Wrapping Up 2015

We were devastated when we found out that instead of a Halloween Trunk or Treat, our branch council had decided instead to do a harvest festival in November. But we decided to give it a try anyway and we had a really fun time. One sister in the branch brought her camera and set up a little fall photo backdrop for people to get their pictures taken.

 They also had a ton of fun stations set up where the kids could do an activity and collect candy prizes. It was pretty cold outside but that didn't stop our kids from bobbing for apples.

A huge favorite was hayride that took everyone all the way back into the field behind the church.

Another fun one was the gunny sack races. Spencer joined in on one already in progress and jumped along without a sack. 

Later he joined one from the beginning and used an actual sack.

After all the fun activities we capped off the night with a yummy potluck chili dinner. We grudgingly had to admit that it was a really great activity. What would have made it better was if they did it in October for Halloween and we could wear costumes and still pass out candy from our cars...We could call it a Halloween Harvest Trunk or Treat Festival!

Sometimes I find a spark of creativity and do fun things with the kids I babysit. When this cutie who is crazy for Captain America needed a shield for our role playing, we decided to make our own out of a paper plate. He was thrilled and I enjoyed the break to sit down from all the running around being the bad guy that had to fight Captain America.

 Thanksgiving was awesome. My mom and Jonathan were here and we had an amazing dinner and a wonderful time together. But apparently the only thing that was photo worthy was this delectable pumpkin roll made by Kendall which will most definitely become a new Thanksgiving tradition!

 One of my least favorite yearly traditions is the Marshall Christmas parade. Who in the heck decided that it would be a good idea to have a huge hour-plus long parade the last Monday in November when the temperature is usually frigid? I just don't get it. The people in Marshall seem to love it. They brag about that parade like it's the best thing about the season. Give me our September Festival of the Forks parade any day! To be fair, Albion also does a Christmas parade--usually just a day or two after Marshall's but ours is a fraction of the length of time that this one is and many years we opt not to go depending on the weather. With the Marshall parade, we are forced to go because the marching band kids are required to be in it. And of course, they can't put them toward the front of the line. Oh no, the band is the culminating part of the parade so we have to sit through minute after agonizing minute to get to the end. But with that being said, we are proud of Kendall and all his hard work in band and it's always a treat to hear them perform, even when it's so cold out that the woodwinds can't get any sound to come out of their instruments and the kids fingers are frozen to the keys.

We had a pretty first snowfall to welcome in December. 

 It wasn't a ton but it got the kids a snow day and it was enough for Spencer to take a page out of Calvin and Hobbes and make a little family of snowmen.

December was apparently Kendall's big month! We started off with his 16th birthday which is totally crazy to think about. To celebrate we splurged and Kalen and I were able to take him to see a Piano Guys concert in Kalamazoo. Sadly we weren't able to actually talk to any of them this time but it was still a fantastic experience.

 

 Kendall had a ball with the Marshall High School winter theater production of AChristmas Story. It was incredibly well done. There are some very talented kids in the theater program and they always do a phenomenal job. Kendall got to play the role of Young Scrooge.

(Just a shout out to Jeff Wilson Event Photography. This guy goes to all of the activities in the schools and around town and takes some great pictures of all the goings on.)

                                     

 Santa Claus even came to visit before the performance of the play!

Kendall also had his Holiday Band Concert which was amazing. Earlier in the fall, he auditioned for the symphonic band and got in. Both the concert and the symphonic bands are really, really good but the symphonic band is a bit more advanced and plays some really challenging music that is pretty impressive.

 Christmas was tons of fun as usual. The kids decided that they wanted to ask Santa for a trampoline this year and Santa accommodated that request gladly and was still able to bring the kids each a little something for under the tree since it's winter and that's not the most ideal time to set up a trampoline.

The kids each got a homemade present from me again this year. Kendall's was a Doctor Who Tardis throw for his bed. It's a good thing he thought it was awesome--it took hours and hours of being sneaky to work on it without him knowing.

 The best part of the day was getting to Skype with our missionary! I turns out he got to Skype from his apartment and there weren't really any time limits for talking so we got quite a conversation in--about three hours worth! It was so great to see his face and hear his voice. We are so proud of him and all the hard work he is putting in and for how much he has matured and grown while he's been away.

Christmas break from school was a nice and quiet affair (with lots of silly moments) and a trip to Kid n' Stuff Museum. I'm not sure our kids are ever going to outgrow this place.

We capped off the year with our traditional New Year's Eve celebration with lots of munchies and tons of games. It's always the perfect end to any year!