The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

What we've been up to:

Last Friday, the stake adjacent to ours hosted its annual Nativity Viewing/Christmas Program. They have a huge room set up with hundreds of different nativities. At the same time, they have musical performances. While we were there, the local high school orchestra was playing Christmas music. It was really nice. I love this event. We went two years ago and I fell in love with a few mosaics. They were there again this year so I took some pictures.

I just love those. I want to do something like that some day.

The next day our neighborhood had its Winter Festival. No winter festival is complete without camel rides:

(I know, I didn't get the camel. It was just the two of us at that point, so I had to take our picture.)

Train rides:

A petting zoo: (Sam loved chasing around that baby pig. I made him stop after a minute or two.)

After Afton woke up from her nap, she and Dan joined us for the hayride:

The kids also made sand necklaces (which broke open and spilled sand everywhere) and reindeer candycanes.

Santa was there but the line was too long.

Sunday I got pretty sick after church and spent a lot of time in the bathroom.
Monday afternoon/night Dan got what I had and spent all night and the next day (his birthday) feeling sick and barfing.
Here's the happy shot before he blew out his candles.

Wasn't he the picture of good health? Poor guy. (Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.)

Friday Dan and I dropped the kids off at Kirk and Gretchen's to head over to Dan's work's Christmas party. Right before we got to the guy's house, Kirk called to say that Sam threw up all over the place. So we turned around, picked up the kids, and spent the rest of Friday night holding Sam and a bucket. He slept on our bedroom floor and every time he stirred at all, I freaked out and flew out of bed to make sure he wasn't going to barf all over. He threw up about six times that night. I caught all but one. I've discovered a hidden talent.

Saturday morning was our church Breakfast with Santa.

 Success. That's as close as Sam got.