Goodbye, 2013!

I have 15 minutes to write before I promised I would take the kids to see the movie Frozen. So let's see how much I can squeeze in, shall we?

What a year! We are so grateful that 2013 is ending back where we belong.  It is good to be home, but don't think for a minute that we don't miss being near family.  But "home" is a good place to be. We love it here.  I still have a few home projects to tackle, but that is part of the fun.

I'm going to work backwards here through our Christmas break.  We recently just spent a few days with Taylor's parents and his sisters Afton, Sara and Kimber and their families.  They all came up for Hunter's mission farewell last Sunday. (Can you believe that?? Little 18-month-old Hunter who was wearing little shorts and suspenders at our wedding??... will be serving the Lord in El Salvador!) We were having too much fun to stop and take many pictures. We went to downtown Portland to see the sites and shop at Powell's Book Store. Here is the beautiful tree in Pioneer Square.

 For Christmas we gave each of our kids an "experience".  Joe received tickets for a ride on the Polar Express. It was magical! The train car was festive, decorated, warm and old fashioned. Music from the movie played at the appropriate parts during the journey. Since our tickets were for a ride a few days after Christmas, our train took Santa Claus back to the North Pole to get ready for next year. We saw Santa on the train! He sat next to us, gave Joe a silver bell (which we could all hear!) and Joe had the chance to say "thank you" for his Christmas gift.  Waiters in white coats served us hot cocoa and cookies and read the storybook to us. It was so beautiful to see Joe enjoying the experience (maybe you have to really understand how much Joe LOVE TRAINS!) but I actually cried tears of joy that I couldn't control. It was one of those few and far-between experiences that makes motherhood all worthwhile.

 When the conductor who looked and sounded like Tom Hanks in the movie punched Joe's card... that is when the waterworks began. "Niagra Falls."

 Last Saturday we went to the temple with all of Taylor's family. It was also magical... in a more spiritual kind of way, of course :) Is everyone else loving the new movie like I am or what?

 Here is Joe with his cousin Owen (Kimber and Julian's son). Taylor's parents gave all of the kids some money for their Christmas gift and Joe wanted to spend all $10 on the rides at the mall.

 Here is something else miraculous:  Since Alice got a Nintendo 3DS for Christmas, Oscar has wanted to be her best friend. It has been weirdly wonderful. We just had to capture the love in the photobooth at the mall. We don't know how long it will last.

 For Oscar's Christmas "experience" we took him to see an amazing show called "Frogz". It is hard to describe... a sort of Cirque de Soleil for kids? Lots of interesting costumes and illusions that mix perspectives. Kind of like modern day mimes? I don't know... but it was cool. Oscar liked it. Henry's experience was to go see the acappella group "Straight No Chaser" in Portland. (You can see their stuff on YouTube.) It was also awesome, but expensive so only Taylor went and thus I have no photos to share of that.)  Waverly and I will be going to see Evita next week for her gift. And Taylor is taking Alice camping and to see the air and space museum this weekend. I love these kinds of gifts! I think it will be a new tradition for our family.

 I gave Taylor an "office makeover" for Christmas because before it was so drab and boring! He needed a few potted plants and pictures... and maybe an old chinese screen thing that I can't find a place for in our house.

 I made this piece of art out of paint chips I got at Walmart. :)  It is entitled "February of 2014" in anticipation of the cruise Taylor and I will be enjoying in the Caribbean for Valentines Day.

 One of the highlights of Christmas was chatting with Mo and Papa and Carrie and Todd. I will not name names of those of you who were not available to chat with your favorite sister, but perhaps the power of deduction will shame you into calling me soon!  I miss you all!

 Oh, and I got a great area rug that I've been wanting for our living room!  I love it and promise never to tease Taylor for giving me a rug for a gift. It is EXACTLY what I wanted for Christmas!

 AHH, it was so good to be in our home for Christmas.

 My 15 minutes turned into 25 and if I don't stop now we will be late for the movie! Thank you, Amy for the card you sent. It is like it was made just for me.

 We attended a beautiful candlelight service on Christmas Eve with some friends at a Christian community church.

 I took Waverly, Alice and Oscar (all interested parties in our family) to see the Nutcracker. It was probably a very similar production to the one Carrie and I were in when we lived in New Jersey. Good memories! We went with several friends and friends of friends from church.

And that's all I've got time to say! We love you all, friends and family! Happy 2014!