Ten for 2010

I love going outside in the morning when everything is so still and fresh. I went out this morning to shovel after I finished working out  so I could get it done before the kids were out of bed. It was beautiful.

New Year's eve is going the be spent quietly here at home. I actually can't remember if I have stayed up to see the new year since I started having kids. I see enough of the middle of the night all year and not enough of my comfy bed.

So I decided to try to set some goals for the new year. Ten things to accomplish by next December 31.

1. Maintain my weight loss. (It feels good to not say "lose weight.")

2. Read the Book of Mormon again.

3. Run in some kind of organized event. (Let's say 5K for now.)

4. Learn to knit

5. Paint my kitchen

6. Learn to bake really good bread

7. Grow a garden

8. Have a dinner party

9. Bear my testimony (besides in Family Home Evening)

10. Go on a vacation


Some of those things give me the willies as I write them down, I won't tell you which, but you might be able to guess. I am looking forward to this next year and hope that it can be as good as 2009.

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

on christmas day in the morning

I really don't need to say much about Christmas morning. You all understand what its like. This one was as fantastic as any I remember.

Everyone was so happy that they were about ready to implode. The older girls were much nearer to imploding, as we made them wait over an hour for the two others to wake up. In the end, they helped them wake up.

The wrapping paper was flying.

Ian amassed a small army of star wars guys. At this point he was less than half-way done unwrapping and we were trying to convince him to keep going.  Now he keeps looking around for any presents he might have missed.

Natalie just knew that something fun was going on.

And she got to play with whatever she wanted.

Then I got to spend the next eight hours, or so, untwisting a bazillion little wires and elastics. I am just now starting to regain feeling in my fingers.

This is probably my last chance to say this for this year, so I'll say it one more time: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

the most wonderful day of the year

Just wanted to take a second to send out one more wish for a Merry Christmas to all!

Today is my favorite day with anticipation at its peak and a day filled with fun and togetherness!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

telling it like it is

Our Chinese neighbors just brought us this tin of starburst-like candy for Christmas.

I just appreciated it's honesty.

oh what fun

Two things that I hadn't hoped for this week: sprained ankle and stomach bugs.

Let me start with the stomach bug. The kids are all acting fine except for the fact that some things are just running a little too smoothly with them. All over the place. And someone threw up in Cali's bed Sunday night, but she is still not sure that she did it because she knows she was sleeping. This  problem kept Ian awake on Saturday night because it was compounded with a diaper rash that made it so he could barely walk around. Fun, to be sure. I kept him home from nursery and took him to Sacrament meeting because I look forward to the Christmas program all year. He fell asleep on my lap and my leg fell asleep with him. The meeting ended and even though I stayed chatting with some people around me for a while he was still dead to the world so I tried to stand up holding him. My dead leg apparently needs feeling in order to work because it rolled my foot under and something snapped.

On to the ankle. The kind people all around me jumped to my aid. They fetched ice from the kitchen and my husband from his office. I was just relieved when I finally stood up that I could hobble away because when I broke my leg years back, it wouldn't support any weight. Thankfully it is quickly been getting less swollen and painful everyday and I have even been able to keep working out on it. It was either quit working out or quit fudging (literally) on my no treats rule. You could have guessed which one I would pick.

I post this next picture for my sisters because we have a morbid fascination with awesome bruising. I still regret that I never photographed my broken leg. (Just ignore the fact that I need to paint my toenails and my spotty white legs.) I wish you could see it in person because my ankle has disappeared and my foot is green.

One more thing: ONLY THREE MORE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!

though its been said many times, many ways, merry christmas to you

I'm still playing catch up on my blogging.

This snow is gone now, but we had a good snowfall about two weeks ago. I discovered that shoveling the driveway is not that hard when you are not out of shape and seven months pregnant. Those were my conditions last year when my good neighbor came out and yelled at me to get back in my house.

Kimi wanted to show that she was holding the snow.

We have been cooking up all sorts of goodies and now we are getting attacked  by goodie plates from others. I know why sugarplums dance in the kid's heads. It's because they have sugar coarsing through their veins.

This is the face of a boy who has been helping to make oreo truffles. It is also the face of a monkey who can't hold still for a photo to save his life. Every one is blurry. Like this one:

And this one:

I gave up. And I laughed a lot.

Cali's school had a Christmas program this week that we went to. I think she was the cutest little reindeer there.That's her on the top right.

I can't believe that school is already out for Christmas break!

