Family Slumber Party

As per tradition, each day in the month of December we open a box in our advent calendar to discover a family activity to complete that day. One of our most favorite activities is our traditional family Christmas slumber party. Our slumber party kicked off with dinner out at a family favorite restaurant, then back home for cookies and a riveting game of "Sorry!" Afterwards, we watched "Honey, I Blew Up The Kids" on an air mattress in the family room in our jammies. Aaron and I cheated a little bit and snuck off after the movie to sleep in the comfort of our own bed while the boys spent the night camped out on the air mattress. THIS, is what Christmas is all about to me....tradition, family time, and making memories!

Like Father, Like Son

Love these two Seahawks cuties!

Name That Grover!

Test your skills, it's time for a final round of our favorite guessing game: Name that Grover!

A. 

B. 

C. 

D. 

E. 

F. 

G. 

H. 

I. 

J. 

ANSWER KEY:

A. = Joey

B. = Hank

C. = Max

D. = Rocky

E. = Ben

F= Max

G. = Joey

H. = Rocky

I. = Ben

J. = Hank

Trimming the Tree

I'm learning. It's taken me several years, but I'm learning. I'm learning that the kids have more fun decorating the tree when the work (trimming the base, adjusting the angle, stringing the lights and garland) is done ahead of time. And, I'm learning that if I want something done right, I should just do it myself! This year, I didn't wait for Aaron to help me string the lights and garland, I just did it myself while he was at work. Don't worry, he wasn't the least bit upset at me for going ahead without him--Aaron was delighted that he didn't have to participate in the tedious prep work! Once I had everything ready, the boys all helped with the fun part: hanging the ornaments. It was really cute watching them take out each ornament, remembering each one from Christmases past, and find the perfect place for it on the tree. Max took great care to place each little bit of ribbon and flower just so and kept saying, "this is the best day ever!" Ben hoarded all of the star ornaments and then, with Dad's help, would select a branch to hang it on and say, "I did it!" Joey liked taking the ornaments off just as much as putting them on, but still "helped" in his own way. The tree looks a bit like it was decorated by four little boys, with all of the ornaments globbed on one branch, but I love it! Merry Christmas!

The Great Tree Hunt

As we discussed our options for Christmas trees this year, we decided that getting a license and driving to the mountains to cut down our own sounded like way too much work, and going to the big box store and buying a tree in a box would be disloyal to our Northwest roots, and Aaron complained that the Blue Spruce that we cut down from the tree farm last year was "too pokey." So, we decided to compromise and buy a pre-cut tree from a tree lot this year...it seemed to fulfill all of the criteria we were looking for: easy, authentic, and since the trees were imported they weren't the pokey indigenous Utah variety, they were the pretty, lacey Noble variety. Well, we may not be rugged outdoorsmen, but we're not dummies either! When the tree lot attendant sized us up and quoted us $75 for his scrawny hag of a tree, we hopped back in the car, drove across the street to Costco, and picked up a pre-cut and pre-bagged tree for $40! Initially, I was concerned about buying a pre-bagged tree...it seems like a bit of a grab-bag, not knowing whether or not there is a giant whole in the branches. Aaron convinced me that this "get what you get" method was actually preferable as it helped us avoid our fight wherein I insist that we tromp around the entire tree farm in a hunt for the "perfect tree," while Aaron trudges behind arguing that the trees all look the same. And so, we eeny-meeny-miny-moe-ed it, strapped the pre-cut, pre-bagged tree to the top of the minivan, and away we went!

Winter

There are things I love about winter, like playing in the snow:

 And cuddling up inside to watch a movie (or, in this case, watch garbage trucks on Youtube):

And then there are things I despise about winter, like sick little boys who stay awake all night coughing and throwing up:

Please be good to us this year, winter! We'll take more sledding, snowmen, and hot cocoa, but you can keep your icky germs!

Blessing Day

Blessing days are always a special occasion, but Rockwell's blessing today, just days after Thanksgiving, felt especially tender. As I held Rocky just prior to his receiving his blessing, he looked at me with alertness in his eyes and held my gaze for several minutes. He laid still, just staring into my eyes, and I almost felt like, in that brief moment before his first priesthood ordinance occurred, I could feel his little spirit. It was indescribable, but there was a connection between us. A feeling of love for that little boy, and his infinite potential, just filled my heart and I could feel the Spirit confirming to me my great privilege to have been blessed with this child. Aaron gave Rockwell a very special blessing, mentioning Rocky's happy soul, his desire to learn the gospel, and his talents that will bless others. Seven weeks ago, I wasn't sure how I would find room in my heart for another baby, and today, my heart feels overflowing with love for this sweet babe. How very blessed I am today to have a husband who is worthy to bless our children in accordance with the whisperings of the still small voice, five special sons who fill my heart with richness, an extended family that supports us and our children, and a Father in Heaven who, for some reason, has blessed me far more than I deserve.