December 2017

We knew that December was going to be crazy busy, as per usual, but we didn't expect it all to come and go so quickly.  It was such a fun month.  Here's what we did...

At the beginning of the month we went to the performance of "Christmas Around the World" at BYU.  It was so awesome experiencing how other cultures celebrate through their traditional dances.  

Poor Tess was so tired she couldn't make it through the whole show!

Quincy was able to go to her cute friend Faith's baptism... Quincy, Faith, Lizzy

We were able to go to Ogden's Christmas Village for our annual celebration of Grandma Wayment's birthday. This is a fun tradition that we have kept up for quite a few years.  

Out Christmas shopping with my girls and we stumbled upon a Harry Potter World where the girls found this game...

When there are only 2 brownies left...

Christmas craft night...

 Quincy had her last game of basketball this month.  She really enjoyed playing, especially once she started getting the hang of it, and it was fun to watch her play.  

The girls had their school Christmas Sing which is always fun to see...

One night we decided to do a drive through light show...

Annual Extended Payne Christmas Party.  I never manage to take very many pictures at this party and I'm always so disappointed that I forget.  This is such a fun day with the best people around.  Food, basketball, a live nativity, and a white elephant game...lots of fun!

Not sure Mary is too sure about Joseph!

Twinning is Winning...

Our sweet friends the Stokers invited us over to make Gingerbread houses.  It was such a fun night! We love this family!

Took the family to a BYU basketball game, which is always a fun time!

During this school year, Tess has been working on learning her letters.  We are almost halfway through the alphabet and I'm so proud of how much she has learned!

And just like that it was Christmas Eve! We were able to attend a wonderful Sacrament meeting in the morning and then afterwards we headed home for our Christmas Eve presents of jammies...

Then we stopped by to visit with Great Grandma Johnson and Aunt Cathy...

 And then it was time for the annual Wayment Christmas Eve Party where everyone is spoiled and there is more fun than we can handle!

The girls setting out treats and milk for Santa...

Christmas Morning!!  Around 7:15 or so I was woken up by a light coming from the front room.  I went out to see if everyone was awake and Addie was just sitting on the couch playing her iPad (as if it was just a regular morning).  I said, "What are you doing? Did you wake up your sisters?"  Her reply, "Quincy told me not to wake her up so I was just waiting."  Never in my childhood would I have imagined not immediately waking up my siblings as soon as I possibly could on Christmas morning... I was shocked!  Shortly after, we heard Tess come out and she went straight down to the girls rooms to wake them up!

Clearly worn out from all the fun, but how does she sleep like that?

 Christmas Dinner with the Payne's...

Annual Yankee Swap with the Jensen's is always such a fun a party.  Jenny had a baby 3 days later and still managed to pull together a fun night!

Tess was most excited about this car and was thrilled when we finally got it all set up and ready to ride!

 A sweet friend posted this BOM challenge and Devin suggested that we try it.  I was a bit unsure of how we would manage to add this to our already crazy schedule, but I agreed and I am ever so glad that I did.  After only a few days I quit asking, "How am I going to fit this in?" and it turned into "When am I reading today?"  It became a habit, an expected part of my day that I would look forward to.  We finished on December 30 and I truly felt the impact that reading the scriptures had on us throughout the month. So much so that we started a D&C challenge that we are hoping to complete right before the baby is born!

New Year's Eve was such a fun night spent with incredible people. Through moves, and babies, and different schedules we have managed to maintain the greatest friendship with some families from our neighborhood when we lived in Sandy.  And it was the best way to ring in this new year.  With food, games, prom pictures, so much laughing, a false midnight, and 12 kids with horns it was awesome!

 And suddenly it was all over!  All the holidays, parties, and preparation had come and gone.  We made so many memories throughout December and throughout 2017.  It was a great year.  But we have so many great things coming in 2018 and we are looking forward to all that this new year will bring!