December Insanity!

Well to say the least December is already typically a very busy month but this year was certainly one for the books. Way back in September my sister tagged me a post looking for local dancers to audition for a community ballet of the Nativity. Well after some encouragement and a big push from Aaron I decided that despite not having dance in nearly 12 YEARS I was going to audition. I ended up getting a part in 4 dances and for the next 3 months danced like crazy to get back into ballet shape and my poor toes back into pointe shoes. Despite the fact that I could hardly make it up and down the stairs after every rehearsal and a toenail that is still black and blue 3 months after the fact it was an amazing experience. It obviously wasn't professional by any means but it felt amazing to be dancing again. So the entire first week of December was dedicated wholly to rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and the performances.

We had so much much help from our neighbors, to Aaron's mom who came and stayed for 3 days so I could make all my performances and Aaron could come and watch, and my niece BreAnna who hitched a ride up from Snow College to come and see the Friday night performance as well as stay through the weekend and help all day Saturday while we ran around going to choir rehearsals, Aaron getting the ward party set up, cooking 12 hams Yes 12, our house smelled amazing, and then she went with Aaron to the ward party to help wrangle the kids while I had my final performance. It was an incredible experience and one I am so glad I got to be in.

 The ward party. I heard it went well and the kids loved seeing Santa, however I can't say for sure since I was not there. But I heard good things :)

 As for other December activities. We made sure to stay busy with cookie decorating

 Some book reading and cuddling be BreNaNa (Who by the way also spent all Saturday cutting snowflakes with James is a total pro at snowflake cutting )

 They had Frozen day at school so this was our last minute costume for James.

 Oh and Levi had a great time knocking down the Christmas tree in order to get a candy cane that was at the very top.

The following weekend after my ballet performances we had tickets to go to the Yule Ball. It was so much fun to dress fancy go dancing and enjoy a little Harry Potter fun on the side. It was even better that we convinced our good friends and neighbors to come as well so we had friends to hang out with.  It was a pretty fantastic night. 

Also we had a neighbor who was doing a coat and diapers drive for refugees in exchange for a mini Christmas photo sessions. We ended up with these super cute Christmas pictures.