We went to the Forgotten Carols with TJ’s family last weekend for the second time in a row, and it was great as usual. If you haven’t heard the music or seen the show, you should watch the old YouTube videos here. It’s better in person when you know the story behind it (and the show has been updated quite a bit since these videos). But basically this man shares these forgotten carols with his nurse, and through the process her heart is softened. It’s really quite tender and has a great message!
Last Tuesday, we baked and baked and baked. I think it turned out to be about 75 cookies. A batch of gingerbread cookies (my first time making) and two batches of sugar. Eva loved helping me, although it would drive me crazy because she wouldn’t conserve the space of the rolled out dough and just put down the cookie cutters wherever haha! We divided them all up and brought them to neighbors and friends. This was by far Eva’s favorite part, and she was so sad when it was over! Quite a fun day.
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-12-20 18:00:052016-12-20 10:39:39Christmas Cookies
I just love this season so much and am grateful for the Spirit it brings into our home. We have watched a bunch of Christmas movies already and also several Christmas specials. My favorite special so far was Vocal Point’s. You can watch the whole thing here. It’s such a great show!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-12-14 09:00:042016-12-12 21:02:43Christmas with Vocal Point
I posted this on Facebook already, so sorry if it’s a duplicate post for you. Just have to document it on the blog!
One month ago I saw that Jim Gaffigan, one of my favorite comedians, was coming to the Vivint Arena. I told TJ to email his HR person to see if he could get cheap or free tickets (he works for Vivint and occasionally gets free tickets to the arena for Jazz games and such). Well, he didn’t hear back. We made other plans, a friend offered us tickets this week but we already had stuff going on and couldn’t spend too much on tickets anyway. I was pretty disappointed it didn’t work out BUT THEN TJ found out the afternoon of the show that they had two extra tickets to the Vivint Suite, and they were ours if we wanted them for free! Uh, yes! We canceled our previous plans, found a babysitter, and got to spend the evening laughing the night away and being spoiled in the suite with dinner and dessert! Great night! Thank you, TJ, for working hard so we can play hard (and enjoy all the perks of your job)!
I told you all earlier, I pull out our tree pretty much as early as possible. I listen to Christmas music right after Halloween. I plan out about fifty activities in my calendar for the season. So, when my kids were sick for a solid week, I was kind of devastated. We missed the Alpine Live Nativity, which I had gotten tickets for as soon as they went on sale and was heartbroken we didn’t get to do that. We missed the Nativity, which was a new tradition we started with my friend and her daughter. We also missed this other sing-in thing while they were sick. So needless to say, last week I decided we needed to STEP UP OUR GAME to get caught up!
We celebrated St. Nick, where St. Nick comes in the night to put chocolate in your shoes if you’ve been good!
We drove around the neighborhood one night with Christmas music on and looked at all the lights. This is always a favorite activity of mine since the kids are nice and warm, and it’s free! We will probably go out and do this again another night.
We started our #12outfits of Christmas with Danica!
For every one good picture, there are about thirty awful/hilarious ones.
We decorated Gingerbread houses (and then ate it as soon as we finished).
Eva turned five today! It kind of blows my mind that I have a five year old, but I’m excited for all the adventures that lay ahead! She is so spunky, loving, and full of excitement for life. I’ll write an official post dedicated to her soon, but I wanted to share her birthday party today!
On Saturday, she had her cousins and a buddy over in the morning for a Beanie Boo adoption party! Each guest got a Beanie Boo to take home, gave their animal a name on the adoption paper, decorated their little crate, and made a collar with a bell, name tag, and leash. I saw that my friend had a tower of donuts instead of a birthday cake for her little girl and Eva loved that idea! So did I because 1. I love donuts especially the ones from Lehi Bakery and 2. that meant I didn’t need to make a cake! The sparkler candles on top made the kids laugh because they kept turning back on. We also served a few snacks that were all animal themed, like goldfish, Scooby Snack graham crackers, animal crackers, and Life of Pet fruit snacks.
The kids played “pin the creepy eyes on the Beanie Boo” which hopefully did not lead to a pink eye apocalypse (we realized at the end of the party Eva had pink eye… I’M SO SORRY EVERYONE!!!). Eva opened gifts and then we ended the party with the kids coloring Beanie Boo pages. It turned out really well, except for the horrible pink eye stuff and Finn throwing up all over me in the middle of it. Once again… SORRY if you guys get sick or get pink eye. I seriously feel so so so bad!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-12-07 15:00:592016-12-04 21:06:58Just a Normal Wednesday
We had a really great Thanksgiving. I usually don’t care too much about the holiday, it’s not that I don’t like it… I enjoy being with family, watching the parade, eating some pumpkin pie, thinking about our blessings… but it’s not like on the level of Halloween or Christmas, you know? But this year, it really was!
The days leading up to Thanksgiving were nice, we did a bunch of crafts, including the ones seen below (thanks, Mom for sending those!). And I also got to help in Eva’s class with her Thanksgiving Feast. I’m so grateful I’m in the position where I can help in her school!
On Thanksgiving Day, I started off the morning by going to an early morning High class, I pushed through even though I had a bad cold! We spent the morning cuddling with the kids on the couch, watching the parade, and Facetiming my parents. We then went to TJ’s parents’-the men went to the restaurant to get in line (who would have thought there’d be an hour line for a Thanksgiving buffet?) and then we met them when it was time. A lot of TJ’s extended family-like aunts and uncles on his dad’s side-joined us which was fun to see them! TJ’s aunt ever made these adorable little napkin holders with everyone’s face on a pilgrim’s body. Too funny!
After lunch, we headed to the movie theater to see Moana (we got tickets like three weeks in advance!) and my sister-in-law graciously offered to watch Finn for us, which was so nice not to have to bring him into the theater. The movie was incredible. If you haven’t seen it, go! We bought the soundtrack as soon as we left the theater!
We went back to TJ’s parents’ house where we played games together and enjoyed one another’s company. My mother-on-law prepared a Bingo game for the kids, which they loved. We even got Pie Face out for the first time, which didn’t disappoint!
We were driving home after the great day and I saw my cute kids in the back, TJ and I were singing Christmas songs, and we just said to each other how great of a day it had been! The only thing that could have made it better is if my parents and siblings got to be with us too! I sure miss you all, but we were fortunate enough to see my brother and my sister-in-law the next day since they were in town! We went bowling on Friday and stayed up late talking. I’m grateful for my family-far and near-and grateful for our strong relationships, even if we don’t get to see each other as much as we’d like!
I am the type of person who wants to set up the Christmas tree right after Halloween. But I try and hold off for at least a week! I just love the magic of Christmas so much, I don’t understand what the big deal is to extend the holiday as long as possible! Eva obviously is the same way and I let her get a little tree for her bedroom. She picked out the whole thing and we’re both in love with it!
And the bottom picture is another wreath I made! You just string the bulbs onto an old wire hanger! Easy peezy!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-12-05 16:00:522016-12-04 20:19:13Christmas is upon us!
