Aaron's Birthday, Cousins Christmas, Festival, Lazy 5 ~December 2015


Grandma and I went to the Second Harvest Food Bank and packed backpacks full of food with my bible study group.  We had a great time and enjoyed a few hours of service.


Grandma, Grandpa and I went and had lunch with Audrey at her school. We brought her a bagel with cream cheese from our favorite shop, which is always a treat.

Audrey loves to paint everyone's fingernails. Grandma got hers painted 3 different colors! Lucky Grandma!


For Aaron's birthday we had a party with some friends from church and school at the Carolina's Aviation Museum.  I had fun making airplanes in the sky cupcakes for the party. A friend loaned us a pilot suit and Aaron was so excited to wear it during the party. 






The boys started off making paper airplanes.  Then they had a lot off fun competing to see who could throw them through the hoops hanging from the ceiling.






Next we toured the museum and learned a lot about the planes here. The boys were also able to sit in many of the planes and watch some movies.








We also went outside and saw more planes that were also close to the real airport runway.








The kids had so much fun playing in the planes and pushing all the buttons.




After the tour we returned to the party room and ate cupcakes before heading home.  Aaron's friends were generous with their birthday gifts and it was a great day for everyone.






Everyone had such a great time!  It was fun to see Aaron so happy surrounded by friends and planes that he loves.


Audrey, Grandpa and I made lots of sugar cookies for us to decorate with our Cloward cousins! We had so much fun decorating and eating cookies.






We get together every year before Christmas and have a "cousins" Christmas party.






Then we exchanged gifts and sang Christmas carols. We really love our yearly cousins Christmas party.





Mom and I went to The Matthew Help Center Christmas gift shop to help their clients shop for their kids. It was fun helping to stock the toys and assist parents. They left so happy to have gifts for their kids.


After months of planning and organizing, the Nativity Festival decorating has begun. So many people, including my amazing parents, helped this event to be successful. I'm always amazed and humbled by their sacrifices and service.  There are always numerous challenges, but this event honoring our Savior's birth touches hundreds of lives and starts the Christmas season with our lives focused on Jesus.










After 4 days of setting up and decorating we are ready to open the doors for 2 nights of music performances, hundreds of nativity displays, and a family nativity room where everyone can dress up and get a picture in a nativity set.














We love taking family to the Lazy 5 Ranch. Its so fun to interact with the animals and feed them.















My mom was hilarious to watch. She also could identify lots of the animals.















I loved watching my parents feeding the animals, especially the giraffes.







It was such a nice day that we stopped for lunch and ate hamburgers and shakes outside. 




 The second night of our festival was busy and wonderful. Our adopted grandma, Shirley, came with us again this year.  She is Jewish, but appreciates the beautiful nativity sets and music presented by various church groups, schools and community members.












We had some of our best friends, the Delgados, over for dinner along with our sister missionaries. We love to make Mexican food with them. 



My dad and I baked and decorated Christmas sugar cookies.  He and my Grandma Sorensen taught me how to decorate as a young girl in our family bakery.  I've been decorating since I was 12 and still love to do it. It was extra special decorating with my dad again.


The Epiphany staff, students and parents enjoyed a cookie exchange. Holy lots of sugar and hyper kidos, but many happy memories made too.




This was a special graduation for Aaron and me.  We earned our black belt recommended! This gives us 6 months to train and pass 3 black belt boot camp mid-terms to officially become a black-belt! Audrey continues to progress and she earned her 2nd brown belt.
















I love this picture of Aaron at the overlook staring up at an airplane. He loves being at the overlook.


Here is our card for this year.



 We are having our second Christmas.  I made a separate book of our Christmas trip to Playa Del Carmen so none of those pictures are included on this blog. Santa gave us gifts while we were on our trip to Playa Del Carmen, but now we are home and get to unwrap gifts from family.


Audrey opened a gift from us and it was a barn for her horse and a new dress for her doll.
















Audrey loves to play with her new dolly. She also drew a picture of our family on this piece of cardboard.


We are playing one more time with the train set before it gets put away until next Christmas.



We love to eat at Kabuto on special occasions! It never gets old watching the chef cook our food. Its Audrey's favorite place to eat. Happy New Year!!







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