This week was Christmas! We got to talk to Cali and Chey on Christmas Eve. It was so fun! We got to talk to Cali the Sunday before and Chey the Sunday after. It's fun to still be able to talk with them! We sure miss them.

We also celebrated Megan's birthday last Sunday. We played Settler's of Catan (she won!) and we had lasagna fro dinner and cheesecake for desert. We are so blessed to have her part of our family.

On Christmas Eve, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik's for candlelight dinner. It was yummy as usual! This year we added a dance off to our tradition. It was boys vs. girls. McKay, Ammon, Ben, and Kolby made a dance (Micah even made an appearance). Then Savannah, Beth, Sarah, Megan, and Mariah made a dance, too. They even made matching shirts and wore matching PJ pants. They both did great and were so fun to watch. We also had a talent show, did the nativity story, played the bells, and opened presents. We even had a white elephant exchange present after presents from Grandma and Grandpa. It was a fun night!

On Christmas Day, Mariah and Kolby stayed over night and Megan and Ammon met us in the morning for Santa presents and French toast breakfast. Once Sarah and McKay and Avery and Lyla were done with their Santa presents they came over, too. Then we did presents from each other and opened one by one. We laughed and thanked each other and had a great time. Megan and Sarah's families stayed for the day and we had a nice time playing games and hanging out. Mariah and Kolby and Grandma and Grandpa came back that evening for a turkey dinner. After dinner, Mariah had some Christmas games planned. One of them was dressing Ammon and Savannah up like Santa Claus! We had such fun! It was a day full of family and love.

The next day Sarah and McKay left for a three-day cruise and left Avery and Lyla with us! So, Kevin and I have been on Grandpa and Grandma duty. I've been trying to take them on an adventure everyday. the first day we went to Barnes and Noble with the fam to buy books (we love that tradition and the gifts from grandparents that make it possible!). The next day, I took the little girls swimming at the rec center. The little girls were unsure at first but then had so much fun. On Saturday, I took them to feed the ducks at the reservoir. It was cold so it didn't last too long. Avery talked to the ducks the whole time and Lyla took her bread pieces and ate them herself. Ha ha! On Sunday we went to church, but also the aunts and uncles came over and they played crazy games. We are doing a decent job of keeping them happy but I think they will be glad when their parents get home! It's been fun for us, though!

 It was the last week of school before Christmas break! It was also the last week of the semester for Beth and Ben so they had schoolwork to finish and tests to take. It was a bit of a nailbiter for Beth since she missed so many days this term and she did makeup work until Thursday and then we had to wait and see if it would be enough. And it was. She pulled off passing grades in Chemistry, English, US History, and Musical Theatre. Yay! We'll take it!

Ben had makeup work to do as well since he missed two days last week when he was sick, but he got the work done and finished with all As and A-s. Yay! We'll take that, too! He had his choir concert this week and they sounded so good! I love watching him in his shirt and tie, producing beautiful music. He was excused from school on Thursday and Megan and Ammon took him to play racquetball for his first time. They all had a good time.

Saturday was Kevin's birthday!! The twins got to call him that morning. What a great way to start the day!

He's 55 (or double nickles as his dad called it). The whole family got together including Kevin's mom and Jim and we went bowling! It was super fun. Everyone was laughing and cheering for the good bowls and the bad bowls. Avery bowled for the first time and jumped up and down when we cheered for her. It was super cute! By some crazy alignment of the stars, I got three strikes in a row, a turkey! Kevin's second game was one of his best ever with strikes and spares on almost every screen. Oh yeah! He enjoyed that game!

We opened presents in the bowling alley!

After, we were planning to go for pizza at the Brick Oven but there was an hour and a half wait! So, we bought take and bake pizza and went back to our house. Several games of Wacky Six were played while waiting and then we had our pizza! We had fun listening to Kevin tell stories of his childhood and had other good conversations. Then we drove to Spanish Fork to see the drive-thru lights! Unfortunately, the line of cars was three miles long! Wowza! So, Micah said that wasn't really for him and after enjoying our purview of the line and having a good laugh all together in the van we headed home in our separate cars for the night. It was a fun day!

We had our home ward's Christmas party this week, and they had a picture-taking station set up. Aren't we cute?? Kevin had bishop stuff to do for the YSA ward. We missed him! Beth, Ben, and I had a yummy turkey dinner, helped where we could, and talked to old friends. It warms me up to think of all the friends we've made in this ward.

