Different

Where is my beautiful blond hair?  It's gone and it has been replaced by this! Yes, I did this willingly to myself.  I wanted something different for the new year and this is definitely different.  Probably not the best idea to go from bright blond to red without the help of a professional.  It wasn't until I was about half way through that I realized just how difficult and stupid this decision was.  Now I don't dare dye it back right away because I am sure it would turn out bright pink.  I am not sure my exact feelings about it at this time.  Everyone who has seen it has been super nice and hasn't told me they hate it... except for Eve.  She keeps telling me she doesn't like it and she wants it blond again.  Oh, the sweet honesty of a child!  It's only been a day so I'm still surprised every time I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror.  I've never been anything but a blond... and it is all too true that dying your hair doesn't make you any smarter.  I'm proof of that.  I blame this whole fiasco on pregnancy brain.  I'm pretty sure the reason they tell pregnant women not to dye their hair is not because it is unsafe but simply because all the hormones cause you to make weird decisions.  For the next month I am going to refrain from making any big decisions- and during that time if I am tempted to do something new and exciting on the spur of the moment I will just go look in the mirror!     

I'm Still Dreaming of a White Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is over!!!  Am I the only one who feels a little blindsided by how quickly time flies?  I know I had a whole year to prepare myself but it still seems it came and went too fast.  Like I've said again and again, as I get older, time units become a smaller and smaller percentage of my life and I just can't seem to keep up.  But I'm still clinging to the season for these last few days when it still seems socially acceptable.  I still have my tree and decorations up but it just doesn't feel the same somehow.  I have a neighbor that keeps her Christmas lights up and on all year- but Kole says that we can't do that.  Bah humbug! 

I am still disappointed that the ground was brown, barren and soggy for the majority of December.  Where was my white Christmas?!?  I read in the newspaper that Logan was rated the #1 city in the US for kids during Christmas.  We got this rating based on several criteria including the likelihood of there being a white Christmas.  How ironic.  And to make matters worse, as I look out the window today there is a blizzard going on.  Something is just not right here.

Despite the lack of the white fluffy cold stuff, Christmas was amazing for so many reasons.  Firstly, we had so many family members around this year- All of Kole's brothers were in town and my Grandma Louise too. I hadn't spent Christmas with my Grandma since I was a child so it was really nice to have her around here.

Even though both our families live only 10 minutes away from us, we try to keep from rushing back and forth between them on holidays. Thus we spend Christmas Eve with one side of the family and Christmas day with the other and switch off every other year. This year it was Kole's family's turn for Christmas Eve and my family's turn for Christmas day.  The kids think it is especially great to get to open presents twice (and by kids I am including Kole too. My "big kid" is probably even more giddy about gifts than the kids). Kole could hardly handle it that the kids slept in until 9:30 on Christmas morning.  I got up early to ensure that the kids didn't rip into the gifts before it was time but instead of holding back the savages I ended up having a nice relaxing morning as we waited for them to finally rouse.  There was a small discussion as to whether they were dead in their room but we decided we still didn't want to risk going in to check on them just in case they were fine and we ended up waking them up. 

Now, if people are anything like me, they read blogs like they are reading a picture book.  All the words are supposed to just be commentary on the pictures.  So in that light, I know I should have taken more pictures but I just got so wrapped up in all the chaos that I pretty much forgot to do my "job." Kole did his best to pick up my slack- but... well, this is what we got.  But good news, I got a new camera for Christmas (my old one has been dying for the last year).  It was the last thing I opened on Christmas morning so none of these pictures were taken with it but I am super excited to use it now.

Here is Jack with the super cute tool bench Santa delivered to Grandma Deb's and Grandpa Dave's.  Of course he loves this thing.  It was the first thing he opened so everything else became such a chore for him to unwrap.  Whenever we go somewhere he always wants to come home right away so he can play with it.  It has all these little gadgets and tools that make realistic noise and he can pretend to do real manly work.  It's super cute but I'm "patiently" waiting for the batteries to run out.  Santa might find this gift sitting in his living room soon.

My little fashionista.  I don't know many 5 years olds that love getting clothes but Eve is the exception.  A couple days before Christmas I had to take her shopping along with me and we found a cute skirt that she wanted to use for princess dress up.  I got it for her but told her that she had to wait until Christmas to wear it.  This resulted in tears and a good sized tantrum until I told her that I talked to Santa and he told me I had to give it to him so he could make it "princess approved."  She was so excited that I talked to Santa.  Now mommy is so cool because I have an "in" with Santa.

There's nothing like waiting 10 hours for a cookie.

The "Blue People Movie" was one of her first gift requests. 

This little pop-gun is Jack's first toy gun.   Grandpa is still trying to turn Jack into a hunter. I think he is too much like me to kill anything cute and fuzzy but he does like to pretend to shoot bad guys on TV.

