2016 started off with lots to keep us going. Not that I expected it to be any different! I guess I just need to get used to staying busy and enjoy the busyness... since that's what our life is composed of!
Devin and I ringing in the New Year at the Hale Center Theatre!
Now that the holidays were over, Devin decided that I needed a new project. He had been wanting to buy a piano for awhile but we were unsure as to how much we wanted to spend on one now, while we still have young kids. He found one and said, "Hey I found this piano that I really want to buy but it probably needs some paint. You up for it?" I said sure and then he brings home this heap...
As you can see it needs a whole lot more than just paint! Laminate was peeling everywhere, there were broken pieces, nobs missing, etc. When I asked him what he was thinking he said that he had faith in me that I could make it beautiful. Well I couldn't say no to that challenge!
After weeks of stripping laminate, sanding, sawing, filling holes, drilling, painting, waxing upholstering, and so on I had finally completed my challenge! And I have been pretty happy with the outcome...
Since Tess is such a busy body, the idea of taking her to a movie is pretty daunting for us. But we decided to give it a try... and she did pretty well!
Tess 'feeding' the baby!
Finally at 18 months Tess was able to go to nursery for the first time. Much like my other girls, she didn't even bat an eye as I left! She has loved it ever since!
Addie just loved holding her newborn cousin Emmalee...
We were so happy to have a chance to celebrate my dad for his birthday. I think my girls like him a little...
We also all got to hold and snug on the twins Emmalee and Asher. Such sweet little things...
Since he was having surgery to hopefully remove his cancer the following month we took this opportunity to give dad a blessing. It was sweet and reassuring and brought a wonderful spirit to the evening. As you can see, Tess wants to be held by Grandpa at all times!
Dad and Grandpa Wayment share a birthday month so we were able to celebrate them both...
Breakfast with the Paynes. This is a tradition that we are happy to be a part of again!
More of Tess' shenanigans...
Even when we are sick we find ways to keep the doctor visits interesting...
Enjoying our new instrument...
At the end of the month we were able to celebrate Quincy and Grandma Payne's birthdays together...
It's always sad to see another year come to an end. Its just another reminder that time goes more quickly than we'd like it to. And that the kids are getting that much bigger with each passing year. December is usually one of our busiest months and we definitely kept up with our usual this year. Our month looked like this:
Tess has become even more of a busybody than she was before. She wanders everywhere, climbs on everything, opens every door, turns on every light switch, and worst of all gets into any open toilet she can find (clean or not). She is finding her words and loves to say animal sounds. And she is still as cute as can be.
Sisterly love just keeps growing and it warms my heart.
Every single day Tess stands at the door to wave goodbye to her sisters. She does it once at 9am for Addie and then again at 12:30 for Quincy. Every. Single. Day. And I love it.
Writing our Christmas lists to Santa...
Working on the computer...
The girls had a blast running around and dancing at the Ward Christmas Party:
School projects: Quincy loved turning her gingerbread man into a reindeer.
Play dates: King Hayden and Queen Addie dancing at the ball.
Christmas Movie night...
It was fun celebrating my mom's birthday by walking around Ogden Christmas Village.
Christmas Crafts:
New Christmas shirts:
Tess gets into every drawer and pulls out everything she can. She also loves to mimic the things that we do. Here she is shaving just like daddy.
Addie spent the first half of the school year in the school's choir. In December they had their recitals and they were so great. First they had a Parents Night and it was so fun watching her. She did such a great job.
We had some sick days throughout the month and Tess is always there to give comfort.
Visiting Santa. The girls couldn't wait to sit down with Santa and of course get a candy cane.
Meeting Santa for the first time is always a bit tricky. In no way did I expect this from Tess:
Fun night at Provo Beach Resort:
Dressing up as Mary:
The Sego Lily Singers then had a recital at the University Mall. It was so fun to go and watch them perform again.
Tess just couldn't resist running up to Addie and being close to her, mid-song and all...
We celebrated a great performance by ditching the rest of school and eating Cinnabon.
Playing in the snow!
Tess and I watching from inside the nice warm house...
