Kids ...

They are growing up (duh). I miss their littleness already. Instead of looking back on 2009, let's look back on my kids.

SWEETIE

December 2008 - still 1 year old

December 2009 - age 2 (almost 3)

RHM

January 2009 - age 5
December 2009 - age 6

Princess

December 2008 - age 9 (almost 10)
December 2009 - age 10 (almost 11)

Golly Gee! I remember when Princess was my baby, now she is holding a friend's tiny niece.
They grow up fast.

Agent J

December 2008 - age 11
December 2009 - age 12

Or do they grow up at all?

Keepin' busy over the break (older kids)

Princess got a "facial" and a tutorial on skin care. Great help having my friend Denise teach her this and not me. Listening to "mom" is harder, than listening to a more knowledgeable adult. Mothers know nothing..., right?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Agent J had a blast watching
a couple of dogs
for a couple of days.

Lucy, the black one, is still a puppy and had more control of the leash than the dog walker. Buddy has a bark, but is really the cutest marshmallow ever!
My Oldest Child LOVES animals and is so good with them, but our family is waiting to be diaper free before we start over with a dog at our house. I mean 4 kids, is plenty for now. Pets will come, later. We are just grateful to dog sit once in a while.

Story (from an email my mom received) about a Grandmother's apron

I don't think our kids

know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,because she only had a few,it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing

hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,

bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all

sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the menfolks knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

This is for those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma's aprons.

Can you tell what my mom and I made for Christmas gifts this year over Thanksgiving break? It was so fun to give a gift that I actually made. I hope the kids' teachers know that I am not hinting at them to cook more. (That is my fear.) I simply love aprons.

Jackie's birthday

My friend, Jackie, has her birthday on Christmas.

Every year, her birthday is glanced over.

This year we took her out to an Indian restaurant that she loves. It was nice to talk with adults during this Christmas break.
Good friends.
Good conversation.
Good times.

Happy Belated Birthday Jackie
and thanks for the excuse to go out!

Pool Diving in December

So...it all started with a dareMOM: I double dog dare you two to jump in the freezing cold pool.

Girls: IT IS COOOOLLLLLD! Brrrrrrr!

Sidenote: Even though we live in Phoenix,
the weather may be nice,
but the water temperature is SO COLD.
Really, really cold.
No sympathy,
just trying to set you up for the story.

Girls: I'll do it if you do it. No, you go first! No - let's hold hands and go at the same time. No way - don't hold my hand.
Friend over to visit : I'll do it with you. Come on, we can do this.
Princess (my pouting daughter) : Why are we doing this, again?
Finally - they did it. Friend went first. She is brave. Princess went right after, not wanting to be upstaged. Princess was SO MAD that I didn't have her towel ready and waiting after she jumped in the pool. I guess the pool was really, REALLY COLD.
Then RHM decided he can do anything his sister can do better!
He tested the water.
Then freaked out, just a little.
Then got up the courage and jumped!
Then was he MAD!
That is him SCREAMING after he got out. HE WAS SO MAD. I never knew freezing water induces such a fight or flight response. Boy, oh boy did he fight!
Dad is protecting RHM from the camera. He was still MAD.


It made me laugh. I mean, laugh so hard that I almost peed my pants. I am a sick, twisted mom.

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him/ Here Comes Santa Claus

Christmas has been good to our family.

This nativity reminds us
the real reason for this season.

We focused on the birth of our Savior
and taught the kids another year's lessons.

Now, it was time to do a little Santa protection.

This year Travis and I wrapping papered the hallway closed, that way we had no peeking in the early hours. We even wrote the kids a little note:
Here is the funny thing. I woke up at 6 a.m. and still no kids. I waited 'til 7:30 a.m. before one of my kids woke up. I was so disappointed. Where is their dedication? I mean I remember waking up at 3 and 4 in the morning. Amateurs.
When I heard the first one wake up, I told her she had to wake up the others, before they could rip down the wrapping paper off and go downstairs to see what Santa brought the kids.
Ah! The last one is awake. Time to let the wrapping paper ripping begin.
RHM was really sad that Princess ripped down the wrapping paper in the hallway by herself. Oh, well. As soon as he made it downstairs, he soon forgot he was mad and dived into presents and remained happy the rest of the day.

Me and my happy kids (notice RHM at the bottom left)

We had a wonderful day of breakfast, dinner, and yummy desserts. Too much candy. Too many noisy gifts. Lots of love from phone calls from family far away. We love our Grandparents and relatives near and far.
Travis and the kids are here ready for a family lunch/dinner. My honey got to try out his new electric carving knife (thanks Mom). I don't think I will ever cut a piece of meat again. :)

This meal was the first meal that Sweetie wore REAL big girl underwear. She did a good job. She didn't have an accident for about 4 hours. She is back in a diaper as she sleeps, but we will be potty training all Christmas break. Wish me and Princess luck! Sweetie likes Princess to keep her company in the bathroom. It is kind of cute.

Lots of love from my little family to yours!
Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

Nativity from Luke 2
Lots of hymns to sing
Awe and wonder of the evening
My little angel feeling special in Amy's wedding dress.
Food glorious food.

Wishing you and yours a happy Christmas and
glorious spirit in your home during this special time.

Home

Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light leads.
I'll be home for Christmas,
If only in my dreams.

Today I find myself longing for home. For family. For my family.

I find myself remembering my childhood. I remember the Christmas that Santa gave me a blue satin formal dress that I wore to the New Year's Eve dance that year. I remember being younger and getting the She-Ra castle and playing He-Man with my brothers. I remember Grandma and Grandpa coming over for Christmas. I remember Uncle Morgan coming late for breakfast. I remember Grandpa recording the WHOLE morning of opening Christmas presents. Fond memories.

I find myself reflecting on my church family. One gentleman gave a talk this Sunday, and at one point he described the best Christmas he had. He was on his mission and he was able to take a HOT shower on Christmas Eve. A hot shower. It seems to be the simple things in life we take for granted like a hot shower. This story reminded me how happy I was after the pioneer trek for ice. Ah, ice. Glorious ice.

I wonder as my family of 6 decorates a gingerbread tree, plays "Family Faces" (a game Grandma N. made), and dances around the kitchen - what memories, what lessons my kids will remember? Will they remember that toy they receive tomorrow? OR will they remember the little things like "hot showers" or "ice"?

I made wassail today. At least now it smells like home. I only wish I had my extended family here to share in this holiday.

For now I will focus on creating family traditions for my kids. For the past 4 - 7 years (not sure how many) we gather each Christmas Eve with Amy's family and parents. It is comforting to me to have Grandparents around on Christmas, even if it is Amy's parents and not mine or Travis'. I love generations and feel it a privilege to share this Christmas Eve with this family. It gives me something to look forward to and not to dwell on the lack of my family in Phoenix.

Mostly today, I feel gratitude in my heart for my blessings. My husband. My 4 kids. My church, friends, and adopted families that take care of my little family during this sacred holiday, we call Christmas. I feel looked after and watched by a loving Heavenly Father. I feel blessed to celebrate the birth of the Savior tonight and tomorrow and for that matter all year round. I feel more blessed to be able to teach my kids this glorious testimony of home. Home on earth and home in heaven. We all have a purpose and there is a plan for each one of us.