Christmas Gratitute

--Not a fun kid post--read at own risk

I had been thinking up a bog post about the things I am grateful for around Thanksgiving time, but Thanksgiving came and went and I didn't get it done. This Christmas season has been a good one for me. It started the week we put up the decorations and read for FHE what they are symbols of, then watching the new church video during the Christmas Devotional about the events surrounding the birth of our Savior. That was a good way for the month to start, and it has kept the Savior close to my heart throughout the month.

Part of it probably has to do with circumstances in my life that have lead me to a deeper appreciation and love for the Savior. I am grateful for this appreciation. I don't know that I can yet officially say I am grateful for the trials that have caused me to become closer to the Savior, but I believe I will get to that point eventually. Maybe I'm just slow at accepting that these things we go through in life are necessary for our growth, and I just want the growth without the trials. I know that it doesn't work that way, and I am truly grateful for the growth, and the strength that the Savior gives us in troubled times, and for the peace and lifting of our burdens he can provide. So I guess that means in a round about way I am grateful for the trials.

Our Bishop talked today of the people who were waiting for the Savior's birth before his coming. I have been thinking about it much of the day and would like to write down some thoughts. The Savior made covenants with those people, promising that He indeed would come. They had to have faith and hope in the Lord and in his covenants that He would be born as promised, and fulfill His mission as the Savior. They had to keep their covenants, watch, and wait for the Savior of the world to be born and this crucial part of Heavenly Father's plan for us to be fulfilled. We celebrate this part of the Plan of Salvation in looking back, that yes--it happened, He kept His part of those covenants, and now we celebrate it, we find faith, hope, and love in it.

But we also are waiting, like those who waited for the Lord's birth. He has covenanted with us that He will come again, and we must rely on our faith that He will keep His part of the covenant. Christmas can also be a time to look forward in faith to a time when He will fulfill that promise and come again to the world--albeit differently than in a stable--but that we can look both ways--back at His birth and forward to when He has promised He will come again--
I guess I have always celebrated Christmas as looking back at His birth, life, and death. I want to add now to that list and look forward. Forward to His coming again. Forward to keeping my covenants so I can be ready, with plenty of oil in my lamp, for when He comes again. I know that I make plenty of mistakes. Sometimes I get to bogged down in my mistakes. But I want to focus on my effort. The effort it takes for me to keep oil in my lamp ALWAYS--so I'm not caught without any when I most need it. I believe that I will be blessed for that effort, in keeping my covenants to live how the Lord asks me too, and as long as I keep trying and keep believing He will be merciful towards my shortcomings.

This is all tied somehow to me being grateful:). I am so grateful for the Savior.
I can't describe how blessed I feel to have my family around me, intact. I am grateful for the way I was raised. I work with 12-13 yr. old young women in my calling some of whom have such heavy burdens at such a young age it is hard to imagine. The only thing I was worried about at 13 was if I could borrow my sister's favorite shirt to wear to school. So Thanks, Mom and Dad, for everything, especially for keeping our family together and teaching us how important that is and how to love. I am grateful for a warm, comfortable home, and the ability to meet my children's needs. I can't imagine having hungry little children and not being able to meet their needs. I'm not taking about the toys they got for Christmas or saving to buy them a trampoline this summer. I mean basic necessities of life. I know I am so blessed. I am grateful for beautiful children who keep me laughing, crying, working, GOING. They are precious. I am grateful for a dear husband who works, worries, loves and cares for us. I am grateful for my husband's family, who are my family. I am grateful for the medical care that has helped my headaches. I don't think I fully realized how incapacitating they were until they were gone! It is a miracle!

And Thanks for letting me use my blog for a journal outlet:)

Christmas laughs

#1--Keith refused to go downstairs this morning until he was dressed. In trying to convince him he could go in his PJs he loudly protested "But I HATE Pajamas!!". Let it be recorded in history--the first kid in the history of kids to have to get dressed before seeing his Christmas presents!

#2--He received a backhoe toy that makes noise. One of the buttons plays a "song". Apparently it's a "bad Christmas song". He has repeatedly pressed the button and announced that it is.

