This was another sick Christmas. And I don’t mean that in the modern slang of my children in which ‘Sick’ means ‘cool’. I mean that half of us were sick. Levi came down with the flu, Liberty got mono (yes, her brothers have used every kissing disease joke known to man, but we really have no idea how she got it) and I was recovering from an on again, off again, head cold. We had a sick Christmas back in 2015, but the kids were mostly better by Christmas day that year and I was the one in bed with the flu.

The lead up to this Christmas was also pretty lame with both kids finishing up the semester and crazy busy with finals and projects. We hardly had time for our favorite traditions. Even the Grinch got put off till Christmas Eve.

We were supposed to go skiing in Utah the weekend before Christmas, but I was sick and the kids were wiped out from school and so we canceled the trip.

Christmas morning, the kids slept in till 6:45. Yes, I said “slept in” because at our house on Christmas morning, that is a late start for my insane children. Cade was also up super early and he actually called his siblings and they got to look at their stockings together. You can see your parents when they come to town and you can call your siblings on Christmas morning to do stockings. It’s a new world in the mission field! But I’m so glad they got to be together. He also got to call in and facetime us while we opened presents. With how everyone was feeling there really weren’t a lot of pictures, but here’s what we’ve got:

Reagan’s response to his skis was pretty funny, but I’m too lazy to edit this video. So just skip to 45 seconds in and you’ll be able to hear it.

These next two pics are Rock’s attempt at a food commercial, that, or product placement:

Liberty felt really awful but she soldiered through Christmas morning. Levi’s fever didn’t really hit hard until after presents that morning and both tried valiantly to put together the cool lego’s Reagan got them.

They both finally gave up and went back to bed. Then Reagan decided to eat a hazelnut applet and cotlet even though he is technically allergic to them and had to take a bendadryl because of the allergic reaction. Then HE went to bed. I was not feeling great, so I took a nap as well. Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring except for…Rock.

I got this cool video from Cade on Christmas. This is him and his Zone Leader.

A few days later when the kids were feeling a little better, they were able to finish their gifts from Reagan.

The kids had no energy, so we decided to do a Harry Potter Marathon. We watched two movies every day for 3 days until Rock’s parents came on Sunday. The movies are great, but they can’t fit in all the good details so now Levi and I are reading them again. Levi has spent hours reading and I was reminded that he blew through the series the first time when he was home sick from school for a week when he was in 3rd or 4th grade.

We got Rock’s parents one of the cool mystery puzzles Rock got the family last New Year’s. It was supposed to be something to do to ring in the new year, but they’ve had so much fun, we finished it this morning! (New Year’s Eve)

On New Years, these sweet angels showed up on our doorstep with a “Mono” blanket for Liberty. lol!!! So fun. They visited with my socially starved social butterfly for twenty minutes on the front step. They even brought some sparkling cider! It really cheered Libby up.

She and I rang in the New Year watching the first half of the first half of Harry Potter 7.

Here’s to all the adventures we’ll have n 2025!!