The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I love this time of year.  The Thanksgiving to Christmas season is quite literally the best and this week kicked it off with a bang.  We started the week with a visit to Santa.  It was COLD, almost like the North Pole, but maybe that just made it all the more fun.  And, as you can see, Jeremy has relinquished the "who's taller" fight and is no longer standing on his tippy toes for pictures.

The next few days, I was able to sneak away for my work holiday retreat.  It was a fun little getaway, despite the fact that the hotel we stayed at is apparently haunted.  On the plus side, they had an amazing soaking pool and I won a $25 gift card in our team scavenger hunt.

I made it back to the fam just in time for the official start of the basketball season.  Merrick has his kickoff jamboree and his first ever high school game this week.  They won their game 66-18.  It's going to be a fun season.

In addition to his first high school game, Merrick also started his new job adventure, reffing.  He reffed four games for 3rd and 4th graders.  He's learning as he goes along, but ultimately I think he will enjoy it.

While he was off making the big bucks, the girls attended a dance camp.  They broke into groups based on age and Elsie only had one other girl in her group.  She was very nervous about performing, but she did great. They both did.

Yesterday evening, we capped off the day with our ward Christmas party.  It was a "Night in Bethlehem" themed.  It was beyond spectacular, with the gym being transformed with market stalls, floor seating, and even live chickens.  The pictures don't do it justice.  It was a night to be remembered.

See? Best time of year. Ever!