It has a little string attached to the cork so supposedly he can't shoot anyone's eye out (at least that's what Grandma Wendy figured)... nevertheless, that didn't stop him from shooting Eve in the ear.  I have mixed feelings about toy guns.  I really don't like the idea but I've come to realize that boys will pretend anything is a weapon so it's basically a loosing battle to resist completely.

We really did have a wonderful Christmas! We were spoiled above and beyond in so many ways.  We all received so many wonderful things I couldn't keep up with all the pictures nor try to name everything.  We've had a rough last half of the year and I can't believe how many people went out of their way to make our Christmas special. We just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has been so amazingly kind and generous to us recently and always- parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and secret Santas.  You have no idea how much it means to us. It makes us feel so loved. We know you've sacrificed your time, money and more. All that everyone has done has been truly priceless and we can't thank you enough. We hope to be able to pay it forwards and backwards soon. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I always get a little blue after the holidays. But I find that I feel the same after birthdays or any other yearly event. I think it mostly has to do with anticipating something for so long and then not having it there to anticipate anymore. It's like there is this missing mental piece from not having something exciting to obsess over day after day. I know it's not like I have nothing to look forward to in the near future- in fact we'll be pretty busy during the month of January: New Years is only a couple days away, Jack's 3rd birthday is in less than a week and Kole's 30 something'th birthday is on the 19th of January, I'm teaching primary all month long and the new baby should be here in less than a month!!!  I can hardly wait!  When I think about it, I'm almost too busy to miss Christmas... almost.

'Tis the Season

Can you believe there are only 17 days left until Christmas???!!! I suppose some people have been feeling bombarded by the Christmas season since October when the stores started putting out all the seasonal decor but I always feel like the Christmas season never lasts quite long enough. Maybe it was the subliminal messaging of the Wal-Mart Christmas aisle nestled next to the Halloween decor, but I felt anxious to get the season started well before the rest of my family. I held off celebrating one holiday before another- much to Kole's pleasure- and Turkey day was great. Nevertheless, my tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and it will stay up until New Year's Day. Still, with only 17 days left until the Big Day, I feel the impending doom and everything being over and done with before I’ve really gotten into the swing of things... but that seems to be the story of my life.

Now, I have to admit I love Christmas day just like everyone else but even more than the main event, I love everything that leads up to it. I love putting up the decorations, the music, the busy people rushing everywhere, the snow (yes, Christmas time is the only time I actually want snow around and it's all melted this year! Blah!), I love starting new family traditions and building upon the ones Kole and I experienced as children, I love the heavy anticipation that seems to hang in the air, racking my brain and scouring the stores to find the “right” gift (A skill I still have yet to master and probably never will), and I especially love the way Jesus Christ is honored openly all over the world. There is a sign at Deseret Book that I want- it says “The magic of the season is not in the presents but in His presence.” I think that’s so true!

I think the Christmas season has definitely gotten better (more expensive but better) since we had kids. Christmas can be pressure filled for adults but it's mostly just fun for kids and it's nice to remember to slow down and enjoy the little things right along with them. Every day they are so excited about everything. We go out to run errands and they see all the Christmas stuff and they act like it is Christmas morning. Perhaps my kids are just easily entertained and satisfied but it's refreshing to glimpse Christmas through their little eyes. What a blessing to have the opportunity to experience the awesomeness of Christmas with them. I wish these childhood years would last forever. 

I decided not to do a Christmas letter this year. I figure our friends and family can just look on here if they want to know what we've been up to. Most of you probably already know this year we've had our ups and downs, our good news and bad- the famed opposition in all things was an on going theme much of the latter half. Nevertheless, we've still been blessed all along the way. Somehow everything seems to work out in the end and we end up feeling in awe of our blessings. I am happy and thankful to have such amazing family and friends, a wonderful husband that I'm still crazy about after all these years and kids that I love beyond compare. It's great to live so close to those we love and get to celebrate this Christmas season together.  Like our Christmas card says, “Being together is the best gift ever."

May your days be merry and bright and may you enjoy every last minute of this special season.

Happy October! Happy it's Over!

Where to start?  October was super busy and as much as I would have liked to slow down and savor the month, it just didn't happen as much as I would have liked.  We had fun- Evidently I even took some pictures as proof but now October mostly feels like a blur... maybe it's the sugar coma that's clouding my memory.  We still have so much left-over Halloween candy that I'm having a hard time breaking the sugar junkie cycle.  I'm thinking that if I stick to my strict 50 or so pieces a day it will be gone by the end of this month and then I can just go cold turkey.  But then again, perhaps going into the holiday season is not the best time to pursue candy and sugar detox.  Of course pregnancy is a nice excuse to gain those extra pounds without the guilt.  Yes, I think I'm just going to enjoy the next couple months as much as possible.

