1st Step-The Tree

Thanksgiving is over and it's time to move onto Christmas. The first step is decorating the Christmas tree. Our ornaments, we've collected over the years. Each year everyone gets a new ornament, so that when they leave home someday they will have a box of ornaments to take with them. It's a little eclectic, but it's always fun to open the box and the kids love to find "their" ornaments.

We totally let the kids decorate the tree by themselves-we just hand them the ornaments and let them go to town(I know, can you believe I let go of all my control issues?Maybe one day I will have the perfectly decorated tree-but not until the kids leave home-I figure it's their tree to enjoy).

The only thing I did to correct the decorating process is when Phoebe placed a bunch of ornaments on the same branch, which was also the lowest branch. Anyway we turned on the Christmas music, ate cookies, and for a few minutes at least, with no fighting everything was right with the world.

I love to hear the kids conversations, as they talk about all that they love about Christmas. Isabel said that decorating the tree is her favorite thing. There is something so peaceful about sitting around the tree with the lights off and just the twinkling of the lights on the tree. I totally love it!

Now tomorrow I tackle decorating the rest of the house..........(my way).

Because I Have Been Given Much.....

So at the end of this Thanksgiving night as I reflect on all the things I'm grateful for, I realize my blessings outweigh my whines and complaints. Even during hard times I know that I'm truly blessed in many ways. So here are a few of the many things I'm grateful for tonight....

I'm grateful for a wonderful husband who has stayed with me through thick and thin for 15 1/2 years. I'm grateful for 4 wonderful gifts that I have been privileged to be blessed with, their names are Isabel, Oliver, Miles, and Phoebe. In laughter, play, teaching moments, fighting, frustration, hugs and kisses, there is undeniable, unending love. I'm grateful for wonderful siblings and their families. I have always thought that the more the merrier-and even in our differences and how many there are of us(there is 34 of us in all) we stand together. I know that if I never needed anything, my family would be there-it's a comfort. I miss them especially during the holidays. I'm grateful for wonderful parents, who have given me a foundation and examples of which I try to live up to. I'm grateful for friends that even when I don't have blood family around they become my family here. We sat around the Thanksgiving table today with our friends the Howells and it felt like I was sitting with family. (not nearly as lonely as when we are by ourselves.) I'm grateful for the gospel in my life and the hope and strength that my faith gives me. I'm grateful for my Savior who I know eases my burdens willingly and gives me comfort when I need it the most. I could start getting really frivolous about things I'm grateful for (warm fuzzy socks, diet coke, magazines, books, chocolate, banana ice cream with walnuts, yummy smelling lotion,etc..) you get the idea, but I will stay with the things that truly sustain me. The song that says count your blessings name them one by one and you will see what God has done is very true. I truly feel blessed. I hope wherever you are tonight, you had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by friends and loved ones. I hope you are as full as I am(will I ever feel hungry again?).

Now it's onto the beginning of the Christmas season-I'm so excited! Let the Christmas music, the decorating, the Christmas movie watching, lighting of candles, Santa visiting, cookie making, the snow and cold, kids wish lists, begin!!!

They clean up good...

This picture was right before we left for church. Can you tell we are having wacky weather, with Oliver in a sweater, and Miles in a polo? (pay no attention to Oliver's chapped mouth, he can't stop licking it). Somethimes I feel the need to document one moment where they are still clean, put together; no dirt, stains, hair messed up, rumpled. You know what I'm talking about. Not that I don't like those moments too, I just feel sometimes it's nice to remember that they always start out put together.

Nothing Really Going On...

I noticed I hadn't posted since last Saturday, and I realized nothing of much importance has gone on. It's kind of hard to post when nothing out of the ordinary has happened. I try to keep in mind that in the ordinary, memories are created. But I thought I should post something, anything, a little something, so here's my attempt to make the ordinary seem somewhat exciting, interesting, bearable to read? Let's get started...

the boys on their way to school

1. IT'S ABOUT TIME-We finally woke up to snow. It's pretty late in the season for Colorado to just now get our first snow in the 2nd week of November. It's cold-but not for too long. Phoebe was desperate to get out and play in the snow. By midday the sun was out and the snow was melting,Phoebe said"It's not fair, the snow is just going to melt." It's supposed to be nice this weekend much to my kids dismay.Maybe some more snow is around the corner, or maybe it will come again in time Phoebe's birthday, that would be a good gift.

not much snow, but she'll take it

2.IT'S CONFERENCE TIME- Today Isabel had the day off from school because of parent teacher conferences. The boys conferences are on Monday. They only had good things to say-She got straight A's this quarter(I'm such a proud mom I can't help but share). It's sometimes nice to hear that I'm doing something right as a parent, when I doubt myself so often.

