Dad's work party and Santa!

Matt's work party was really unique and fun this year!  They started out the day with the "jingle jag jog", a 2 mile fun run for the family.  I had committed to help with food prep and set up, so I didn't run.  Jack had a fractured foot, so he and Hunter didn't run either.  Cora decided it was too cold, so it was just Dad and the older girls.  They did great and all ran the entire 2 miles!

The boys hanging out as I was getting the food ready and set out for the returning runners.

Right after the run, as people finished, they came right in and had lunch.  There was a yummy Chili cook off and a hot chocolate bar, it was super yummy.

After lunch it was time for the kids part.  They got to go to several different rooms and do different crafts, and after crafts Santa came!

All the girls did great and sat with Santa.

I was a little worried about the boys though...

 This picture is from last year!  Hunter loved Santa, idolizes Santa and still does!  Jack would have nothing to do with him!  How would this year go...?

 Very well actually!

Jack sat on his lap and proudly told Santa that he wanted a Christmas present for Christmas!

I love this age!

 Hunter turned into a little ball of giggles!

He was just so excited to see his idol again this year!

It was a very fun party, and a job well done by everyone who helped!

Hannah's Concert!

Hannah is taking Orchestra at the middle school she attends.  She decided she wants to play the violin.  She has never picked up or tried to play the violin ever.  What an amazing teacher she has, who can gather a group of mostly inexperienced 6th graders and have them coordinate, observe and play together as an orchestra in just 8 short weeks!  Hannah has been doing so well, she even received the honor of being one of the "first chairs" during her concert.  She practices religiously and works so hard...I think they sounded beautiful!

I do have to mention that the concert included performances from all the Orchestra's her teacher conducts.  from Middle to High school, including some ensembles.  When we got to the top of the top, the strings concert ensemble for the high school (several of the students tried out for the State Orchestra and made it!), Hannah leans over and said "Gosh mom, I think we sounded like a bunch of kindergartener's compared to them". 

So funny!  At least she got to glimpse what she could sound like if she keeps at it, practices and works hard!

It was a lovely concert, and a great way to start of the Jeppson Family Christmas Season!

Poor Jack...

Poor Jack!

He is the first child out of all our 5 children to break a bone.

He decided to do some stunt tricks, re-enacting a movie, of his bed and landed on his foot wrong.  I don't think that the fact that the floor was flooded with toys helped the situation either.

Luckily it was very minor, he only needed a splint and to try not to run and jump on it for 4 weeks.

HA!

 We have a great little e.r. right in our neighborhood.  He was seen right away, taken for x-rays, splinted and an hour later we were out the door.  It was fantastic!

 His poor foot!

 How do you keep an active, 4 year old boy off his foot?

The ipad was magic, and really helped out a lot.

Surprisingly, Jack liked to be pampered...even now, well after his foot has healed, Jack will ask for his foot pillow.

 We have this kid recliner in the boys room.  We have had it forever, since Anya was 2 I think.  Anyway, bringing it down for Jack to relax in while watching shows helped too!

Then Aunt Trudy and Uncle Oz helped too and bought a get well gift for Jack (they were visiting still).  An electric train set!

Jack can sit there for hours watching his train go...it never gets old!

Of course all these ideas only lasted for a few days, and he was ready to run and jump again...Luckily he is made of tough stuff, his foot is all healed and he didn't do an other damage to it during the healing process!

a Few of my Favorite Things...

This time of year is my absolute favorite!  I love the evenings spent with my home filled with twinkling lights and scented candles.  This year I was playing around with my camera and decided to share some of my favorite things in my decoration collection.

 This nativity is new to me this year.

It is very special to me too. 

This nativity is my Grandma Gales.  She gave it to me this past summer and I love it.

I have so many fond memories of gazing at this scene as a child while visiting my Grandma's house.  

My favorite part about it has always been that baby Jesus can be removed from the manager.  With Grandma's permission, I would hold baby Jesus for hours.  So excited to display it this year for the first time in my home.

 I love my Christmas tree decorations.  

While the tree is filled with little decorations the kids have made, I also have some that are even more special.  I have searched far and wide and try to buy ornament sets that are not breakable!

Then there are also the special ornaments we have collected over the years from our travels.  Here are a few of my favorites...

 This ornament I received as a gift from some dear sister's from our California ward and church.  It has my favorite print of Christ inside.

This always gets placed at the heart of our Christmas tree.

 This is a new favorite that I picked up in Prague last year.

The Holy family made from corn husks.

 We found this in Garmisch, Germany.

It depicts a simple Bavarian village winter scene.

Bavaria will always be what I picture now as the ideal Winter and Christmas scene.

 We found this one in Heidleberg Germany.  I love how the whole nativity scene is inside the star.