#3--So you know the Grinch routine the kids have been doing--with Keith as Cindy Lou Who and Belle as the Grinch? Well Keith requested today to have a turn being the Grinch. OK, sure, go ahead.

I was basically floored when he NAILED IT. I mean ALL of it, what Belle has been doing.

#4--On desperately trying to keep the kids awake on our way home from Marion last night so they wouldn't get a good hour nap then be up for 3 more. With lots of singing, being as silly as possible, chating, keeping them talking, we were successful--but not without protest. "MOOOMMM---You're keeping me awake!!" Yes, Keith. That's EXACTLY what I'm doing. :)

#5--Belle tucked her head under to "jump in bed and cover her head" when she heard Santa's bells last night. Then squinted her eyes shut so tight and went to sleep rather quickly.

Meanwhile, Keith chated away with David and I. "Mom, what is Santa going to bring you? Is he here Mom? etc., etc., etc."

#6-- so one of the main things Belle wanted for Christmas was a watch. I struggled with this a little. Why does the 4 yr old want a watch? She can't tell time! But this is the same 4 yr old who insisted on doing an assignment the preschool teacher gave her to complete in 2 weeks in 1 day--I tried to talk her out of it several times. She was determined. I finally gave in and stopped discouraging her desire to be an overachiever, and helped her do it.

So Santa brought her a watch. Which was good because she was so sure he was going to that she asked yesterday if she could wear her watch to church today. Keith questioned whether she HAD a watch, and she replied "no, but I will".

She wore it to church, just as she had planned. And when she wanted to go get a drink, David explained she should wait until the long hand got around to the 2, then she could go. So she waited, and watched her watch. And waited. And waited. And waited. And got tired of waiting and decided to use the little dial on the side to move the long hand around to the 2 herself. We're working on the time concept thing.

Then this afternoon at Grandma's she wanted a lesson on how to read her watch. So we talked about how the hour hand goes around 2 times for a day, the long hand goes around one time for each hour, etc. And how to read it. It's going to take some time for her to fully understand it, but she wanted me to explain it AGAIN. and AGAIN. and AGAIN. I suspect this will continue until she comprehends it. That's our missy.

Belle's Christmas Story

She has actually done it for us a lot better than this, but this was the best we could get on camera. She makes up the words in between the recognizable songs. Sorry about the camera quality, it's really quiet. Hopefully after Christmas our photo/video quality will improve:)

Enjoy!

Grinch Routine 2

Rudolph

One of the kids favorites.

Lewis Christmas concert

Jingle Bell rock--Buggie style! He sung it today in Sacrament meeting from the hymn book. The lady behind us said she'd pay good money to sit by us in Sacrament meeting--never knew Jingle Bell rock was in the hymn book!

My Christmas World

I had a lot of fun decorating for Christmas this year. And I was happy with the result. The kids loved puting the ornaments on the tree, and we all had a good time together. That week for family home evening we talked about the symbolism in the Christmas decorations and Christmas colors and what each thing should remind us of. That has helped me to think about the Savior and what the Evergreen, Red, Stars, Lights, etc. mean for us. It has been a fun part of Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week we took a trip to temple square to see the lights. We rode the TRAX train downtown, went to dinner at a "fancy" restaurant at Belle's request (Litza's pizza qualifies as "fancy"), then went to temple square. It was a fun and memorable night. But I didn't get any pictures. I left my camera in the car at the TRAX station. The temple lights were beautiful and always brings such a peaceful and wonderful feeling of Christmas. We loved it.

Sea World Dec. 11
Along with our other happenings in CA last weekend, we took another trip to Sea World before our passes expire at the end of the year. We missed Daddy, but had a good time anyway :)
Keith Loves the sharks, we went through the shark tunnel about 4 times. They both loved the dolphin and Shamu shows, and we even squeezed in some time for a few rides. Fun day with my kiddos!

 

 

 

 

 

Me--Anne Boony

 

 

Here I am, the pirate!! I dressed up for our YW in Excellence night and told how I was a pirate with lots of beautiful treasures but wasn't happy, that the treasures are the qualities we have within us that make people beautiful...that our girls our beautiful inside and are every time they complete a personal progress goal they are all the more beautiful...it was a success! Hooray!