Isabel taking a self portrait

3.AM I A BEAR?- For some reason in the fall I start to feel the need to nest. Start organizing , clearing , and cleaning up neglected spaces. I like all the foods of autumn, cooking in autumn is much more enjoyable, making my house smell yummy and cozy. Am I ready to hibernate for the winter or what? Instead of spring cleaning, I like the idea of autumn cleaning(now if I can just get my kids on board).

4.ANGELS AROUND US-Last Sunday I went to a fireside, where Mariama Kallon spoke. She is a woman from Sierra Leone who lived through a civil war, and found the gospel. She was featured in an article in the November 2006 New Era. Read it here (http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=024644f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=7d5a35c4ceeae010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1). Anyway she had such a warm smile, contagious laugh and her voice was filled with hope. She talked of her conversion, but over and over she spoke of the scripture found in D&C 84:88 "..there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." Still at the end of this week, she has stuck with me as well as her message. We do have the Spirit and we do have angels that come in all forms who are around us, lifting us up. Truly inspiring..She made me grateful for all that I have.

5. AGENDA FOR THE WEEKEND. So what's on my plate this weekend, let's see-Enrichment dinner tonight, temple with Trent in the morning. I've got to get a jump on two book club books,both of which are next week. We're reading Garden Spells, and Killer Angels(such contrasting titles don't you think?) and I've got to finish the book I'm reading right now, it's overdue at the library. I'm reading THE OTHER QUEEN. And of course more cleaning of my house. What's a weekend without it? With them all home all weekend, it gets messy really fast(I've got messy children who drop and leave anything, anywhere. Knowing that I can't stand it, I end up either yelling, begging or giving up and picking it up for them.)


So that wraps up all the "exciting" stuff going on in my neck of the woods(not really, I live on the plains,who am I kidding?). Hopefully next week I'll have something better to offer. But since it's finally cold, I think I'm ready for hot chocolate, whip cream, and cinnamon sprinkled on it, right about now. Have a happy weekend!

Am I Cursed?

I might be(if I actually believed in curses). Anyway on my way back from picking Isabel up from a sleepover we hear a noise. What else could it be but a flat tire? Why me? It only ever happens when I'm either alone or with children. In the past four years let me tell you how many times I have been stranded by the side of the road with a flat tire. here goes:

1. Pregnant with Phoebe, with the rest of my children in the middle of summer on the highway without a cell phone.

2.The day after Christmas on the way back from the dentist, on the highway.

3.Last year while Trent was in Reno, I ran over nails that had been placed in the middle of the road, and I ended up with 8 nails in my tire.

4.In the middle of winter taking Isabel to school, I slid into a curb while driving on ice, and popped a tire.

5.And then today (I need to learn not to be in my pajamas while driving, and I need to learn how to change a flat tire, you would think I already would have by now. Luckily,Trent is usually only a phone call away to come and rescue me.)

Flat tires seem to follow me around. Luckily, they replaced the tire today for free because the tire had a defect in it(also because they were freaking new tires that I had put on less than a year ago!) It never seems to happen to Trent, and really none of them were because of my fault. Is the streak never going to end? I'm tired of flat tires, can I just tell you? Ok, now I'm done venting...

Friday Five

Here are a few things that I find myself thinking about this Friday, some good, some bad.

We'll start with the bad:

1. I just keep telling myself I love her-My Phoebe, who was being a very naughty 3 year old, because she was mad at her dad, took scissors and cut my duvet cover on my bed. I don't even know what to do. I hope that in a few years I'll look back and chuckle and tell her stories of bad things she used to do, but for now I still have a little steam coming out my ears.

Now onto better things:

2.I'm trying to patiently wait for this new CD Gossip in the Grain to come in at the library for me. Unfortunately I can't run out to buy frivolous things that would make me happy or else it would've already been bought. Ray Lamontagne is someone I love, he could sing anything and I would listen. I have two of his songs below, so give it a listen if you want to. He's fantastic!

