood (reading a Quibbler upside-down), Ana as Moaning Myrtle (straying outside the pipes, but just barely), Miriam as Yule Ball Hermione (reading an encyclopedia) and Winnie as Dobby (trying to climb onto a chair).

 Winnie, Seth and Miri tearing it up.

A Mad-Eye Moody/Dobby crossover? 

Miriam and her monster book.

Friday, December 28

We had promised the girls we'd go sledding sometime during the break, so despite the super-cold temperatures, we went to Freeman Park and had some fun.

 Miriam getting turned around on the saucer.

Rebekah and Analee making a two-car train. Later we had the six of us go on five sleds and held onto each others' legs to make a long train. 

Winnie and Seth in the black sled. Another thing we did later was to pile all six of us on the black sled. We were three people long and stacked two deep (three kids sitting on three people's laps).

Friday, January 4

My brother and his family visited from Richland, Washington, so we spent some time with them as well during the break. We skied a half-day at Kelly Canyon (Winnie stayed with Grandma Scott and made cinnamon rolls), then went back to my parents' house to play some games on the TV.

Everyone watching the TV as we play games. Aunt Teressa (pink shirt), Aunt McKall, Uncle T and Easton, Spencer, Andrea, Winnie, Seth, Mason, Uncle Ethan, Matthew, Aunt Jessica, Oakley, Bennet, Analee, Rebekah and Miriam.

Christmas day

The girls were very good about going to and staying in bed on Christmas Eve. Then they woke up to this:

Each girl received her own Hogwarts house scarf (Rebekah is Ravenclaw, Analee is Gryffindor, Miriam is Hufflepuff and Winnie is Slytherin) and a piece of fleece. I told them they could choose what was made of their fleece. Analee now has a hat and mittens; Miriam has socks, a hat, mittens and a rice pack; Winnie has a blanket; Rebekah has ... a piece of fleece. She still hasn't told me what she wants made out of it.)

Miriam opening a Hatchimal. 

Seth reading Winnie her Shimmer and Shine book. 

Rebekah trying out her tenor recorder while Analee tries out her soprano recorder.

After breakfast and Andrea's nap (I had woken up at 5:30 and couldn't go back to sleep), we went over to Grandma and Grandpa Scott's again for more presents (and leftover schnitzel).

Miriam got a game called Ooga Booga. 

 Rebekah got a journaling copy of the Book of Mormon and earrings.

Analee got a cupcake recipe book and earrings. 

Winnie got a Power Puff Girls toy. 

Gift wrapping carnage.

Miriam and Andrea having fun. Analee made the Yoda earrings for me.

After dinner back at our house, Grandma Susan and Grandpa Dennis stopped by with even more presents. They had just come back from visiting their kids in Boston and Virginia.

 Rebekah opening a watch and earrings while Grandma and Grandpa watch.

Analee opening a necklace, a Bluetooth ear piece and a watch from Grandma and Grandpa while Winnie watches.

Miriam and her watch, tights and Bluetooth ear piece.

Winnie opening a whole lotta My Girl doll clothes, some Barbie clothes and an Elsa light.

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve started out with a fun sleigh ride courtesy of the Fords.

 Analee next to the noble steeds that pulled us on the sleigh.

All of us (our family, Uncle T's family, Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Jessica) on the sleigh with Brother Ford. 

Winnie beckoning to the dog in the field while we ride. 

The bridge Brother Ford uses to train his mules proved to be a fun family teeter totter. 

And the dog got in on the fun.

Our family went on a walk partway through the day.

 Miriam decked out in Christmas splendor.

Winnie running down the road.

Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa Scott's for schnitzel, carols, scripture reading and pajama receiving.

 Miriam and Winnie helping cook the schnitzel. (They weren't allowed near the hot oil, though.)

Andrea wetting Ana's hair so I could braid it for her. 

Rebekah goofing off with Winnie. 

Seth strumming the guitar.

Signing and singing "Silent Night." (Later we sang it in German. There's no way we could sing it in German and sign in ASL at the same time.)  

Lighting the German nativity. It was a little stuck and wouldn't spin, so Grandpa had to figure out what was going on. 

Reading scriptures of the birth of Christ. Grandma, Easton, Winnie and Grandpa. 

Analee opening her Christmas pajamas. This year it was decided that the grandkids would open them in alphabetical order. Analee suggested it. 

Winnie opening her Harry Potter jammies. I asked her, "Are you Winnie or Gwendolen tonight?" She's no dummy; she answered, "Gwendolen!" so she could go sooner. 

Miriam opening her Harry Potter nightshirt. 

Rebekah opening her soft jammies. She patiently waited until the very end for her turn.

Rebekah's Christmas concerts

Because you can never get enough Christmas music or low brass instruments, Rebekah participated in two Christmas concerts this year.

The first one was optional. On Saturday, December 15, Rebekah went to Rexburg, practiced for an hour, broke for lunch, then played euphonium for an hour for Tuba Christmas. Apparently it's a nationwide thing, this Tuba Christmas. All over the country, chapters of Tuba Christmas get together and play once a year. I've never seen so many tubas, baritones and euphoniums all shoved onto one stage.

Rebekah was on the front row (which NEVER happens in a band with other instruments), but it was still hard to get a picture of her playing. Between the bell of the euphonium, the music stand, the hoards of other musicians and the director, I didn't see a whole lot of her face.

The director telling us about the instruments and the music. The concert was held in the MC. 

Cute girl.

Everyone taking a bow.

The second one was mandatory. On Wednesday, December 19, Rebekah played trombone with the middle school jazz band and euphonium with the symphonic band.

This is how I saw her for about one second. 

 This is how she looked the rest of the time.

Mrs. Schumacher announced the band members who had made Honor Band, and they stood for applause. Rebekah was selected, so she was recognized. I have no pictures of her actually playing the euphonium, as you can see her position in relation to us and the rest of the band. 

Ana-ism #30

While sitting around the dinner table.

Bekah: Have you seen those ties that just end in a square?
Seth: Yeah.
Bekah: What's the point?
Ana: There is no point. It's a square.