December 2021

 December was full!  Of friends, family, activities, and Christmas. 

Kylee joined the dance team.  You may be wondering where that came from?!  I sure was.  She came home one day and told me she was going to try out for the team.  She says I snorted.  It was kind of a laugh. But I was just so surprised.  She hasn't danced since she was four years old, and back then she didn't love it.  She's done theater camp a few times and she liked that, but she wasn't a big "performer".  So I was skeptical.  Kylie Paskett has danced for years and she told Kylee that she has more tumbling skills than most of the team, and more flexible, so she thought she should come dance with them. I said, hey if that's what you want to do, go for it.  She did.  She impressed the coaches with her tumbling skills and her quick learning.  She caught on really fast.  Dance had been in full swing since school started, so she had missed out on a whole trimester.  There were a couple dances that they had already learned and you have to tryout for so she wasn't in those dances.  But she learned the hip hop dance with help from her friends.  And then they all learned the prop dance.  She got to go to the competitions with the team during second trimester.  And she loved it!  And she was good!  She did sprain her big toe really bad when she was working on a front aerial on pads at Kylie Paskett's house.  So that gave her problems for awhile but she was able to do what she needed to.

Kaden had his first piano recital!  It was so cute.  He was nervous but he did so well!

Sadie also had a recital that day.  She did great too.  It was really fun taking these kids to watch each other and support.

Sadie participated in the Battle of the Books and had her first book battle!  Her team was Evelyn and Quincee.  They did really well!  They didn't miss any questions.  The other two kids did this and I've enjoyed it because it makes them read books they probably wouldn't otherwise.

Sadie did the Hillcrest basketball camp with all the high school players.  Most of her team was there with her.

I got to help with Kaden's class party.  It's always fun being in class with those cute kids.

I got together with my friends to exchange gifts and have lunch.  That's always a blast.

Grandma Stokes came to visit us!

Grandma Carol came to visit us too!

Oakland came home from his mission so we went to Salem for his homecoming and to see family.

We got together with Ryan's side of the family for bingo night and gift exchange.  So fun!

We got a lot of snow the last half of December so I took the three kids and some friends out snowboarding.  It was so fun!  Sadie struggled a little with all the powder and she needed a break.  But after that she tried again and did well. 

Sherri invited us over for a New Year's Eve party.  We played games and ate food.  We didn't really expect to stay until midnight, but the kids were having a good time and nobody was so tired they were dying so we just stayed.  Kaden made it to midnight! Then we hurried home for bed.