I made the costume...Well, kindof...except this vest. And I had to have help fixing the blouse. Mom and I stayed up til 2 am working on a vest the night before. And it ended up not fitting me!! SO I rented this one from a costume shop in SL, and will try again on a vest to keep with my pirate costume. Thanks Mom for the help, and Janet for rescuing the blouse!! I learned some new sewing skills:)

AND another...

Man this kid is on a roll.

Today in the airport we sat by the windows so the kids could watch the airplanes. We could see the plane we were about to board. Here's the conversation:

K: "Is that a stinkin' RJ?"

Me: "No, it's a stinkin' Airbus"

(David's opinions obviously at work here).

K: *VERY LOUDLY* "STINKIN' AIRBUS!!"

About two and a half rows of chairs over there is a gentlemen TOTALLY cracking up. Basically laughing. Hard.
and he says to me "A bunch of Boeing fans, eh?"

Me: "Yeah, it's his Dad's fault"

Guy still laughing.

Funny, right???

It get's better.

As we were de-planing in SLC, walking down the aisle in this Airbus, out of the cockpit steps THIS GUY. Three strips on his jacket. "Hey, you guys the Boeing fans? How was the flight?"

Me trying not to burst out laughing.

Nearby flight attendant: "We LOVE the Airbus!!"

Me: "He gets it from his Dad, who flies for SkyWest."

Pilot: "It's ok, that's what Dad's are supposed to do."

Me: "No offense taken?"

Pilot: "none at all"


HILARIOUS!!!
I obviously didn't see how the gentleman two or three rows of chairs over was dressed when we had the earlier conversation. Laughing keeps you young, right?

Keith pulls another one....

It's a good thing my in-laws have a sense of humor. Or we'd be kicked out by now. Keith is getting quite the name for himself and becoming nortorious for his escapades. Shooting out the back window of a van, drawing with marker on the carpet and crayon on the stucco, unrolling numerous rolls of toliet paper. Scattering all the Apples to Apples games cards (have you ever noticed how many cards are in that game?? A LOT!). Scattering toys near and far. Quietly climbing up into the cookies (Belle asks and has to deal with the answer. He doesn't ask, just does.) And etc., etc.


Today we have a new one to add to the list. *warning* may not be appropriate for all readers.

So here we are in California to support a nephew who just turned 12 and being ordained to a Deacon today. Keith wasn't too enthused about nursery in a strange ward so he was with me. And we went into the ordination.

So here's the scene: small classroom in the church crammed with a bunch of 12 yr old deacons, their teachers and leaders, the Bishopric of this ward, and family. The ordination was beautiful and spiritual. Then N**** was asked to give his testimony. Which he did beautifully.

And right at his "Amen" Keith turned to Nana, who he was sitting next to, and very clearly, piercing through the quiet reverence of the room, very astutly observed:

"Nana, you don't have a penis"


Pause.



More Pause.



Pausing again.


Are you still laughing? Because we ALL were. Laughing, crying, falling off our chairs.

Poor N*****. right in his special moment, just received the Priesthood, and Keith drops this bombshell.


Poor N***'s Mom, who had to get up next and share her thoughts on the day.


Poor Keith, who didn't know what he'd done and was pretty embarrased. He and I have had several talks on that particular subject, me feeling like I should be open and answer his questions about boys and girls.

Maybe I shouldn't bathe Keith and Belle together anymore....

Anyway, thankfully we have all laughed and the church is still true.

Requested Halloween pics

By request, our spooks.
They had a fun time :)

Belle had a Halloween parade for preschool. She was SO excited, and had been looking forward to it for weeks. As you can see, in true Peter Pan style, she is not merely walking down the street. She's flying. :) AND she noted that she still had her shadow (unlike Peter Pan) but that her shadow looked EXACTLY like Peter Pan's. She was satisfied.

Keith was our cowboy/sheriff. He said he wanted to be a cowboy but started insisting we call him the sheriff once he got his badge on. He is SO great and staying in character, and calling all the kids not by their names, but by who they are dress up like. "Hey, Superman, ...."etc. So cute!

