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December 2025 - Christmas Magic

We had a fun Swingle Christmas party with fabulous games by Auntie Emmy.  






Liam finished his Jr Jazz basketball season. 



For Christmas we got the kids a new playground. Tad made really cool gifts with cardboard and hot glue, including a wolf mask for Liam and a Mario question block for Nathan that opens and closes to hold toys and stuffed animals.  Tyler made cool stuff with his 3D pen.  And Alexa made me a hoodie in her sewing class.  Best. Gift. Ever. 

Alexa wanted to dye her hair dark brown so we got a box dye and set up shop Christmas night while watching Home Alone.  She also got lots of nail stuff, candles, and a new purse.  

Tyler's big gift was a wood chess set and he also got more Magic cards.

Tad got a STEM engineering subscription box called Crunch Labs. He asked for a Yoda squishmallow from Santa.

Liam got lots of books and Legos. He asked for a blue blanket from Santa. Sweet boy.

Nathan got a track car set. He asked for Sonic legos from Santa.

Audrey asked for a doll from Santa.  She said on repeat throughout the month of December, "Santa will come and bring me a doll for Christmas. And I will give him a HUG!!"

We have loved listening to our neighbor, Ian, play viola on Temple Square and went again this year.  Christmas songs on string instruments are my favorite.  The music was absolutely beautiful and then we walked around to look at the lights after.  




Alexa and Audrey were wise men in our family nativity and wanted beards like their brothers :)
Nathan was also a wise man and wanted a crown painted on his forehead






Kyle and I went to Lumanaria for the first time (thank you, Sweet William!) and loved the statue garden depicting different scenes of Christ.  Lazarus was my favorite.  He was carved into a large stone with multi-level statues of the tomb, Mary and Martha, and Christ.  It was incredible.

We played fun Minute to Win It games for New Year's Eve with the Swingle family.










Videos of some of the games:

Worm Crawl

https://youtu.be/l7wuAiQLQHA

https://youtu.be/TjHd3R_DO4k

Diaper Babies

https://youtu.be/7ImnjGPmv0A


Misc photos:


Liam playing Uncle Adam's pizza game with Marmie & Grandpa


For Audrey's date this month she wanted to read Christmas books and "get pink ice cream!"

Tyler made a super cool helmet out of cardboard, hot glue, pipe cleaners, and spray paint. 

We made gingerbread houses with the Slagles



As the year closes, I am so grateful for our many blessings.  I feel like the year flew by, but what a blessing it is to have a warm, safe home, good health, great kids, employment, and lots of good food.  We are truly so blessed.  



Funny Stories: 

  • Audrey calls Santa’s reindeer hippos 
  • Nathan says Santa won’t bring gifts this year because he’s in prison. So we have to buy our gifts this year instead. This is because his brothers like the song "The Night Santa Went Crazy." Haha. 
  • We were playing Code Names and Alexa said “Tokyo makes Asian people”
  • Any time the doorbell rang (all day, starting after breakfast) on Christmas Eve Audrey said “It’s Santa!!!!” And sprinted to the door to open it. 
  • Audrey’s prayer on Christmas night: “Heavenly Father. Thank you. Merry Christmas!! Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” 



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