The next day we got up and headed to Idaho to take Geandma Julie home. We then headed to Grace to spend time with Tom and Beth. Before we took off Grandpa took the kids out into the freezing cold to fish.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Christmas
It's finally Christmas!
We made it back from Utah the evening of Christmas Eve. And we brought Grandma Julie with us. We quickly made dinner and Santa cookies and then opened our Christmas pajamas. This year I made the kids pajama pants. A fact I was pretty proud of. The kids picked their material out in the fall and anticipated the moment they could wear them.
After pajamas it was bedtime!
When the kids woke Christmas morning we opened and played with our new toys!
We then ate our delicious traditional breakfast of hash and muffins.
Christmas is always a favorite holiday!
Number 33
Draper Tree of Life
Draper, Utah's city park has an amazingly huge tree that they light up at Christmas time. It was pretty neat.
We were standing pretty far away so the pictures aren't quite as impressive as in real life.
Christmas Vacation
I find, after the fact, there are a lot of things I neglect taking pictures of, and then wish later I had. This is the case of our Christmas Vacation in Utah.
One day we took the kids to Scheels. It's a large sporting goods store in Draper, Utah that has a Ferris Wheel in the center of the store. Of course all of the kids immediately started begging to ride. So we relented ( since that was the whole reason I wanted to take them). We also saw Santa Clause wandering the store. Jemma was pretty excited. While other kids were being shy and timid, trying to decide whether to approach or not, Jemma ran right up and gave him a giant hug. I wish I had a picture. It was pretty cute. After Santas surprise visit, we visited the fudge shop to beg some samples off them. And then we headed to lunch at Cafe Rio. I was pretty excited about that since I hadn't eaten yet and was convinced my stomach was eating my backbone.
While in Utah we threw a surprise birthday party for Ella. I was in charge of getting her out of the house and taking her shopping. ( very difficult task). Michelle and Heather decorated and set up the game. Grandma Julie got the cupcakes and cake made. And the men were in charge of picking up pizza and then taking the kids swimming after the initial surprise so that Ella could enjoy her friends.
A side story: Heather and I were asked to take some of Ella's friends home. One girl was giving us directions to her house. Although Michelle said the girls lived in Alpine, the girl directed us west over the freeway and in Lehi. She seemed uncertain, but kept giving us directions and saying things looked familiar. Her friend and Ella kept asking if she was sure and point out landmarks such as the Lehi Aquatic Center and the Lehi post office and city hall. Finally, as we were headed to the the outskirts of Lehi, she stopped and said she didn't know where she was. A little exasperated, we called Michelle for an address. We had to turn around and head back to Highland, into Alpine. The girls house ended up being only about a ten minute drive from our starting point. And it only took us 50 minutes to get there!
Also, on the same day of Ella's party, Jemma woke Matt and I up early, crying that her ears hurt. I took her to an Urgent Care and she was diagnosed with an ear infection. We headed to the pharmacy to pick up an antibiotic, snacks, and ear plugs so she could go swimming. We got home and she layed on the couch sleeping until it was time to party, which she perked right up for.
Temple Square
The Washburns headed to Utah after the kids got out of school for Christmas Break. Our first stop was to meet up with Grandma Julie and the Nulphs in Salt Lake at Temple Square.
The car ride had been long and the boys had been loud and annoying. Jemma had been crying/screaming because her ears hurt. By the time we arrived and got out of the car, The Washburns were not in pleasant moods. However, things gradually changed as we stepped out into a decently warm night. The kids immediately were happy to be with family and the excitement and beauty of seeing the Salt Lake Temple and the lights on Temple Square quickly turned our moods. We wondered around the visitors centers. And surprisingly enough saw several people from our ward in Lander. We made our way to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and rode the elevators to the top so we could look down on the lights.
What a great was to start our Christmas!
PS: It was crazy clothes day at the kids school and we didn't have time to change before we took off. Hence Jacksen in the shark pajama pants wondering around Temple Square. You win some, you lose some.
The Grich Who Stole Christmas
Jemma's dance studio, The Dance Academy, put on the production of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Jemma auditioned and was selected to be a Who in Whoville, which is the green costume. She also was cast with 7 other girls to be Grinch Minnions, which is the Santa hat costume.
Jemma loved every minute of her time doing this. She loved the rehearsals even though some of them were very long and she loved performing on stage.
I'm glad she got the opportunity to do this.
Jemma was also excited that Grandma Julie, Grandma Beth, and Grandpa Tom all made the trip over to see her on stage.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was spent in Menan, Idaho this year. Aunt Cecilia and Grandma Julie decided it had been too long since the Hendricksons and the McNichols had spent the holiday together. Aunt Cecilia rented the Menan City Hall so there was plenty of space for the kids to run and play. At the end of the evening, all the kids took to the stage and preformed a skit for the adults. I didn't get to eat as much as I wanted because we were too concerned with taking pictures and talking. But it was an enjoyable Thanksgiving day nevertheless.
After dinner, Michelle, got the Black Friday bug, and talked me, Heather, and Ann Marie into fighting the crowds at Walmart. Even though we didn't get much, it was fun spending time together.
The day after, the Hammonds, Nulphs, and Washburns packed up and headed over to the nursing home to spend time with Grandma Betty. After some visiting, the boys left to go shoot guns, while the girls stayed to play some games and visit. Grandma Betty didn't have much to say, but she enjoyed watching us all. Jemma also picked out some fleece and made Grandma Betty a blanket. I think Grandma Betty enjoyed that Jemma thought of her and wanted to give her something.
Some highlights of the trip:
Jacks got car sick as we left Jackson Hole and were on Teton Pass. Matt couldn't stop so Jacks leaned out the window and shared his sickness with the car behind us. Yuck.
Matt took his buck to the taxidermist in Shelley for a head mount. He is hoping to have it done by Christmas of 2015. I'm pretty sure we will then be spending our time fighting on whether the mount can be placed in the house or not. I'm also pretty sure I will win that fight and the buck will be displayed in the garage. On the way to the taxidermist Matt impressed Rob and Jason, by once again getting pulled over and talking his way out of a ticket. Matt is pretty proud of his talent in that department.
Matt's Deer Hunt
The most exciting thing happening in our household is the constant talk, preparation, and anticipation for Matt's late season deer hunt in Thermopolis.
I'm not one much for detail of the hunt, but Matt got his deer. He even camped in his trailer when it was -30 degrees. He went with his friend Dan Plaisted, who also got his deer in the bitter cold. But I suppose it was all worth it when they were able to tie 2 bucks onto the back of their camper and haul them home.
Halloween
Halloween is always very much anticipated in the Washburn house.
This year Jemma and her best friend Emily decided to both be Baby Jaguar. And Matt was pretty excited when the boys both picked to be BYU football players.
After the kids got home from school, we headed to the Main Street trick or treat with friends. We then raced home, refreshed our costumes and then met up with the Plaisteds to trick or treat in their neighborhood. After they filled their pumpkin buckets, we invited the Plaisteds over for pizza and snacks. I impressed myself with making a puking pumpkin (very impressive if I do say so myself)
We all had such a great night. I'm greatful for these moments we have, to enjoy time together with family and friends.
Spooksplash 2014
Bennett participated in the Lander Swim Club's Spook Splash swim meet. It was his first meet ever and he did awesome!
He got 12th place in the backstroke and 6th place in the breaststroke!
It was a long day sitting in those bleachers, but so worth it to see Bennett work so hard for something he really wanted to do well in.
We are so proud of him!
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