Oh, the laughs

Today I was working on a YW service project making Christmas stockings. I let the kids make one of their own out of the scraps. Isabelle's was beautifully decorated with lace, ribbon, snowflake button, etc. Keith's has 12 googalie eyes on it. and one piece of lace Belle talked him into. It's hilarious.

When it was close to time to leave the park today I told the kids to pick 3 more things to do then we would leave. Keith proceeded to bury his flip-flops in the wood chips under the playground. Because he didn't want to go--and if his shoes were lost we would stay, right?

Today the kids were talking about how many kids we should have in our family and Keith kept saying...and another baby and another baby and another baby *repeat several times* then "yeah, there are lots of babies". So, I asked him--how is Mommy supposed to take care of all those babies? He said we would need another Daddy. And another Mommy. "Lots more parents". Where would we get so many more parents? "At the parent store. We would buy the box and open it up and screw screw screw together and then it would walk walk walk." Apparently parents are machines you can buy at a store and put together.

"don't worry Mom, you can leave the light on. I can make dark with my eyes." squints his eyes shut.

Fish-sitting

Since I'm such on a blog-roll I'll add this note in, though I don't have pictures (like the picture quality of the camera we're using these days is very good anyway:( thanks to me smashing our camera to the ground at the wedding)

Anyway....we are officially fish-sitting. A super awesome 37 gallon salt water tank. It has some really pretty fish in it and live rock and everything. The kids are absolutely loving it, and even David has been sitting in front of it watching. Hopefully we can keep everything alive for the next year! 2 days down...so far, so good!

Belle's BIKE

$6 at DI for the bicycle
$10 for training wheels
$8 for new tubes
And we have THIS:




She has been constantly on the bike for the last few weeks. She is getting really good at it. She can control it pretty well, and go in circles. She has a little trouble when the sidewalk dips for a driveway or bumps, but our street doesn't go down until after the sidewalk so she cruises really quickly around here. AND on Monday she rode it ALL the way to Grandma's house!!! Now, if you're familiar with where our house is, and where my parent's house is...you'll know this is quite and accomplishment for a 4 yr. old. She did get tired, but kept at it. Sometimes she would get off and walk it to take a rest. It took us a LONG time to get there (Keith was in the jogging stroller), but she did it--and it was a hard thing. I'm glad she is learning that she can do hard things. It was harder than she thought it was going to be when she said she wanted to do it. And I tried to talk her out of it. But she insisted. "I can handle it" she said.

After we stayed a few hours and picked raspberries, froze some peaches, etc. Grandma gave us a ride home in the truck.:)

while Belle was away...

Keith was pretty sad. He wanted to stay at the school and play. He saw all the toys they had during the open house night and wanted to play with the tools they have. So I was super happy when a little while after we got home his bike Helmet he has been waiting to come in the mail came!! And he went right out to do this:



Yes, that is his new super-cool shark helmet. No that is not his purple princess bike. He is supposed to ride the red trike. Which he is really good at--better than Belle was at his age. It uses a forward pedaling motion that Belle didn't get very fast with until after she was 3--but Keith cruises no problem. But--he knows it's different than a bike and gets on Belle's whenever her can. Belle wasn't home...so he had free reign of it. He does pretty well in a straight line, but has a harder time controlling it if he has to turn or go down an incline. The other day he hoped on it and went down our driveway (which is a good incline) and got completely out of control and crash landed on the grass next to the driveway. I was outside watching the whole thing unfold too fast to stop and was so grateful he landed on the grass.

Today he decided that since he had his new shark helmet on, he would try a similar trick, on purpose. He even asked permission. "Since I have my helmet on, can I go woo woo woo down the hill?" It's the small drainage ditch at the end of our street that is all grass (thanks to our landscape-buisness neighbors). The kids call it "THE hill" and like to go down there to play. Back to the story--so I considered it. Thought he was being a little reckless because he felt his helmet would protect him. And then said yes. He did exactly what I thought he would. went down, and tipped over at the bottom. He wasn't hurt, and didn't want to do it again.

I caught a fishy!!