3. I find decorating for Thanksgiving very hard because the colors and things I use for decorations normally for my house look like Autumn already. I did find this picture of Tom Turkey on the Internet and printed it out, used a frame I already had and framed him up. He makes me very happy to look at on my living room table(I'm trying not to think about happily eating turkey in a few weeks).

4.This week history was made as we elected Barack Obama as our new Presidentt. Now that it's all over I can be a little more open-as I listened to his speech that night, I was so inspired and I am willing to hang on to the hope that he offers. My sister, Jenni and I sat on the phone taking in the moment. Now I know many of you don't like him but please don't leave disgruntled comments here, just let me be happy.

5. A little quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that I came across this week made me smile so here it is "Women are like tea bags. We don't know our true strength until we are in hot water." I find this to be a little true-I don't know what I can do until I'm stuck in the middle of it. Made me smile.

Have a great weekend! And don't you love November?(the crunchy leaves, the smell of fall, cold nights, remembering to be grateful, crisp apples, etc..)

Toothless

This is mostly a shout out to my mom, but I thought I would share it with you all too. Miles has finally started losing his top teeth. I told my mom about it and she said "please post a picture so I can see him. He has such a cute smile"(I couldn't agree more). I think when little kids start losing their baby teeth, they look so cute, with all the gaps and spaces(I wish you could also see the sprinkle of freckles across his nose too). We've been waiting it seems forever for this one he lost. It was a dead tooth that he's had since he was about 2 years old when he fell on my sisters deck and his mouth hit a flower pot. It's one of those last things before they start to look like big kids. He's officially on his way to being one of the big kids now.

One of Us is going to be Happy

It's Election Day! I live in a split household, where Trent and I are voting for different canidates. We try not to talk too much about it because it usually ends in a draw where neither of us is willing to give in. We'll still love eachother after today no matter what happens. So one of us will be happy and one of us disappointed. I will let you all figure out which one of us it will be. It's an exciting day! I voted early last week and as I turned in my ballot I felt a surge of pride and excitement, knowing that my vote is going to matter this election and what a privelage it is. It was exciting to watch the news this morning and see the long lines everywhere, it's great to see everyone interested this go around. Even my kids are excited. Miles asked this morning if we will know tonight who the president will be, I said I don't know, but we can watch it on tv. He said "good"(what, he'll give up his shows to watch th election? fantastic!) So make sure you vote today. And I say- May the best man win!(as long as it's the one I voted for. I hope)

Isabel's Halloween Bash (I'm Tired)

The kids pumpkins

First off, let's pretend I never showed you the Halloween costumes last week and this is the first time you've seen them. And plus Isabel wasn't in the last pictures. So here they are in all their Halloween glory. I think we've put our costumes to good use this year due to school parties, and ward trunk or treat, and to official Halloween last night! Just wait till I show you all the candy(I don't quite know what to do with it all, it can't be good to just let the kids eat it all, is it?)

Now onto the real reason for the post. Isabel, who's birthday is over July 4th weekend can never have a party because no one is ever around, so this year I said instead of a birthday party- why don't we just have a party during the year. So this is what she wanted-a HALLOWEEN BASH. She invited 11 girls over for a costume party and sleepover (I know, I'm a little crazy).

All the girls, except the two that were late.

Anyway, they went trick or treating, played lots of games, ate, read scary stories, screamed, giggled, non stop talking, and did it all some more. I left them to their own devices around 11:00(I was soo tired, have I turned old already? I remember when I was 13 and staying up all night with my friends) I fell to sleep instantly, and woke up at 2:30 to screaming and giggling girls. I tried in my nicest voice to tell them to try to keep it down(Phoebe and the boys somehow slept through all of it) I think they tried really hard but I didn't hear them settle down until after 3:00(I think that means they were having a good time, right?) Anyway we got up and fed them a pancake breakfast and said the last goodbyes around 11:00. I just have to say I'm still recovering from it all, and I'm glad tonight is Daylight Savings and we get an extra hour of sleep tomorrow!! Isabel said she had an "amazing " time and that is all that matters. I hope everyone had a great Halloween!! We did

An idea of the stash