Christmas

The kids woke up around 7 this year. Since I was a slacker and didn't make my usual Christmas breakfast of cinnamon rolls we just had cereal and toast. The kids seemed quite hesitant this year to dig into the presents. I really don't know what it was but they both just went into the living room and sat on the couch. But, once they got started, there was no stopping them.





Everyone was happy with their gifts this year. Even me since I finally got my Kitchen Aid mixer. Woohoo!!! Jim was really happy with his Nook. It was a great Christmas because we got to spend the day as a family enjoying each other and making memories. My family came over to our house this year for Christmas. It was fun having them at our house for the holiday. The next day we went to Jim's parents' house to exchange gifts and then went and saw Sherlock Holmes. I LOVE the holiday traditions we have. And, I am sooooo grateful that our families live so close by so we can enjoy the holidays with them. We always miss Dave, Laurie and their kids and Tricia and Tim at these times of year but it just makes us enjoy the time we get with them even more!

Christmas Eve

Yes, I know, I am way behind on my posts but Vanessa has decided to become a baby that loves her mom and being held by her mom. That, and I left my bag at Kelly's house and realized too late that my camera was in it. Anyhoo, here we go, time to get updated.

This year ear aches, antibiotic reactions and other crazy life happenings kind of got in the way of Christmas and many of our traditions. Okay, and my kids have an ornery mom who couldn't seem to get into the spirit of it all this year. We tried to go see the 'Festival of Lights' here in Spanish Fork but the line of cars was clear down Highway 6. The kids were very, VERY upset when I told them we'd have to go back another night. No, I am not exaggerating when I say very upset. Andrew wouldn't stop crying and throwing fits. I finally told him that Santa doesn't bring presents to kids who act like that. He told me he didn't care about the presents. I told him to remember that when Christmas morning he has no presents under the tree (yes, I am the world's meanest mom!!! In my defense he had been acting like this for 15 minutes and we were all getting tired). He then said (I seriously started to cry) 'I don't care about the presents Mom, all I care is that my family is together, happy and we remember Jesus' birthday.' Yes, my son gets the true meaning of Christmas more than his mom. Another example is when I was trying to get the lights on the tree he asked why I don't just take a strand and wrap it all the way up and be done with it. I told him it wouldn't look pretty that way. He looked at me with a look that said 'Mom, boys don't care about pretty.' So I told him that I know he doesn't care if it looks pretty, he doesn't care what the tree looks like, all he cares about are the presents under it. He said (yes I cried again) 'the presents aren't what matter mom, it's remembering Jesus and that we are celebrating his birthday.' I seriously don't know where this kid came from but I am SOOOO grateful I have been blessed with him in my life!!! He is AMAZING!!!



Since we are usually running to my families and Jim's families' houses on Christmas day I have made Christmas Eve our night. I make a more 'formal' type dinner, this year I made b-b-q beef brisket for the first time with red potatoes, green beans and homemade rolls. It was really yummy, even the kids didn't complain as much as usual.

Here are the kids hanging out waiting for dinner to be cleaned up so we could continue on with our Christmas Eve traditions.



Next came making cookies for Santa. I am not very nice when it comes to cookie making. We don't start from scratch or even from a Betty Crocker bag. I buy the Nestle break and bake cookies. Mean, I know, but the kids enjoyed breaking the dough apart and putting it on the cookie sheet.



See, smiles and everything. They even enjoyed eating a few of them after they cooked.



We then moved on to a new Christmas Eve tradition this year, putting the decorations on the tree. Most years I have the lights and decorations on the tree the first week after Thanksgiving but this year was quite different. It took me 17 days, and 3,250 lights to get the tree partially decorated. I ran out of lights and could not find anymore with green strands so I bought some with white strands and ended up hating them so you will notice, the tree does not have lights on the top. I gave up!! Since I gave up on the lights, I really didn't care what the rest of the tree looked like so Jim, Vanessa and I sat back and let Andrew and Ally put the decorations on the tree. They really enjoyed it!! I learned this year that what the tree looks like does not make Christmas!



Next came one of my favorite traditions. New pajamas!! This is one my mom used to do for us when we were kids and I have continued it with our family. I decided that for next year I am going to be even more creative and include me and Jim in this tradition. How fun would that be?? All of us in new pj's. Since I had this thought late, it was just the kids who got new pajamas this year. Andrew and Ally's pajamas came in packs with slippers, tooth brushes, brush and hair things for Ally and as you can see, Ally's came with an eye mask.