Next up in the line up is my Christmas village.

Every year, since the first year we were married, my Grandma gave Matt and I a piece for a Christmas Village.  She started with a church for the first year and then it just grew.  We call it Grandma Gale's Christmas village, and when she passes or stops giving me pieces, the village will be complete.

 This is my newest addition to my village.  I opened it early ;)

Recognize it from any popular Christmas movie....?

I think it shows my Grandma's humor...she is still so full of wit at the ripe young age of 97!

 Yet another Nativity that I love.

This is all carved out of a trunk of an Olive Tree.  It is absolutely beautiful and one of my Christmas Treasures.  We found this treasure at a Christmas market in Rothenburg o.d.t., Germany.

This is my Christmas star.

I fell in love with it the first time I saw it in a little Nutcracker factory in Muggendorf, Germany.

I waited a whole year to buy it, Since I still loved it, I decided I would always love it and it would be money well spent.

I love to see it shining out my window as I drive up to my house at night.

I especially love Christmas lights! 

The glow of Christmas lights is compared to no other.  I feel like it resembles the spirit, softly glowing within our hearts, lighting our way back to Christ.

At least that is what I always think of when I see them.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Tree lights

I got my "new" camera last year for Christmas.  Since then I have been slowly learning how to use like a real picture taker, and not just on "auto".  Awhile back I saw a link on Pinterest about taking pictures of Christmas tree lights.  I read the tutorial and these are a few that I ended up with.  It was fun, the boys had a great time, and I think the tree looks lovely.

 a couple of ninja boys...

 They just make me smile!

O' Tannenbaum...

Sunday after Thanksgiving and after most of our guests had left, we decorated for Christmas.

We have a pre-lit tree that we bought years ago.  We haven't used it in awhile, because while in Germany we lived by a tree farm where you could cut down your own Christmas tree.  We did this every year while living there.  No-need for a fake when you have the real deal!  It always amazed us how long our cut tree would stay fresh.  We kept it up from Thanksgiving until well after the New Year and still it never dried out.  Convinced that cutting your own tree is the magical christmas way to go, it just didn't seem the same going to a lot to pick out a tree.  Sooo, back to our pre-lit we go.

 It was still a lot of fun to decorate.

 The boys really got into it again this year, but now they have favorite ornaments they like to hang as well...just like their sisters.

 Time for the star!

 O' Tannenbaum!

Later, we cut out some Ninja gingerbread cookies.  I think these are the favorite gingerbread cookies the kids have EVER made!

Thanksgiving 2013!

This year for Thanksgiving My whole family flew out to my house to celebrate the Holiday with us.  I frankly told everyone it was just too expensive for us to go to Utah.  We have to buy 7 plane tickets vs. their one or two plane tickets.  To my surprise and delight, they all agreed and decided to come out.  We had a house full, there were 8 adults and 6 kids.  Yes in my family, the adults still out number the kids!

 Guess who's in the house??

a baby is in the house.  It was a special feeling to have a baby in the house again.  I have to admit, even though I am completely OK with being DONE having kids, I do miss the specialness babies bring.  Thanks for coming to visit little Liam.  We so adore you!

 My parents, sister and her husband took a red eye flight.  This is how my dad spent most of Thanksgiving morning.  You would think this would be after the Turkey...but nope, it was before.  It was a rough night for them.

 The knitting duo.

 Liam cuddles are the best!

First meetings.

This was the first time that my parents have seen Liam.  They, of course fell in Love.

Another Grandson for my dad.  This one to carry on the family name...he isn't proud or anything.

Would you believe that in 16 years of marriage this is my first full size turkey I have ever cooked?!  It's true!  We have always either eaten at someone's house and they cook the turkey, or I have done a small breast for our family.  I was extremely nervous, and we had some issues with the brine, but all in all I think it turned out pretty tasty.

 

This picture isn't from Our big Thanksgiving dinner, for some reason I didn't take a picture of that one.  We did a "mini-Thanksgiving" for just us once everyone left.  I used all my pottery just like I did for the big Thanksgiving.  I think it turned out lovely.  Polish pottery makes me so happy :)

Turkey anyone?

Relaxing after dinner!

What's Thanksgiving without a few family games?

Trudy and I challenged my dad to a game of cribbage, his favorite game of all time.  It was an amazingly close game!  Liam was the referee, because my dad is known for cheating!!

 The Turkey finally took over...

 More Turkey slumbers....

 We took some family photos.

Here are the Grandparents with all their grandkids.

 All the Overton grandkids.

It was a great Thanksgiving.  I am so glad that my family loves me enough that they willing to sacrifice the expense of traveling to come enjoy the Holiday with us.  It was a fabulous day!