We also helped to decorate the downstairs tree at the Colton's last week. I have told Scott that he was smart to bring me home and propose to me at Christmastime. (Which was 10 years ago this week, by the way) His family's house is magical at Christmas with lights and decorations everywhere. How could anyone resist wanting to be part of his family? I love it.

Cali likes to strike a pose.

Kimi was reenacting hanging an ornament because I was too slow with the camera.

And what about Natalie? I have another whole post's worth about her, and I'm ready to go to bed, so for now, I will just put up this one picture.

My baby is growing up way too fast, and getting cuter every minute.

And just in case you hadn't realized it, THERE IS LESS THAN ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

its beginning to look a lot like christmas

I have so many updates to make, and I am hoping to do it during nap time right now.  For instance,  have you noticed my quote of the week which has become quote of the month? Yeah, I noticed that too.

Let's start off with Festival of Trees:

I have wanted to go to this spectacle since moving here, and finally made it this year. I had the three youngest with me and Cali was at school. I was able to convince her she didn't miss anything, but I haven't let her see these pictures.

My tree has definitely taken on a Charlie Brown feel after seeing all of those trees there.

This will make some members of my family happy, but not Scott. This was how Kimi felt about one of the BYU trees.

This is how she felt about the Utah tree.

Then we came upon this:

There are four Christmas trees there COVERED with authentic star wars guys surrounded by boxes of star wars figures and in the middle of all that:

Battle scenes were all set up with ships suspended overhead.

There was one little boy with stars in his eyes. I didn't see anyone else there that had brought a lightsaber with them. It took a lot of fast talking and bribery to get him unglued from this spot.

It was still for sale:

But we had to pass on that one.

Ian keeps asking me if we can go back to that store.

The next day came with the next adventure. It was the ward party and the long awaited visit with Santa.

But first we had to do sing-alongs and things to embarass the bishopric. I'm glad that Scott is a good sport. Gotta love ward parties.

Then the man of the evening showed up.

Cali was first in line.

This is as close as Ian would get, but he did tell Santa that he wants a real lightsaber. And don't even bother trying to tell Ian that he needs to be good anymore because he has talked to Santa now and has the whole thing taken care of. He'll tell you all about it.

Then came Kimi and Natalie. Natalie seemed to wonder why I was giving her to this guy and taking her picture, but she seems to already be learning I am little weird. She's a smart girl.

I still have more to post, but my free time has run out. I hope that all of you are busy with all things Christmas!

read yourself a merry little christmas

Here are some books that I highly recommend as Christmas reads. I know that everyone is busy at Christmas, but these are definitely worth the time. Here they are in random order because they are all my favorites.

1. THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER by Barbara Robinson
   This is one of those books that makes me laugh so hard at the wit and situations, but makes also makes me think and get teary. I try to read this every year. Right now I'm reading it to the girls.

2. THE SHEPHERD, the ANGEL, and WALTER THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE DOG by Dave Barry

This is one of my new favorites as of about two years ago. Let me just say this book is hillariously funny, but had me crying at the end. It reminded me of a mix of The Best Christmas Pageant ever and The Christmas Story (you'll shoot your eye out.)  I don't know what I like so much about these stories that reminisce, but this one really hit the spot.

                                                

3. THE MANSION by Henry van Dyke

This is really considered a short story, and is lesser known. I first heard about it in a talk by Pres. Monson where he said that he tries to read it every Christmas. It is a very good story that relates to Christmas, but I think about all year.

                                                  

4. TWO FROM GALILEE by Marjorie Holmes

This is a fictional book about Mary and Joseph. I know that the author made it up, but it made me feel such an appreciation for those two REAL people and the real-life situation they faced.

                                  

5. A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens

Of course this has to be on the list. Though I love the Muppet version of this (hmm, I think a movie list is on its way. . .) the book is a treasure. I think that there were certain things inspired by Heavenly Father to touch people's hearts whether or not they will hear or accept the gospel and this is one of them. I could list so many of my favorite quotes from this book, which is a lot shorter than many people think. This is another one that I heard Pres. Monson say once that he tries to read this every year.

Let me know if you have a favorite that I forgot, or share one with me that I haven't yet read!

deck the halls

Ah, Black Friday. The deals in the newspaper make me feel so dizzy that I hyperventilate. Have I ever mentioned how much I love bargain shopping?

Alas, Scott still has to go to work so I was limited in my shopping and only made it to one store and that is because I basically live in its backyard.