We had a family girls Christmas party this week, too! Savannah, Sarah, Megan, Mariah, Bethany, and I went to Grandma's house to watch a Hallmark movie. Afterward, Grandma fed us chili and we got to enjoy the cookies that she and Sarah made. I think we might need to make that a Christmas tradition!

Bethany made it to another full week of school! Hurrah!! She had some rough days where she came home and needed to disconnect from all of us, but she got up and went to school everyday anyway. I admire that. Very admiral! And guess what? Friday after school, she stayed after and passed her driving test! Next week, we should be able to go to the DMV and make her legal to drive by herself. Yay!

Benjamin had school and guitar and he even spent some time doing homework this week. Poor guy got sick at the end of the week, though, and he stayed home Thursday and Friday with a fever. It's usually pretty bad for him to stay home from school! He was feeling well enough Saturday to go out with neighborhood friends including Beth to the mall. It's always fun to see friends doing stuff together!

Savannah went back to work this week! She said she started out pretty slow but worked back up to being speedy. It's also hitting her with the familiar fatigue. She did make it all week, though! We will see how it goes.

I did homework, wrapped up presents, and started a new project sorting old photos. I also enjoyed it whenever my married kids stopped by. I love how I'm still part of their lives! 

Kevin had a friend get him into a dermatologist this week and he had a mole on his forehead removed. It's hurting and he doesn't like that! He's still as busy as ever helping kids in the YSA ward, doing more clients at work, and continuing his podcasts and online content creation. When he's not involved in those projects, he is learning and playing in the stock market. Does that count as down time? Love that man!
 

Bethany went back to her classes this week! She gave it a try and it was hard and she was scared but she faced it! And she was successful. It is a really big accomplishment. So next week we will see if she can do it again as well as add in some homework/make-up work in the evenings. She still needs her recovery and downtime. I'm impressed she's making progress on school, though.

Beth and Ben both went to the church youth activity this week which was a Where's Waldo activity at the mall. They had great fun.

Benjamin had guitar this week, but he didn't have any other activities. Kevin and I and Beth and Ben went to the temple on Friday and did baptisms. Afterward, we went to Chom burger. On Saturday night, Ben's friend, Kyler, came over. They tried to do a speed run of Minecraft but were unsuccessful. They say they will try again.

Savannah had her last week off of work. She's almost done moving her stuff into another room downstairs in preparation for the twins coming home from their missions. She got a new dresser and is reorganizing and setting everything up.

Kevin had a hard week health wise. He went to a doctor but didn't get much in the way of answers. He is thinking of going back to a chiropractic doctor since that is when he's gotten the most relief in the past. Hopefully he will get some relief soon.

I did homework this week and Christmas shopping. On Saturday, our kids wanted to go to the dollar store together because that was how we did the Christmas shopping when they were younger! It was super fun to be together and we saw some of the same excitement we saw when they were kids and shopping for each other. Which is funny because the dollar store is totally within their budgets now at any time. I'm glad they still get excited about giving each other things! It was a fun, Christmas activity.

We had Thanksgiving this week! My mom and dad came on Wednesday evening and left Saturday morning. We loved having them with us! Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik also came to Thanksgiving dinner as did Mariah and Kolby! We had yummy food, shared what we were grateful for, and even listened to some things we had been grateful for on other years. Good times! We visited a lot and watched some BYU basketball. That night we watched The Map of Tiny Perfect Things. It was a good day.

Ben and Kevin ran the Hobble before you Gobble 5K in the morning.

My mom got to hold Micah!

On Friday, we celebrated Mariah's birthday! We haven't been with her on her birthday for 5 years!!!! This year she came over and we played games, ate hamburgers, and had cake and ice cream. We are so grateful that she was born to us 24 years ago. It's been a big year for her as this year she graduated from college, married Kolby, and got pregnant with her first child! What a year! 

On Friday, we also decorated the Christmas tree! It was great fun. My youngest had to be convinced to put down the Rubiks cube and participate, but Avery and Lyla loved it and they were so fun to watch. Lyla even wanted to put the tin boxes on the tree and also tried to sit in the branches herself. That girl was all in!

We included Cali and Chey in the fun.