Opening Christmas Books:
This kid kills me with the stuff she comes up with. She loves to play hide and seek. At first she would just run into another room and stand behind a door or cover her face. Then she figured out that she can fit into most of the cupboards in our house. Her favorite thing to do now is pull everything out of the cupboard, climb in, and close the door.
When we are out she also loves to find any nook and and cranny that she can hide in. Makes for a real fun shopping experience.
Sego Lily Christmas Sing. Each grade had practiced a Christmas song to sing for parents. It was fun to see.
Kindergarten:
2nd Grade:
School Christmas Parties: I was in charge of the craft for Addie's class party. It is so great being a part of these things with the girls.
Although they turned out cute these crafts were a little harder to put together than I expected. I don't think they will be asking me to put together another craft for them for the rest of the year!
I also got to help at Quincy's party. These kids are so much fun and I really enjoy being with them.
Payne Family Christmas Party. This party started off with a visit to see some of the livestock that were similar to those present at the manger...
Tess didn't last very long before she wiped out...
Annual children's Nativity:
Everyone singing Grandpa Payne's song 'When Joseph Went To Bethlehem"
Later that day we had the awesome opportunity of attending the baptism of Addie's best friend from California, Sofia Villamizar. We love this girl and we were so happy to be a part of her special day.
Throughout all of November and most of December, my little sister Melissa and her family were living with us. They had purchased my parent's home and due to the fact that she was pregnant with twins didn't want to move in right away and change doctors at the end of her pregnancy. So they moved in with us until the babies came on December 21. It is so surreal to see her with 2 babies but they sure are the cutest little babies!
So happy for this family! Once they left the hospital they went straight to their new home. It has been weird not having them here but we are so happy how well everything has turned out for them!
Decorating Christmas cookies:
Our Primary Presidency gave each of the primary kids their own scripture bags, Books Of Mormon, and highlighter pencils. This was the result of that wonderful gift:
Christmas Eve
We opened our Christmas jammies early in the morning since the rest of our day would be busy.
Then we stopped in to visit Grandma Johnson and Aunt Cathy.
And then on to the annual Wayment Christmas Party where we had more fun than we could handle. My parents go over the top and we were all spoiled way too much! It was a really great night!
Though it may feel inappropriate, look closely to pictures on cousin Michelle's sweater! She seriously never disappoints in bringing the over the top, out there hilariousness to any party!
In our Christmas Jammies...
Cute baby cousins...
Grandma and Grandpa gave the girls a trampoline for Christmas! They were so excited that they will now have something to fill our backyard with!
Christmas Day
Of all the things to be excited about on Christmas, I was most excited about giving the girls the kitchen that I had made for them. Back in October, I purchased this furniture piece...
Right away I began to strip, plan, paint, drill, repaint, buy parts, fill holes, and on and on. It was a lot of work, a lot more than I had planned for, and when it was finished I couldn't wait for Christmas to get here to give it to them.
The result of my efforts was 3 excited girls and their reaction was worth every bit of work!
Christmas Dinner with The Paynes:
Playing with our new stuff...
The weekend after Christmas my parents were kind enough to come stay with us so that Devin and I could attend a party and so that they could help us with the kids when we spoke in church. Whenever Grandpa Wayment is around the girls are asking for 2 things: to climb him or to do tick tock. Here they are climbing him like a tree.
The annual Jensen Yankee Swap. It's always a blast going to this party and we love the Jensen's!
The whole weekend Tess stayed right by Grandpa's side...
We also had a fun night hanging out with some of our California friends while they were in town for Christmas. We love the Villamizar family and it was a great night!
Grandma and Grandpa Payne offered to babysit for us on New Year's Eve so that Devin and I could have a chance to go out. We haven't celebrated New Year's later than 7:00 in almost 7 years so it was fun to go out and celebrate like adults again! After dinner we stopped to play some pool while we waited for the Hale Center theatre to open....
Then we headed over to the Hale Center Theatre where they had food, party hats, noise makers and confetti for everyone in the audience. They began the play and when the clock struck midnight everyone celebrated and then they finished out the play. It was a fun experience and a great way to ring in the new year.
2015 was a good year to us. It brought about many changes and we were able to witness many blessings. Its hard to believe 2015 has come and gone but bring on 2016!
