One Scrapper's Existence: 1st half of December

12/1--Yay, Peppermint Candy Cane is back!

Then, they started their Play-doh advent calendar:

That afternoon, Katie came with us and we went and took photos with Santa. This year's Santa photo and all of the Santa photos so far:

Since Santa spends his entire December at the mall, taking photos with kids, we decided to bring him a special treat, as well as a photo of all the pictures we have taken with him from 2011-2015. #lighttheworld

We've had the same Santa every year! :D

Getting their See's caramel suckers from Santa after the photos:

We went and got Cold Stone ice cream and Cinnabon rolls afterward:

As soon as we got home, we started decorating the house for Christmas:

Weekend in ID--12/2-12/4. We drove up to Pocatello Friday afternoon and went and ate out with my SIL, Carrie's, family, then we all went to our hotel and went swimming. The next morning was one nephew's baptism and another nephew's baby blessing; we had a luncheon afterward and the twins had fun playing with a lot of their cousins. From there, we went to visit a couple who were senior missionaries during Jared's mission in Cape Verde, then we went to Jared's best friend's (a mission companion) house. We went to eat at Winger's with him and two of his girls and stayed the night at their house. After going to church with his family Sunday morning, we stopped at my SIL, Michelle's house for a visit before driving home. Fun, busy weekend!

Makenna loved holding her newest cousin; she was so sweet with him, burping him and making sure his binkie was in his mouth. Avery didn't care to hold him.

12/5--Went and picked our tree, along with Katie

12/6--Decorated the tree, along with Katie

The girls did this a few days ago during my piano lessons. They said they were tents--each one had at least a couple of Little Pet Shop animals in it.

12/8--Searched for candy canes before and after school that Peppermint Candy Cane (our elf) hid for them the previous night

Fun with Whiskers. :)

12/8-9--Winter Dance Recital

Dress Rehearsal, 12/8--

Before leaving for the recital, 12/9--

At the school, before the recital:

The performance:

12/9--They love the blanket I won at Bunco. Avery has taken it over. :)

12/10--The annual family gingerbread house party; I went and got pizza for everyone first, then we decorated to our heart's content.

Mine:

Jared's:

Makenna's:

Avery's--notice the ladder:

Avery's also had a trampoline (made of gumdrops and a square pretzel) and two see-saws (the fruit slices). I was impressed with how creative she was!:

Jared showing Grandpa my saved Snapchats and trying to get Grandpa record some:

Convo going on behind me (they're playing with plush tigers):
M: Do you want to sniff my butt first?
A: No, I'm not a butt sniffing kind of person.
M: I just cleaned mine, so it will be a little more gooder than yours.
M: Yum! Smells like watermelon!
TOOOOO FUNNY!

12/14--Makenna's last basketball game of the season. I think the coach had a soft spot for her because the previous week, he picked her up when she had the ball so she could make a basket; last week, he screened for her so she could shoot the ball because the little boy guarding her was on her like white on rice, ha ha. She was so cute playing basketball and she did improve over the two months but I'm not sure that it will be her thing. Next up for her is t-ball. :)


	Practicing before the game--she still can't make a shot but did start getting closer :)

They were more concerned with guarding each other than with what was going on in the game, ha ha!

The coach screened for her so she could shoot the ball without that little boy being right in her face--he taught her how to shoot granny style and she was really close to making it!