Favorite H.S. Soccer Season Photos

Ya, those are illegal holds :) And MK's cleat is crunching down on that one girl's foot. Girls soccer isn't what it used to be...

More recently, MK played in her first College Showcase at BYU's indoor football practice facility with her new comp team. On this team, everyone is a serious player, and it improves her performance in spades. Her confidence was undeniable. We grounded her last week (for being late for curfew, no surprise), so Rob told her she’d be ungrounded if she scored two goals in one or both of the last two games. (Is that wrong? :)

Yep, she’s ungrounded...and Rob was blissed out.

(Me, too)

Bah Humbug!

Cousin Sara, who is probably the most thoughtful and creative gift-giver I know, gave us our very own Humbug kit for Christmas. This is how it went down: I read the kids our new storybook while sugar cookies baked in the oven.

Then we frosted that sugary goodness and made our own Christmas Humbugs.
None of the kids would eat their Humbugs. (It's art!—Plus, you wanna freeze up Winterton and destroy the only way back to Christmas? I didn't think so....)

Christmas Eve, 2010

Traditional talent show. The girls danced in the kitchen and then lip-sync'd "Santa, Baby."

The boys took it up a notch and added tricks, flips, and the worm into their dance, while Cam tried to think of something "easier to do" than sing for us.
Elle spun around on her stomach and then sang, "This is America, A-mer-ic-a. This is America, A-mer-i-ca," over and over....

I challenged the kids to a chin-up contest (forgetting for the moment that M&M's hands are mummified). Cy did 8 chin-ups, Getty matched him, and I did my max of 3. Tie-break was one-handed chin-ups. Getty did 2, Cy did 3. Man alive! those boys are strong. Now to challenge the girls for the longest "plank" (on elbows).
No Christmas Eve by candlelight this year. Instead, we had soup and rolls and birthday cakes at Aunt Megan's with the Briner side.
The kiddos had their slumber party in Mia's room this year. Getty went practical and crept into his own bed after awhile. Elle lasted a little longer. MK scooped her up and snuck her into her bed while I worked on stockings below.

Nighty-night! See you Christmas morning!

Christmas Day, 2010

7:00 a.m. (Are we lucky or what?) Before things got crazy Christmas morning, we watched a segment of, "Joy to the World: The First Christmas," and had family prayer. I love the Briner tradition of opening one gift at a time, youngest to oldest. I get to watch every reaction. The kids are pretty darn grateful. I love that they each get to be the center of attention when it's their turn. And I love watching the kids get excited for each other.

They each get 3 gifts (like Jesus did :). There are a few reasons for this: we try to keep a lid on expectations and entitlement, I'd rather give them a few quality gifts than a dozen throw-aways, and I try to take the word "simplify" to heart. But, let's face it. We can get away with this more minimalistic approach because Grandma goes hog wild.

Elle in her Lil' Red Riding Hood cape. Irresistible.
Santa gift: XBox 360 with Kinect. Cy and Getty are pumped and heading straight to the game room.
Criss Cross Crash. I woke up the morning after Christmas to championship noise-level cheering and screaming. A race track with guaranteed crash scenarios? Boy howdy! Elle was right in there jumping up and down with her big brothers.
After opening presents, we snacked on big muffins and nog before we headed to Grandma's for the real deal brunch and 19 gifts each.

That's what I said.
We all watched "Luke II" at Grandma's, per tradition, before wrapping paper started flying.
Grandma came home Christmas Eve from the hospital with a feeding tube but was readmitted on Christmas with complications of her surgery. Hope that does not become tradition...
Elle's lovin' her new Dora doll.
Home for a couple of hours, we sorted through the 150(!) presents.
The Booty.

Getty's diggin' Great-grandpa's education fund $ donation in that envelope.


Off to Granny's house then for more gifts and Christmas ham.
Granny gave Rob a BYU hat and t-shirt—something I've wanted to see him in for years. I think I'm in love...

Normally, the Sunday after Christmas we have a traditional English Christmas Dinner at Grandma's, including roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, and Christmas "crackers." This year, since Grandma is recovering from cancer surgery and gearing up for chemotherapy, Christmas dinner with the Evans-side was at our house (minus the English charm). No photos—I guess I was just too busy chattin' it up.

It's a wonderful life.

Monday Night Lights

MK's wiped. Let's just say we weren't the only ones who visited Temple Square for FHE, December 20th. I think we'll skip the lights next year and take the family in June for our wedding anniversary. Yep. I feel better already.

Hospital Week

Visiting Grandma in the cancer wing. Surgery went very well. (Phew!) Waiting on lab results. It won't be Christmas without you, Grandma, so hurry on home!
[Pre-op] Minor surgery for trigger finger on these two troublemakers.

Hmmmm, this program is fascinating...
(Intermountain Healthcare video :)
[Post-op coming out of general anesthesia.] I gave Mia a sip of Sprite. She showed me her hand and mumbled, "That's a thumbs up..." (bahahahahah)
MK just kept on sleepin'.
Don't worry; they can still text. Plus, no doing dishes, no sweeping, no driving for about a week. (Maybe worry about me :) haha

Getty the Grinch and Other December Fun

Getty played the Grinch in the class play. Totally in character. Oh, how I love my Grinch. Grouching comes often enough for my Getty (mostly because he has high expectations for SUPER FUN TIMES all day long), and he's always hatching elaborate schemes to create SUPER FUN TIMES all day long, BUT he aims to please, will do anything to entertain you, befriends anyone and everyone, and has a big, melty heart. He’s such a riot. I love watching him do his thing. Then he did the worm (he was Donner the reindeer) for the school Christmas Sing. Definitely one of my "favorite" kids (Elle, on the other hand, is in a wicked phase and currently on my "list"...) haha




Mia and friends kidnap Taters for breakfast on her birthday.
Night games on the tramp, snow chairs, and hot cocoa. Good fun in December :)