We then read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' and the Christmas story in the Bible and it was off to bed for the kids. This year another new tradition happened, Jim stayed up and helped me get things ready for Santa. It was really nice spending the time together getting it all ready. Unfortunately for Jim, this is a tradition I really want to continue year after year!!

This is what the kids woke up to Christmas morning (minus Dixie of course)...



Yes, I know Santa went overboard. My kids are spoiled!!

Another Plea for Help

Okay, so I admit, I am your needy, high maintenance friend. I am in need of your help yet again. At this time of year when everybody is focusing on their New Year's Resolutions, I am on a journey. I am hoping it won't take me far since I am on a journey to find myself. I know who I am as a wife and a mother. I really do enjoy these duties, but cooking and cleaning is only fun for so long. I know this post will probably sound selfish but I am trying to find things I enjoy for me to make me a better wife and mother. I don't like to list New Year's Resolutions per se, I would rather call mine goals. I seem to forget resolutions but goals are easier for me to reach and not drop after a month or so.

I really want to find things that I enjoy and make me happy, besides being a wife and mother. I know that I love to shop but that gets me into financial trouble. I know that I love to eat but that also gets me into trouble (never being able to lose weight). I love exercising and am trying to find/make time in the day so I can do it each and every day. I feel much better when I get my work out in. I have set a goal to run a 1/2 marathon by my 35th birthday and since the one I want to run is in August, I am starting to train for it now. I enjoy reading but by the time I get time to read my brain is so fried I can barely see what I'm reading. I want to find other things that make me happy so I don't just vegge on the couch in front of the tv every night once I get the kids to bed.

My question for you is what do you enjoy doing for yourself?? When you are all alone, what is the thing you do for you?? If you could do anything in the world, what would it be? Thanks in advance for your help! I couldn't do what I do without the love and support of my wonderful friends and family!

The True Meaning of Christmas

So I will admit that lately I have been feeling sorry for myself and ornery and depressed. It's hard enough when I feel like this, but for it to happen at Christmas time makes me even more depressed. I am a person who LOVES Christmas. I love the smells, the lights, the decorations, the shopping, the gift giving, etc., etc. It is really weird, and difficult for me not to have the Christmas spirit. Sunday I was whining and complaining to one of my friends about the 'funk' that I find myself in. She was very sweet and listened and offered some advice and help. I went home grateful that she listened. It made me feel a little better. Monday morning while I was making Ally eggs I looked out my kitchen window and saw this friend's car pull up in front of my house. I have to admit that I was very excited to see her (I always love spending time with her) but I was also feeling really, REALLY guilty that she was coming over. Knowing her, I figured she would be dropping off a 'treat' of some sort (she brought me a super sweet 'anti-anxiety' care package when Jim went to Australia a few months back). Boy was I surprised when she got out of her car all bundled up in her winter coat, hats, boots and gloves and pulled out her snow shovel. I ran to the door to protest. She promptly told me that she was here to not only shovel my snow but after she was done she was coming in for hot chocolate and would then be helping me put up my tree. I was extremely surprised and tried and tried to talk her out of it. I love doing for other people but I confess that I do not accept help very often or very well. She would hear none of my protesting and quickly set to work. She then came in and helped me put my tree up and 'fluff' the limbs. She even helped me start on my lights which was the part I was dreading most. I am extremely picky about my lights, each branch has to have lights on it. Thankfully, she is the same way and was very understanding about my pickiness (in fact, the section she worked on looked so much better than mine that I took mine apart later and fixed it).

I quickly learned that her service was part of the true meaning of Christmas. The fact that she would drop her list of things to do that day to come help out her ornery, selfish friend meant so much to me. Even though I still don't have the Christmas spirit I usually do, this act of kindness definitely lifted my mood and helped get me one step closer.

So, to you my dear friends and family, I now pose a question. What do you do to get you in the Christmas spirit?? I have tried the music, the decorations, the smells, even some Christmas movies, so I am looking for anything right now. One thing I haven't done is service and that is something I am working on. But, if you have any ideas, let me know.

