Christmas at our house.

This year Christmas was kinda different. We made gingerbread houses like we always do, but had an extra twist of having the Singles ward come over and make houses as well. Then they left. And left their houses for us. So our village was pretty big! (for us anyway)

The required item this year was a peanut. Tara's friend Jake won. He carved it into a turtle shell which you can see in the pond here if you make the picture bigger.

Mark's house. His peanut was eaten before his house was finished. He lost.

Tara's house and Geremy's house. Geremy's peanut was pretty creative. He made a hot tub, and the peanut, in his own words, was a "floaty". Boys!

Tara's house. Her peanut was siding on the root cellar.

This is the whole village, and my house is the one on the bottom left corner. This is the best picture we got of it. I used many peanuts in the walkway, along with pinto beans. A very good effect.

Christmas Eve was a little different spent in the ER with my good friend and neighbor while Mark went to the airport to pick up her son. Her husband fell off a ladder while getting off the roof and broke several bones, and was later flown to a SLC hospital. I was glad we were able to help!

Nickell and Aaron came over for Christmas Eve and spent most of it here alone. It was kind of a bummer for them, and once we got home I'm sure we were not super great company. They left early and we watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas, read the Christmas Story from the New Testament and went to bed. Poor Tara. She is stuck at home with just us two boring parents!

On Christmas morning we awoke to find that Santa did visit our house. He left an extra lot of things for me. But the best part of Christmas was talking to Spencer on video Skype! He looks way too skinny, and he loves his mission.

Then we got to go to Kirstie's house for games and puzzles. Mark's mom and Dad were both there.

On Skype, Spencer showed us his permanent sunburn line, and sent us these pictures on the Monday after Christmas, even though none of us had written to him (his p-day is supposed to be on Tuesday, silly boy). On Christmas Eve, he got to open his present that I picked. Seriously it took these kids until they were about 10 and 11 years old to figure out that it was always and always will be pajamas. His match ours, except we have warm tops that are flannel and he has a t-shirt.

Mostly I wanted you all to see the "Christmas Corner" behind him. Do you recognize the ornaments?

And this is Spencer wearing his pajamas. He is very skinny. Please send him fattening foods.