Christmas Eve 2020

Because of Covid we weren't able to have an extended Kresser family party. So we partied with just us and Suzanne's family at Lloyd and Margie's. They had some gingerbread houses for the kids to do with each other. They all did a really good job. Gabe and Brennen lasted a lot longer then our kids and really decorated theirs well.  

After gingerbread house making we ate some yummy dinner. After dinner we Skyped with Nate and Amy and their kids. All the kids opened their jammies together and then got changed. They all looked so good in their jammies. It is my favorite part of Christmas Eve. After that we got packed up and went home.  It was a low key Christmas Eve but it was a super nice time.

Sunday Before Christmas

 Us Steenblik girls were all matchy on Sunday so we got us a pretty picture together. I took Megan's picture before church because her face was red and swollen. It looked like she was having a reaction to something, but were didn't really know what. We gave her some Benadryl after church and put lotion on her face. It did seem to help, but it was too bad that we didn't know what caused it. I got the opportunity to talk in church, so that was...good. I focused on the story of Christ's birth and talked mainly to the kids in the ward. Tyler got to play the piano after I spoke. He did a really good job.  

After church Tony got set apart as a High Priest and a High Councilor in our stake. Lloyd and my parents were able to come and participate in that setting apart and that was nice. After they came over to our house for some yummy soup. It was nice having them over and we all enjoyed family time.

Clark Family Christmas Party

We were able to have our annual Clark family party.  Julie is so good to host all us crazies.  We ate lots of yummy food and had tons of fun activities.  We did a Christmas Jeopardy, a name that song game, and even made a nativity out of snack foods.  After the game we exchanged cousin gifts and then did the adult gift exchange. Everyone had a great time and we all enjoyed each others company.  It is a wonderful tradition and I am glad that we were still able to do it, even with Covid.

Santa in the Park

We went to Julie's house for her and I to make caramels together.  After we made our treats and helped her with her primary project we went to the park near by and met Santa who came on a firetruck.  Each of the kids talked with Santa, got a candy cane, and then they got to climb into the firetruck.  It was a fun, unexpected treat and we were happy to be able to go.  

Gingerbread Houses

 Margie got us another fun Gingerbread house making kit.  We love doing these as a Family Home Evening.  The kids have short attention spans so they don't do a very detailed job, but they have fun creating and eating the treats and frosting.  It is all about the experience and time spent as a family.  

All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth

Allie finally lost both her front teeth.  She is so happy about that.  She is excited that she can sing All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth.  She is pretty adorable even without her teeth.

Saturday Christmas Craft

 Tony took the girls to the hardware store to pick up some things and they had a fun Christmas craft that they gave the girls (and enough for the boys).  They were pretty excited to come home and put it all together.  They got to use the hammer, wood glue, and then paint the craft.  It was a fun surprising activity for the day.

Girls Haircuts

 I finally took the girls into the salon to get their hair cut.  They both look so much better and it is so much easier to do.  They loved going to get their hair cut and they are both growing up way too fast.

Random Winter Fun

Allie received the Soaring Eagle Award at school. We are so proud of her for being such a great student and friend.  She loves school so much and is so happy to be able to go. 

Josh loves Koda so much.  They love to snuggle and are good buddies.

Allie lost her first top tooth.  The other top tooth is really wiggly so she is very excited about it.

First good snow fall of the year.  We all love the snow and can't get enough in the winter. 

Koda all snuggly.  We love our old doggie.  He has been more snuggly lately and loves to snuggle mostly with Tony.  They are two good buddies.

Tyler's Broken Hand

Tyler came home from school last month with a bag of water.  I asked about it and he told me that it had ice in it that had melted.  He then told me he had been icing his hand all day because he hurt his finger in gym (which is second period).  I looked at his hand and it was swollen.  

So I called Tony at work and he came right home to take Tyler to the doctor.  Tyler didn't want Tony to pull it back into place, but Tony was able to talk him into it while they were in the car driving to the InstaCare.  

They took some xrays and saw that it was fractured and we would need to make an appointment with the fracture center at Primary Children's Hospital.  The next day I had to get a copy of his xrays to give the hospital so that we could set up an appointment.  

They got us an appointment for a week after the accident.  They said the fracture was right at the growth plate but it had started healing so he wouldn't need surgery.  So they told us to keep it wrapped up in the brace for another month.

We would take off the brace when Tyler showered and he had some pretty cool bruising each time.  Luckily he said it didn't hurt much.  He had a hard time writing at school but they mostly use their computers, so I guess that is good.  In gym he could only do things with his legs, like soccer or running.  

After the month of healing he was able to remove the brace but they told him to still wrap up his finger while participating in gym to protect it from getting hurt again.  He is very happy to have the brace off and moving his hand like before.  It has been a crazy thing with his hand, but it could have been much worse so we are thankful for that.