Misc December

Misc December

Right after we got back from our Thanksgiving vacation we were scheduled to have allergy testing done for Lucas since he was a year older than the last time we did it.  This was one tough little guy.  They took so many vials of blood, and I'm pretty sure he was tougher than me!  This face gives away how he felt about the whole experience though!  The sucker and car helped a little!

The worst part was that instead of getting some foods back, and reducing his allergies over time, we added new ones!!!  So in addition to peanuts, corn, oats, wheat, eggs, and avoiding tree nuts for the time, we added milk, beans, sesame seeds, and confirmed almonds and coconut.  Dairy is the worst of them because it took away some of his staples.  He has definitely felt better since we took him off milk, but we have been able to still give him a little cheese and butter, which is good.  We tried Lactaid and goat's milk, both are supposed to be easier on the stomach if there is a lactose intolerance.  Turns out he must be allergic to the protein in the milk, taking out the lactose is not enough.  He now drinks rice milk.  Rice milk, rice cereal, rice noodles, rice, rice, rice!  This continues to be a challenge for us, but we are pretty good at adapting now.  He is growing and developing like he should which is such a blessing, and we are hopeful that some day we will start taking some allergies off the list instead of adding new ones on.

 Emilyn's dance recital dress rehearsal

 Out to dinner with the Barrett's and Thygerson's at The Copper Onion in Salt Lake for our annual fancy dinner out together, it's our Christmas present to each other.

Matisyn's 3rd grade gingerbread house

 We had a great time at the ward Christmas party.  We put together gingerbread houses as a family.  We joined some neighbor friends and created a two story masterpiece.  The girls were very excited to win first prize!

 Lucas kept sneaking the treats he wasn't supposed to eat!

 We love to feed the ducks!  They are especially hungry and fun to visit in the winter!

 Lucas got very into it this time.  At one point he scared them off though when he decided to walk right into the freezing water to get a stick!

 Part way through kitchen remodel, and below with the floor half way in.  We enjoyed quite a few meals picnicking on the floor!

 Emilyn's Christmas Dance Recital

I was the only one that got to see her this time.  Poor Matt ended up stuck cleaning up Lucas who had suddenly thrown up all over himself in the car.  He brought Lucas inside in one of the girls pink sweatshirts cleaned up as best he could, and missed her dance by a song or two.  Emilyn was a good sport though.  It was fun to watch the rest of the show with my two big girls, and no squirming Lucas!

 Emilyn loves dance, but being in dance with her buddy Lillie makes it even more exciting!

 Visiting Santa after the show

 Matisyn made her own candy countdown calendar for Christmas

 Matisyn's tribute to our fish Bubbles (I'm not sure what the occasion was!)

We spent one night exploring and searching for the Elves at Gardner's Village.  It was cold, but the kids loves getting to find all of the different ones.

 The girls were happy for a little rain.  They love an excuse to use their umbrellas!

 Lucas jumps on any opportunity to work with Daddy!  He saw that Matt was working out in the garage, and even though it was freezing outside, he ran in to get his new tools to help him out!

 Emilyn's note to our elf Harvey!  Harvey came at the first of December and did some fun things for the kids.  Our favorite was when he wrapped a bunch a stuff in the kitchen for them to open, like the toaster, the bread, Lucas's bottle, whatever he could find!

 Matisyn's writing about her constellation