December 2024

 I have always wanted to go to the Giving Machine since they started them years ago in Salt Lake. We were very excited that they were coming to Columbus! So we started off the Christmas season by visiting them. Such a fun way to donate money!

We had a late bday party for McKenna. She just wanted people to come hang out and stay late so that's what we did! Got some pizza and snacks and let them go crazy. It's my favorite way to do parties since it requires minimal effort from me! Ha ha.

We got a puzzle advent calendar and we had also given one to Sharon so we started taking pictures every day of our puzzles and sharing them with her. It was a cute way to connect her with the kids throughout December.

Brooklyn had an activity at her school where after school, they lock the kids in and just have a ton of fun activities to do. Unfortunately, most of Brooklyn's friends decided not to do it so she spent a lot of the beginning alone, just going from station to station. She did eventually find some people to hang out with so that made it more fun but I think she was really tired and didn't enjoy it as much as she was hoping to. 

I heard about a winter drone show happening at Easton and Richard and I drove down to see it. They are a little slow moving, but it is incredible to watch and I'm sure we will see more and more of them in the future. It was FREEZING so we were glad the show wasn't super long but it was a fun, quick little date for the two of us. 

We also went downtown to see a giant nativity scene with the Crossley's. While we were there, the church opened up and they invited us in to watch a German choir sing. It wasn't the most exciting concert so we only stayed for a few songs but it definitely helped us feel that the Christmas season was here!

Nobody seemed interested in seeing any Christmas lights this year so Brooklyn and I went to a nearby house that does a light show we love. They had a sign saying they are moving so this would be their last year to put on the show and that made me very sad! But it was fun to watch it one last time with Brooklyn.

Even though I haven't been feeling great all the time, I decided to help plan Brooklyn's school winter party. The day of the party I woke up feeling terrible and was scared of how I was going to make it through. Luckily I survived but was pretty dead the next couple of days! 

Ever since we saw Wicked over Thanksgiving, McKenna and Brooklyn have been obsessed! They decided to write the play and perform it with just the two of them. I was shocked how much they remembered from only seeing it once and they spent many, many hours practicing and created all the costumes and sets and performed it for us a few days before Christmas. I love when I see their creativity come alive!

Christmas Eve was spent at the Crossley's and we had a blast eating dinner, decorating cookies, and playing games. We even did a Powerpoint party where whoever wanted to could present whatever they wanted to! Only Brooklyn and Richard did it from our family. Brooklyn made a hilarious presentation about loving cheese that was cracking all of us up. Richard used AI to make pictures of what a "Twas the Night Before Christmas" would look like with us and the Crossley's. 

Christmas was quiet but good and we had a great day opening presents, calling family, and spending time together.

Brooklyn wanted to do a secret santa gift exchange with her friends so we offered to host the exchange party at our house. I was pretty wiped out so Richard took over and helped the 10 or so girls have a great time!