Except for all the sickness, we had a great December!
The first week in December Kayzee came home from school with the stomach flu. I got a really bad cold and lost my voice. Memphis had croup really bad for 2 nights. The worst night was the night I needed sleep but I was so sick so I decided to take Nyquil. Worst night to take Nyquil. I literally couldn't even try to go to sleep because Kayzee was up crying all night and throwing up every hour (she cried for 12 hours straight cause her tummy hurt so bad), Memphis couldn't sleep his croup was so bad, so in-between Kayzee throwing up I was bundled up sitting outside in the cold air with Memphis or sitting in a steamy bathroom with him. I got worse and let's just say we all missed a week of school! It was AWFUL!
We had planned that first weekend to go to Cedar City for a baby blessing and had already paid for a hotel room so we were scrambling trying to give away our room to family and feeling bummed we couldn't go. Friday afternoon we were all finally feeling better but then Danny got the stomach flu. I didn't want to get the stomach flu or any of the kids to get sick again and we didn't want to be out a hotel room so I decided to take the kids and go down while Danny stayed home to get over his sickness and rest up really well without us there. I was sad to go alone with two kids and we sure did miss Danny but I had fun with the kids!
I was packing to go and the kids were burying themselves in the block bucket...
Danny's brother and his wife had a new baby boy in October and we hadn't met him yet so I was excited to go down to Cedar City for the baby blessing. Crazy little side note, my sister Alicia named her baby Max and Danny's brother and his wife named their baby Maxwell (Max) so I got two new nephews in the same year both named Max. Maxwell was born on my sister Alicia's birthday-even crazier!
Our hotel room was a couple blocks from Danny's brother's apartment so that was convenient. It also had an indoor swimming pool and hot tub so Memphis and Kayzee were in heaven!
I had fun holding my new nephew (he fell right to sleep I have a magic touch) and Kayzee LOVED holding him too. The kids also had fun playing Just Dance with their Uncle Benny!
When we got back Kayzee got strep! First time in her entire life she has had it. And what was even worse, two weeks later Kayzee got it again!!!! Poor Kayzee. Strep is no fun. Memphis has had it every month for the last 6 months and every other month before that and his tonsils are so huge they are touching and he has trouble eating and breathing when he gets sick so we got the referral from his pediatrician and we are seeing a specialist to get his tonsils out this summer.
Teaching school in December is crazy as usual but one thing that I have loved this year is having Memphis at my school. I love seeing him every day in the halls and having him in PE once a week. One time I was passing him in the hall he blew me kisses. I hope he is still doing that when he is in 6th grade!
In my last post I posted about our horrible experience at Brick Oven Pizza. We got $20 in gift certificates to go back so I decided to plan a girl's night and I took my sister-in-law Nita there for her birthday/finals break. As fate would have it we ended up sitting in the same booth with the same waiter we had before. Luckily we went on a week night this time so it was not busy at all so everything went smoothly and we definitely ate way too much! It was funny trying to waddle back to the car in freezing temperatures but we had a fun dance party in the car to warm up. Love ya sis!
Danny and I both had our Christmas work parties. Mine was at a golf course reception center with catered Good Wood BBQ and a few games. Luckily we left before Family Feud because my name was drawn to go up. Danny's party was at a bowling alley and we got Costa Vida catered and unlimited bowling. Danny bowled for 2 hours straight! He even got his highest score ever! 199. Notice his last frame...he would have got over 200.
Our neighbor friends invited us to their son's birthday party and they had an indoor snowball fight! SO MUCH FUN!
Finally it was the last day of school before our Christmas break and I got to see Memphis sing in the Christmas sing with the 1st graders. I also had to say goodbye to a member of my specialty team. The computer teacher's husband got a job in Idaho that starts in January so she is moving away. Sad day we will miss her!
Last day silliness!
We had fun making rice crispy Christmas treats one night for FHE.
