New Year's Eve

In keeping with Puffer tradition, we wanted to have a pinata.  Our only problem was there isn't a high latino population here so we didn't know where to find a pinata (that didn't cost a fortune).  Ben (being the creative one in our family) knew how to make a pinata, so we were saved.  Actually, I think it turned out better than if we had bought one because the kids got a chance to learn how to make a pinata.  They did a great job helping out.

Later that night . . .

Car Painting

Because we decided to stay home during the Christmas break, Ben felt that he needed something productive to do with all that vacation time.  He decided to paint his car - something that he's wanted to do for a long time.  It was the perfect opportunity because he had a huge Christmas break, a building to paint it in (they let him use the painting facilities at Auburn University), and he had done his homework.

He sanded it down with the help of several missionaries (and an investigator) which took him approximately a week.  He painted it all on a Friday.  It would have been a quick and easy process, but the next morning Ben decided to put one more coat of paint because he had extra paint . . . and he's perfectionist so I'm sure he thought one more coat wouldn't hurt it.  Well, he was wrong.  The paint that he had bought had to be applied in quick succession of otherwise the paint came out looking like primer and that's what had happened.

. . . so back to square one.  He sanded down the car again which took slightly less time than the first time and used the same amount of helpers.  This time when they painted the car there wasn't enough paint to do the doors so he had to go back and get another batch.  When he finished the painting he realized that the 2 paint colors weren't the same!  AAAaaaahhh!

Ben was incredibly discouraged by this point (as was I - and I didn't do a very good job of hiding it) and school at the university was starting the next day so he couldn't use the building anymore.  However, his luck changed and the people at the school said he could use the facilities for the next weekend (it was a 3-day weekend).  This time I helped Ben to sand the car down (which took significantly less time than the 2 previous sandings).  He was able to get everything sanded so that he could paint on Monday.  Now, his car looks amazing!!!  It looks so professional, but what else would expect from Ben - he's a perfectionist!!

Christmas 2011

This was our first Christmas with just our family.  While we would have loved to join our extended family for their Christmases (like we have in the past) it was just too far away.  Actually, if our car were a little more reliable and the kids school would have had a few more days off, we might have considered driving.  We really tried hard to make it fun for the kids and I think they really enjoyed it.

The kids had a lot of fun decorating the tree.

Reagan (the little girl that I watch 4 days a week) gave Dayne a kids' shaving kit for Christmas.  He couldn't wait to try it out.

Sam and Alexis had a Christmas program at their school.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of Alexis while she was singing.

A family in our ward (the Browns) always invites a few other families to join them in a progressive dinner.  It was a lot of fun.  First, we went to the Marshall's for the appetizers, then to the Brown's for the main course and then to our house for dessert.  After dessert we did a reenactment of the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke and then sang Christmas carols.  Our families were also joined by the Sabeys and the Jensens.

Christmas morning (before the chaos)

Christmas morning was a lot of fun.  First the kids went through their stockings and then went for the presents.  Stina loved her baby stroller and the blanket that Alexis made for her little baby.