The first 3/4 of October seemed pretty overrun with planning and pulling off the ward primary program.  It was my first time being the "writer/director" and so I'm sure I stressed way more than I needed to.  I'll say it was "successful" though I admit I'm somewhat biased because I really can't remember any primary programs from the past to compare it to... sorry if you happen to be one of those people that spent all that time putting one together only to realize that it's never as memorable for everyone else.  That tends to be how it goes.  People tend to quickly forget things that ran smoothly or went reasonably well while they mostly remember total catastrophes.  So, I will be thankful if this year's program is only memorable for those involved. 

Eve was so excited to say her one line in the program: "The greatest of Jesus' miracles was his atonement and resurrection."  She had known it perfectly for weeks but as soon as she got up to that microphone she said the wrong line!  She was so confident when she said it too.  Oh well.  It wasn't a total disaster.  At least the line did make sense and most people think it's cute when kids goof up.  She still walks around the house saying her line and teaching it to Jack so at least it stuck in there somewhere.  She also keeps singing all the wrong words to the songs they sang but if we try to correct her she tells me she's just "pretending that's how the song goes."  Funny girl.

Dress-up started early this month.

We decided that we should finally carve pumpkins this year.  Can you believe this is the first year we've done this with the kids?  I know I'm a total slacker mom for depriving my kids of this tradition before but I have to say that I think pumpkin carving is a pretty overrated form of fun.  Yes, I am the Halloween grinch.  I would probably feel differently about this if I was any good at it.  Nevertheless, I didn't want to forego my parental duty to have some tradition in our home.  The kids were enthused for about five minutes and then they realized exactly what carving a pumpkin meant.  Somehow pumpkin guts are just not that fun.  Who knew?  And unfortunately, real pumpkins do not smell anything like pumpkin pie.  It made my whole house stink all day.  The kids are obviously too small to do any carving on their own so our family activity was really an adult activity... which is really embarrassing because the finished product looked like a 2 and 5 year old did it.

Push-pin monogrammed pumpkin is definitely the easier option.

Of course the big news is our beautiful little girl is growing up so fast.  Eve turned 5 on Halloween.  It feels crazy to me that we have a five year old.  We threw a big Halloween Party and Birthday Bash on the Friday before Halloween.  I would have liked to invite all our friends but our little house just couldn't handle it.  Since the party was for Eve, we invited our family members and those with kids around her age.  I don't really know what everyone else thought, but I had fun.  We did an all kids party at the beginning and then had adults and other family members join us a little later for dinner and tons of goodies.  Thankfully it was a beautiful night so people were able to go inside and outside the whole time.  We had a fire pit and made smores.  The kids played like crazy and the adults talked and relaxed.  I made two big cakes but everyone was so full from all the dinner and snacks we didn't even slice into them. 

Eve and Jack were super happy that Keaton came down to celebrate Eve's birthday.  Eve kept talking about it for weeks beforehand.

Since Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, we celebrated on Saturday- like most Utahns.  We had a church carnival for the kids followed by a chili cook-off and potluck and then trunk or treating. 

Eve wanted to be a princess. I knew better than to even mention the possibility of being anything else.

Jack just wanted to be something green (his favorite color for the last several months). I got him this lizard/dragon costume and he was so excited. He had been sneaking into my stuff and trying it on the whole week beforehand. However, on the day of dress-up he decided he no longer liked the color green and he threw a fit about having to wear it. We eventually talked him into it but it was touch and go there for a while.

They both got their faces painted at the carnival. 

The weather was terrible all evening! Thus the trunk or treating became an inside event. We didn't even go trick or treating after because the rain dumped pretty much the whole time during the peak hours of candy gettin'. I'm not sure why, but we hardly get any trick-or-treaters at our house (maybe 1 or 2 each year) and we didn't get any this year. Their loss... I would have given it away by the bucket.

Finally Sunday rolled around and it was actually Eve's birthday.  She continued in the role of princess all day- even wearing the crown to prove it.

We cut into one of those unused cakes from Friday's party and celebrated with family.

Good thing Jack loves her even when she doesn't want to be loved.

Eve got a "big girl bike" for her big day.

Eve is such a nice big sister.  She and Jack have been "sharing" her new toy.  We didn't plan on it being a two person bike but they have been riding around together like this all week long.  I am sad that the weather is getting too cold and snowy to ride bikes much longer.  Hopefully when Spring rolls around the bike will seem brand new and exciting all over again.

Now that we're recovering from the chaos and sugar highs, it's definitely time to take a nap. 

November is a good month to curl up with a warm blanket, sit by the fire and cuddle with my family.

That's where I'm off to now.