I was so impressed with my kids while we were on break. Everyday before they came out of their room in the morning they cleaned their room, made their bed, and got dressed. That let me sleep in a little! Then they went downstairs and did their homework together (read for 15 minutes), Memphis practiced the piano, and they did a chore around the house. They helped me shovel snow and helped me make meals. They did all this on their own with no complaining. Shocking, I know! I guess they really wanted Santa to come. I surely am blessed with such great kids and I love them so much!
I decided to reward them with a fun day out. We went out to lunch and then to the movies to see Good Dinosaur. Such a good movie. My tender hearted Memphis cried. Love his sweet soul!
We also went to an arcade and played games for awhile and then they picked out some prizes with their tickets...
I got Jamberry nails for Christmas this year so one day I decided to actually try to put on a whole set and I did Kayzee's toes. She picked out the foxes and polka dots!
We did our usual Christmas Eve tradition of eating soup and crackers by candlelight. That's the kids favorite part. We also read about Jesus' birth and opened one present. They didn't have their usual Christmas Eve jammies from their great-grandma because we were going to her house the next day so they decided to open their present from their Thorpe grandparents...LEGOS! They love Legos! Memphis just has a building brain and he got some harder sets this year. We spent the rest of the night building legos and watching Christmas movies.
I was surprised that Danny was the first one up Christmas morning and he even let all of us get up and go open presents before our set time of 7 am. I think I am finally getting him more excited about holidays ha ha! We opened presents and Danny made yummy cinnamon rolls.
Mommy's...
Daddy's...
Kayzee's...
Memphis'...
We also woke up to a white Christmas! It snowed 9 inches! This was the most snow in one night we have gotten since we moved to Lehi 5 years ago. Crazy. We had already planned to drive to Logan so we were worried about the roads and yes, they were really bad till we hit Salt Lake but then they were clear the rest of the way. We are so thankful for plow drivers who had to spend their Christmas plowing the roads.
My parents drove down from Washington to take care of my mom's parents in Logan so we had to see them and have a mini Christmas with them. The kids got their Christmas Jammies from their great-grandparents (thanks grandma!) and we got to open more presents from my mom and dad (thanks grandma and grandpa Thorpe!)
This is what I got my mom for Christmas...
We also got to go sledding. Logan has a really fun park with a ton of hills perfect for sledding. It was only 9 degrees and crowded but we had fun! Kayzee surprised us all and went down by herself!
The hills had been sledded on so much they were packed down and really slick, the kids had fun going down in their snow clothes without a sled too.
Memphis went down this hill so fast he hit that little hill at the bottom and jumped over the sidewalk into the park!
We had to leave Saturday night because I had to play a piano solo in our ward. I was up all night with my IBS-D so I didn't know if I would make it through my solo (I did but went home right after and slept the rest of the day). Danny and I also got new callings! After 5 years I FINALLY got released from playing the piano in Relief Society. Much needed. Danny and I are now sunday school teachers for the juniors and seniors. We have heard such good things about how great the kids are so we are excited.
I got motivated this last week and deep cleaned my kids' rooms. I literally took EVERYTHING out and cleaned their carpets, walls, baseboards, and shelves. Then I went through all their toys and got rid of some! It took me 8 hours to do both and I was exhausted. I don't think I will get to the rest of the house this week but I feel good at accomplishing that!
We like to play in my school gym during the winter so the kids can get their wiggles out and we always invite friends...
It is now New Years Eve and Danny's sister Nita is hanging out with us. We just watched the ball drop in New York (10 pm our time) and pretended it was the new year for our kids so they could go to bed at a decent time. We are watching movies and playing games. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
New Year's kiss!
I have to post about my sister's baby Max too of course! He is 4 months old now and weighs 11 pounds. He is doing so well for being born 3 months early. I can't wait to meet him hopefully in APRIL!!!!
This is Memphis when he was a baby wearing a shirt my sister Alicia gave him and since she gave him most of his clothes as he was growing up I saved them all for her when she had a boy so the next picture is of Max wearing the same shirt. SO CUTE!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!