 

Keith caught TWO fish--yep, off his little "Go, Diego, Go" fishing pole.
Both times he didn't even realize he had a fish. Once he told David to come help because he had a snag. It was a fish!! He did our traditional "I caught a fishy hey hey hey" song. And then he "ate it all up with a fork."

1st Day of Preschool!!!!

Isabelle has been SOOO excited for preschool all summer. Today was her first day. She went about it just as a girl would. Waking up super early, being very particular about picking out her clothes, hairstyle, and putting on lip gloss (yes, in preschool, she wanted lip gloss...)
And we took her. We all went, the whole family, to drop her off. I guess you could tell it's our first child's first day of any school. And we got home and David and I looked at each other and said...Belle is at school??? weird.
She loved it! We went and picked her up 2 hours later (yes, again, the WHOLE family) and she went through very detailed everything they did at school.
"First we got our name tags. Then we played with the toys for like a little more than an hour. Then the teacher said it was time to clean up, and we cleaned up the toys. If we didn't know where something went we asked the teacher. The we sat like this (sits Indian style) on the rug and read TWO stories about (I don't remember what the stories were about) and when the story said to guess what animal it was on the next page I guessed seal and polar bear and I was right! The we went and colored our paper dolls, and I got to sit by Quincy both on the rug and at the tables....."

I am happy for her that she is having a fun experience. I am sad for me. 2 hours a day 3 days a week isn't too bad, but it's what it means. She is growing up.

Potty Training!!

No pictures. How boring. His cute little bum in undies is pretty adorable.

Keith is a rock star. Just sayin'. After One week of wearing underwear he goes 3-4 hours just fine, and even wore the under wear to church without a hitch. Last night he was fussing in the night so I went to see what was up. He asked me if he had a diaper on. I said yes. So he asked if he could pee in it. I said he could, unless he wanted me to take him to the bathroom. He said no, he would go in his diaper (all of this half asleep). He relaxed, and went back to sleep. So hey! It woke him up! Awesome!

I'm not pushing and there have been a couple days that he has wanted to wear a diaper for awhile to have a break (I can imagine this training stuff is stressful for a kid), which he can whenever he wants. He does request to use the bathroom on his own, but if he goes awhile without asking then I take him. Today it had been probably nearly 5 hours since I had taken him (errands and birdhouse painting and such) so I sent him to the bathroom, stopped to talk to Belle, and followed him. By the time I got there he was standing next to the toilet with a super sad look on his face, all wet. "I sorry Mommy". Oh. sweetie. We gave him a bath and that was that. He just didn't quite make it.

All in all I am super proud of him. The neighbor boy has even taught him a few essentials. Like how to go outside, on a tree. The other day he went 3 times outside the little stinker. I am trying to tell him to come in. Unfortunately, as it has been discussed before, our only trees are out front. And the 3rd time he had an audience. The neighbor to his wife while watching out the window: "Come look at this! You've got to see this!!" And them cracking up about it. They are great people with a good sense of humor, so they just laughed. But really...I saw it too. From about the point he had his pants down. I just calmly went over and helped him pull them up, gently reminding him that's it's better to use the toilet. The neighbors at this point opened their window and laughed with me. "Hey, Mom, the underwear is dry and the tree is happy!" she laughs. Oh, BOY.

I let the kids use acrylic paint today. Yes I am crazy. No we didn't have any major issues (for once). Belle bought, with her own money in nickles, dimes, and pennies, two wooden birdhouses from JoAnn's (the small ones--with my 40% coupon they were .60 each). One for herself, and one for her brother. So we painted them. Tomorrow when we hang them in the tree out front I'll try to take a picture to share.

I had fun with them, and it was so cute for Belle to put her stuff up on the counter at the store and pull out this wad of change from her "purse" and have me help her count it. "how much did she say, Mom?" And so sweet that she was willing to get one for her brother, too. It was so priceless.

She now wants birds to move in to the birdhouses. I explained that it's fall, the birds aren't really looking for houses--but if they don't they will be cute decorations and we can try again in the spring. "How can a birdhouse be a decoration, Mom?" Because they will look pretty. I doubt they are big enough for any birds to LIVE in, but next time we're out we might buy some birdseed to lure them in for a visit. :)