Christmas

 We got an Elf on the Shelf this year.  I had seen them on Pinterest and thought it was a great idea, but I thought $30 was way too much to pay for one (it does come with a hard-bound book).  My sweet visiting teacher gave us one.  The girls really loved looking for him every morning, and Claire would be extra well-behaved because she knew he was watching her.  She would talk to him and tell her she loves him.  It was so cute.

 Blake finally let me get a pre-lit tree with white lights.  I've been asking for one for years, and I love it!

This year we had planned on visiting Utah right after Christmas.  We were going to leave December 25th right when Blake got off work at 2:00 pm.  It turns out the weather was going to be terrible, and the roads between Wyoming and Utah can be awful with the ice and wind.  On the 23rd Blake arranged with his work to take off the 24th and 25th and we left within an hour of changing our mind about the date.  Since Blake is a federal employee, the government gave them the 24th and 25th both paid this year (hopefully that's not to soften the blow if they lay off after they figure out the budget).  He would have gotten double time if he worked this year, but it was so worth it to not be driving in snow. 

We stayed at Lyndsy and Levi's house for a couple days, and my mom and Kevin's for the rest, including Christmas.

Christmas morning with Grandma.

 Jayce and Claire got to be in the Sirrine family annual nativity play.  Mary and Joseph look a little bit uninterested...

It snowed almost the whole time we were in Utah.  Jayce and Blake got to go sledding a few times.

 Slick track at Planet Play.

We got to go swimming with the Clowards at their hotel.  Claire had a blast jumping to Uncle Rye Rye.

At home after the holiday was over. 

Six months pregnant.  My uterus is measuring two cm large (two weeks ahead).  I wish he would be two weeks early, but he'll probably just be a big boy.  Blake and I still can't decide on a name.  I really dislike his top name choices, and he doesn't like most of mine.