It's True Wherever You Find Love…it Feels like Christmas!

The Muppet Christmas Carol has to be one of my favorite Christmas movies.  The songs get stuck in my head, I laugh at the jokes I know by heart and my kids like it so it can be enjoyed by the whole family…hence the title of this post.  Watching Christmas movies all December long is a favorite tradition of mine.  I pull out all my Christmas movies and make a stack on top of the DVD case and we try to get through most if not all of them.  This year, we almost did it!

I hope you all had a great Christmas season.  We chose to stay home and break in our house and I really enjoyed it.  It was the first time we have EVER had Christmas with just our little family and this is our 9th Christmas together.  I was worried about being in charge of the magic of the season and trying to have it be special with just the 4 of us and although I would change some things for next year, I think it went pretty well.
We start December by decorating the house and the tree of course.  Boys enjoyed that for a few minutes but got back to watching the Christmas movie we put on after they had their fill.

We also do the 25 days of Christ which is something we did last year and the feeling it brought into our home all season is something I want to do each year.  The boys love watching the videos about the Savior and seeing the artwork to accompany the scriptures.  I want my children to always remember what the true meaning of Christmas is and this has helped us do just that.
We of course do elf on the shelf and our advent calendar and had fun with those this year.  They love waking up and seeing the new and crazy antics Jingle and Belle get in to and before bed, putting another ornament on our little tree for the advent.  One particular day they thought was funny was when Jingle had wrapped Belle in wrapping paper and shoved her under the tree…Shortstop kept saying "What was he thinking?"
A new tradition we started this year was The Last Straw.  It is a little porcelain manger with a bag of straw.  Throughout the season as you do acts of service or show love, you get to add straw to the manger.  Then on Christmas Eve, you add the baby Jesus.  I loved talking to the boys about doing everything we could to make the manger as soft as possible for baby Jesus and they really got in to it.  Shortstop would grin each time I would thank him for something he had done and tell him he got to add straw.

Each evening as part of our bedtime routine we read a book to the boys.  During December we have 24 Christmas books and get to pick a new one each night.  I put these away with the decorations so they are special and stay nice and pulling them out just makes me smile.  Next year I think I want to wrap each one so they can unwrap a "new" one each evening.

I like to make a list at the beginning of each season of things I want to do.  In the Summer it might include things like Seven Peaks and in the Fall it includes a pumpkin patch, etc….Christmas is no different and this year we wanted to make sure and see the reindeer at Thanksgiving Point, do their Christmas lights drive and go to Farmington Station with my sister.  So much fun!  Farmington station was new to us this year and well worth it.  We met Melanie and had dinner at Johnny Rockets, enjoyed the light water show, met Santa (who was awesome!) and shopped.

It was at this moment while the boys were mesmerized that with tears in her eyes my sister said "Enjoy these moments…they go too fast."  She got to talk to her "little" boy on Christmas when he called her from his mission…yes, it does go too fast. 

"Hmmm…I don't know what I want…just whatever, I guess."

A few days before Christmas our house got hit with the flu…in a bad way (although is there a good way to get the flu?).  I have not had a temperature that high in a LONG time and I haven't seen Mark that sick in our marriage.  It was not fun but the boys were troopers.  We are all finally over it for the most part and thank goodness we were able to enjoy Christmas through the coughing and hacking.  As I said, the boys tried to keep up good spirits and Mark and I did our best to keep it laid back and fun without pressure on anyone.

A common sight the week of Christmas…blankets, movies and not much movement

Christmas Eve was low key but sweet.  We had homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast and rested the rest of the day.  I had a hard afternoon feeling the pressure of making Christmas special, being tired of all the sickness and missing my family.  Around 4, after crying for a minute, I told Mark I needed to go lay down and felt stressed and didn't know if I could handle any more.  Shortstop overheard and a little while later humbly came up to me and said "Mom…Christmas is about Jesus.  It isn't about presents.  I would like some... but that is not what we need to think about.  We need to have love and be together and remember the baby Jesus.  We don't need to cancel anything.  Let's just be together."  You could have knocked me over with a feather…what an incredible boy!  He saved Christmas this year.  I shook off the tears and stress and enjoyed so much our Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  We started with opening Christmas pjs from Grandma and I could not stand how cute they looked!  Oh man…I love these two.

They put out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots and apples for the reindeer.  Shortstop wrote a great note thanking him for bringing presents and wishing him a Merry Christmas.  Fullback could not help sneaking a few bites for himself though…

Santa even wrote a note back and told them what good boys they were and to remember that the real meaning of Christmas is about Jesus.  Thanks for the added help Santa!  

