Sarah Kristen came home to us this week!!  She came home Friday after finishing her finals and having her best semester so far.  She attributes that to having two math classes (which according to Sarah are the easiest kinds of classes) and to having practicum where she gets to teach which she LOVES.  So she had a great semester of accomplishing much!  We hope, now that she's home, that she doesn't die of boredom before she starts her new jobs.  A day or two to catch up on her sleep seem like a good idea, too.

Mariah had three varsity games this week and they lost all of them.  It was a hard week for SHS lady red devils!  We think if they just let Mariah play more, they'd win more!  That's the parent struggle.  I got to watch her play JV on Friday, though!  Mariah scored 19 points and we won by 10!  It was pretty awesome.  Their team had a "Breakfast with Santa" fundraiser on Saturday morning.  The French toast and buttermilk syrup with eggs and sausage was fantastic!  Then the basketball team had a dance-off with Santa and the Grinch and it was pretty great.  Morale definitely needed time to be silly and have a good time together!  It was great fun.

Mariah also went to the Christmas Dance Saturday night.  Actually, she was invited to the Christmas Dance but her and her date actually went to the BYU vs. Utah game instead!  Funny kids!  They met up with their group and got pictures done and they all went out to eat and then hiked the Y and went to the creamery.  Only then did Mariah and Kolby ditch the rest of the group and head to the game.  BYU won!  Then Kolby's friend invited them down to the floor and they met a bunch of people and ran into Mariah's cousin, Jordan, who is a manager for the team.  He took them into the private basketball practice annex and let them shoot around.  It was apparently a ton of fun!

Cali and Chey had basketball this week, too.  They had a couple of practices and went to a couple of Mariah's games with me and had their own game on Saturday.  I got to watch them and they played great!  They also tried out for their school play this week.  Cali sang "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" and Chey sang, "In My Own Little Corner."  They found out Saturday that they made the ensemble!  It will be fun for them.  It will be "Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."  They went to a party on Friday night and they all did each other's hair.  They looked beautiful!  (I got coolest mom award because I sat and played on my phone and waited until they were done!)

Beth had karate and basketball practices with yours truly.  She also had activity days and piano lessons.  Her every afternoon was full!  She did complain that her life is too busy.  I reassured her that it was only for a couple of weeks.  This girl does enjoy her down time, though!  Fortunately, the birthday party she attended counted as down time (I checked with her).  She and Cali and Chey had their piano recital Saturday morning.  I had to leave early, but Dad and Sarah and Grandma and Grandpa all really enjoyed it!

Benjamin had karate this week and played with Nico and with Caleb on other days.  I helped in his class this week and we got an email from his teacher that he has been showing a big improvement in his effort in Chinese.  Yay!  He plays Minecraft everyday and likes to torment the dog and steal my phone and take pictures.

I did a lot of shopping this week and worked on outlining my new novel.  Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik came over and widened our door into the fireplace room so now we have all the pieces of our sectional in the room!!  They've been a great help.

Kevin had an office Christmas party on Saturday night and Chey, Cali, Beth, Ben, and I all came too!  We ate good food and had a good time visiting with the great people Kevin works with.

Savannah and Megan are still studying hard!  They've been giving each other moral support by studying together.  They will be happy when its all done!