A Pre-Christmas Present

Christmas 2012

Our Christmas season this year was interesting.  We usually go see the reindeer at Thanksgiving Point and the lights as Temple Square.  Horrible coughs found the kids a week before Christmas which changed our plans.  We were going to go see the lights anyway last Saturday, but JUST as we pulled up next the the temple the earache Jossy had been complaining about for an hour or two got significantly worse and we realized we needed to find an instacare instead.  We drove all the way to Orem with a SCREAMING 4-year-old to find an open one near-ish to home.  Sure enough, it was a bad ear infection, only the second one she's ever gotten.  Great timing, eh?  So we missed out on some traditions this year.  It makes me sad since I'm super sentimental, but I'm trying to make my peace with it since there's nothing else I can do about it.  But it's weird to me not to have a family picture in front of the temple this year. 

Christmas morning the kids were beyond excited.  The older 2 woke us by 7 asking if they could open gifts.  We said not til Lacey was awake, who thankfully slept another hour.  The gift-opening extravaganza was complicated by a video camera acting up and a toddler who wanted to get into everything that didn't belong to her and did not like being told no.  Good thing we have it on blurry video (since it was acting up) so that I can watch and enjoy at least some of it back without having to stop Lacey from being such a pill all the time!  I feel like I missed half the fun because I was busy trying to keep her under control. 

Lacey especially enjoyed her stocking . . . and anyone else's she could steal.

Chocolate is a breakfast food, right???  

 Jossy was loaded with princess stuff, Lacey wouldn't sit for any amount of bribing, and Matty . . . well, his expression says it all. 

 We spent Christmas evening with my family where the kids were further spoiled.  They had a great day.  

Dinner in Jerusalem

We started this tradition last year, and the kids love it.  We eat food similar to what Jesus would have had (or a kid-friendly version) and do so by candlelight on the last Monday before Christmas. This year it fell on Christmas Eve which made everything even more special.   It's just something fun and simple if you're looking for a new tradition.  

The Delayed Dresses

Over a year ago I had made matching dresses for my girls because I couldn't find any infant-sized and toddler-sized ones the same in stores.  Those were my first dresses all on my own.

Now I'm able to find matching dresses since Lacey's grown, but I just hate how expensive they can be!  I've lucked out here and there with some good finds for them, but I decided maybe it was time I just made some again.  I already had lots of similar patterns I had gotten for $1 on sale one time.  So I bought some fabric way back in August, cut it out, and  . . .  life happened.  I never got around to doing anything with them.

The cost of the fabric sitting wasted in my basement has been driving me insane, but not until the last two weeks have I done anything about it.  I finally got around to making their dresses and discovered that Lacey will outgrow hers very soon since I waited so long.  Guess they have to wear them every week to church for a while to make it worth it!  I had so many problems making these dresses but luckily nothing is really noticeable.

I ended up with some extra fabric so I impulsively made Matty a tie to match using this tutorial.  It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but it would have been easier if I had been using different material.  He gets a little jealous when his sisters get to match and he doesn't, so I was glad the tie worked out for him!

I tried to get pictures of them this morning before church while their hair is done nice and nothing has spilled on their new clothes.  This is what I got:

At least these 2 were willing.

 But after church when hair is no longer done up and cute, of course THAT'S when Lacey's fine getting her picture taken.  They didn't want their cardigans on any more by then. 

I love matching kids!

I would take some cute family pictures today in the studio, but Lacey's already ripped off the dress for the day and nothing is worth the fight it would be to get it back on.  

Visit to Santa

I posted 5 blog posts all at once last week, and yet only 2 people commented?  Sad!  I know more than that read.  Nevertheless, Jerianne and Sandi can expect their friendship checks in the mail any day now.  ;)

 We've been waiting for some semi-decent weather to go visit Santa.  The night we chose ended up having a horribly chilly wind.  Go figure.

 We would have tried putting Lacey on his lap (and just settled with the inevitable screaming baby picture,) but it appeared we have too many kids for Santa's lap all at once. 

We didn't wander around for long since it was so cold out, but we did enjoy the sights we saw.  

Snow Much Fun

Snow:  Just one more thing that was fun as a kid that becomes a hassle as a parent. 

The kids of course ask to go play in it anytime it starts accumulating.  But in my head I'm thinking that means dressing them like the marshmallow man, undressing them and redressing them when someone inevitably has to use the potty, wet boot tracks in my house, frozen noses and toes refusing to come back inside, and getting all bundled up myself for the freezing cold so that someone can watch Lacey.  I feel like the biggest parent scrooge when it comes to this white stuff. 

Then I see these smiles, and the hassle all seems worth it . . . until the wet boot tracks come inside.

Reading in Progress

Occasionally as a parent you get lucky and walk in on a moment of unsolicited sibling sweetness. 

 Oh how I live for these little moments!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

My kids absolutely love helping to decorate the Christmas tree each year.  And while I would MUCH rather do it on my own, they would be devastated if I did.  So I let them help and just deal with the clusters of lopsided decorations here and there.  I have to remind myself that how it's decorated doesn't matter nearly as much as them making good memories.

These kids have been driving me absolutely insane the last few days, but I must say looking through these pictures again reminds me why the Lord gave me such cute ones.  He's counting on the fact that their cuteness will save them from my wrath.  He's right.  It's hard to stay mad too long.  Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Tom the Turkey

Tom the Turkey made his yearly visit to our house again for the month of November.  This year our family was thankful for:  my pink shirt, friends, milk, medicine, family, silent nights, Dad's work, oxygen to breath, warm house, Jossy, the temple, clothes, weight lifting, Lacey, our cars, Thanksgiving, Mom, snow, Dad, homemade bread, food to help us live, and Matty.

I love having a picture of Tom every year to remind us of what was important to our family at that time. 

Color Wheel

Our preschool here with just Jossy and me isn't really all that exciting most days.  Usually it's me 10 minutes before saying, "Now what can I teach today?"  Yeah, not the best planning method.

This particular week on the color wheel ended up being quite fun however.  Just thought I'd post a few pictures.

What It Means To Be a Princess

Time spent on beauty preparation

Getting your nails done

Having fairy tales read to you

Meeting royalty and going for a real carriage ride

 

Enjoying yummy treats

Playing games with fellow princesses

Walking/running down the red carpet

Dancing to a live harpist playing Disney tunes

Enjoying a day with friends

Showing genuine smiles

(a big deal for this typically shy princess)