Waking up to a white Christmas was a dream.  Shortstop was beyond happy that his "wish" came true. We were able to sleep in, enjoy breakfast casserole together. then open the presents at their pace.  There was no schedule and no other kids to compete with so I didn't ever have to get after them or hurry them along.  It was heaven!

Wrapping the room…got this idea from my sister Alicia

They both loved what they got and shared quite well.  That afternoon both boys took a turn and felt pretty miserable so again, low key.  We watched movies and played with new toys.  After baked potato soup for dinner, they took a bath and we bundled up and went for a drive to see Christmas lights around the neighborhood while listening to music.  That was a fun way to end Christmas with them and then Mark and I watched "It's a Wonderful Life."
The word Magic was uttered quite a few times by my 4 year old throughout the season.  From things our elves did, to snow on the ground to presents magically appearing under the tree.  The love and excitement from the boys made all the planning and hard work worth it.  Although we missed our families, I am glad to be starting this tradition of spending Christmas at home.  Next week we are heading to Twin Falls for New Year's and I am really excited about that.  It is nice to have family close by.
I am so happy that we were able to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.  There is a feeling in the world unlike any other during this time.  I hope to carry that spirit with me all year round.

Luke turns 2!

Two years ago I fell head over heels in love with a blond hair blue eyed boy.  And every day since then  I have somehow fallen even more in love.  Fullback turned 2 today and I cannot help but be a little angry at time while also loving how amazing these last 730 days have been.

Mark, Shortstop and I woke up the birthday boy by going in his room singing Happy Birthday.  Fullback just grinned and acted embarrassed, loving the balloons and streamers that were already in place.  After getting ready in his new "TWO" t shirt and saying goodbye to Mark as he left for work, the three of us went up north to meet some of my sisters.  Melanie's birthday was the day before and so Alicia, Rachel and I met up with her at Kneaders for birthday breakfast.

Even Jingle and Belle got in on the celebrating!  This was their first appearance this year.

 Shortstop loves writing little notes to us about what is going on.  This one was awesome because he writes the way he thinks.

After a fun breakfast, busy with my two boys but fun, we headed to Melanie's for lunch.  My boys love being in her home.  We went back to our house for nap time and quiet time and then enjoyed a simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, Fullback's favorite.  He was so cute and happy all day…I think he knew we were celebrating him.
After dinner Rachel and Matt and their kids and Allis came over for cake and ice cream.  I made a race car cake because as long as I can remember Fullback has loved carrying cars all over the house.  He loved it and did a great job blowing out the candles.  We opened presents and played with all the awesome new toys and books he got.  Then he happily hugged everyone and went to bed.

Patiently waiting for the song to end so he could devour his cake…

It was a great day.  He is an amazing little boy full of love and kindness.  He has a fire in him that comes out every once in a while in toddler form but his hugs and kisses are always in abundance.  He loves being like his brother and can't wait until Mark gets home from work.  He misses me when I am in the other room and likes to be my little shadow.  I will never get sick of his cuddles and his own form of communication.  He is starting to try more words and as his mom, I can understand most of them.  I love his sweet voice and have a feeling it will be much like his brother's…filled with questions and love and a little higher than others so it adds a sense of innocent sweetness no matter what they say.
At his 2 year check up, he weighed 25 pounds, was 33.5 inches long and had a head circumference of 19 3/4 inches.  He is 28th percentile in weight, 21st in height and 93rd in head.  Little blond matchstick!
I love you Yukie…more than I can express.  No one is as lucky as me to have the two boys I do as my sons.  I love watching you learn and grow and I know everyone who comes into contact with you will be blessed.  Happy birthday my baby!!

Waiting at the doctor's office

Thanksgiving and a staycation

This year we decided to stay around here for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We kind of wanted to break in our new house and didn't want to travel.  My sister lives in Kaysville and my parents decided to come down to her house so we decided to go up that way and get a hotel for one night as a mini stay-cation.   It was so fun and I am so glad we decided to do it that way.  Wednesday I spent the day baking and cooking the things I was contributing to the meal at my house and then we packed up and went to Melanie's house Thursday morning.

She had a little craft table set up for my kids since they were the only really little ones there and pretty sure Shortstop has a bit of a crush on my 16 year old niece Jenna.  She is so good with them too!  We of course had the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade on TV which is a favorite of mine.  They loved seeing Santa and a few of the giant balloons caught their eyes.

We had an amazing dinner and great conversation.  Her table was decorated so nicely with adorable place cards and everything.

