Holidays!

Christmas is so fun! Even better when there are children about, to make the time of year that much more exciting. Most of our boys know the true meaning of Christmas and no longer believe in the man in the warm cozy red suit. We constantly hush them when others are around, so that other children can still believe.

This year we wanted to teach them about giving and the fun and joy there is in giving. That has been our focus. We want them to understand that it has nothing to do with what is under the tree, but everything to do the our Savior. We sang Christmas songs together. We read Luke 2 and talked about the amazing birth of the Christ Child. We talked about the way we should treat others. It's been a great time for teaching and learning.

The tree was beautiful and was decorated with care. That always helps bring the Christmas spirit into our home. The Christmas music played, as often as possible. Presents we wrapped. Packages were mailed. Goodies were baked. It was a wonderful Christmas.

Lyssa-loo is two. This Christmas was especially fun with her. She loved opening gifts. She loved the shoes, all three different kinds, and kept trying a new pair on over and over again.

The boys were so funny. They were so excited about some of their gifts that they were jumping up and down, screaming, giggling and smiling. They had a fantastic Christmas.

The only bummer about the whole holiday, well two bummers, was that we didn't have any family to share it with for the first time in years...and we got sick. Lyssa-loo got it first. Then Todd got it and the fever hit on Christmas afternoon. Then it hit me. So, Sunday was spent in bed, watching all the new movies we got for Christmas and solving Rubik's cubes. I was so excited to solve all 4 Rubik's cubes in the house. Not only that, it was the first time I have EVER solved one. I broke a record for myself!!! That was fun! Now it's Monday, Todd had to stay home from work, sick. We stayed in bed most of the day. I got the shakes, chills, stuffy head, head ache, runny nose...fun. So, I have watched more movies and took a nap while the kids and Todd played video games.

I hope we feel better soon. No more sugar. I haven't had sugar in the house until the holiday season, and guess what, I've been healthy. Now, when there is sugar around, and I'm eating it, I get sick. Cursed sugar. If only the silly viruses didn't feed on the stuff, I'd be okay!

Anyway, I'm grateful for health and grateful for a wonderful Christmas. I truly hope that more people will keep the Christmas spirit alive throughout the year this year. Happy New Year!

A Give-Away!

http://iamapistachio.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-adorable-handcrafted-play-food.html?spref=fb

I have an amazingly talented friend who makes the most adorable felt food. I have purchased a few pieces from her for Alyssa and she LOVES to play with them. The fried eggs are so realistic and the bacon looks like I could eat it. It's so much fun! Take a gander at the link on my friend's blog and also catch the tempting foods on Etsy. ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewhimsicalgourmet )

Life Lessons

In my life I have learned much. I continue to learn much. I hope to be able to continually learn great things to help improve myself and my family. I find it quite interesting that no matter how hard we try...no matter how much effort we put into becoming better...there is always more to do. That's not a bad thing. It's good. Think about it....for all the time spent learning and improving...there is always more that we can learn. I won't stop here, at this moment in time, just like I am today. Thank goodness! I'll keep getting better.

I love listening to others who have lived longer than I. They have gained so much knowledge and wisdom. And I wonder...is my heart and mind open to new ideas, new strategies, new ways of being? I try...all the time...to be very open minded. No one thinks the same way, and that can be a blessing. Others' ideas give a new perspective; opens the eyes; helps to see things more clearly. The fog lifts and the light bulb turns on. Aha! New knowledge flows quickly, filling empty spaces, that were waiting to be filled.

I'm surely not done learning and I am so thankful for that. I might not have a formal college education, but I research, I poke, I prod, and turn over new rocks and leaves...looking for more knowledge. It's all around us...begging to be found.

Some knowledge comes from trials; events in our lives that cause us to learn. What a great time to take a step back and really ponder and observe and learn. What could I have done differently? What could I have worded more kindly? What facial expressions could I have changed? What reactions or overreactions could I have eliminated by taking a deep breath, stopping, and thinking, before responding?

I'm grateful for this time on earth to learn...to become a better person. I hope that when I meet my Father in Heaven again he will be pleased with the person I have become.

Our family in a nutshell

It's getting to be that time of year again when the crazy holiday bustle begins. I love this time of year. I love relaxing with my family...eating yummy treats... thinking about all our accomplishments over the year ... and thinking about our blessings.

TJ is getting more accustomed to Middle School. With a schedule change he was able to enjoy his new school much more. He still loves drawing. He continues to get better and better at it. He is very creative and imaginative. He has found that he actually enjoys reading a good book once in a while for fun. He loves to play video games...as most kids his age do. He is helpful and kind and we just think he's fantastic!

Alex loves his new school and at the same time misses the old one too. He is funny. He loves to be outside and ride his bike. He is very sweet and kind and is good with his little sister. He doesn't care what others think of him and is confident in what he likes to do. He enjoyed playing flag football for the first time this year and really enjoyed the time on the field. He loves to sing and is pretty good at it too. He gets embarrassed very easily...just like his mom!! He's a great kid! We think he's awesome!

