December busyness

 We went to the science museum one weekend and Hailey got chosen to be in part of the science experiment. Somehow she always manages to get chosen as volunteer!

 Spencer being strong and pulling himself up.

 William looking dapper before church.

 Blake insulating the attic door. He has been on a mission to stop any cold air from getting into the house and I think he has accomplished it!

 Blake and I at The Piano Guys!!  We went as our Christmas gift. It was about three hours away and Liz (the best ever) watched the kids until we got home at 2 AM.  We loved talking and hanging out and not worrying about anything except us! Piano Guys were so funny and amazingly talented.  We started watching them the night of Ryan's surgery a lot and they brought a lot of peace to us.  We also appreciated how they are not embarrassed of their belief in Jesus Christ.  After the concert, we waited in a 45 minute line in the parking garage but I didn't even mind.  We just had a great time together. Including the random gas station we got taquitos at. I normally don''t eat gas station food.  I hope we can go somewhere together for longer than eight hours someday!

 Spencer was promoted in Scouts to a Bear.  He was very proud. 

 Isake got me a bath bomb for my birthday and I told him I would send a picture of what it looked like.  The one he gave me is a surprise bomb so you don't know what is going to come out of it. It was heavenly.

 What I woke up to one morning.

 Spencer is the biggest reader I know!  He takes his books in the car with us and is always sharing new information he has found.  It is so fun to learn through him. He told me the other day, "The library must not care about wars because they don't have very many war books."  But it was just because he has already checked out all the war books in the kids section.

 we went to a Christmas church activity and William loved the ring toss.  We all wore pajamas and had breakfast.  The primary kids sang too. I have to say something about my primary chorister calling that I forgot earlier. I was the primary chorister for two years.  It was awesome and hard all at once. I loved the kids and the music and the fun. Not so much, the craziness! But it was great. The first year, I was a bit stressed about the primary program because I am not musical and wasn't sure we had prepared enough.  The first year went fine.  This year I wasn't worried at all and the kids knew the songs so well.  The primary program ended up being during Ryan's funeral time, so Sister Bunker covered for me. I know that Heavenly Father prepared them to be ready for it because he knew I wouldn't be there to lead them.  Another tender mercy.

 We made a Thanksgiving tree for Family Home Evening one night. It was really fun. The kids kept thinking of more and more things to add. We really are so blessed.

 The Pences and the kids in their usual play do bakery shenanigans.

 I made this wreath from pinecones we gathered from the Far West temple site.  I love how it turned out.

 Spencer was spotlighted in primary.  It's so cute to watch them get excited and be recognized.

 Tradition of gingerbread houses and Christmas devotional.  Really, we could hardly hear the devotional but it's the effort, I t hink.  

 Flu shots for these two.  After the walgreens mishap, I am always going to take them all to the doctor's office!

 Swimsuit squirrels in December.  Because why not?

 I love this picture of Jesus and I have a hard time verbalizing my feelings at testimony meeting so I shared my testimony in writing online.  It is nice to feel like I can do some missionary work through writing. I wanted to share it here too:

I am not an eloquent speaker but I am able to write my feelings down clearly. I often feel inadequate at testimony meeting when I can't get my words out. So I want to bear testimony here for whoever wants to read it. Jesus Christ was born for us. His whole life was spent in selfless service to guide us back to our Father and His Father, The One who gave us life. He came as a perfect baby and died as a perfect man-the only one on earth to ever do so. And through Him we can become perfected. Because of His atonement, His grace, His perfect love, we can be made perfect and cleansed from all of our sins, iniquities, concerns and sadness. His atonement provided this opportunity whether we accept it or not. He is continually waiting and hoping that we will use it and not waste it. That through Him, we can fulfill our eternal destiny and our Heavenly Fathers plan. I am so grateful for Him, The erasing of my many faults, and the strengthening of my character and the overcoming of my flaws. The endless and perfect love that doesn't stop, that doesn't end when I mess up. The pain it erases when We are sad or lonely or upset. The absolute understanding and acceptance of all of our feelings, emotions, concerns and burdens and He did it willingly because He loves us. Because He knows and understands the greater plan. And I am so grateful for Him. I don't have enough words to explain how grateful I am.