Birthday week!

 From looking at all these pictures this week, you wouldn't know that we had the flu sprinkled in to the week. 

Monday: I snapped this pic of Eli getting on the bus. It's hard to see but Eli's bus driver put up lights in the bus. So festive! So fun!

Tuesday: We visited the library before gymnastics. Eleanor seriously loves this gigantic bear so much. 

Austin is a gymnastic star! His performance is on Saturday and we can't wait to watch him!

Tuesday night Eleanor threw up at dinner. I thought maybe it was a fluke, but then she threw up two more times. I worry my heart out when my kiddos get sick. I was so grateful she slept well and woke up hungry and happy. 

Wednesday: MY BIRTHDAY! And now I'm 36! I can't believe I'm closer to 40 now. My family made me feel so loved and happy all day. Eli held my hand as we walked to the bus stop. Austin, Eleanor and I went to playgroup with our ward friends and then had lunch at Panera. Lucky me, I got a free pastry for my birthday treat!

Austin did cry before we went in because he thought we could pick up the food and take it home to eat. I told him that I was wishing I had my sisters close to go to lunch with me, but that I was excited to have lunch with him and Eleanor and that next year he'll be in school during the day and we won't have a lot of lunch dates. He quickly changed his attitude and we went inside and had a lovely lunch all together. 

My friend from church delivered these birthday donuts!! I was so proud of my family because I asked them not to have sugar during the month of December until my birthday. They did AWESOME with the challenge and said no to candy at church and birthday parties. It was tough, but I loved seeing them practice self discipline. We did get over some nasty colds we had by cutting out sugar. And we did go a bit crazy with sugar on my birthday, but it was worth it!

Ooo Austin gave me this fancy necklace!

Eli found an art kit that I loved sharing with my kids. The perfume I found on sale so Aaron wrapped it up from Eleanor. :) And Aaron surprised me with wireless headphones. Can't wait to try them out when I start running again. 

We watched the Greatest Showman and we had an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen!! 

I felt so loved and grateful for this stage of my life. 

On Thursday we ran to Wal-mart to get Aaron some Gatorade because he woke up sick and stayed home from work actually. He was in bed most of the day with the flu and then around 4 p.m. I started feeling sick and also threw up. It was a mess! We all went to bed early and were so grateful when we all woke up feeling better. 

Oh, Austin was begging me to buy him some new slippers. Little does he know my parents have some slippers wrapped for him under our Christmas tree!!

I baked cookies for a cookie exchange and then I ended up getting sick so didn't make it to the party. Oh well. "There's no such think as too many cookies!" We have the book "The Best Mouse Cookies" and that's a line from the book that's our favorite.

Oh and speaking of cookies - our relator dropped these adorable sugar cookies off and they were delicious and so cute. 

This was a tender Christmas memory. I was playing the piano and I looked over and loved seeing Eleanor playing with the manger. I love watching my kids play and I wonder what they're pretending in their minds. 

On Saturday, we drove out to Duane and LeeAnn's property and got to see the progress of their place that's being built - it's a combination of a shed and a house. It's coming along quickly!! 

Saturday night our stake had a "We Celebrate Christ" community event and we were able to see nativities and hear music. I participated in the stake choir and I enjoyed it so much. I love Christmas music and miss singing. We sang some challenging songs and I enjoyed practicing. The practices were held on Sunday afternoons so it took a lot of time being away from my family, so I'm grateful Aaron supported me in doing this. 

Sunday morning: we walked into church and it was SNOWING! The kids were ecstatic. The snow was refreshing and made us all smile!

Eleanor kept saying SNOW! It's SNOWING!

Austin gave a talk today about how he is lighting the world. He talked about how he served a family member by helping Eli find his glasses. He cheered someone on by watching Eleanor participate in gymnastics. He told his parents he loved them by giving me a gift for my birthday and he drew a picture of Christ by drawing this nativity - it's the three wisemen and Mary and Joseph in the stable with baby Jesus! He showed this picture during his talk!

The boys started shoveling the second they got out of the car from church today. After lunch, they bundled up and went sledding in the back yard.

Tonight we had a family party and made gingerbread houses. I loved it so much. We were together and full of sugar. I kept the kids Halloween candy and we used it for decorations!

Eleanor couldn't get enough of the sprinkles. 

Eli decided to use red frosting.

And Austin makes the funniest faces when I take a picture of him these days. 

  

This made me smile - Aaron and the boys went and helped shovel our neighbors' driveway. Aaron's the best at serving others and including our kids. He actually just got home from shoveling another neighbor's driveway. Her husband is deployed and she planned to HIRE someone to shovel it tomorrow. I let her know Aaron would be right over. He invited two of the YM in the ward that live close by to come too and they helped out. 

Another Christmas week for the books!