So there was still plenty of time to workout when I got home, and do something much more enjoyable.
We broke all the Christmas decorations out of storage.

I also broke out my Christmas cds. That is another weakness I have. I don't think I can even listen to all the Christmas music I have, and I always want more. Okay, so I can listen to it all because I start playing it non-stop.

The kids were just as excited as I was. Ian is old enough this year that it is starting to all sink in.

The Christmas tree is also like a new planet in the living room complete with little light sabers.

Ian was telling me that he wants to get a lightsaber for his birthday. I told him to ask Santa for one because Santa will bring him a present on Christmas. It was like a lightbulb turned on over his head. "Santa can come on Saturday!" he decided.

fantastic five

Kimi's fifth birthday.

Day One:

Awake at the crack of dawn to get ready for the day.

Help Mom make a butterfly cake. The cake decided upon after much soul-searching.

Stand at window and wait for Grandma C. to go to lunch, and more importantly get a toy.

Return home and try to pass the time until the next party by playing with the new toy.

Eat requested dinner (chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, rolls, and a hard boiled egg) as quickly as possible.

Take Daddy to store for ice cream after informing family that they are to jump out and yell "surprise!" upon return.

Act surprised when family jumps out and yells "surprise!" upon return.

Finally open presents.

 Act surprised when opening the toy asked for a hundred bazillion times.

Blow out candles on cake (that all that special thought went into) and refuse to eat any.

Refuse to eat any ice cream (that a special trip was just made for).

Just play with new toy.

Stay up way too late watching a movie and having a sleepover in the family room with Cali.

Day Two:

Wake up at crack of dawn to get ready for friends birthday party.

Go with terrible mother to health department to get 2nd swine flu mist.

Wait FOREVER for birthday party time.

FINALLY have a bug birthday party with friends.

Make a gigantic mess decorating cupcakes with friends who decide it is very funny to put frosting on your face.

Crash on couch by 5:00 pm after friends have gone home.

Inform parents that "my spirit tells me I need to sleep, not eat!" and go to bed fully clothed at 6:00 pm while the rest of the family has dinner.

Sleep all night.

When asked, "Was your birthday everything you hoped for and more?" answer "Of course!"

resistance training

I usually use this blog just to chronicle my family, so please excuse this one post that is going to be about me.

Exactly five months ago today I started another little blog with two of my sisters. It was a fitness blog made as a place to keep us accountable to our goals, and to give us a place to discuss, and (really) to complain.

I set a few goals, and did not really expect to meet them, but really hoped to as this felt like a last ditch effort to achieve things I have never been able to in my life. That day I started being VERY careful about everything that went into my mouth, and started exercising like never before. (And I started praying for the help to do it.) My goal was to accomplish it all before I turn 30 in January.

Five months later I am 35 lbs lighter (my original goal was to lose 20), I fit into sizes of clothes that I have never worn in my life, and I am able to do things (like jogging) that I have never been able to do. I really can't express how I feel about all this in words. Let me just say I feel like crying just thinking about it.

Thanks to Scott, Elizabeth, and Christine for being my cheerleaders, and to Shellie for getting me my new shoes that got rid of my last excuse.

So anyways, about the resistance training. This is what I am currently resisting:

That is the egg nog display at my Walmart. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an egg nog FANATIC. I once wrote and illustrated a whole book about this stuff in my younger years, for pete's sake. Those jugs and cartons sing to me like the sirens in the Oddysey.

So for now I will probably just keep spending a few seconds staring glassy eyed at the display like the children outside those toy store window displays in the movies, and looking forward to Christmas day when I'm going to let myself enjoy what really love.

missing-in-action-figures

Have you seen this droid?:

Remember my post about Ian's love for his guys? Well that has not abated at all. The problem is that his ability to keep track of them does not keep up with his love for them, and the fact that they travel everywhere with him doesn't make it any easier.

Poor Roger-Roger has been gone for months, followed by Obi-Wan. Grandpa just brought Ian a new Obi-Wan this weekend and secured Ian's affection for eternity. Yesterday, Darth-Maul went missing. This isn't the first time. I feel as though I spend half of my life moving furniture, going through every toy box and cupboard looking for lost guys. If anyone can think of a way to put homing signals on these guys I am all ears.

Meanwhile, I'll keep rummaging and Ian will have to just have these pictures to remember them by.

Update: Darth Maul has been located behind a couch. The universe can rest easy tonight.