December

Pictures with Santa...

December is fun filled with all kinds of recitals and we were busting at the seams with them!

Here we have Emma's ballet/jazz combo class Christmas dance. They did a darling dance to the song "Where Are You Christmas?"

So fun to have little cousin Lyza in town to come watch too!

There's our sweetie!

And here we have Blake's winter strings recital at the school. Blake is learning to play the violin. He'd learn a whole lot better and faster if he practiced at home!

On to the piano recital...
Blake and his buddy Brad

Ashlyn and Emma had the opportunity to dance with the Christian Dance Company in a beautiful religious dance performance based on the life of Christ. It was so wonderful that they were both able to participate in that.

Crew found the stockings and thought they were meant to be worn. He was especially infatuated with the stocking with a ball on it since he loves sports!

Christmas Eve Eve with the White Extended Family is always wonderful. The kids always participate in a Nativity. Here is angel Emma with angel cousin Taylor.

Ashlyn got to be Mary and is holding cousin Cyndal.

Here's the gang with Uncle Danny doing the reading.

Crew was briefly a shepherd.

This December, Mom and Dad gave us a book, "The Last Straw". It is about adding straw to baby Jesus's manger by giving small acts of kindness and service. Dad made a manger for each family and gave us straw to add to the manger each time a family member did a secret service. This is our manger on Christmas Eve. Our family worked really hard on giving service this year. Before we even got this book we had decided to give our parents a service for their Christmas gift this year. So along with serving each other in our family, we did a blanket drive. The blanket drive was inspired from an event from Bill's mission. He has wanted to do a blanket drive for years and this was the year we finally put our words into actions.

On a few chilly December nights, we took our wagon around the neighborhood with the kids and went door to door looking for used blankets people would be willing to donate. We filled a large box with blankets and on Christmas Eve we met up with a group downtown who was passing out blankets and serving warm food to the homeless. Our little family joined this group and passed out blankets, water bottles, and food for many homeless people. It was a heart warming experience that we hope to make a tradition for our family.

Merry Christmas!! (And Happy Birthday to ME!)

Christmas morning. Blake and his large Lego sets.Emma with her favorite princess....Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty.Crew with his new bike helmet and bike.Ashlyn's gone crazy with her new karaoke machine!!The Yetter Gang..... our yearly Christmas morning picture. Aren't we all so cute at the early morning hours??

A few days after Christmas, we headed up to the cabin and hit the ski slopes. Ashlyn and Kyla were on skis with me and Grandma and Grandpa Yetter. Blake was on a board for the morning and left home sick at lunch.

ME!

Mom and Dad. Isn't the view beautiful!??!!

Bill was kind enough to stay home with the little ones while I skied.