Max loves his new school as well. He has adjusted fairly well to it. He likes his teacher, which is a plus! He continues to grow and learn so much. He loves to pretend and is fantastic at quoting movies that he likes. He loves watching "Jack and the Beanstock" and loves to quote Gilbert Gottfried's character from that movie. When a conversation reminds him of a movie...he starts quoting. We don't always know what movie he is quoting, which makes it quite interesting at times! It's quite fun! He loves to play and be silly and loves to watch his siblings play too. He is sweet and kind. We think Max is just amazing!

Colin thinks his new teacher is the nicest teacher ever! He loves to read and has improved so much this year. He is working with an awesome teacher, one-on-one, to help improve his reading skills. He continues to impress us constantly. He is so thoughtful and helpful. He knows what to do to earn brownie points!! He like to make up jokes...and sometimes they make sense!! He is a ham!! He loves to fill up the sink in the bathroom and play with toys in it or dunk his head in it. Lacking creativity he is not! He still loves to sit with Mom and Dad and be cuddled...though we don't know how long that will last for! He is almost always good for a little entertainment! We think he is wonderful!

Alyssa loves to play pretend. She is so cute and sweet most of the time! She loves to sing to her toys, and watch shows, and go for rides. She loves animals. She enjoys going out to see our friend's pigs. She loves pigs! She also likes horses and other animals. She is funny and silly and brings a smile to our faces. She is constantly saying new words...and sometimes her pronunciation is quite humorous!!!

Todd is finally done with his college classes and should get his degree in December this year! He is thrilled after jumping through so many hoops to get there. He loves his new job and enjoys traveling to Panama as often as they'll send him. He loves speaking Spanish and gets as giddy as a school boy when presented with an opportunity to use that ability. He loves being silly with the kids and bringing laughter to our home. We think he's a keeper!!! He's fantabulous!

And then we get to me. It's hard to boast about myself...I can boast about my family all day long, but to think of all the things I do well and then share them...that's just weird!! :) So, I'll give it a try. I am blessed with the opportunity to be a stay-at-home Mom. It's the most wonderful profession I could've ever chosen for myself. I love to take pictures but don't have the opportunity as often as I would like to. I love to read, and write and I'm addicted to good movies. Good meaning...a good story. If it's cheesie...it gets turned off! If it's filthy...it gets turned off too! I like a good fantasy and will read books like Harry Potter, Mist Born, Fablehaven, and Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. There's so much out there to read...and so little time! I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and am so thankful to have it as a guide in my life. It's what keeps me going each day.

Death of the Cell phone!

I didn't realize how often I used my cell phone and how much it was worth to me until I dropped it into the toilet. Yes, that's right, I dropped it into the toilet. I had a good laugh about it and so did Todd. I have teased him many times, because he takes his into the bathroom with him. And now, I'm the one who dropped it into the toilet, not the one who plays games on his while using the restroom! Then I called T-Mobile and I told the customer service representative why I needed to replace my phone. I'm so glad I could bring such joy to so many people this week with my story! No one else likes to admit they would do something like that, but I guess I just don't care what people think. I have now ordered a carrying case that will clip onto my pants and protect the phone from flying into yet another water death. They were so kind as to overnight it to me, so I have only been without a cell phone for about 1 1/2 days. Still...it's torture!! I had to take TJ's phone and use it! It makes me laugh!! What is the world coming to?

An answer to many prayers

I'm sitting here in tears...tears of gratitude for staff at school that are taking care of our TJ. We have spent much of our time in prayer for TJ as he struggles in this new school. For some reason he has been targeted by three boys in the seventh grade. First a boy had been teasing and tormenting him on a daily basis. That has been taken care of. Then three boys decided to corner him in the locker room recently and put him in a headlock along with a threat that if he told anyone they would kill him. I'm so thankful that he feels comfortable enough with us that he came home and told me what happened. I took care of it immediately. The next week the one who put him in a headlock received an in school suspension. Almost immediately he was called a snitch. When he told them that he wasn't the one who told, but it was his Mom, he was called a "Momma's Boy". I chuckled and said that was okay because the Stripling Warriors were Momma's Boys and they were awesome, righteous sons. I could handle that! He liked that thought!

So, these boys have continued to try to tease and torment in the hallways. They walk by and give him dirty looks or quickly thrust their head toward him trying to intimidate him. We suggested that he just continue to ignore it and look for his friends in the hallway. That worked until yesterday when one of the boys shoved him to the floor while the teachers were busy and the hallway was crowded. We pray daily for him....for strength...for the spirit to guide him to know how to handle the situations. I called today and spoke with the counselor and explained the story. She then called TJ to her office along with the principal and they created a plan that TJ is very willing and happy to follow through with. They are switching with days of the week TJ has PE and health so that he no longer has to be in any classes with these other young men. He begins the new schedule today. The counselor told him that if anyone asks why he had to switch he can tell them that Mrs. Keiser asked him to because of numbers in the classes. So, then it is her "fault" not his. She doesn't think that any of the boys who have been bullying him will even notice.

As soon as I hung up the phone I was overwhelmed with gratitude for an answer to prayer. I feel very blessed that Heavenly Father is watching out for our children. I’m thankful to all who have been praying for TJ as well.