Also, I am looking for ideas on how you teach your kids the true meaning of Christmas. I really want my kids to learn this year that Christmas is about so much more than Santa coming and the gifts he brings. We have done service for people the past few years which has been great learning experiences for the kids, but what else do you do?? I look forward to hearing some of your traditions. Thanks for your help in trying to get me out of my 'funk.'

No Longer the Neighborhood Scrooges

We have lived in our house for eight years now and only one year did we attempt to hang Christmas lights outside. The reason it was only one year is because with Jim's schedule he can only do it after dark in the freezing cold. The year we attempted to hang lights the ground was already icy so the ladder slipped out from under Jim twice. He got them halfway up and decided to finish another night before frostbite set in. Well, before he could finish, a wind came through and blew half of the stands of light off the house. We officially gave up after that! Two years ago I had a guy come give me a quote on what it would cost to have him hang our lights but couldn't afford him. We had come to the conclusion, and informed the kids that we would just be the neighborhood scrooges when it came to outside lights. This year Jim decided he was tired of being called 'Scrooge' so he and a guy from our ward spent Wednesday night hanging lights. It looks great!!! And the kids love it. Ally kept running out barefoot to look at the lights.



Doesn't it look great?? Now I just need to get the spirit, motivation, energy, or whatever it is to get the tree up and decorated. Maybe tomorrow. If only I could convince the kids (and myself) that Santa will still come even if we don't have a tree.

Family Pictures

Once again we got together with Jim's family the day after Thanksgiving for family pictures. I really do enjoy this tradition because it's the only way I get updated family pictures. We went to Murray park again this year because there are so many different places to get great pictures. It was freezing this year. The kids didn't seem to mind since they were running around playing with their cousins but we sure noticed. Jim was trying everything to keep poor Vanessa warm



Yes, she is in the coat with him



After we were done with all the pictures we needed her in, he took her up to the car to keep her warm.

Even though it was cold I have to say that I was pleased with many of the pictures. Here are my faves...







And last but not least, one of the entire family

Black Friday Shopping

For the last few years I have gotten up in the middle of the night to join the crowds and crowds of people fighting over those oh so coveted deals for Christmas. Last year I went with my sweet friend Gigi and had tons of fun. We made plans to go again this year and even tried talking another friend into being crazy with us but she came up with some crazy excuse about her husband having to work and her needing to be at home with her kids ;) (just kidding Liz, you were missed though). Thanksgiving night I started debating back and forth whether the deals were really worth it this year. When my alarm went off at 3 a.m. I was still trying to decide if I REALLY wanted to go or if I wanted to stay in my warm, cozy bed for more sleep. The craziness for deals won out so I got up and joined Gigi. We went to the Wal-mart in Springville this year. I have to say, they had it managed much better this year. For the big, popular items they had lines and gave out tickets to the first people there. So much nicer than watching people push and shove and try to steal from each other like last year. For the big items they just gave you a paper with the UPC code on it so you could pay for it and then take the receipt to the garden center to pick it up. That way you could shop for the smaller things without trying to cart around a big box. This worked really well for the Barbie Jeep I ended up getting for Ally. I was glad I didn't have to try and figure out how to cart that box around especially since I could barely walk through the aisles and zillions and zillions of people. My overflowing cart made it difficult enough. When we were almost finished Gigi told me to come down an aisle with her. As I was turning around the front end of my cart bumped into a Barbie display and knocked a bunch of Barbies all over the floor. I was so embarrassed. I started cleaning them up even though all the workers told me they would get them picked up. I figured it was my mess, the least I could do was clean it up. And what was my dear, sweet friend Gigi doing while I was cleaning up? Was she helping? No, of course not. She was laughing and laughing and reaching for her camera. Here is the evidence of my mess.....



I had told her that I didn't want to see the picture on Facebook or her blog but since she didn't listen to me and posted it BOTH places, I figured I can laugh at myself too. It really was quite funny! Just my luck!!

After all this we decided we had enough and went and hid in the baby section for a while just to get away from all the people. The lines were so long we figured we'd be there for a while anyways. It also gave us a chance to look through what we had grabbed and 'weed' out the not so necessary items. It was amazing how much we both ended up giving back. I was very, very happy I went because not only did I have fun, but I got all but two items on my list. I just have a few items and stocking stuffers to get and then I am done!! Definitely worth the lack of sleep! Although, it was much harder this year to recover from the few hours of sleep I got. Must mean I am getting old!