I love being with my family and am grateful so many of us live close enough to get together.  And her house is awesome for little boys!  They have chickens, a dog and bees and a trampoline.  Way too fun.

After pie we headed to our hotel and let my nieces swim when I put the boys down to bed.  My brother in law, Jim, my dad, and Mark went to the movie Interstellar and my sister, mom and I visited and hung out at the hotel.
The next morning my other sister Rachel and her family came up and we all went to Boondocks for bowling.  While there I ran into a family from Twin Falls, the Jacksons, who I used to babysit.  I babysat their kids for 6 years and now two of them are married and one has two kids.  It was so cool to catch up and have them meet my kids.
After lunch leftovers at Melanie's and letting the kids watch a movie we headed home.  It was so nice to have been able to do a quick getaway and still have the whole weekend together to relax before Mark had to go back to work Monday.  We spent the weekend decorating the house for Christmas, getting ready for Fullback's birthday, and just overall relaxing.
I have so many things to be thankful for, I don't know where to begin.  First and foremost is my Savior.  I am grateful for the knowledge that he lives and for the restored gospel.  I am beyond thankful for eternal families and that my amazing husband and incredible little boys and I get to be together forever. Being a wife and mother is truly an incredible journey to be on and those titles are things I hold sacred. Having the little family I do makes it easy to fulfill those callings and that is something else I am grateful for.  I am thankful for my home, to have a place to call my own and for the beautiful area I live.  I never thought I would live in Utah long term but it is a great place to raise a family.  I am grateful for my parents and siblings and all the people they have brought into my life.  And of course my in laws as well and for the amazing family Mark comes from. What a group of examples and support I have!  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and can see the beauty and blessings we have each been given.

 

This was our Thankful tree this year.  Shortstop LOVED doing this each night and wrote down his own blessings without needing help on spelling or anything.  I was so proud of him!

First church talk and Primary Program

Shortstop was part of our ward's primary program today.  Being in the Primary Presidency and the counselor over this program, I was very much looking forward to today being over but once church started and I got to be the mom and not really do anything, I enjoyed so much watching my little boy up on the stand.  He is not really into singing in public but he just sat there looking around and waving, not being too disruptive.  When it was his turn, he went up to the podium by himself (having previously asked the teacher not to come cause he knew his part) and beautifully recited his part into the microphone.  It was a proud moment!  Then when he sat down he grinned at us and did a thumbs up and a few fist pumps in the air.

After the program, we went to sharing time where he also had the talk today.  Last night he and Mark worked on what he wanted to say, and we really tried to let him give us his thoughts and answers, which he did.  I typed up what he said and printed it out this morning.  Thinking he might need a little help on some of it, I handed it to him and said he could look over it but we would work on it together.  Nope!  He read it one time through by himself before church then while walking into Primary together he said "Mom, I can do it by myself.  You just sit and watch me."  It was amazing!  He wasn't nervous, read it through clearly and perfectly and then sat down grinning from ear to ear.  I was conducting so I had to keep myself composed but I really wanted to burst into tears!

After church I asked if he wanted it on video to show other family members, which he did.  So this is his after church performance.  It was a good day, to say the least.

Halloween

I love Halloween with kids!  It is so much fun and puts a whole new perspective on the day.  The actually day was laid back and normal but that night we had a fun dinner- kid friendly and Halloween themed.  Nana and Aunt Allis joined us which made it ever more special for the boys.

 Banana ghosts

 Worms in dirt

 Witches' fingers

 Pumpkin juice

Jack o lantern sliders

After dinner they got in their costumes, a knight and a dragon, and we headed out to go trick or treating.  It was so fun to have a neighborhood to trick or treat in!  We have always lived in apartments where no one is home so to go in our ward boundaries and know people made us feel such part of our new community.  Shortstop's sunbeam teacher put together a haunted house in their garage and he was very brave with his sword as he plowed through. (I was so impressed with how brave he was…I got scared!)

 I don't really dress up so I added a little Halloween flare to my makeup after seeing a friend of mine post something similar on her Instagram

 It is serious business being a Knight and a dragon

 Shortstop was so good to wait for his little brother and help him know the trick or treating ropes.  He would say "Come on baby dragon…come this way!"

After each house and each new piece of candy, Fullback just had to show Nana and Aunt Allis was he got.  They were good sports.

After trick or treating we went home to inspect the candy and hand out our own candy to more trick or treaters.  They loved seeing kids come to the door, (including their cousins), in all types of costumes and went to bed full of sugar and happy memories.