Today the boys and Jill are out riding the quads with Petersons and Reeds on Reed's dirt bike trail. Much less labor intensive than driving up into the mountains to ski or something, although it has taken 2 full days to get the quads up and running. Jill is wearing a frilly tutu skirt and sandals . . . the benefits of living in Arizona at Christmastime.
Elaine is working on her Winter Break Assignments (can you believe it?!?). I finished a 4.5 run and now I'm relaxing/laundering/blogging.
I forced a Christmas Photo Session out of the kids yesterday which turned out pretty cute considering nobody wanted anything to do with it, so I'll post those pictures at the end here in case you haven't seen them yet on Facebook.
We have also done some caroling and cookie deliveries with more to do tonight. Jeremy has become an expert Ginger Crinkle baker through 5 batches of trial and error. The first batch taste great, but they weren't mixed enough so they baked in the shape of a rock, and have that texture as well. Benjamin liked the burnt ones, but I just couldn't give them out. Now he understands the fine points of "beating well", adding ingredients in the right order, and staying in the kitchen while they bake so you don't forget about them.
I think you will all agree it has been a very emotionally trying Christmas season for our nation. I have found myself tearing up frequently without really knowing the specific trigger, but I have come to a deeper understanding of "hope". Ether 12:4, "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with a surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, ..." Also Jacob 4:4-6.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to all.
