Week ending 12-27-15

This was a very busy Christmas week but hardly any actual Christmas preparations or activities. Instead we worked from morning till night fixing things around the house, packing, and making arrangements for our move.

Wednesday: Spencer painting the trim. 

Madalyn took this for some photography website and it got published. I haven't been too involved with her photography stuff (she's also taking an online BYU class) but I love that she's doing everything herself, getting an A, and enjoying it.

Thursday: Acting out the nativity for our neighbors, Ray and Yvonne. 

They are super sad we are moving and I think this is the only picture we have of them. They've been the best neighbors ever. Ray frequently mows for us, helps us fix our car or lawnmower or anything around the house, lends us tools, fixes bike flat tires, and more. We couldn't ask for better neighbors. 

The baby Jesus. He was perfect the whole time. 

Anderson enjoying the M&M bag. Gotta teach them young to love peanut M&Ms. :) 

Friday: Christmas morning before going upstairs to get the kids.

Spencer got a pocket knife sharpener, Samuel got a fold up race track, Thomas got a pogo stick.

Mine and Nathan's stockings are next. 

Alexis got preemie diapers for her doll, Anderson got a crib sheet. Madalyn and Kylie got pillows, Kaitlyn and Makenna also got doll diapers and bandaids.

For the family Santa left gum and games for the car ride plus a car charger and speaker for the ipod. 

Lining up to go downstairs. 

It was a weird Christmas with it being so hot (70's and 80's) and us working so hard all week. It didn't even feel like Christmas since we didn't think about presents much. 

Alexis made this little baby toy for Anderson out of pipe cleaners and pom pom balls.

Our home teacher left this generous gift basket on our doorstep with homemade bread, candy for the car trip, and a gift card. We'll miss the McCreas so much. 

Back to work packing the kitchen just minutes after opening presents.

I guess someone took these pictures to remember our back yard. 

The little kids ran around outside all day. Crazy warm weather. The rest of us sweated inside as we worked hard and our a/c sprung a leak in the hallway so we had to turn it off. 

Our last scripture reading in this house. 

Last piggy back ride up the stairs to bed in this house.

Saturday: taking apart the bunk beds and moving all the boxes down stairs to the living room. 

He was declared the fattest, laziest person in our house. Both moving days (Saturday and Monday) he just sat around or slept through it. :) 

Mattresses starting to be piled up. 

Taking the couch to the dump. 

Other stuff going to the dump including a bike that got ran over. 

Moving the piano out first. 

Thanks to the Elders who spent a few hours helping us. The sisters also spent a few hours painting upstairs and disassembling beds. 

The living room piling up. 

Saturday night we went to the Timothy's house to sleep since our beds were packed. It was so nice to be able to get ready there, go to church, and then have a house to go to to for a hot lunch of taco soup I made in their crock pot. We were able to rest and rejuvenate after the chaotic previous days. Then Nathan and I took turns going out to finish our home and visiting teaching. 

Enjoying lunch. 

Kylie and Madalyn relaxing/doing their scripture reading in the front room.